# I/O support for CAD model and FBX
**URL:** https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161
**Category:** ParaView Support
**Created:** [December 11, 2019, 1:23am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161 "2019-12-11T01:23:33Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lyz](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/lyz)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 1:23am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/1 "2019-12-11T01:23:33Z")
The paraview supports \ ***.stl** , \ ***.obj** fileformat. Is there some plugin can import **CAD** model, such as CATIA, PROE, SolidWorks file or Standard format like IGES, STEP? And is there some plugin can read **FBX** file?
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### Author:  [@Michael](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/Michael)
#### Post date: [December 11, 2019, 8:57am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/2 "2019-12-11T08:57:02Z")
The main issue is that we need to rely on external tools to read these formats:
- a BRep to mesh tesselator for the CAD formats (e.g. OpenCASCADE for IGES/STEP)
- Autodesk FBX SDK for FBX format
It looks that there are some plugins available on github but none are maintained by Kitware.
You can also use external software like FreeCAD to read CAD formats and export VTK files.
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [March 8, 2024, 8:40am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/3 "2024-03-08T08:40:39Z")
There is now support for .step and .iges in ParaView 5.12.0 binary release
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### Author:  [@alessandro\_de\_maio](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/alessandro_de_maio)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2024, 10:20am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/4 "2024-07-10T10:20:20Z")
Is it capable of writing iges and step or only reading ?
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### Author:  [@dcthomp](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/dcthomp)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2024, 12:54pm UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/5 "2024-07-10T12:54:48Z")
Only reading; there are no tools in ParaView to create or modify parametric B-Rep models from the discrete geometry used for rendering. Until there are, a writer would have no purpose since it could only write a copy of the original file.
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### Author:  [@whereismymoney](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/whereismymoney)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2025, 6:02am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/6 "2025-01-14T06:02:11Z")
I loaded an iges file into ParaView, and then I used a box clip filter to clip a portion. I would like to save this as iges. Is there any way to do that?
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### Author:  [@mwestphal](https://discourse.paraview.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2025, 9:37am UTC](https://discourse.paraview.org/t/i-o-support-for-cad-model-and-fbx/3161/7 "2025-01-14T09:37:59Z")
Already answered, there is no writer/exporter for IGES/STEP and I doubt there will ever be, I’m afraid, as ParaView is not a CAD editor.