Old CAD archives and some suppliers only provide IGES. Converting IGES to STL is the way to print or inspect those models with modern mesh tools. This converter runs entirely in your browser: the file is processed on your own device and never uploaded.
Why convert IGES to STL?
Old CAD archives and some suppliers only provide IGES. Converting IGES to STL is the way to print or inspect those models with modern mesh tools.
How it works
Drop your .iges file above and download the .stl. The conversion engine (Open CASCADE, compiled to WebAssembly) runs inside the page, so it works the same on Windows, macOS, Linux and ChromeOS without installing anything.
IGES vs STL
IGES (Initial Graphics Exchange Specification): IGES is the older US exchange standard for CAD surfaces and wireframes, first published in 1980; its last revision (5.3) dates from 1996. Many IGES files contain loose surfaces rather than closed solids. Used by: Legacy CAD archives, older CAM systems, and suppliers who still export surfaces for tooling and moulds.
STL (stereolithography): STL, introduced in 1987 for 3D Systems’ stereolithography machines, describes a surface only as a list of triangles. It carries no colour, no materials and no units. Used by: Every 3D-printing slicer — Cura, PrusaSlicer, Bambu Studio, Chitubox — and model sites like Printables and Thingiverse.
Quality notes
STEP and IGES describe exact curved surfaces; STL and OBJ can only hold triangles. The converter tessellates every surface into a triangle mesh, so a perfect cylinder becomes many flat facets. The feature history, parametric dimensions and assembly metadata do not survive — only the shape does. IGES files often contain individual surfaces rather than a closed solid, so the resulting mesh can have gaps. Run it through your slicer’s repair or Meshmixer before printing.
Common use cases
Reviving a legacy part for 3D printing; inspecting a mould surface; bringing old supplier data into a mesh workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my slicer say the mesh has holes?＋
Many IGES files are open surface sets, not closed solids. Those gaps carry into the STL; repair them in the slicer or a mesh editor.
Should I ask for STEP instead?＋
If you can — STEP usually carries closed solids and converts more cleanly. IGES works when it is all you have.
Is my file uploaded?＋
No. The conversion runs on your device.
What about .igs files?＋
.igs is the same format — use the IGS to STL converter or rename the file.