Convert CATDRAWING to PDF

People convert CATDRAWING files when recipients need to view, print, submit, or archive a CATIA drawing without installing CATIA. PDF preserves the drawing’s page layout for standard viewers, but it does not remain an editable CATIA drawing.

What the CATDRAWING format is

.CATDrawing is Dassault Systèmes CATIA’s native 2D drafting format. A file can contain multiple sheets, model-generated views, dimensions, tolerances, annotations, symbols, title blocks, layers, and drafting-standard settings.

CATIA V5 and CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE use CATDRAWING files in mechanical, automotive, aerospace, and manufacturing workflows. A drawing can reference .CATPart and .CATProduct files, so it is not interchangeable with either 3D format. Generic image, office-document, and many online CAD converters cannot interpret it correctly.

What PDF preserves

PDF is a fixed-layout format for viewing, printing, submitting, and distributing documents. A correctly generated PDF can preserve vector geometry, text, line weights, paper size, sheet order, title blocks, and annotations.

PDF does not preserve editable CATIA drafting objects, parametric dimensions, model links, update relationships, product structure, or CATIA standards. Depending on the export method and printer driver, some content may be rasterized rather than stored as vector data.

How to convert a CATDRAWING file in CATIA V5

1. Open the drawing in CATIA V5. Keep the referenced CATPart and CATProduct files available if the drawing contains views that require an update.
2. Update the drawing using Edit → Update or the equivalent Update command. Resolve broken links, missing references, and unresolved updates before printing.
3. Check every sheet, view, dimension, annotation, layer, title-block field, and drafting symbol. Confirm that hidden geometry is intentionally hidden.
4. Open File → Print. Select an installed PDF printer, such as Microsoft Print to PDF or Adobe PDF, or a PDF output option supplied by your organization.
5. Set the printer paper size to the CATIA sheet format, such as A4, A3, or an ANSI size. Set orientation, sheet range, margins, and output scale. Use 100% or actual size when the drawing must remain dimensionally printable; do not use Fit to page.
6. Print all required sheets, or select the sheet range supported by the CATIA release and printer configuration. Save the result with a descriptive name such as assembly_revision_A.pdf.
7. Open the PDF and inspect each page at 100% zoom and in print preview. Check borders, line weights, fonts, symbols, dimensions, page order, and title-block data.

CATIA V5 installations and releases do not all expose identical PDF commands. Some environments provide a direct PDF export or save option; use it when available, but apply the same sheet, paper-size, scale, and visual checks. A PDF printer remains the broadly applicable method.

How to export from CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE

Open the drawing in the Drafting application, update it, and use the available Export, Download, or Print command with PDF selected as the output. The visible commands depend on the installed roles, release, tenant configuration, and administrator permissions. If PDF export is unavailable, use the permitted print workflow or ask the platform administrator to provide the appropriate export role.

Online converters and other software

There is no universally reliable online CATDRAWING-to-PDF service. Services such as CloudConvert, Zamzar, and Convertio commonly support general office, image, or selected CAD formats but should not be assumed to support CATDRAWING merely because they list CATIA-related formats. A service that explicitly accepts .CATDrawing should be tested with a non-confidential file, and its output must be checked for every sheet, scale, font, line weight, and annotation.

Do not upload proprietary engineering drawings to a public converter unless the service is approved by the file owner or organization. CATIA V5 or the organization’s CATIA/3DEXPERIENCE environment is the safest conversion option because it can resolve drawing references and reproduce the native drafting state. General CAD translators that support CATPart or CATProduct do not necessarily support CATDrawing.

Quality and compatibility checks

• Paper size: A printer set to a different size can clip borders or change the physical scale.
• Printing scale: A PDF can display correctly but still print incorrectly if the viewer applies automatic scaling. Select actual size or 100% when measurements matter.
• Fonts and symbols: Verify the PDF on a computer without CATIA. Missing fonts or substituted drafting symbols can alter notes, tolerances, and special characters.
• References and updates: PDF output reflects the displayed drawing, not an intended but unresolved model state. Check unloaded references, broken links, inactive layers, and update status first.
• Multiple sheets: Confirm that all required sheets are included and that their PDF page order matches the CATIA drawing. Some CATIA V5 configurations require separate print operations.
• Vector content: Zoom into lines and text or inspect the PDF with a preflight tool if vector output is required. A rasterized PDF may look acceptable on screen but print less sharply and cannot be measured reliably.
• Source retention: Keep the original .CATDrawing, its referenced .CATPart and .CATProduct files, relevant fonts and standards, and revision information when later editing or traceability is required.