Convert MI to DWG

A recipient may need an MI drawing in AutoCAD, BricsCAD, or another DWG-based system that cannot open the original file. Conversion also makes legacy MEDUSA or CoCreate drawings easier to edit, exchange, and archive.

What the MI format is

MI is a native 2D mechanical-drawing format used by MEDUSA and by CoCreate ME10, later called Creo Elements/Direct Drafting. Depending on the source system and release, an MI file can contain lines, arcs, text, dimensions, symbols, layers, hatching, and drawing-sheet data.

The .mi extension is not unique to one application. Identify the program that created the file before converting it; renaming .mi to .dwg does not change the file format.

What the DWG format is

DWG is the native binary drawing format associated with AutoCAD and supported by many CAD applications. It can retain editable entities such as lines, arcs, polylines, blocks, layers, dimensions, and, where supported, 3D objects.

DWG is appropriate when the recipient uses AutoCAD, BricsCAD, DraftSight, or another compatible CAD system. The specific DWG release matters because newer releases may not open in older software.

How to convert the file

Use the source CAD application whenever possible. MEDUSA4 or Creo Elements/Direct Drafting is more likely than a general converter to interpret MI-specific entities correctly.

1. Open the file in the MEDUSA or CoCreate/Creo Elements/Direct Drafting release that created it, or in a compatible release with the required import/export interface.
2. Check the drawing units, sheet scale, layers, fonts, line styles, symbols, dimensions, external references, and drawing orientation.
3. Use the application’s export or save-as function, usually under File → Export or File → Save As. Select DWG if the installed edition and license provide direct DWG output.
4. Select a DWG version supported by the recipient. Apply the available mappings for layers, colors, line types, fonts, text, dimensions, and paper/model space.
5. Open the exported file in AutoCAD or another DWG-capable application. Measure known distances and inspect text, dimensions, hatches, line weights, blocks, and plotted sheets.

Use DXF as the fallback

If direct DWG export is unavailable, export the MI drawing as DXF, the more common CAD interchange format, then convert the DXF to DWG.

1. In the source CAD program, choose its DXF export command and set the correct units, DXF release, layer mapping, text encoding, and model-space or paper-space option.
2. Open the DXF in AutoCAD and use File → Save As to select the required DWG release.
3. Without AutoCAD, use the official ODA File Converter for supported DXF-to-DWG version conversion, then inspect the result in a CAD application rather than relying only on a file listing or viewer.

AutoCAD and ODA File Converter generally handle the DXF-to-DWG stage; they do not normally interpret native MEDUSA or CoCreate MI files directly.

Quality and compatibility limits

• Basic 2D geometry usually transfers more reliably than proprietary symbols, associative dimensions, parametric information, special hatches, construction data, and application-specific drafting attributes.
• Fonts and line styles may be substituted. Install the original fonts when available and verify text width, dimension formatting, line types, and plotted line weights.
• Confirm units in both applications. A drawing can look correct while measuring at the wrong scale if the source and destination use different unit settings.
• External references, raster images, title blocks, print settings, and plotter configurations may need to be relinked or recreated after export.
• Preserve the original MI file and compare the converted drawing against a plotted PDF or paper drawing before treating the DWG as the archival master.
• There is no broadly dependable general-purpose online MI-to-DWG service. Common online converters may not parse MEDUSA or CoCreate entities, and uploading engineering drawings can disclose confidential design data. Use an online service only if it explicitly confirms support for the exact MI variant and the file is suitable for external upload.