Free online SVG to IGES converter

Many CAD, CAM, and inspection systems accept IGES but not SVG, so an SVG profile, logo, template, or drawing must be converted before it can be edited as CAD geometry. The conversion is also needed when a 2D vector design must be checked for scale, repaired, or used as a machining profile.

What the SVG format is

SVG, or Scalable Vector Graphics, is an XML-based 2D vector format used by Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, laser-cutting and plotting software, web applications, and technical drawing tools. It stores paths, lines, Bézier curves, circles, text, fills, strokes, transforms, and sometimes embedded raster images.

SVG describes appearance as well as geometry. Gradients, filters, clipping paths, transparency, fonts, and bitmap images have no direct equivalent in ordinary IGES wire geometry. Conversion therefore works best with simple lines, arcs, circles, polylines, and Bézier paths.

What the IGES format is

IGES, or Initial Graphics Exchange Specification, is a neutral CAD exchange format usually saved with the .igs or .iges extension. It commonly represents lines, circular arcs, composite curves, and parametric spline curves, and can also represent surfaces and certain solid-related entities.

IGES is supported by many mechanical CAD, CAM, inspection, and legacy engineering systems. Its main benefit is cross-platform exchange between applications that do not use the same native format. An SVG conversion normally produces 2D IGES wire geometry; changing the extension does not turn a flat drawing into a 3D solid. IGES is also an older format, so use STEP instead when the receiving system supports it and the project requires reliable solid-model exchange.

How to convert SVG to IGES

Using the converter on 101convert.com

1. Make a copy of the source SVG. Remove unrelated artwork, hidden layers, clipping masks, bitmap images, and visual effects from the copy.
2. Open the SVG-to-IGES converter on 101convert.com. It can be used free without installing desktop software.
3. Upload the cleaned drawing.svg, select IGES or the .igs output, and start the conversion.
4. Download the resulting drawing.igs file and import it into the target CAD program.
5. Check the imported units, overall dimensions, orientation, curve continuity, and closed-loop status before using the geometry for modeling or machining.

Preparing the SVG before conversion

Convert text to paths so the result does not depend on fonts installed on another computer. In Inkscape, select the text and use Path → Object to Path. Preserve the original with File → Save a Copy before editing.

A stroke can mean either a centerline or the two-dimensional boundary produced by its width. If the boundary is the required CAD profile, select the stroked object and use Path → Stroke to Path. If the centerline is required, retain the original path instead. Remove fills when only their outlines are needed, and simplify excessive nodes where that does not change the intended contour.

Save the cleaned file as cleaned.svg and convert that copy. Inspect self-intersections, duplicate paths, open endpoints, and very small gaps; these can prevent a CAD program from recognizing a closed profile.

Desktop CAD workflow

For manual repair, import the cleaned SVG into a CAD application that supports SVG geometry, or export the artwork from Inkscape as profile.dxf and import the DXF into a CAD system. FreeCAD can be used where the installed version and workbench support the required SVG or DXF import. In the CAD application, repair disconnected segments, remove duplicate curves, join coincident endpoints, and set the intended units before exporting the curves through File → Export as profile.igs. Menu names, supported SVG elements, and IGES export behavior vary by software version.

Quality and compatibility limits

• Scale is not guaranteed. SVG supports CSS units such as pixels, millimeters, points, and inches, but many files omit physical dimensions or use a viewBox whose relationship to real-world size is unclear. Confirm the SVG width, height, and intended units, then measure and rescale the imported geometry in CAD if necessary.
• Text may be omitted, substituted, or converted inconsistently unless it is changed to path geometry before conversion.
• Fills do not automatically become IGES faces. A filled SVG object may convert only to an outline, while a self-intersecting path may fail to become a valid closed loop.
• Stroke width, line caps, joins, gradients, transparency, filters, masks, and embedded raster images generally do not survive as useful IGES engineering data.
• Bézier paths may be converted into spline or segmented curve entities. Excessive segmentation can make the IGES file harder to edit and may affect downstream tolerance checks.
• CAD programs may import the curves on an unexpected plane or with a different axis orientation. Check the model view and coordinate system before further operations.
• After conversion, verify dimensions with CAD measurement tools and test that profiles close without gaps or overlaps. Visual similarity alone does not prove that a contour is suitable for extrusion, cutting, or inspection.