Preferred File Formats for 3D Rendering and Illustration Projects

We’re often asked what file types clients should send us for rendering and illustration services. While architectural projects tend to follow more standardized formats, the situation becomes more complex with engineering files and product illustrations.

Here’s a breakdown of what we prefer and why — with a short answer at the end for your convenience.

Architectural Projects (2D + 3D Models)

For most architectural visualization work, the process is fairly straightforward:

• 2D CAD Files:
  We typically request AutoCAD DWG or DXF files.

• 3D Models:
  If you have an existing 3D model, we can usually work with it — especially if it's from Revit or SketchUp.
  Properly prepared models in these formats can save time. However, poorly built files may slow the process or require us to remodel from scratch.

Product Illustration and Engineering Models

This is where things become more challenging.

Many clients' engineering departments use solid surface modeling software designed for manufacturing or mechanical engineering (e.g., SolidWorks, Inventor, etc.). These programs often represent geometry — especially detailed elements like perforations — differently than rendering-focused software.

For example, a recent project involving a perforated metal structure included over 80 million holes. The native model was gigabytes in size and extremely difficult to work with until we re-approached the geometry using transparency maps instead of actual geometry.

These situations highlight why it's so important to understand the limitations and differences between modeling environments.

Short Answer: Preferred File Formats

If you’re unsure what to send, the following formats are typically supported and are easiest for us to import directly into 3DS Max, the primary rendering software we use:

3D Solid/Engineering Models:

• STEP (*.stp)

• SolidWorks (*.sldprt, *.sldasm)

• Autodesk Inventor (*.ipt, *.iam)

• StereoLitho (*.stl)

• ACIS SAT (*.sat)

• Pro/ENGINEER (*.prt, *.neu, *.g, *.asm)

• CATIA V4 (*.model, *.mdl, *.session, *.exp, *.dlv, *.dlv3, *.dlv4)

• IGES (*.ige, *.igs, *.iges)

General 3D Model Formats (Non-Solid, Suitable for Arch Viz and Vehicles):

• AutoCAD (*.dwg, *.dxf)

• Autodesk 3ds Max (*.max)

• Autodesk Maya (*.mb)

• Design Web Format (*.dwf)

• FBX (*.fbx)

• COLLADA (*.dae)

• Wavefront OBJ (*.obj)

• Revit (*.rvt)

• SketchUp (*.skp)

• Cinema 4D (*.c4d)

Final Notes

We’re flexible and use industry-standard conversion tools to handle most formats. Even if your file type isn’t listed above, chances are we can convert and use it. However, certain formats integrate more smoothly into our workflow — and the more optimized your file is, the faster we can deliver high-quality results.

If you have any questions or aren’t sure what to send, feel free to reach out — we’re happy to advise!