OBJ is a geometry definition file format (.obj extension) first developed by Wavefront Technologies for its Advanced Visualizer animation package.
The OBJ file format is a simple data-format that represents 3D geometry alone — namely, the position of each vertex, the UV position of each texture coordinate vertex, vertex normals, and the faces that make each polygon defined as a list of vertices, and texture vertices.
Vertices are stored in a counter-clockwise order by default, making explicit declaration of face normals unnecessary. OBJ coordinates have no units, but OBJ files can contain scale information in a human readable comment line.
An IAM file is an assembly model created with Inventor CAD and engineering software by Autodesk.
The IAM format comprises parts and subassemblies linked through assembly relationships. A subassembly in an IAM file is a self-contained unit with its collection of parts.
The .iam extension of an Autodesk Inventor Assembly Data File can be viewed using the following software: Autodesk Inventor / Inventor View, and Spaceclaim Engineer software. Autodesk Viewer web application and Fusion 360 integrated CAD / CAM / CAE software environment can import and render an assembly model created with Inventor.
A CAD file is an output of a CAD software, containing key information about the designed object: its geometry and topology representation, 3D model hierarchy, metadata, and visual attributes depending on the format of the file.
Read moreIn the ninth part of the series, we take a look at the effectively standard format for 3D graphics
Read moreCAD Exchanger imports and tesselates FBX, glTF, OBJ, PLY, and STL files, making them ready for further optimization by RapidCompact.
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