Our free and fast tool will convert most 3D mesh or DAE (COLLADA - Collaborative Design Activity) model files to a standard STEP (STEP-File) file that can then be edited further in most popular 3D editing packages such as Blender or 3D printed without any further processing. Our conversion tool can also batch convert multiple DAE files; up to 25 files at a time can be converted.
To convert your DAE file, click the Upload button above and select the file to convert. Once selected, the file will be converted to a STEP file and will be ready for download shortly afterwards. For more information about the DAE to STEP conversion process, see the conversion information section below.
| Extension | DAE |
| Full Name | COLLADA - Collaborative Design Activity |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | text/xml |
| Format | Text |
| Tools | DAE Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create DAE Animation, DAE Asset Extractor, Text to DAE, DAE Viewer |
| Open With | Blender, MeshLab |
The DAE format (also known as COLLADA) is a 3D file format used to describe 3D models, meshes, and 3D worlds using a simple text-based structure. The format was introduced in 2004 by Sony Computer Entertainment and is currently managed by the Khronos Group.
DAE files are a text/XML-based file format containing 3D geometric information used to describe 3D objects and meshes such as vertices, faces, animations, materials, camera/lighting elements, and other related metadata. The format has widespread usage and support, with applications such as Blender and MeshLab being able to read and write to it.
If your DAE file is uploaded with accompanying texture files, these will be included in the conversion process.
| Extension | STEP |
| Full Name | STEP-File |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | application/octet-stream |
| Format | Binary |
| Tools | STEP Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create STEP Animation, Text to STEP, STEP Viewer |
| Open With | CAD Assistant |
The STEP file format is a 3D format defined in 1994 and used to store 3D objects for use in computer-aided design (CAD) applications. STEP files are text-based, formatted files containing one command per line, with a full 3D model comprising of many commands.
Although STEP files are widely supported by most CAD applications, the format does have its limitations, such as the necessity to read the complete file into memory in order to parse the contents, and due to the textual storage of information, the files can be quite large and time-consuming to process.
Converting from the DAE file format to STEP can be a complex process, and any tool used for this conversion process needs to be able to handle a variety of data conversion tasks as well as identify any defects within the 3D model and fix them. Here we will explain the conversion process used by our tool to accurately convert your DAE file to a valid STEP 3D model. Let's start with the conversion process, which involves the following steps:
In its simplest form, an DAE file is a plain text file containing human-readable 3D data such as vertices, faces, normals, and more. When combined, these make up the 3D model you see on your screen.
When our tool reads this 3D data, all we are interested in are the vertices, faces, and normals, as this is the only data that can be accurately converted into the final STEP file.
The DAE file can contain other data, such as material definitions and textures, that describe how a particular set of 3D geometry should be rendered. As we are creating an STEP file, which does not support materials and textures, we will be ignoring this data if it is present in the DAE file.
For more information regarding the DAE file format, please see this great article that goes into a lot of detail explaining the DAE format.
With the DAE file data read, our tool generates an internal representation of the full 3D model and will attempt to fix any geometry issues encountered. Along with repairing any issues with the 3D model, the tool will remove any duplicated vertices and prepare the model for exporting to the STEP format.
With the conversion process entering its final stages, our tool now needs to take the in-memory 3D model we have created in step 2 and convert it to the STEP format.
If your DAE file has separate texture (PNG, JPG etc.) files, you can drag and drop these onto the upload tool along with the main DAE file. Our tool will intelligently detect which of these additional files belong with the DAE file. Alternatively, you can place these additional files, along with the DAE file within a ZIP or other compressed archive file and upload that.
We aim to process all DAE to STEP conversions as quickly as possible, this usually takes around 5 seconds but can be more for larger more complex files so please be patient.
We aim to create the most accurate conversions with our tools. Our tools are under constant development with new features and improvements being added every week.
Yes, of course! We do not store the DAE file you submit to us. The resulting STEP file, once created is deleted 15 minutes after upload and the download link will expire after this time.
No. All our conversion tools process your DAE file on our dedicated conversion servers, meaning you can use our tools on low-spec computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices and receive your converted STEP file quickly.
Yes! Our DAE to STEP tool will run on any system with a modern web browser. No specialist software is needed to run any of our conversion tools.
Yes. Although you can use an Ad Blocker, if you like our DAE conversion tool please consider white-listing our site. When an Ad Blocker is enabled there are some conversion limits on some of our tools and processing/conversion times will be longer.
Yes. When you have converted your DAE to STEP, there is a "Feedback" option that you can use to let us know of any issues you encountered when converting your file.
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