Our free and fast tool will convert most 3D mesh or STEP (STEP-File) model files to a standard ABC (Alembic) 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 STEP files; up to 25 files at a time can be converted.
To convert your STEP file, click the Upload button above and select the file to convert. Once selected, the file will be converted to a ABC file and will be ready for download shortly afterwards. For more information about the STEP to ABC conversion process, see the conversion information section below.
| 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.
ABC files, when imported, will be converted to 3D geometry comprising vertices and faces. If the ABC file contains color information, this will be converted where possible.
| Extension | ABC |
| Full Name | Alembic |
| Type | 3D Model |
| Mime Type | application/octet-stream |
| Format | Binary |
| Tools | ABC Converters, 3D Model Voxelizer, Create ABC Animation, Text to ABC, ABC Viewer |
| Open With | Blender |
The ABC (Alembic) file format is a graphics format containing 3D content that was originally developed by Sony Pictures Imageworks and Industrial Light & Magic and released in 2011. The aim of the ABC format is to enable the efficient interchange of 3D assets between different working entities.
The format can contain a variety of 3D object formats, including polygon meshes, NURBS, parametric curves, and more. The files can be opened by many 3D graphics applications, including the popular open-source Blender application.
Converting from the STEP file format to ABC 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 STEP file to a valid ABC 3D model. Let's start with the conversion process, which involves the following steps:
In its simplest form, a STEP file is a human readable text file file containing 3D data such as shapes, surfaces, curves and other geometric data. When combined, these make up the 3D model you see on your screen.
For more information regarding the STEP file format, please see this great article that goes into a lot of detail explaining the STEP format.
With the STEP 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 ABC 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 ABC format.
Yes. If your STEP file is compressed, our tool will detect this automatically and load the 3D model from the STEP file as normal.
Our STEP to ABC file converter is up to 4x faster than other online or offline file converters, meaning your files are converted quickly and hassle-free. Smaller files are typically converted instantly, while larger files will take longer to process.
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 STEP file you submit to us. The resulting ABC 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 STEP 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 ABC file quickly.
Yes! Our STEP to ABC 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 STEP 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 STEP to ABC, 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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