Convert IGS to GLB
Free IGS to GLB converter that runs in your browser. See real dimensions before you download.
How to convert IGS to GLB
- Drop your IGS file onto the converter — it opens in your browser, nothing is uploaded.
- Check the preview and the dimensions in mm; fix units or the up axis in “Units & orientation” if the size or orientation looks wrong.
- Choose GLB as the output and click Convert. Several files download as one ZIP.
What carries over from IGS to GLB
| IGS | GLB | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour / materials | No | Yes | — |
| Textures | No | Yes | — |
| Units stored in file | Yes | Yes | Written as mm → metres |
| Separate parts | Yes | Yes | Kept |
| Usual up axis | Z | Y | Rotated (switchable) |
About IGS files
IGES was first published in 1980 by the US National Bureau of Standards, with participation from Boeing, General Electric and others, as one of the earliest standards for moving CAD data between different systems. Files use the .igs or .iges extension and are fixed-width 80-column text records divided into Start, Global, Directory Entry, Parameter Data and Terminate sections, a layout that reflects its punched-card heritage. IGES describes wireframe curves, trimmed and untrimmed NURBS surfaces, and, in later revisions, solids, but in practice it is mostly used for surface data. The format has not been updated since version 5.3 in 1996; STEP replaced it as the preferred standard. Even so, aerospace, automotive and tooling companies keep large IGES archives, and some CAM and surface-modelling programs still ask for it.
About GLB files
GLB is the binary container for glTF 2.0, the format the Khronos Group describes as the JPEG of 3D. One .glb file bundles a JSON scene description, binary mesh buffers and embedded images, so nothing can go missing in transit. The format was designed for efficient delivery and loading on the web, and it is now used by Three.js, Babylon.js, model-viewer, Google Search 3D results, Meta platforms, Unity and Unreal importers, and many marketplaces such as Sketchfab. glTF defines a physically based metallic-roughness material model, a node hierarchy, cameras, skins and animations. Coordinates are in metres with +Y up and a right-handed system. It is excellent for display and game assets, but it is a presentation format rather than a manufacturing one, so print workflows usually convert it first.
3D printing notes
IGES is not a printing format, and slicers do not open it. The file must be tessellated to STL or 3MF first, and the surface-only nature of many IGES files creates the main difficulty: if patches are not stitched into a closed shell, the resulting mesh has holes and slicers report it as non-manifold. When that happens, stitch or sew the surfaces in your CAD program, or run a mesh repair afterwards. MeshShift reads IGES and IGS through OpenCascade in the browser, with draft, normal or fine tessellation, and then offers the print check to find open edges and rebuild a closed solid at the same size. It does not write IGES; STEP is the better target for CAD.
Frequently asked questions
Is this IGS to GLB converter free and private?
Yes. The conversion runs in your browser with JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your IGS file is never uploaded to a server. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit; very large files are limited only by your device's memory.
Is IGES the same as IGS?
Yes. IGS is the three-letter extension used by systems that limited file names, and IGES is the full form. They contain the same data, and software that opens one will open the other, so renaming a .igs to .iges is safe.
What is the difference between GLB and glTF?
They describe the same scene. glTF is usually a JSON file with separate .bin and image files, while GLB packs everything into one binary file. GLB is easier to share and upload, glTF is easier to inspect and edit by hand.