Drawing Viewer Information

Qimtek receive RFQ drawings from buyers in a variety of different formats. These depend on the specific CAD or Graphics package used by their designers.
For the convenience of our members we convert all drawings to standard formats; Portable Document Format (.pdf) for 2D drawings, and Virtual Reality Modelling Language (.wrl) for 3D objects. Free viewers for these formats are listed below.

However, we always distribute the original drawings too; the "native" viewer may let you measure dimensions, or  see alternative views, layers or structural details not available in the PDF or VRML conversion.
This table lists the most common drawing formats we receive in RFQs, with a link to the corresponding free viewer.
(Plese note - several viewers may exist for common non-proprietary formats - we are not endorsing any particular one by listing it here).

File Extension

Description

.exe

.exe files are executable programs.
You should be very wary of downloading exe files unless you trust the source and also have an up-to-date virus scanner installed.

.dwf

DWF is an AutoDesk file format designed for reviewing AutoCAD engineering drawings.
Files can be opened using the free AutoDesk Design Review program

.dwg

dwg is a standard AutoCAD file format for engineering drawings.
There are several free viewers including A9CAD from A9Tech and the SolidEdge viewer

.dxf

dxf is a standard AutoCAD file format for engineering drawings. There are several free viewers including A9CAD from A9Tech and the SolidEdge viewer

.bmp

bmp (bitmap) is a standard image format. Almost every graphics program can open bmp files, such as "Paint" which is included with Windows.

.prt

A .prt file is (probably!) a CADKEY parts file. This can be opened using the free "lite" version of Kubotek Spectrum 

.zip

A zip file is a container for one or more files. Zips are often used because the contents are compressed (making the download quicker) and convenient (only one file needs to be downloaded).
Zips can be opened directly by Windows XP or Vista. For earlier systems the most popular commercial unzipper is WINZIP , but there are free alternatives such as 7ZIP

.gif

gif (graphics interchange format) is a standard image format. Almost every graphics program can open gif files, such as Paint and Internet Explorer, both of which are included with Windows.

.edrw

Edrawing files can be opened with free Solidworks viewer

.fcw

FCW files are FastCAD images and can be opened with their free viewer. This also opens DWG, DXF and other FastCAD formats such as .fc7.

.gbr

.gbr is a Gerber file for printed circuit boards. A free Gerber viewer called ViewMate is available from Pentalogix

.gbl

.gbl is a Gerber Bottom Layer file for printed circuit boards. A free Gerber viewer called ViewMate is available from Pentalogix

.gbs

.gbs is a Gerber Bottom layer Solder-resist file for printed circuit boards. A free Gerber viewer called ViewMate is available from Pentalogix

.gtl

.gtl is a Gerber Top Layer file for printed circuit boards. A free Gerber viewer called ViewMate is available from Pentalogix

.gto

.gto is a Gerber Top Overlay file for printed circuit boards. A free Gerber viewer called ViewMate is available from Pentalogix

.gts

.gts is a Gerber Top layer Solder-resist file for printed circuit boards. A free Gerber viewer called ViewMate is available from Pentalogix

.ges

AutoVue*** or Spectrum

.igs

AutoVue*** or Spectrum

.jpg

jpg is a standard image format. Almost every graphics program can open jpg files, such as "Paint" which is included with Windows.

.pdf

PDF (Portable Document Format) is the almost universal format from Adobe.
To open PDF files you need Adobe Reader (formerly Acrobat Reader).

It's worth downloading the latest version, particularly if you have a problem opeining a particular PDF file,  as theformat has changed over the years

.png

.png (Public Network Graphic) is a standard image format. Almost every graphics program can open png files, such as "Paint" which is included with Windows.

.ppt

PowerPoint is the presentation program included with Microsoft Offfice.
If you don't have Microsoft Office, a free viewer can be downloaded here

.dft

dft is the draft SolidEdge file format and can be opened with their free viewer. This viewer also opens DXF and DWG files as well as other SolidEdge formats.

.stl

This is a 3D file format. STL files can be opened with the free SolidView Lite viewer 

.tif

.tif or .tiff (Tagged Image File format) is a standard image format often generated by fax machines and scanners. 
Almost every graphics program can open tif files, such as "Paint" which is included with Windows.

.wrl

This is an "open source" 3D  format, and many commercial solid-modelling programs can export to .wrl files. They can be opened with the free SolidView Lite viewer