CATIA Version 5 includes a unique two-way interoperability with CATIA Version 4 data, thus allowing CATIA Version 5 to benefit from the scope of the CATIA Solutions Version 4 portfolio.
CATIA Version 5 data can be loaded and processed in a CATIA Version 4 session. Similarly, CATIA Version 4 data can be read in a CATIA Version 5 session and converted to a CATIA Version 5 format for further edition.
Refer to the CATIA V4 Integration User's Guide for further details on how CATIA Version 4 and Version 5 interoperate.
3D data exchange and more specifically surfaces exchange between CATIA Version 5 and other CAD systems can be done through Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) format.
These exchanges are documented in the Interfaces User's Guide (Importing and Exporting External Files), as they are not specific to the FreeStyle Shaper workbench, but rather to the .CATPart document type.
Therefore, refer to this chapter for a description of the specific surface elements that can be imported from or exported to the IGES Standard.