DXF (Drawing Interchange Format)

DXF is Autodesk’s published, ASCII-or-binary drawing-interchange format originally introduced with AutoCAD in 1982. CIMdata describes it as “Autodesk’s Drawing Interchange Format… stores AutoCAD drawings in ASCII format… de-facto standard for moving geometric data among low-end CAD systems.” DXF has become a near-universal lingua franca for 2D geometry between mainstream and low-end CAD, plotters, laser cutters, and CAM/CNC equipment.

Scope

• 2D entities — lines, arcs, circles, polylines, splines, dimensions, hatches, blocks.
• 3D entities — limited 3D faces, polylines, surfaces (less commonly used than IGES/STEP for 3D).
• Text and attribute records.
• ASCII (.dxf) and binary (.dxb) encodings.

Why it dominates 2D

DXF is the file format laser-cut, water-jet, and plasma shops accept. Sheet-metal nesting software, vinyl plotters, and CNC routers read DXF natively. For full 3D engineering interchange, STEP and JT have displaced it; for 2D fabrication exchange, DXF is unchallenged.

Relationships (see sidebar)

• Normative for CAD 2D Drafting interchange and, to a lesser extent, CAD 3D Design interchange between mid/low-end CAD systems.

Steward

Autodesk publishes the DXF Reference; the format is open but not under an external standards body.