ARD File

What are ARD files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an ARD file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your ARD files.

What is an ARD file?

ARD files have multiple uses, and Alphacam Router Drawing is one of them. Read more about the other uses further down the page.

Alphacam Router Drawing

Alphacam Router Drawing files hold design and machining geometry created within the Router module of Alphacam, a CAD/CAM system. These files record vector-based layout features intended for routing operations, such as shapes, toolpaths, construction lines, splines, surface details, dimensions, and text. They serve as working drawings that feed into machining routines and postoperative simulation.

These drawings are produced and saved exclusively by Alphacam - specifically its Router module. Typical use involves designing the parts and assigning machining operations in Alphacam, then saving the drawing so toolpaths and machining details can later be generated or modified. To transfer design data outside Alphacam, the geometry can be exported (for example as DXF or DWG), though important attributes like machining parameters may not be preserved.

This format is implemented as a proprietary binary file, developed by Hexagon (formerly Planit / LICOM), structured for internal representation of all relevant router drawing information. Its internal signature begins with ASCII text "Licom-APSFileV1" at the file start, includes "LICOM-APS FILE V1." and various French terms like "GEOMETRIE APS", "TRAJETS OUTIL", "SURFACES", "SPLINES", and "COTATION" embedded within.

How to open ARD files

Important: Different programs may use files with the ARD file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your ARD file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

While we have not verified the apps ourselves yet, our users have suggested ten different ARD openers which you will find listed below.

Last updated: August 20, 2026

All known file formats using extension .ARD

While Alphacam Router Drawing is a popular type of ARD-file, we know of 4 different uses of the .ARD file extension. Different software may use files with the same extension for different types of data.

ArtiosCAD Drawing

ArtiosCAD Drawing files are the native format for structural packaging designs produced by Esko's ArtiosCAD software. They represent the blueprint for how printed board or corrugated sheet material will be cut, creased, folded and perforated to form packaging - such as cartons, boxes or retail displays. These files do not themselves contain printed graphics or colour artwork; they store only the structural geometry so that designers can visualise or fold the blank into a virtual 3D model for review.

These designs are created primarily in ArtiosCAD. Designers save their "single design" as this format when finalising dielines or box forms. Due to proprietary binary encoding, files from newer versions of ArtiosCAD may not open in significantly older versions. For sharing with other tools, the geometry is commonly exported into standard formats like DXF, DWG, PDF or specialized formats like CF2 so tooling, production, or visualisation workflows outside ArtiosCAD can operate.

Files begin with identifiable signatures: the ASCII string "I-codeMS" at byte offset 0, and "ReportFile#" at offset 40. Internal keywords may include "- METRIC - SINGLE DESIGN PARAMETER SETS", "LONG TEXT CONT", "EXTERN IMAGE", "PACKAGING", "BRIDGING FORMULA", and "DEFAULTS" among others, which are part of the metadata ArtiosCAD uses to store measurement units, bridge spacing, external image references, layer usage, and default settings.

Autoread Format

We know that one ARD format is Autoread Format. We have not yet analyzed in detail what these files contain and what they are used for. We're working on it.

Tiny Aibo Room Description

Tiny Aibo Room Description files describe how a "Tiny Aibo" virtual pet's room is laid out and appears. These files are created by the Tiny Aibo program developed by Sony for use with its Aibo virtual-pet/robot system. They store definitions of background scenery, objects, shapes, colors, and captions that combine to render the room's visual appearance.

The room description format is plain text, structured similarly to INI files. It defines sections, parameters, and objects. The source application writes these files when a user customizes or redesigns the virtual room in Tiny Aibo, such as selecting a wallpaper, placing decorative objects, or arranging stage backgrounds. The Tiny Aibo program then reads the file to display the stored room layout whenever the virtual pet is in that environment.

The file begins with a section called [Info] (bytes "5B496E666F5D" at offset 0), indicating it follows the INI-style. Other parts include entries for background ("BACKGROUND"), shape definitions ("RECTANGLE", "SPHERE", "MODEL"), work areas ("WORKAREA1"), captions ("CAPTION"), object lists ("OBJECT1" etc.), color channels ("COLORR", "COLORG", "COLORB"), and boolean flags such as "FALSE" to toggle features on or off. The inclusion of keywords like "SHAPE" and "MODEL" identifies how individual objects in the room are constructed. This precise set of fields lets Tiny Aibo parse and reconstruct the visual environment accordingly.

Various apps that use files with this extension

These apps are known to open certain types of ARD files. Remember, different programs may use ARD files for different purposes, so you may need to try out a few of them to be able to open your specific file.

Help us help others

File.org helps thousands of users every day, and we would love to hear from you if you have additional information about ARD file formats, example files, or compatible programs. Please use the links below or email us at submit@file.org to discuss further.