CAD Forum

Anyone have any tips, tricks or advice working with Solid Edge step file into SolidWorks?
I have to work with a step file from another cad user made in Solid Edge.
I can open the file but it has some errors and nothing is fixed or mated.
Also the assembly is oriented vertical not horizontal on screen.
No part info like part# description, material, weight etc...
I only need to make fab drawings and I don't want to re-work everything if possible.

Thanks,
Jean LeBlanc

To fix the orientation, you may want to create a coordinate system in the orientation you want then export it based on that coordinate system and then re-import it.

Jean LeBlanc wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:06 pm Anyone have any tips, tricks or advice working with Solid Edge step file into SolidWorks?
I have to work with a step file from another cad user made in Solid Edge.
I can open the file but it has some errors and nothing is fixed or mated.
Also the assembly is oriented vertical not horizontal on screen.
No part info like part# description, material, weight etc...
I only need to make fab drawings and I don't want to re-work everything if possible.

Thanks,
Jean LeBlanc

No idea what the latest STEP export can do, 242, but for the most part older step files are "Stupid" formats. You can export an assembly out of SW and import it right back in and none of the mates will come in with it.

As far as fixing the errors, open those individual parts and Tools>Evaluate>Import Diagnostics. This will show gaps, bad surfaces etc and allow you to "Heal them". You have a 50/50 chance this works. You only option after that is to do manual surfacing and in some cases it's just easier to remodel the part.

To move everything around you can do a move or rotate component and use the options available to move it as you want.

Jean LeBlanc wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:06 pm Anyone have any tips, tricks or advice working with Solid Edge step file into SolidWorks?
I have to work with a step file from another cad user made in Solid Edge.
I can open the file but it has some errors and nothing is fixed or mated.
Also the assembly is oriented vertical not horizontal on screen.
No part info like part# description, material, weight etc...
I only need to make fab drawings and I don't want to re-work everything if possible.

Thanks,
Jean LeBlanc

So,.. why are you not directly opening them in SW as native *.PAR;*PSM;*ASM ...or, just "Parasolid"?

I'd suggest going the other direction from SolidWorks to Solid Edge!

Depending on your verison of SolidWorks and the author's version of Solid Edge, Parasolid export is probably your best route. In Solid Edge you may have to set your Parasolid version down 1 or 2 versions depending on your verions of SolidAlmostWorks. There is no "translation" that actually occurs when moving from Parsolid to Parasolid version. So your boundary data should open just fine.

I'm not sure but I recalled there being an ouput/import coordordinate system you could define in the Step import config file?? SW guru's! Are you out there?

zxys001 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 20, 2021 6:08 pm So,.. why are you not directly opening them in SW as native *.PAR;*PSM;*ASM ...or, just "Parasolid"?

The only file I got was .stp. Not sure how to open .stp as native *.PAR;*PSM;*ASM ...or
I did manage to import .stp into SW then save as Parasolid. Then open Parasolid and the assembly and parts were fixed.
Than I saved the Parasolid as SW assembly file. Not sure if this is the best way but at least the parts don't move.

Hi,

I believe what a few have said is to have the person exporting from Solid Edge to save it as a Parasolid or ".XT" file type which is the native kernal for Solidworks and UG. Less translation errors should occur.

Going to open the file in Solidworks use the toggle as it might be set at Solidworks files:
Things like mates may not come out which when I get a translated file I go thru all the items and fix them so nothing gets dragged accidently.

Regards,
Jim