STL and VRML Import Options
You can set the import options when you import STL
or VRML files as SolidWorks documents.
The VRML translator supports explicit normals, crease angle smooth shading,
and color per vertex, which results in smooth blending of colors.
To set the STL and VRML import options:
Click Open
or File, Open.
Set Files of
type to STL (*.stl) or
VRML (*.wrl)
and click Options.
Select from the options described below, then
click OK.
Select
a file, then click Open to import
the file.
Import as
Graphics Body.
Imports data as graphical data only. The translator does not attempt to
create any features. The graphics icon 
appears in the FeatureManager
design tree with the file type, for example, STL
Graphics1.
Solid Body.
Attempts to import data as solid bodies. In many cases (especially complex
models) some of the data does not knit into a usable solid, in which case
the translators import that data as surface bodies. Therefore, in the
FeatureManager design tree, you can potentially see a Solid
Bodies folder, a Surface Bodies
folder, imported solid body features, and imported surface body features.
Surface Body.
Imports data as surfaces. The Surface
Bodies folder and the imported surface body features appear in
the FeatureManager design tree.
Unit. Select the unit of measure
for the SolidWorks document. The available units are Millimeters,
Centimeters, Meters,
Inches, and Feet.
The translator does not convert units during import. For example, if the
unit of measure of the original document is meters and you import the
document with the unit Millimeters,
an edge that measures 1 meter in the original document will measure 1
millimeter in the imported document, not 1000 millimeters.
Import texture information (applies
only when you select import as Graphics
Body). Imports texture information, which if contained in the file,
results in a high-quality, realistic-looking image. Choosing to not
import texture information may improve performance.