You
can
import mesh
(*.stl, *.obj, *.off, *.ply, *.ply2), VRML (*.wrl), and 3D
manufacturing
format (*.3mf)
files.
Import
SOLIDWORKS
imports mesh files
as
one of the following:
- Graphics bodies
- Mesh BREP
bodies
- Standard SOLIDWORKS BREP bodies, according to the import
option you select
when
importing mesh
files.
For
more
information,
see Graphics Mesh and Mesh BREP Bodies.
If you select an import option as:
- Solid Body or
Surface Body without selecting
Mesh body options, SOLIDWORKS
imports the mesh file as a standard SOLIDWORKS BREP body with limitations:
- The import replaces each facet by a face
(performance slows with increased numbers of faces.)
- The mesh file cannot have more than 500,000
facets.
- Solid Body or
Surface Body with Mesh body options selected, SOLIDWORKS
imports the mesh file as a mesh BREP body.
-
Graphics Body, SOLIDWORKS imports
the mesh file as a graphic body.
In mesh BREP and
graphics bodies, a warning indicates if the mesh file has more than
5,000,000 facets. The message is a warning and not an error because more
powerful computers with faster processors and more memory may be able to
import mesh files with more than 5,000,000 facets.
Imported
PLY files must have faces. The software cannot import PLY files with no
faces.
Recommendation:
Graphics bodies import faster.
In SOLIDWORKS,
you
can convert them to
mesh
BREP bodies, and therefore import mesh files as graphics
bodies.
Export
The STL translator exports SOLIDWORKS part and assembly documents as
STL files. Click:
- to access STL export options and save the data in
.stl format.
- Print 3D
(Standard toolbar) to
print a prototype.
SOLIDWORKS assembly files that you export as *.stl
files
are imported into SOLIDWORKS as part documents.
You can assign a unit of measure to a model
for
import and export.