Solidworks 2003 to AutoCad 2000 Question...Help!

Hi there,

I would say your best way is to create the views in Solidworks, and then save as DWG. you can set up options for a mapping file which can set layers, colours, linewieght etc for the DWG file. This can be found under 'options' in the save as DWG box, then tick 'ustom map solidworks to DXF', and untick the 'dont show mapping box'. Also you can save the AutoCAD version to save out to.

i hope this helps!

Exactly

I have been doing it that way since S/W 98

One bad thing about doing it that way, once the design changes, you have to make all the changes manually.

#1) Save the model (part or assembly) As, ACIS .(sat). Works great if want a 3D solid in acad. The detail in acad as needed.

#2) if possible forget about acad altogether and use pdf or eDrawing.

Run Away As Fast As You Can. Do Not Look Back. this company wants to kill you!!!

Hi Corrine,

Currently a goodly amount of the DWG export functionality in SolidWorks 2003 is unfortunately broken.

1) If you utilize blocks in your SolidWorks drawing with text attributes, then these will not be exported correctly. The alignment of the attribute text will be different than the alignment of the non-attribute text. This includes, unfortunately the blocks that SolidWorks creates (weld symbols, etc). They are (and have been for some time) aware of the problem, but no word has been given on when they might fix this functionality.

2) The export process does not adhere to the options in the SolidWorks export process. There are settings for SolidWorks to use standard AutoCAD fonts (which works) and standard AutoCAD styles, which doesn't. SolidWorks insists on creating styles of the form SLDTEXTSTYLE1 which utilize the simplex.shx font. Depending on the mode of export, more than one of these styles will be created.

3) There is a font mapping capability that unfortunately is only for DWG import. Thus your AutoCAD DWG will had styles defined in the txt.shx or simplex.shx font which are ever so attractive.

Items 2 and 3 can be handled fairly neatly using a script to redefine the styles to something less unattractive. Unfortunately there aren't any easy workarounds for Item 1. I also turn the USCIcon and blipmode off in this script. It's a shame you can't define an export template for to control all this for you.

So, The only efficient way to do what you want is to export just the drawing, detail and dimensional information. You can dimension the features and parts, but currently I wouldn't use any inserted blocks with attribute text in my SolidWorks drawings. Currently I am also having a problem getting GD&T symbols to display correctly in the exported file. I'm not certain it's possible yet. So you might not want to use any GD&T functionality in your SolidWorks drawing.

It almost seems as though SWx corp has purposely thrown these roadblock in the way hoping to "eliminate" the need for AutoCAD drawings. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but these problems certainly present a problem for those of use who are required by our customers, or our company's to provide DWG files. It adds a LOT of labor to the process.

Good luck.

Chris

Maybe I am missing the whole point. Why would you have to go 2D in AC when you have that right within SW. I mean the parametric functionality is right there so you don thave to worry about what changes were made. Are you trying to give yourself a headache...lol ...j/k. Seriously though, why not just make the 2D of it in SW and then export it out like Lee Bazalgette was saying.

There is probably some functionality in AC that I dont know about, granted, but if you have the drawings already done in SW, and then the

3D model changes, exporting it back into AC should not be a problem.

I am not sure if this function can work with 2D, but I rememebr reading a post about someone importing a surface directly from Alias that once brough into SW, their was an option so that if you went back to Alias and changed the surface, the import in SW would take as well. But like I said I am not sure if that can apply to 2D.

Thanks for all the replies.

I used ACIS Sat v2.0 (solid bodies converted only) and Autocad 2003 read it right in! Yay!!! My perceived competency (at work at least) has risen to a new level ! Thanks!

I wish they would let me use Solidworks, but the group uses Pro/E as well as Solidworks for modelling. We use Acad for detailing to remain consistent with all of our legacy drawings and for compatability with our UK counterparts.

-Corrine