MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > Dialogs

CAD-Line > SOLIDWORKS tab

Use the CAD-Line dialog > SOLIDWORKS tab to:

•Import one SolidWorks Part/Assembly document ( SOLIDWORKS refers to their CAD files as "documents" ) * onto a CAD-Line

•Control the surface accuracy of the CAD-Solid** with the Angular Deviation and Linear Deviation parameters

•Remove a SOLIDWORKS document from the CAD-Line

•Reopen the SOLIDWORKS document in SOLIDWORKS that you have previously imported onto the CAD-Line

•Rename the CAD-Line to the name of the SOLIDWORKS document

* SOLIDWORKS refers their Part, Assembly, and Drawing files as "documents"

** Cad-Solid is the name we use for a CAD model that you have imported onto the CAD-Line with the CAD-Line dialog

Before you import a SolidWorks Part/Assembly document:

•Make sure it is the active document in SOLIDWORKS

•Make sure it has a file-name

•Usually, it has a Coordinate-System feature that you want to align with the CAD-Line X-Y-Z axes.

•Usually, it is simplified, to reduce its complexity, and the size of the CAD-Solid in MechDesigner.

Warning: The SOLIDWORKS document does not import into MechDesigner if in SOLIDWORKS you use a Chinese Traditional font to name a Configuration.

You must rename the Configuration in SOLIDWORKS with a Western font.

CAD-Line dialog

SOLIDWORKS tab

CAD-Line dialog> SOLIDWORKS tab

Import from SOLIDWORKS

CAD-Line dialog > SOLIDWORKS tab

STEP 1: Click the Read button

WAIT until a:

•SolidWorks® Part/Assembly name (read-only) shows in box

•SolidWorks Configuration (read-only) shows in box

•SolidWorks Coordinate System shows in box

•Model Status (read-only) shows in box

Model Status:

Unavailable - before you import SolidWorks® document the first time.

Out of Date - the file in box is older than the current date/time.

Up to Date - the date/time of file in box is the equal to the date/time when imported.

STEP 2: If there is more than one Coordinate-System, select a Coordinate-System .

STEP 3: Click the Import Button

Wait - a large model will take more time to import.

When the model is in MechDesigner, we show the Solids in Mechanism-Editors.

Optional Buttons()

Button : Remove the SolidWorks® document in box from the CAD-Line

Button : OPEN in SolidWorks® the SolidWorks® document in box (that you have previously imported)

Button : Rename CAD-Line to the file-name of the SolidWorks document in box.

CAD-Solid File Quality

◉ Fine: more vertices

◉ Coarse: fewer vertices

◉ Custom : you can edit:

•Linear Deviation: Maximum=0.5mm; Minimum=0.014mm - see Warning

•Angular Deviation: Maximum=30º; Minimum=0.4º - see Warning

Warning : The Number-of-Vertices increase rapidly as you reduce the Linear and Angular Deviation values, which gives a large STL file. Large STL files make MechDesigner less responsive.