Convert Autocad 3D to Solidworks

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1

Hello

I work for an industrial air treatment company and today, we are embarking on a rather huge project and our client sent us the plans of his building in .dwg format, under autocad 3D.

Unfortunately, I don't know how to use Autocad's 3D at all, so I'm looking to import the building plans to solidworks (or export from autocad) so that I can read them in Solidworks (preferably by being able to modify them).

I fiddled all morning, I did a lot of research on the various CAD forums that exist but I am really not sure of the results and the versions of the different users diverge completely.

 

Here's what I did:

From Solidworks, I imported the .dwg file, in the form of "3D curves and volumes" unfortunately, the first time, solidworks crashed after 10 minutes following a mishandling on my part. However, after 10 minutes, several dozen parts and assemblies files (.sldprt and .sldasm) were created in the folder where my plan was located .dwg . I opened some of these parts and they corresponded to parts of my building (railings, stairs, etc.) and were usable (modifiable) in solidworks.

At the time, I concluded that I had done the right thing, so I started the import again. It started at 10 a.m. this morning and still hasn't finished. I currently find myself with more than 1600 parts and assemblies files (the list continues to grow), 3h30 of waiting and a bike that has never heated up so much.

 

My questions are:

Have I done the right thing?

Is it normal for the import to take so long? (The .dwg file weighs almost 40MB) (my building has a floor area of about 2000m², a height of 13m or a volume of more than 26000m³ and my client took great pleasure in representing each chair, each machine, each computer screen in each room).

Is there a simpler (and above all faster) method to make this transfer?

If someone has ever successfully converted their 3D file this way, can they tell me if a general assembly is created at the end or I'll just end up with 3000 part files on my hands (which would make me pretty much better considering I've lost half a day soon).

 

 

Thank you very much!

 

Joss.

 

2

It seems to be on the right track...

 

If the system continues to create parts, that's a very good sign!

 

If SolidWorks doesn't crash before the end, you'll get an assembly that consists of parts, or even subassemblies.

 

At the end of the conversion (when you see all the 3D on the screen), your wait may not be over! It will be necessary to record, because despite the fact that files are created, not everything will be saved.

 

When everything is created and recorded, you will have to go through a cleaning pass: remove the chairs, coffee machines, designers with their cups,... or even use Speedpack configurations to have only an image of certain elements (always with the aim of lightening while preserving the environment).

 

For later openings you can use the "complex assembly" or "management of large designs" mode

 

As for saving time for this kind of manipulation, apart from having a computer (like a laptop) to do it in masked time, you can't cut it...

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Hello

 

 

For a fairly large building, soliworks reaches its limit.

 

Either do the same thing on a more powerful workstation or split the original dwg to transfer it into several parts.

 

 

There you go, there is no + to do.

 

Sorry

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Hello

On the files that could be converted in SolidWorks (before the crash!), was the component usable (functions, dimensions...), because you are talking about being able to modify possibly under SW. If you're only getting imported bodies, it might not be worth going any further. I don't know how demanding you are in terms of recovery. You probably won't be working on the entire plant! No?

In any case, good luck.

Kind regards

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Hello

 

I think SolidWorks will be more comfortable with neutral formats, like STEP or IGES, if the customer can provide it!

 

But indeed, for such a large assembly, it may also take time.

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The previous answers are good

One thing I think to remove upstream from the AutoCAD file everything you don't need for your job

you could also have transferred only the surfaces

it's only the clutter you need I think

(you don't need his floor lamp or seat  to do what you have to do) ;-)

 

@+ ;-)

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As @Gt22 says, nest your original file as much as possible to have as little to import.

 

Everything that is useless to you, delete it. Lighten the drawing and it should pass.

 

Keep us informed.

 

Good luck for the future.

 

See you again!

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If it's to install air ducts, I think that only the structures are important

so try to keep on autocrad that the structure of the building

removing all other unnecessary parts

I think we can test autocrad for a few days

@+ ;-)

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9

Hello again,

 

Thank you all for your answers., they partly reassured me: I didn't do (completely) anything.

 

Benoit.lf, I hope everything will go as you described to me;)

 

Bart, I don't think that the power of the workstation is to be questioned, I am lucky to have the latest version of both software as well as a workstation specially assembled for solidworks 2014. However, your idea of splitting the .dwg is a good idea that I'm going to look into, see if it's feasible.

 

JMSAVOYAT, I'm going to work on the entire factory, it's a project that will be spread over the years to come! On the other hand, I admit that I didn't exploit enough the parts created before the crash, I can't say if they are completely usable in terms of functions, dimensions... My job will be to implement networks of my creation in the building, without touching the building, so I don't need to modulate the imported parts, I will only need them as a reference for implementation, I hope that will be enough?

 

gt22, Not mastering Autocad 3D at all, I can't afford to delete all the elements that won't be useful to me simply because I don't know how to do it (according to the rules of the art so that the conversion following the changes is done without any problems) and that it will take me an indefinable amount of time...

 

I think I'll lean towards Lucas Prieur's solution if my transfer doesn't work as it should, the .igs, .step and .sat formats are formats that come up a lot in the answers of users in the various forums I consulted about the transfer from software to software.

 

Thank you again for your quick answers

 

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10

I don't think it's that complicated to remove the elements that integrate the structure

I think that if you open your assembly under AutoCAD

you click on your essential structures and they find you the files to exploit and therefore to convert

@+ ;-)

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In order to sort through your autocad file, you need to be able to hide the visibility of certain layers (chair, towel dryer and other cups...).

You hide the visibility in order to keep your structure and what interests you then copy and paste on a new autocad file.

From there, your pc should get out of it easily.

 

Good luck anyway because the import is always slow in delicate too much to know if it will be exploitable...

 

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Hello

 

Indeed I also think like @cisco86et @gt22, you have to uncheck or delete some layers when importing to import only the layers you need.

I would first open the DWG under Autocad (if you have a version) or Draftsight (free so easy to get a version) and I would analyze the layers to understand how the DWG is structured.

Then I would do the import into SolidWorks.

 

@+

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Hello

 

There is also the possibility to export your file in . SAT under Autocad, and open it in this form under SW, on the other hand you will have an asm with lots of parts files!

and for me by opening your DWG directly with "3D curves and volumes", you create a piece with imported bodies!

 

if you don't want certain parts, you save the DWG file under another name in which you remove the entities that don't interest you.

 

Chris

 

 

1 Like
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Hello, you know I'm not an autocad specialist but my brother has made a tutorial on this subject at the moment on http://www.alphorm.com/tutoriel/formation-en-ligne-autocad-2016-les-fondamentaux  and I think it's evolving well. I hope it can help you too.

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 @dalmacedenis

The question is to convert Autocrad 3D to Solidworks ;-)

@+ ;-)