When importing parts from SolidWorks, is it still impossible to import their Sketches & Features?

john_smith077

Hello

Is it still true that when importing parts from SolidWorks that there is no way to import the Sketches & Features that were used to make them?
If so, this presumably means that SolidWorks parts extremely hard to edit in OnShape... 

J

 
 

Jake_Delano

Hi John, yes, it is true that there is not a way to bring over sketches and features that were used when creating SolidWorks models. This is going to hold true when transferring CAD data from any system to another. We have a robust set of direct editing tools to modify fillets, move faces, delete faces, and replace faces that will allow you to make edits to your already existing geometry.

Evan_Reese

Jake is right. This is an issue translating from one CAD system to any other system. One thing you might try though is preparing your solidworks file ahead of time. For example, you can make planar surfaces to represent key planes, and you can convert key sketches into curves, both of which can be imported via a .step format (maybe also just the native SW format, not sure).

billy2

Along with what @Evan_Reese is suggesting, I'd recommend surfaces for any important datums or strategies used to control the design. Planes and axis don't come over either. It's important to transfer your controlling ideas along with your geometry.

A little prep work in SW goes along ways when converting large data sets from SW to OS. The assemblies in OS are superior and on import you'll want to change the SW assembly structures to better OS structures.

I have nothing left in SW and the change wasn't that painful for me.

If you're a large company with a huge PDM install you can pay to maintain that data structure forever or step it all out for legacy purposes and manage it somehow. I think a company's old documentation is important but I'm not sure paying to maintain epdm (or whatever it's called these days) is worth the price. 

Since it's SW, there is no cloud instance of your data. You could always buy a nas drive and stick your data on your local network. Or, better, put it on a google drive.

The best solution would be to back your old data up inside an OS document and version it. They don't charge for storage and you'll always be able to find it since OS has PDM built in and it's easy to use.

I wouldn't let the feature transfer stop you from switching. We've all done it and no ones complaining about it after it's done.