OnShape to SolidWorks

tracy_evans

I need to handoff my project to a SolidWorks person. They asked for an Assembly, but I dont see a way to export an Assembly to SolidWorks.

Can someone please recommend the best workflow to go from OnShape to a usable SolidWorks file?

mahir

Just right click the assembly tab and select Export. You'll have all the usual options for neutral file formats (STP, IGS, Parasolid, etc). For SolidWorks I'd go with Parasolid to minimize translation issues.

Jake_Delano

There is not a way to export anything out of Onshape as a native .SLDASM, but you can export it in a neutral format such as STEP or Parasolid and then it can be opened in SolidWorks.

mahir

Just right click the assembly tab and select Export. You'll have all the usual options for neutral file formats (STP, IGS, Parasolid, etc). For SolidWorks I'd go with Parasolid to minimize translation issues.

Jake_Delano

There is not a way to export anything out of Onshape as a native .SLDASM, but you can export it in a neutral format such as STEP or Parasolid and then it can be opened in SolidWorks.

fst

Imho a really open (=documented, free to use) export format that preserves most parametric properties would be essential for OnShape (and most other commercial and particularly cloud-based CAD systems) in the midterm. I am confident that OnShape will exist for the next few decades (well, fingers crossed). But at some point something new will be more profitable for the owner company. Something that might not be backswards compatible. It is more a question of when than whether. And then it would be good to have an option to still work with the legacy designs and actually improve on them, remix them, transform old good ideas into something new.
We have books from medieval times that can still be read! Much of today's information isn't stored in lasting, reconstructible formats though, so good ideas might get lost much easier than how it was in the pre-digital age - a circumstance we still benefit from today..

fst

I think OnShape could really gain from such a move. If CAD systems aren't holding the designs hostage anymore then people are free to move to the best CAD system at any time. OnShape has very good cards in that regard currently! And it would be an incentive to keep offering the best CAD system now and in the future for all companies - so very good times for CAD enthusiasts!

tracy_evans

Thanks to all for the responses.