Solidworks to AutoCad 2D

[Badjoras]

Hi! I'm new in this forum and I really need help.

 

I created a Segway in Solidworks and I need to convert it to AutoCAD to get the necessary 2D views and measures. Is tehre any way to do that? Thanks a lot!

[stevsmith]

Hi Badjoras, and welcome to the forums.

 

Select .iges when you use "save as" this can be opened in AutoCad.

Although, if you're using solidworks, why don't you create the elevations in drawing mode?

[Badjoras]

Thanks for the answer stevsmith.

 

Well, I never did it in Solidworks, but I can try. Is there any automatic button that put all the measures that I need?

[JD Mather]

Start a new *.slddrw file and place and dimension the views. A lotttttttttttt easier than going to AutoCAD.

But if you realllllllly want to go to AutoCAD, the last format I would save it as is IGES.

Save it as STEP (*.stp), or ACIS v7 (*.sat) or better yet,

if it was created in SolidWorks 2012 then AutoCAD 2013 will import the *.sldasm directly.

[JD Mather]

I thought about this a couple more seconds.

Forget about doing the drawing in AutoCAD - just too much work.

If you can't figure it out in SolidWorks, post back for step-by-step instructions. It is just too easy!

[Badjoras]

 

Do I need to do just this?

[stevsmith]

Do I need to do just this?

 

With a little bit of experience, yes. It can be as simple as the video demonstration to automatically import the dimensions to a drawing view.

 

Personally, I despise doing drawings in solidworks. This is why i try and automate it as much as i can.

[stevsmith]

the last format I would save it as is IGES.

Save it as STEP (*.stp), or ACIS v7 (*.sat)

 

Can you clarify why this is? I would have believed that importing a .step file (even as a AP214) would be translated just the same.

I know that the .step can maintain features between inventor and swx, but does Autocad benefit from this? Does it recognise the features?

 

The reason I'm asking is that I haven't used AutoCad in a good few years now, it's purely for my own reference, and some people still ask which is best.

[JD Mather]

IGES = Initial Graphics Exchange Specification was written by a committee.

Committees only reach consensus by getting what each member wants - thus "flavors" of IGES.

IGES is notoriously problematic going between CAD programs, and early IGES did not do solids and often the default Option for saving IGES is as surface bodies rather than as solid bodies. It is not so much that there is anything fundamentally wrong with IGES format, but simply that users don't know how to set up the best export.

On the other hand, STEP is pretty much foolproof (there are a couple of Options, but the things these control (like color) don't have much concern.

Done properly, you are right, there should be no difference between STEP or IGES file. Neither file format maintains features between Inventor and Swx, a feature recognition add-in must still be run in either program.

[SLW210]

Did you look through the included tutorials in Solidworks? I have Solidworks 2010 and there is a tutorial that walks you through the process.