Converting SolidWorks to .obj?

Speedster · June 23, 2010, 10:20:38 AM

I apologize for this off-topic, but I figure the forum might have an answer, and I don't know any SolidWorkers who even know what I'm talking about.

Does anyone know how to, or an app for, converting SolidWorks files to .obj and other formats more commonly used in CG? I know there's "SoftMost", but any help would be greatly appreciated!

Bill G
www.GouldStudios.com

JohnG · June 23, 2010, 11:04:20 AM

SimLab composer might do the job, it can read Solidworks files and it outputs a variety of files including obj and bip files.

http://www.simlab-soft.com/

JTrusty · June 23, 2010, 12:34:04 PM

Bill,

You have a couple options.

1. Native Solidworks plugin that exports to .obj from inside Solidworks
2. Interim software to covert formats.

Currently I export from Solidworks to .stl format. Then I import my .stl into Meshlab ( free software ) which can export a very clean .obj. Its an extra step in my workflow, but its also free.

There is also a plugin for Solidworks by Sycode that will allow you to export .obj from directly inside Solidworks. You can register for a free trial to determine if it suits your needs. Here is a direct link:
http://www.sycode.com/products/obj_export_sw/

Speedster · June 23, 2010, 03:56:31 PM

Thanks, guys, I really appreciate the info! I'm testing SimLab right now, and it's really cool. Even creates 3D-PDF's! My problem is I have no app that will import an .obj to see if it worked. My KS license is for SolidWorks. I'll figure it out. By the way, SimLab is a Luxion Partner! Looks and acts kinda like KS-Light!
Thanks again!
Bill G

aniworld · February 14, 2012, 04:55:17 AM

Hi i am having a problems getting a clean mesh from solidworks into 3dsmax??
i noticed that someone above mentioned using meshlab (which i have) but i haven't been able to export a clean mesh yet??
any advice or instruction or link to any tuts would be amazing!
thank you

Arnaud · February 15, 2012, 12:29:31 AM

You can use Rhino to test your .obj files
Rhino can read SW files and read / write .obj files

For testing purpose Rhino Eval works fine.

Pascal · February 17, 2012, 04:00:58 AM

Quote from: JTrusty on June 23, 2010, 12:34:04 PM
Bill,

You have a couple options.

1. Native Solidworks plugin that exports to .obj from inside Solidworks
2. Interim software to covert formats.

Currently I export from Solidworks to .stl format. Then I import my .stl into Meshlab ( free software ) which can export a very clean .obj. Its an extra step in my workflow, but its also free.

There is also a plugin for Solidworks by Sycode that will allow you to export .obj from directly inside Solidworks. You can register for a free trial to determine if it suits your needs. Here is a direct link:
http://www.sycode.com/products/obj_export_sw/

Be careful guys with Sycode!

I just tried their "free" trial last week. They say it is free but when you want to activate the day free trial, they ask you for $29.99. I paid for it and they told me I would get the key within 1 day (you can't use it right away). 2 days later, I received another email saying that the trial option had been terminated and that I needed to buy the full version for roughly $300.00 . I replied to them asking either for the key or get my money back and 5 days later, I received the famous 7-day key.

Guess what... It does not even work.

I am glad it was only $30.00 that I lost, but I would not want too many others to get caught...

Pascal

quigley · February 17, 2012, 08:08:54 AM

The problem with exporting from SolidWorks (or any CAD system) is that the resultant mesh file will be based on triangles. For example, many direct native file SolidWorks file importers use the display mesh saved with the SolidWorks file - which is just a pile of triangular faces. This creates all sorts of issues in the render or animation app.

Ideally a file importer will convert the NURBS data to a mesh intelligently - so on small tight radii, a few faces, on a large smooth surface , lots of faces. In reality most systems don't do that, but apply a course mesh conversion across the whole part.

Things are changing in this area though. At SolidWorks World Luxology showed a CAD importer that converts the CAD data directly to 4 sided polygons - which makes downstream editing much easier.

For working with SolidWorks, Modo is a good option for conversion to .obj. It imports a very clean file structure. I've used SimLab Composer as well and that too is very good (SimLab used to provide the file translators for Keyshot), but sometimes it messes around with object scale and action centres, making subsequent reuse a bit tricky. It also tends to group the object structure by material or object, so your OBJ can end up as a single mesh entity.

Maxwell Render also has an .obj export capability - which I have used and it works quite well. That "other" software I have got Shot off also has OBJ export.

There is probably no reason why Luxion couldn't build in OBJ export into Keyshot and maybe this is something we should be asking for.