[SOLVED] Solidworks Model Import

Help & Support
1

Any recommendations on how to import models created in Solidworks into PlayCanvas? It doesn’t have to be a direct import, of course, if it takes a few steps that would be fine.

I need to run dimensionally accurate simulations. In other words, I need to set a scale for the various imported elements that relates to their actual real-world dimensions, mass, etc. Is this possible with PlayCanvas.

Put a different way: If I model a pendulum in Solidworks using real dimensions and mass properties. Can I import the geometry and animate in PlayCanvas with physics such that it will be a very good representation of how that pendulum is going to move in the real world?

2

The recommended import file format for PlayCanvas is FBX. It also supports OBJ, DAE (COLLADA), 3DS and DXF. But FBX is nice because it stores real-world dimensions. OBJ, for example, contains no explicit description or mapping of real world scale.

I would recommend you find an export path from Solidworks to FBX. You could try this:

https://www.simlab-soft.com/3d-plugins/SolidWorks/fbx_exporter_for_SolidWorks-main.aspx

Solidworks can export to STL. So perhaps you could also try Solidworks -> STL -> FBX. This tool seems to do that:

https://cadexchanger.com/FBX/stl-to-FBX

2 Likes
3

Thank you. I’ll test these tools. They seem to do exactly what I need done.