from freecad to solidworks

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francisco martinez
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 11:27 am

from freecad to solidworks

Post by francisco martinez »

Hi. This is my first time on this forum, its also my first contacts with 3D design. Freecad has been suggested to me because its efficient and ... free.

TH version I've downloaded is this:
OS: Windows 7
Word size of OS: 32-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 32-bit
Version: 0.16.6706 (Git)
Build type: Release
Branch: releases/FreeCAD-0-16
Hash: f86a4e411ff7848dea98d7242f43b7774bee8fa0
Python version: 2.7.8
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 6.8.0.oce-0.17

And my question (first of many I'm sure) is this, How do I send a Freecad file via e-mail to sombody who is going to use Solidworks???
I have made a design that needs to be lathed out in a CNC machine, in aluminium, and the design program they have in that workshop is Solidworks. Also there are pieces that are to me printed out in a 3D printer by another company, and they also use solid works for their designs...

tanks in advance, Paco, from southern Spain.
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Willem
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Location: Lisse, The Netherlands

Re: from freecad to solidworks

Post by Willem »

Hi, welcome to Freecad and the forum, I think this is interesting for you https://forum.freecadweb.org/viewtopic.php?t=9439
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NormandC
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Location: Québec, Canada

Re: from freecad to solidworks

Post by NormandC »

Hello Francisco,

Welcome here!

Willem's link is a good read, but if you're looking for a quick answer, you can export your design in the STEP (*.stp, *.step) format. Solidworks can import it.

If you open Edit --> Preferences and go to the Import-Export category, STEP tab, you have Export options. "AP 214" works pretty well, you can also define your exported units (mm, cm, inch).
francisco martinez
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 11:27 am

Re: from freecad to solidworks

Post by francisco martinez »

hi, thanks for your replies guys, very helpful indeed, starting to get the hang of this. real fun.
Leadhead
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:50 am

Re: from freecad to solidworks

Post by Leadhead »

Many thanks for this "step" solution. Been trying to work round this for days. Works beautifully exporting the step files.
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thomas-neemann
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Location: Osnabrück DE 🇩🇪
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Re: from freecad to solidworks

Post by thomas-neemann »

Leadhead wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2023 1:28 pm Many thanks for this "step" solution. Been trying to work round this for days. Works beautifully exporting the step files.
Yes, I already had a project with SolidWorks data exchange. worked wonderfully
Gruß Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Thomas Neemann

https://www.youtube.com/@thomasneemann5 ... ry=freecad
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