DesignSpark Mechanical Online Help

Importing and exporting

Use the Open command to open files created in any supported format. Use the Save As command to export parts, assemblies, drawing sheets, and 3D markups to formats read by other applications. Your license type determines which of these actions are supported.

If you work frequently with non-DS Mechanical files, we recommend that you set your file options to optimize the importing and exporting process for your needs.

ObjectAnything recognizable by the tools. 3D objects include vertices, edges, faces, surfaces, solids, layouts, planes, axes, and origins. 2D objects include points and lines. IDs for edges, faces, and bodies are now stored within the .scdoc file. ObjectAnything recognizable by the tools. 3D objects include vertices, edges, faces, surfaces, solids, layouts, planes, axes, and origins. 2D objects include points and lines. IDs are preserved when other files are opened or inserted into, and the IDs can also be exported. For example, if you export a design to an analysis company, and they tag geometry with load positions, boundary conditions, and so on, then when you re-import that design, make changes, and re-export to the analysis company, they will not need to recreate their tags on the new design.

If you import a file and it fails, the reason for the failure is reported in the Status Log on the lower right edge of the window.

To import a design

1. Select Open from the File menu or click in the Quick Access toolbar. You can also insert into an existing design using the File tool in the Part group on the AssemblyHierarchy of components and subcomponents showing relationship within a design, as shown in the Structure tree. In manufacturing, a unit fitted together from manufactured parts. See Assembly tool, Component tab.

   Depending on the selected file type, additional elements appear in the Open window. For descriptions of these options or to set their default values, click Options.

2. Select Check Geometry to run the geometry check after the file is opened or imported. See Checking geometry.

3. Navigate to and select the file you want to open or insert.

   If you are opening a file, it is displayed in a new Design windowArea in the user interface that displays your model or assembly. Also known as Workspace.. If you are inserting a file, it appears as an external component within the active design.

   If there is an invalid character in the path of a file you are trying to open or insert, that character is replaced with a valid character to avoid errors.

   If you open an Inventor, Creo Parametric, or Unigraphics file that has missing components, you will be prompted to locate the missing files.

   Click Stop in the status bar to cancel an import while it is in progress.

   The name of the imported file is displayed in the Status Log when it is successful.

   Expand the sections below for information about a specific file format.

To export a design or 3D markup

1. Select Save as from the File menu.

   You can also press F12 or Ctrl+Shift+S.

   Your design must be saved as a document before you can export it in another format.

2. Select a file type from the Save as type drop-down.

3. Depending on the selected file type, additional options appear in the Save As window:

   • Save as copy if you want to save copies of external components referenced by the design with new names or replace external components with other external components. You must click Resources to do this.

   • References to display all the external components referenced by the file. Select one or more external components and click Browse to rename or replace the components.

   • Override Units is available when you export some file types. Select the units from the list.

   • Options to also set your default export options for the selected file type.

   • Improve data on export to clean up imprinted edges and split curves when you export data.

   • Units Depends on file type

   • ViewOrientation settings that you can apply to your design, including spin, pan, and zoom. You can adjust these settings individually or you can apply one of the following preconfigured views: Trimetric, Isometric, Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Right, Left. You can also select Snap View and click a face to view it head-on. Choose a standard view

   • Version Depends on file type

   • Export part manufacturing information (JT)

   • Use Perspective Camera for KeyShot

   • Store 3D data as: For PDF, choose either Geometry (PRC B-Rep) or Facets only (Universal 3D)

   • Convert components to Rhino layers

   • Protocol: For STEPStandard for the Exchange of Product model data (ISOInternational Organization for Standardization standards for architectural and engineering drawing, including guidelines for dimensioning and tolerancing. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to ISO standards. See ASME, JISJapanese Standards Association standards for technical drawings. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to JIS standards. JIS defaults are the same as ISO, except that JIS uses third-angle views while ISO uses first-angle views. See ASME, ISO.. 10303). Defines a methodology for describing product data. You can select the STEP protocol when you export designs. files can be 203 or 214.

   • Image size (pixels): For Bitmap, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF files opens Image Size dialog

   Hidden lines are exported with the default line weight. Components maintain their mirror relationships when they are exported.

   For CATIAModeling engine by Dassault Systèmes. You can import and export CATIA files., ParasolidParasolid geometric modeling kernel. You can open and insert parts and assemblies and export parts and assemblies., STL, and STEPStandard for the Exchange of Product model data (ISOInternational Organization for Standardization standards for architectural and engineering drawing, including guidelines for dimensioning and tolerancing. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to ISO standards. See ASME, JISJapanese Standards Association standards for technical drawings. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to JIS standards. JIS defaults are the same as ISO, except that JIS uses third-angle views while ISO uses first-angle views. See ASME, ISO.. 10303). Defines a methodology for describing product data. You can select the STEP protocol when you export designs. files, you can select which version or protocol to save as. You can also set your default export options by clicking Options.

   You can save documents that only contain sketch curves to ACISModeling engine by Spatial Corporation. You can import and export ACIS files (.sat and .sab). binary (.sab), ACISModeling engine by Spatial Corporation. You can import and export ACIS files (.sat and .sab). text (.sat), ParasolidParasolid geometric modeling kernel. You can open and insert parts and assemblies and export parts and assemblies., CATIAModeling engine by Dassault Systèmes. You can import and export CATIA files., IGES, STEPStandard for the Exchange of Product model data (ISOInternational Organization for Standardization standards for architectural and engineering drawing, including guidelines for dimensioning and tolerancing. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to ISO standards. See ASME, JISJapanese Standards Association standards for technical drawings. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to JIS standards. JIS defaults are the same as ISO, except that JIS uses third-angle views while ISO uses first-angle views. See ASME, ISO.. 10303). Defines a methodology for describing product data. You can select the STEP protocol when you export designs., and VDA formats. You can import and export free points for Rhino, PDF, ACISModeling engine by Spatial Corporation. You can import and export ACIS files (.sat and .sab)., IGES, JT Open, ParasolidParasolid geometric modeling kernel. You can open and insert parts and assemblies and export parts and assemblies., STEPStandard for the Exchange of Product model data (ISOInternational Organization for Standardization standards for architectural and engineering drawing, including guidelines for dimensioning and tolerancing. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to ISO standards. See ASME, JISJapanese Standards Association standards for technical drawings. You can customize the style of your annotations to conform to JIS standards. JIS defaults are the same as ISO, except that JIS uses third-angle views while ISO uses first-angle views. See ASME, ISO.. 10303). Defines a methodology for describing product data. You can select the STEP protocol when you export designs. and VDA formats.

   Imported designs with identical file names are given unique file names when you save your design. For example, if you imported name.prt and name.asm, these files are saved as name.scdoc and name2.scdoc.

   Expand the sections below for information about a specific file format.

4. Browse to a folder and type a file name in the dialog.

5. Click Save.

Import and Export are separate operations and not symmetric (i.e. one is not the opposite of the other). Therefore, exporting an scdoc to another format and then importing back into DS Mechanical presents a small risk of losing some data.