Select FileImportPart from the main menu bar to import a part from a CATIA V4- or V5-format file directly into Abaqus/CAE. You can import CATIA-format parts, but you cannot export a CATIA-format part.
Tutorial: How to scale stl in solidworks?
- Open>Select file type as STL.
- Select options.
- Import as>Solid body , you can also select units in which the part was made actually.
- To import diag. say no or yes, same process as is for import of IGES/STEP.
- Insert>Features>Scale.
- measurements before scale.
- measurements after scale.
Translating part or model instances
- From the main menu bar, select InstanceTranslate. Tip: You can also translate instances using the tool from the Assembly module toolbox.
- Select the part or model instances to translate.
- Select the start point of the translation vector.
- Select the end point of the translation vector.
- Do one of the following:
Select MeshEdit from the main menu bar to merge nodes. If you select only two nodes to merge, Abaqus/CAE creates a new node at the midpoint of the selected nodes.
To merge sets or surfaces:
- From the Model Tree, expand the Sets or Surfaces container associated with a part or with the assembly.
- Select all of the desired sets or surfaces.
- Click mouse button 3 over the model tree, and select Merge from the menu that appears.
Begin an instance definition. This option is used to instance a part within an assembly. It must be used in conjunction with the ASSEMBLY and END INSTANCE options. In an Abaqus/Explicit import analysis, you can define a new position for an imported instance and import an instance more than once.
Abaqus/CAE displays prompts in the prompt area to guide you through the procedure. From the assembly, select the part or model instances to rotate. You can also click the Instance List button on the right of the prompt area and select the instances to rotate from the Instance List dialog box that appears.
Creating an Assembly from a Part
- Click Make Assembly from Part/Assembly (Standard toolbar) or File > Make Assembly from Part. An assembly opens with the Insert Component PropertyManager active.
- Click in the graphics area to add the part to the assembly. SOLIDWORKS makes the first component fixed.
To insert a new subassembly: Do one of the following: In the FeatureManager design tree, right-click either the top-level assembly icon or the icon for an existing subassembly, and select Insert New Subassembly. Click New Assembly (Assembly toolbar) or Insert > Component > New Assembly.
To open a component from an assembly document: In the assembly window, do one of the following: In the FeatureManager design tree, click or right-click the component and click Open Part or Open Subassembly .
In an assembly, in the graphics area or FeatureManager design tree, right-click a component or Ctrl + select multiple components and click Make Independent . In the dialog box, click OK when asked to save the component with a new name. In the Save As dialog box, type a name and click Save.
The best way to import a STEP file is through the “File” drop-down menu. Select “Open” and change the file type to look for STEP files. If users check the “Surface/solid entities” checkbox, SOLIDWORKS will import any 3D geometry it can from the file.
Export only “Selected Parts” from SolidWorks Assembly
- Open the Assembly (I've used food_processor assembly file from the SolidWorks tutorials).
- Select and click or right-click on the parts you don't need to export.
- Select the parts you need to export, right-click and select “Invert Selection”.
- This will select and highlight the parts you don't need to export.
To start this process just Right Click on any of the imported surfaces in the Feature Tree then select Attempt to Heal All. This may take some time to complete but once again this may resolve some issues and reduce the amount of work needed to turn your surface body into a solid.
With such a simple shape, it would be far easier to just make a new solid in FreeCAD and if you need it in IGES format, make sure that your Edit > Preferences > Import/Export > IGES tab is set to export Solids / Shells / B-REP mode. This will export an IGES solid.