Solid Edge Data

Migration Capabilities
Solid Edge 2022

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Solid Edge Data Migration

Solid Edge includes many data migration capabilities for customers that are
moving from, or need to work with CAD data from another platform.

In addition to the direct file>open formats (native and neutral) shown to the right,
there are also a series of migration utilities available.

These migration utilities use batch processes that automatically capture

the intelligence that was inherent in the original design data including:
• Material properties/colours
• Hole database/features
• Assembly relationships
• Associative drawings
• And much more

The following slides cover this in more detail

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 Agenda
SolidWorks
Inventor
Creo Elements Direct

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 SOLIDWORKS Data Migration
Overview
Data Migration Setup
Part Model Migration
Assembly Model Migration
Drawing Model Migration
Best Practices
Bulk Migration Tool

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Data Migration Setup:

Note 1:Rich SOLIDWORKS data migration is supported for SWX 2012 and greater

Note 2: SWX and Solid Edge MUST be installed on the same machine.

SWX material and hole database migration should be carried out before SWX CAD files migration is carried out.

• Hole database in SWX used to contain *.mdb files and has format which is understood by SWX. We need to
create a database in the format that can be recognized by Solid Edge. This work is done by hole database
migration tool.

• Similarly, for materials, SWX material database, which is only recognized by SWX and not by Solid Edge, needs to
be converted to Solid Edge understandable format. This is done by Material database migration tool.

For more details, please refer to the guide available in the Help chapter found under :
https://docs.sw.siemens.com/en-US/product/246738425/doc/PL20200701135947994.xid2052015/html/xid2052031

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SOLIDWORKS Part Model Migration

SOLIDWORKS
Capabilities
Migration
Part Models

Part File Properties (Meta Data)

Multi-body Models

Part Configurations

Hole Database

Hole Feature Recognition

Component Colors

Material Database

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Part Model – (Assuming SWX material and hole database migration is successfully done)

Features supported Features not supported

• Part Material and Material Colour (even if it is • Part Texture

overridden in SWX) • All reference geometry (Plane, Axis, Coordinate system,
• Base coordinate system (Orientation of model will be Point, Center of Mass, Bounding Box, Mate References,
different. Since SE has Z-axis up but SWX has Y-axis additionally created coordinate systems)
up) • Sheetmetal files come as SE part files. Flat pattern and
• Multibody parts made in SWX come in as individual folded model/flat pattern is non-associative. Rest views are
parts after migration. associative.
• Part Configurations (Each configuration as an individual • Part Configurations – Single drawing view with multiple
part file) configurations are not associative
• Configuration drawings and 3D models are Associative • Parts saved internally within Assembly come as separate
for part as well. parts after migration without any constraints.
• For multi-body parts( Surfaces+Solids) made in SWX, after
migration, surfaces are hidden in drawing.

Note: The Product Development team is actively working on the migration capabilities. Some of these features might change in future

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SOLIDWORKS Assembly Model Migration

SOLIDWORKS
Capabilities
Migration
Assembly Components/Positions

Assembly File Properties (Meta Data)

Assembly Configurations

Assembly Relationships

Assembly Patterns as Groups

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Assembly– (Assuming SWX material and hole database migration is successfully done)

Features supported Features not supported

• Mates/ Constraints supported: Planer Align, Plane Mate, • SolidWorks Assembly feature is not migrated as Solid Edge
Axial Align,(Face based) Grounded/Fixed assembly level feature. (eg: weld bead)
• Assembly configurations (OR Family of Assemblies) are • Adjustable Assemblies/flexible assemblies.
saved as individual files on disk. • Exploded parts within assemblies (does not show exploded
• Configurations with alternate position. parts)
• Relationship suppression is only available for Mates, • Weldments are not migrated as true Solid Edge Frames but
Aligns, and Axial Aligns, Including static distance values. are migrated as Multi Body parts after migration.
• Weldments and it’s drawings are associative • All tables – BoM, Part List, Cust List Etc. are blocks and they
• Pattern Geometry is intact. are non-associative
• Relationship suppressed in all configs/FOAs is not migrated

Note: The Product Development team is actively working on the migration capabilities. Some of these features might change in future

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SOLIDWORKS Drawing Migration

SOLIDWORKS
Capabilities
Migration
Drawing File Data

Drawing File Properties (Meta data)

Drawing Views Linked to Model

Dimensions Automatically Attached
to Drawing Views
2D Styles (line and hatch)

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Drawing OR Drafting – (Assuming SWX material and hole database migration is successfully
done)

Features supported Features not supported

• Model View, Projected View, Section view, Cutting line, • SWX sheet format will be migrated as DXF geometry
Auxiliary View, Auxiliary View Plane line, Detail view, • Property text are not linked.
detail circle, view shading, break view, broken out • Assembly Mirror View and Relative View in drawing are
migrated but non associative
section, removed sec, crop view are migrated and are • Part configuration drawings (if part config drawings were
associative done on the same sheet in SWX).
• Dimensions – linear, radial, angular, diametric are • Chamfer Dimensions, Linear Coordinate dimensions,
migrated and are associative Angular Coordinate dimensions, Pathlength Dimensions are
• Centre line, center mark, area hatch fill are migrated migrated but non associative.
and are associative • Notes, Balloons, Surface finish, weld symbols, Geometric
• Section Views- Complete, Partial and Sliced sections Tolerancing, Datum, Datum target, Hole Callout, Blocks, All
are migrated Tables, Revision symbol are migrated but non associative
• Background and title block are migrated but non associative

Note: The Product Development team is actively working on the migration capabilities. Some of these features might change in future

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 SOLIDWORKS Data Migration
Best Practices

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Solid Edge Data Migration- Initial Setup

• Generate Solid Edge templates that are equivalent to

the SOLIDWORKS drawings that are to be migrated.
• Convert the SolidWorks material table so during the
migration process the appropriate materials can be
applied to models.
• Convert the SOLIDWORKS hole table.
• Specify whether the migrated files will be ordered or
synchronous
• The latest available version of Solid Edge and
SolidWorks should be installed on the migration
machine

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Solid Edge Data Migration- Locate Files for migration

• Gathers all related files for a model design (parts,

assemblies, drawings, etc.) into a folder or zip file
using Pack and Go within SOLIDWORKS
• Files that are embedded (Design Journal, for
example) are part of the document and are included
without being listed in the SOLIDWORKS Pack and
Go dialog box

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Solid Edge Data Migration- Migrating Files

• Before starting the migration process, make sure the

SOLIDWORKS can successfully open/find/load all linked
documents.
• Make the appropriate edits to the migration utility options
in file.
• Select the files to be migrated by selecting the folder
created by Pack and Go in SOLIDWORKS
• Select the same “Solid Edge folder”. If the migrated Solid
Edge files are not moved from this folder location, then
these already migrated components will not be re-migrated
on subsequent migrations in the case where the same
component based
• After migration all the SE files will be in a flat output folder.

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Solid Edge Data Migration- Linked Property Text Work Around

1. Convert the appropriate SWX "backgrounds" to DXF…

convert into SE
2. Copy the SWX background elements into the appropriate
SE draft template background sheet
3. Create the appropriate linked property callouts in the title
block that match the SolidWorks drawing
4. Save the template and specify as template to be used
during translation.
5. Migrate the drawing
6. Hide the SWX "background" layer after opening the Solid
Edge draft
7. TURN on the correct background that has the linked
property text included.

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 SOLIDWORKS Data Migration
Bulk migration tool

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SOLIDWORKS Bulk Migration Tool Overview

• Migration tool is included in Solid Edge

• Install and run Solid Edge on the same
hardware as SOLIDWORKS
• Point the tools to the directory that contains
the data you want to migrate
• The migration tool runs in parallel with both
CAD tools, they open, extract, convert,
migrate, and save into native Solid Edge
format
• Comprehensive documentation available

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SOLIDWORKS Bulk Migration Tool Overview

Bulk migration of
SOLIDWORKS parts,
assemblies and drawings
including Part/Assembly
configurations

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SOLIDWORKS Bulk Migration Tool Overview

Maintain connection of 3D
files to 2D Drawings

Solid Edge

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 Inventor

Subtitle, 24 points

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Inventor Part Model Migration

Inventor
Capabilities
Migration
Part Models

Part File Properties (Meta Data)

Multi-body Models

Part Configurations

Hole Database

Hole Feature Recognition *

Feature Grouping

Component Colors

Material Database * Supported for non-threaded holes only (counterbore, countersink and simple holes)

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Inventor Assembly Model Migration

Inventor
Capabilities
Migration
Assembly Components/Positions

Assembly File Properties (Meta Data)

Configurations (iAssembly) *

Assembly Relationships **

Assembly Features

* Support for iAssembly and position migration in the 3D assembly and 2D drawings.
Support for level of detail in drawings only
** Planar mate, flush, axial align and tangent mates supported
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Inventor Drawing Migration

Inventor
Capabilities
Migration
Drawing File Data

Drawing File Properties (Meta data)

Drawing Views Linked to Model *

Dimension and Annotations **

2D Styles (line and hatch)

* All drawing view types supported except for Slice, Crop and broken out section
** Dimensions attached to model views, all annotations would be DXF geometry

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 Creo Elements Direct

Subtitle, 24 points

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Creo Elements Direct Part/Assembly Model Migration

Creo Elements
Capabilities
Direct Migration
Part and Assembly Models *

Assembly Configurations **

Hole Database ***

Hole Feature Recognition

Feature Grouping

Component Colors
Material Database
* Includes *.pkg, *.sdpc, *.sdp, *.sdac, *.sda
** Support for show/hide states and positions
*** Only thread database supported

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Creo Elements Direct Drawing Migration

Creo Elements
Capabilities
Direct Migration
Drawing File Data *

Drawing Views Linked to Model *

Dimension and Annotations ***

2D Styles (line and hatch)

* Support for *.bdl

** All drawing views other than the dependent general views and partial views
** Dimensions attached to model views, includes single, datum, long and chain
dimensions. Other dimensions are DXF geometry.
All annotations are DXF geometry

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 Thank You

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