In the past, working with teammates who use different CAD software has typically meant saving and sending files back and forth in a neutral format as time progresses. Fortunately, this is no longer the case as seen in our latest 2-Minute Tech Tip on Editing Imports and Collaborating with 3DInterconnect. Here we detail how SOLIDWORKS links imported files to their original source so that changes made in other CAD programs propagate back to SOLIDWORKS.
Changes being made to the source file in Autodesk Inventor, and the imported file being updated within SOLIDWORKS
You’ll also see how to identify linked files, manually update them, and break the link when you need a fully independent model. Breaking the link converts the imported geometry into an independent imported feature, but the action cannot be undone without importing the source file again.
Breaking 3DInterconnect links allows for greater editing and control, including movement of imported assembly components
3DInterconnect can be especially useful when working across CAD platforms, while breaking the link gives you more control when editing imported geometry. For related learning on automatically Creating a Feature Tree for Imported Parts, check out our episode of Ask SolidProfessor covering FeatureWorks.