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Design protected export file from solidworks?
3

Design protected export file from solidworks?

Design protected export file from solidworks?

(OP)
I need to make a template of a proprietary design for my customers. They need to import the model to fit in their designs. Fixture clearance mainly. I do not want my internal design information to be revealed for each component. I would like to make iges and step files available for use. They only need locating surfaces and outside size parameters. Can I set this up in export options or do I need to supress or remove data to take away the information I do not want to reveal?

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

I make a copy the whole orginal designed assembly file. Then gut out all the interior items, and then save it as a STEP file.

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2009 SP 3.0
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

double check your exported STEP file by importing/open in Solidworks.  

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2009 SP 3.0
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

Save the assy as a part using the Exterior components or Exterior faces option.

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

Now I have a question Randy and CBL,
I send out models all the time to our customers like Randy, and removing the guts. I would to add our company's propriety / disclosure statement to the model. How do I do that, and have it saved as a step file? I would like the customers see the statement when they import it into there CAD system. I imported the text into the sketch then extruded it, but the model file got HUGE going from 1MB to 9MB.

Thanks for the star!

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2009 SP 3.0
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

(OP)
Macduff I guess it's just an honor system we have to operate under. My company has all our customers register and agree to our disclosure terms before they download the files. I just did a trial run on a small assembly using CBL's suggestion and it was exactly what I was looking for. After this I am confident that my design is protected. My customer will only receive the portion they need after I save just the outside faces. Obviously a more advanced training class for me would have revealed this information, but we just can't afford that right now!! There are so many utilities needed by 3D designers!! Thank You CBL!!  

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

Colin,

You could perhaps add a watermark statement to the SWX file, but this does not help for a parasolid/STEP/IGES/non-SWX file.

If your customer has SWX and you want to send them a "shell" of a part, i.e., no interior features, then the best bet would be to create the limited part as described above, bring it in to SWX (good practice to verify the part anyway), add the desired statement as an annotation (and in the Design Journal), and send that restricted SWX part file.

If the customer does not have SWX and you are sending some dumb/neutral format file then perhaps you should zip it along with a stock document file and send the net zipped file.

- - -Updraft

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

I believe you can add metadata to a step file. See options.

Personally, I always create a drawing referencing the exported geometry. That drawing will specify tolerances, file size in bytes, file date, and a confidentiality statement. The print will also specify any key dimensions and whether the model or the drawing rules. The drawing and the model go together.  

TOP
CSWP, BSSE
www.engtran.com  www.niswug.org

"Node news is good news."

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

If they just need to view it, after converting the file to step or iges (after removing the inner details), save as e drawing.

Deepak Gupta
SW2009 SP3.0
SW2007 SP5.0
MathCAD 14.0

RE: Design protected export file from solidworks?

I haven't tried it, but is there a way to use Speedpak to create a "shrinkwrap" skin of an assembly to then save as STEP?

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