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Workflow to import Inventor files into SW

Question asked by Aaron Hayden on Mar 23, 2020
Latest reply on Mar 23, 2020 by Rick McDonald

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I've read the help section about Inventor files as well as several previous threads regarding the topic. I have Solidworks 2019 SP3 and Inventor View 2020 installed. We receive Inventor files on occasion, but not enough to warrant a seat. Anyone have success importing? If so, what was your workflow? I've tried with and without 3D interconnect and with Inventor View running (but nothing open in it). No matter what I do I get an empty file, but no errors. I don't know what version the Inventor files were saved in last.

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james demarco Mar 23, 2020 12:42 PM
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Aaron,
Do you have the entire project from Inventor? We often do this, and as long as you have viewer installed (you may want to try the same release years - for example we use SW2018 with viewer 2018) then simply do a file / open / change file type to .iam then open - (make sure it is a project - folder has .ipj). Using the 3dconnect will allow you to grab all of the metadata.
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Aaron Hayden Mar 23, 2020 12:53 PM
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The files I am currently working with are three individual part files, although they are multibody (I'm not an Inventor guy so I don't know how that all works). Also included was an assembly file that has all three part files in it. Interestingly, with the viewer installed I am able to see the preview. The preview has the "I" logo in the bottom right corner. However, when I open I get nothing.

According to the iProperties the part files were created and last saved with 2018.3 (Build 223284000, 284).

I could probably get a different viewer version installed, but I have to involve IT every time I need something installed/uninstalled. I was hoping that the latest viewer, 2020, would work, but perhaps not. Maybe it's too new to work with 2019 SW?
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- J. Mather @ Aaron Hayden on Mar 23, 2020 1:10 PM
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  I do this every day.
  Can you Attach the Inventor files here?
  Also, there is an on-line viewer at http://viewer.autodesk.com but not sure how a mere viewer is going to give any insight into your conversion issue.
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Aaron Hayden Mar 23, 2020 1:30 PM
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I wish I could upload them, but can't for customer reasons. Not helpful to my cause, I know. Also, each part file is almost a half gig.
I did take a look at the online viewer the other day. It is handy from a viewer standpoint and allows measuring, but I don't believe it has any translation uses.
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- Rick McDonald @ Aaron Hayden on Mar 23, 2020 2:19 PM
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  I spent hour yesterday and some time again this morning doing Inventor to SW conversion.
  My Inventor files are from Inventor versions 11 (actually from 2007 or slightly before) and 08 from 2008. My Solidworks seat is 2015. So things have probably changed in the abilities to convert - but here's what works for me (most of the time). Open viewer or inventor (just need to have it running). Open Solidworks.
  Drag the .ipt or .asm from Windows Explorer into the SolidWorks screen.
  It may open as a dumb solid that you can run Feature Works and get some if it converted into a useful format.
  Or, if your lucky, it will actually rebuild the part in solidworks, creating a feature tree, similar to featureWorks - but better than FeatureWorks output. (I think there is some converter built into Inventor that does this but have never been able to confirm that).
  When the part is in SolidWorks do a Save or Save As and name it as you want.
  It will not bring in the drawings - you will have to recreate those yourself.
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Workflow to import Inventor files into SW

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