Solidworks model to Orbiter?

[manguin2001]

Hi everyone I’ve been enjoying orbiter for a few months now and have a very simple question. Is there a way in which I can convert a solidworks model of a satellite into a format suitable to use in orbiter. Without the long process of learning all the addons programs and designing the satellite on them? I had a quick browse of the forum and google and couldn't find out a definite answer so any help pointing me in the right direction would be great!

Thanks a lot, Adam​

 

[RisingFury]

Here:
http://orbiter-forum.com/tutorials.php

A collection of many tutorials

 

[BHawthorne]

Solids models and mesh models are totally different. It is a lot easier to go to mesh from solid than solid to mesh though. You should be able to export out several different formats from solidworks. DXF might be the best bet for getting it out of sldpart format.

 

[kwan3217]

This isn't a complete solution, but export from SolidWorks to the StereoLithography (StL) format. This one is a text-based list of vertices, edges, and faces that other programs would at least have a prayer of importing. You can probably wash that through one or more other converters (maybe http://web.t-online.hu/karpo/ , I haven't tried this myself) to get it to something that Anim8or can use, then use its plugin to get to Orbiter.

 

[manguin2001]

thanks for the replies so quickly. I thought the solid to mesh conversion might be a problem I was just wondering (hoping more like lol) if there was an easy solution. Thanks for the advice kwan3217 I'll have a go at StL format and keep you updated of any luck I have with it.

Any other help would be great

cheers guys​

 

[BHawthorne]

I'm actually interested in going mesh to solids on a few things, but that has been a mess to try and achieve.

 

[gawinnard]

I've been trying that with the middeck model, Messy to CAD model, got very messy.

 

[manguin2001]

I converted a solidworks file (.SLDASM) into a StereoLithography (.StL) file. It coverted the solid works part into a nice mess. Cant seem to convert it into a .an8 mesh file though. I can convert it into a .3ds mesh but it just says error when trying to load in anim8or or trying to convert it to .msh. I converted it into a .3ds using http://web.t-online.hu/karpo/and found out that the program does this to the file when converting:

Format Name 3D Studio Binary Mesh

​

​

​

Extension 3DS​

Geometry L / S​

Face Mat. L / -​

Vert Col.- / -​

Text. U,V L / S ​

Text. Pols Gen. / -​

Text. View Automatic​

Where L=load S=save

Not sure what it really means? Im assuming it means it doesnt save something important that you need? lol

 

[kwan3217]

Try converting individual SLDPRT files one at a time rather than the whole assembly. This might make a simpler 3DS, which might import better into Anim8or, where you could glue them back together.