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Importing from SolidWorks into Abaqus

This page walks through the export and import process and how to handle common issues.

How do I export from SolidWorks?

For individual parts:

  1. Open the part in SolidWorks
  2. File > Save As…
  3. In the file type dropdown, select STEP
  4. Click Options and verify the units are set correctly (inches or millimeters, matching your Abaqus model)
  5. Click Save

For an assembly:

  1. Open the assembly in SolidWorks
  2. File > Save As…
  3. Select STEP
  4. In Options, confirm Export all components of assembly is checked
  5. Save — the entire assembly will export as a single .stp file, with each component preserved as a separate solid

How do I import the geometry into Abaqus?

Importing a single part:

  1. In Abaqus/CAE, go to File > Import > Part…
  2. Navigate to your .stp file and click OK
  3. In the Import dialog:
  4. Set the Scale if needed (e.g., if the part was exported in mm and your model uses inches, enter a scale factor of 1/25.4 ≈ 0.03937)
  5. Leave other options as default
  6. Click OK — the part will appear in the Part Module

Importing an assembly (all parts in one STEP file):

  1. Go to File > Import > Assembly…
  2. Select your .stp assembly file
  3. Abaqus will create a separate Part for each solid body in the file and automatically instance them in the Assembly Module with their original relative positions

How do I assemble parts in Abaqus?

If you imported parts individually, you need to place them manually in the Assembly Module:

  1. Switch to the Assembly Module
  2. Click Instance > Create and select the first part — choose Dependent instance type
  3. Repeat for each additional part
  4. Use Instance > Translate and Instance > Rotate to position parts
  5. Use Instance > Constraints (Face-to-Face, Edge-to-Edge, Coaxial, etc.) to snap parts into place with geometric constraints — similar to SolidWorks mate constraints
  6. Verify final positions by inspecting the assembly in the viewport

How do I fix geometry problems after importing?

Complex geometry — especially lofted surfaces and blended fillets — sometimes imports with small errors. Try these fixes in order:

1. Remove redundant entities In the Part Module, go to Geometry Edit > Edge > Remove redundant entities, box-select the entire part, and click Done. This removes extra edges created by SolidWorks surface intersections.

2. Remove small edges/faces Go to Geometry Edit > Edge > Remove small. This merges very short edges that can cause meshing failures.

3. Remove problematic faces If a specific face is causing issues (visible in the viewport as highlighted bad geometry), use Geometry Edit > Face > Remove. You may need to partition the part first to isolate the face.

4. Simplify in SolidWorks before exporting If the above steps don't resolve the issue, go back to SolidWorks and simplify the geometry — reduce complex loft features, merge small faces, and remove cosmetic details (fillets, chamfers) that are not structurally significant. Re-export and re-import.

5. Try a different export format If STEP gives problems, try ACIS (.sat) or VDA. Different kernels handle different geometry types better.

Tips for a clean import workflow

  • Suppress non-structural features in SolidWorks before exporting: logos, text embossing, very small fillets, and holes smaller than one element size can all cause meshing headaches without contributing to structural accuracy
  • Check units immediately after import by measuring a known dimension in Abaqus against the SolidWorks drawing
  • Save your Abaqus model (File > Save) right after a clean import before doing any further work — it is easier to re-import a clean part than to undo a long sequence of operations