Solidworks files - Insert into assembly vs translate to part

[andrewiv]

I was wondering what others have found to be the "best" workflow when working with files from Solidworks.  I'm wondering if it is better to insert a Solidworks file (part or assembly) into the Inventor assembly that it is being used in or if it is better to import the Solidworks file into it's own separate file and then insert the separate file into the Inventor assembly that it is being used in.  We need to maintain the associative link between the files, so we are using AnyCAD functionality either way.  Is one way better than the other or does it matter?  Are there any other workflows that people have discovered?

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi Andrew,

The difference is not so much how the files are placed into an assembly. It is more about the linkage. If you use traditional convert import workflow, the SWX file's geometry will be captured in the imported files and it becomes static. You can add more features but any update to the SWX file requires another import.

The reference import treats SWX file like a readonly source. You kind of derive it to your model (part or assembly). The link is live. If there is any geometric change in the SWX file, Inventor will update it accordingly (just like Derive).

Aside from the update process, there is one major difference between convert import and reference import. Convert import stores geometry in individual ipt files just like regular Inventor ipt files (placed into an anssembly).

The reference import actually stores the geometry within iam file itself. So, this can make an iam file relatively big. Performance wise, there should not be a big difference. But, a large assembly iam file with reference link plus cached graphics, depending on geometry complexity, can be relatively big compared to a regular iam file.

Many thanks!

[andrewiv]

Thanks @johnsonshiue, this is what I had found in my initial testing.  We have gone down the road of having an Inventor file that only has the reference to the Solidworks file so that it doesn't bloat the main assembly file and then when the Solidworks file changes we just update that Inventor file.  I was just wondering if this was the best way or if it truly made any difference.