Convert EASM to OBJ

A program such as Blender, MeshLab, a game engine, or a web viewer may require OBJ when the available model is an eDrawings assembly. Converting it also provides a broadly shareable polygon mesh, but the result is no longer an editable CAD assembly.

What the EASM format is

.easm is the eDrawings assembly format published primarily by SOLIDWORKS and eDrawings tools. It is intended for viewing and design review rather than parametric editing, and may contain tessellated display geometry, assembly information, viewpoints, and markup. It does not preserve the feature history and editable solid definitions of the source SOLIDWORKS assembly.

EASM files are commonly distributed as supplier previews, design-review attachments, and lightweight product models. The file may contain embedded display data or depend on referenced component data, so the available geometry and export behavior depend on how it was published.

What the OBJ format is

.obj is a text-based polygon-mesh format supported by Blender, MeshLab, many game engines, web viewers, and visualization applications. It stores vertices, texture coordinates, normals, and faces. A companion .mtl file can store material assignments, while image textures remain separate files.

OBJ is suitable when the destination needs a mesh instead of CAD history, mates, configurations, drawings, or solid bodies. It is widely supported and easy to inspect, but it can be much larger than binary STL and has no universal unit declaration.

How to convert EASM to OBJ

Using eDrawings Professional and Blender

1. Open the EASM in eDrawings Professional. eDrawings Viewer can display many EASM files, but the STL export command is generally a Professional feature.
2. Set the required orientation and visibility state. Only geometry available to the exporter is included; hidden components, section views, and display settings can affect the result.
3. Choose File → Save As, select STL (*.stl), and export the complete assembly or the desired visible components if the dialog provides that choice.
4. Choose the correct units and use binary STL for a smaller intermediate file. Increase tessellation quality by reducing deviation and tightening angular tolerance only when the target requires smoother curves; finer tessellation increases polygon count and file size.
5. Import the STL into Blender with File → Import → STL. Check its measured size and orientation against a known dimension.
6. Export it with File → Export → Wavefront (.obj). Enable Write Materials if you assign materials, and keep the generated .mtl file beside the OBJ. Copy any referenced texture images with both files.

MeshLab provides a lighter alternative for a simple conversion: use File → Import Mesh to open the STL, then File → Export Mesh As and select OBJ. It can clean and repair meshes, but it cannot restore CAD structure.

Direct conversion or online services

Some editions of CAD Exchanger Desktop or CAD Exchanger Cloud may accept EASM and export OBJ, but support for proprietary eDrawings files varies by product version and license. Confirm that the current format list explicitly includes .easm before purchasing, uploading, or relying on the result. If accepted, open or upload the file, choose OBJ, set tessellation and units, and export.

There is no universally reliable general-purpose online EASM-to-OBJ service. Avoid sites that do not explicitly list EASM support, especially for confidential engineering data; uploads may be retained, and external references or unsupported eDrawings features can cause rejection or incomplete output.

Quality and compatibility limits

• The usual process is EASM display geometry → STL mesh → OBJ mesh. It does not recreate editable SOLIDWORKS solids, feature history, mates, configurations, or drawings.
• STL export normally removes assembly hierarchy, component names, PMI, metadata, materials, and textures. The OBJ may be one combined mesh or several objects, depending on the exporter and export selection.
• STL carries no standard material or texture information, so the OBJ normally needs materials and textures assigned again in Blender or another 3D application.
• Verify scale after import. OBJ does not define units consistently, and different applications may interpret its coordinate values differently.
• Curved surfaces, small holes, and thin walls are limited by the EASM tessellation and the STL export settings. A finer tessellation reduces faceting but can create very large meshes and slow downstream applications.
• If eDrawings Professional cannot export the required geometry, ask the model owner for STEP, Parasolid, or a native tessellated export. STEP or Parasolid is preferable when dimensional accuracy, separate bodies, or further CAD editing is required.