Convert EASM to PDF

Recipients often need an EASM assembly as a PDF for quotations, approvals, manuals, or records that can be opened without eDrawings. The result is a static page or set of pages, not an editable or interactive 3D assembly.

What the EASM format is

.easm is a proprietary eDrawings assembly file, usually published from SOLIDWORKS or another supported CAD system. It contains a viewable, tessellated representation of an assembly and may include configurations, exploded views, section views, measurements, markups, or animations, depending on the publishing settings.

EASM files are intended for design review and distribution. They do not replace the native assembly and part files, such as .sldasm and .sldprt, which are needed to edit geometry, mates, constraints, and manufacturing data. The SOLIDWORKS eDrawings Viewer can open many EASM files without SOLIDWORKS, provided the file was published for a compatible viewer version.

What the PDF format is

PDF is a fixed-layout document format supported by browsers, operating systems, office software, print services, and document-management systems. It preserves page size, orientation, visible annotations, and print layout, making it suitable for sharing a static assembly view.

A PDF normally does not preserve interactive rotation, the eDrawings assembly tree, configuration switching, exploded-view animation, native measurements, or assembly constraints. It contains printed views rather than an editable CAD model.

How to convert EASM to PDF

Using eDrawings Professional

1. Install a current desktop version of SOLIDWORKS eDrawings that supports the file. The free Viewer can open and print many EASM files, but direct PDF publishing and some output controls may require eDrawings Professional or may vary by version.
2. Open the file through File → Open and select the .easm file.
3. Set the required configuration, display state, exploded or section view, model orientation, visibility, and display mode. Show any measurements or markups that must appear in the output.
4. If the installed edition provides it, choose File → Save As or the PDF publishing command, select PDF, configure the page size and orientation, and save the result.

Using a system PDF printer

1. Open the EASM file in eDrawings and prepare the exact view to be printed.
2. Choose File → Print, select Microsoft Print to PDF on Windows or the available system PDF printer on macOS, and set the paper size, orientation, scale, and print range.
3. Use fit-to-page only after checking that labels, dimensions, and markups remain readable. Save the printed output as a new .pdf file.

To include several orientations or display states, print them as separate pages. A PDF printer cannot preserve the interactive 3D behavior of the EASM file.

When the native CAD model is available

Use the native SOLIDWORKS assembly or its drawing instead of the EASM when possible. In SOLIDWORKS, use File → Save As or File → Print to produce the PDF. A native drawing generally provides better dimension accuracy, title blocks, line styles, and multi-sheet output than a PDF made from a review-file viewport.

Online conversion and compatibility

Reputable general-purpose online converters do not consistently support the proprietary EASM format. Do not upload an engineering assembly to a service unless it explicitly documents EASM support and your organization's data policy permits cloud processing. Local conversion with eDrawings is the safer default for proprietary designs.

• The PDF records the visible view at print or export time; hidden components, transparency, section cuts, and display modes affect the result.
• EASM tessellation and publishing settings control curved-edge smoothness and visible detail. Converting a simplified or low-resolution EASM cannot restore the original CAD geometry.
• Measurements and markups appear only when the eDrawings version and print or export settings include them. Inspect the finished PDF instead of assuming that all model information was transferred.
• A PDF generated from an EASM is not a substitute for a native CAD file and cannot normally be edited as an assembly.