Convert EASM to SLDPRT

A supplier may provide only an eDrawings assembly when the recipient needs to inspect it in SolidWorks, edit its geometry, or place it in a native CAD workflow. Converting it to .SLDPRT is possible only as imported geometry or a rebuilt part; the original parametric model normally requires the source CAD files.

What the EASM format is

.EASM is the eDrawings assembly format, usually published from SolidWorks or eDrawings Publisher for viewing and design review. It can contain assembly display geometry, measurements, markups, section views, and other review data, while publisher permissions can restrict measuring, printing, saving, or STL export.

An EASM is generally a viewing or review package, not a complete SolidWorks assembly. It normally does not contain the original sketches, feature tree, mates, configurations, design tables, or independently editable part files. An EASM with STL export enabled is not a different fundamental format; it is a file published with an additional permission.

What the SLDPRT format is

.SLDPRT is the native SolidWorks part format. It can store solid and surface bodies, sketches, feature history, configurations, reference geometry, materials, and editable dimensions.

A native SLDPRT is suitable for feature-based changes, drawings, machining preparation, and use in a SolidWorks assembly. A part created from an EASM mesh does not normally retain those capabilities: it contains a faceted imported body, or geometry that must be remodeled manually.

Preferred conversion route: obtain CAD geometry

The most reliable solution is to request the original .SLDPRT files or the source .SLDASM with all referenced parts. If native SolidWorks files cannot be shared, request a neutral solid format such as STEP AP214 or AP242, Parasolid .x_t/.x_b, or ACIS .sat.

1. Open the supplied STEP, Parasolid, or SAT file in SolidWorks through File → Open.
2. Choose the appropriate import option. A STEP assembly can open as an assembly or as a multibody part, depending on the required workflow.
3. Check units, body count, face gaps, and critical dimensions.
4. Save the imported part with File → Save As and choose SLDPRT. If the source contains several bodies that must become separate parts, save or insert them individually as required.

This produces usable exact geometry when the neutral file contains valid solids, but it does not recreate the original SolidWorks feature tree or parametric design intent.

Fallback conversion through STL

Use this route only when the EASM publisher enabled STL output and the installed eDrawings edition exposes that command. Menu names vary by release.

1. Open the EASM in eDrawings Professional.
2. Choose the available File → Save As or STL export command and select STL (*.stl). Use binary STL when available and set a fine enough deviation or chord-height tolerance for curved surfaces. Confirm the unit setting before export.
3. Open the STL in SolidWorks through File → Open. Select the available import type—graphics body, mesh body, solid body, or surface body—according to the mesh and the installed SolidWorks version. A closed, valid mesh is required for a solid-body result.
4. Check the imported dimensions and orientation, then use File → Save As to save the result as .SLDPRT.

Some SolidWorks editions and releases provide mesh-BREP or scan-to-CAD tools; these can make a mesh usable for limited operations but do not restore the source feature history. If the mesh is open, damaged, or too large, import it as reference geometry and remodel the required features.

If eDrawings does not offer STL export, the EASM permissions block it. Renaming .easm to .sldprt cannot convert the data, and general CAD software cannot normally extract a native part from a restricted EASM.

Online and desktop alternatives

For nonconfidential STEP, Parasolid, SAT, or STL files, CAD Exchanger provides desktop and web conversion tools for formats listed in its current compatibility table. Use it to convert between supported neutral or mesh formats, then open the result in SolidWorks and save it as SLDPRT. Do not assume that an online service accepts EASM or creates a native SLDPRT; direct support and export targets must be verified before uploading.

Desktop translators such as CAD Exchanger and Datakit CrossManager can be useful when the sender provides a supported neutral file. They do not manufacture missing feature history. Avoid uploading supplier, defense, or otherwise confidential geometry to an online converter unless the data policy explicitly permits it.

Quality and compatibility limits

• STL stores triangles, not analytic planes, cylinders, threads, tolerances, materials, mates, or SolidWorks features.
• A complete EASM assembly may export as one combined mesh, losing component names, separate files, assembly constraints, configurations, and hidden-component state.
• A coarse STL produces faceted cylinders and inaccurate edges; a fine STL preserves shape more closely but increases file size and import time.
• Mesh conversion can fail because of holes, self-intersections, duplicate facets, excessive facet counts, or nonmanifold edges.
• An imported or remodeled SLDPRT may be acceptable for visual reference or limited downstream work but is not equivalent to the original parametric part. Verify dimensions against the supplier before using it for manufacturing, certification, or tooling.