Convert EASM to STL

A 3D printer, mesh editor, inspection system, or web viewer may require an STL instead of an eDrawings assembly file. The conversion creates a triangular surface mesh, but it does not restore the assembly's editable CAD structure.

What the EASM format is

EASM is the proprietary eDrawings assembly format produced by SOLIDWORKS and SOLIDWORKS eDrawings Publisher. Engineers use it to distribute viewable assembly data for supplier communication, design reviews, technical documentation, and email attachments without sending the original parametric CAD model.

An EASM generally contains tessellated display geometry and viewing data rather than sketches, features, mates, component history, or other editable CAD information. Depending on how it was published, it may include configurations, exploded views, measurements, annotations, section views, and restrictions that prevent saving or exporting.

What the STL format is

STL represents a surface with triangular facets. Most slicers, 3D printers, mesh-repair applications, rapid-prototyping services, and basic 3D viewers support it.

STL is simpler and more widely supported than EASM, but it does not preserve component names, assembly relationships, colors, materials, dimensions, or parametric editability. STL also has no intrinsic unit declaration, so the intended millimetres or inches must be preserved during export and import.

How to convert EASM to STL

Using SOLIDWORKS eDrawings Professional

1. Install a compatible edition of SOLIDWORKS eDrawings Professional and open the .easm file.
2. Set the required configuration, exploded view, component visibility, and section state before exporting. The STL reflects the geometry available in the selected viewing state.
3. Choose File → Save As, select STL (*.stl) as the file type, and enter the output filename.
4. In the STL options, select the intended units and choose binary STL unless an ASCII file is specifically required. Use a finer deviation or resolution for curved surfaces; finer tessellation increases file size.
5. Open the STL in a mesh viewer, repair tool, or slicer. Check its dimensions, component placement, surface gaps, and watertightness before manufacturing.

STL export is generally available in eDrawings Professional, not every free eDrawings viewer. If STL is absent from File → Save As, the installed edition may not support export, or the EASM publisher may have disabled saving or exporting. A password or other author restriction cannot be bypassed legitimately.

Using the original CAD assembly

If eDrawings cannot export the file, ask the owner for the original SOLIDWORKS assembly or a neutral CAD file such as .step or .x_t. Open that source in SOLIDWORKS and use File → Save As → STL (*.stl). The original model normally provides more reliable tessellation and scale control than an EASM that has already been simplified for viewing.

Online conversion

Generic online converters frequently do not accept EASM, and uploading a supplier or proprietary assembly may disclose design data. Use an online CAD service only if its current documentation explicitly lists .easm as an input, provides unit and mesh-quality controls, and permits the upload under your data-security requirements. Do not rename the extension or use a converter that merely claims to support another eDrawings format; that does not convert the internal geometry.

Quality and compatibility limits

• An EASM may contain only the visualization tessellation published by its author. Conversion cannot recover omitted features, hidden components, or the precision of the original CAD model.
• Coarse tessellation produces visible facets and can reduce dimensional accuracy. Increase mesh resolution for curved or organic surfaces, then check the resulting dimensions rather than assuming the export is manufacturing-accurate.
• STL does not reliably retain assembly colors or separate component identity. Use the original assembly, STEP, or 3MF when those properties are required.
• Verify scale after import. Because STL is unitless, an application using inches for a model intended in millimetres can produce a 25.4-fold size error.
• For printing, check inverted normals, duplicate triangles, non-manifold edges, and open boundaries. Separate touching components may need mesh repair or union before slicing.