Convert EASM to X_T

A Parasolid-based CAD system may require .x_t for accurate solid editing, while an available .easm file is usually intended only for viewing an assembly. The conversion normally requires the original CAD assembly or a neutral solid model supplied by the designer.

What the EASM format is

.easm is an eDrawings assembly file, commonly published from SOLIDWORKS or SOLIDWORKS eDrawings Publisher. Design teams, suppliers, customers, and reviewers use it to inspect assemblies, take supported measurements, add markups, and review component placement without distributing the original .sldasm, part files, and design history.

An EASM file is optimized for controlled display rather than CAD editing. It may contain tessellated display data, assembly structure, visibility states, and viewing information, but it generally does not contain the source model's parametric features, sketches, mates, or complete editable boundary-representation data. SOLIDWORKS eDrawings Viewer and eDrawings Professional are the normal applications for opening it.

What the X_T format is

.x_t is the text-based Parasolid exchange format. It stores Parasolid boundary-representation solids and surfaces, including accurate faces, edges, and analytic geometry. Parasolid-based applications such as Siemens NX, Solid Edge, and SOLIDWORKS can import it, subject to their supported Parasolid kernel versions.

X_T is suitable for transferring precise bodies between CAD systems, but it does not preserve the original feature tree, sketches, mates, constraints, drawings, or application-specific parameters. The receiving system normally treats the imported result as direct or imported geometry rather than as a native parametric model.

How to convert the files

Do not use the EASM file as the primary conversion source. Request the source assembly and all referenced parts, or request an existing STEP or Parasolid export.

1. Collect the original .sldasm assembly and every referenced .sldprt component. Keep the references intact and confirm that SOLIDWORKS can resolve them.
2. Open the assembly in SOLIDWORKS and inspect missing references, suppressed components, configurations, and units.
3. Select File → Save As, choose Parasolid (*.x_t), and select the available assembly export option. Depending on the SOLIDWORKS release, the dialog may allow the assembly to be written as one Parasolid file or its components to be saved separately.
4. Use one combined file when the recipient needs a single transferred model. Use separate component files when preserving identifiable part boundaries and processing individual components is more useful.
5. Choose binary .x_b instead only when the receiving system specifically requires it; .x_t is the readable text variant.
6. Open the result in the target CAD system and verify body count, component placement, units, gaps, small faces, surface healing, and critical dimensions.

If the source is available only as STEP, import the STEP file into SOLIDWORKS, Siemens NX, Solid Edge, or another CAD application that can export Parasolid, then save it as .x_t. Prefer AP242 or AP214 STEP when the supplier can provide it, although STEP will also lose native feature history and may require healing after import.

When only EASM is available

Open the file in eDrawings Viewer or eDrawings Professional to confirm its contents and determine whether the required components are present. An available STL export from eDrawings is a triangular mesh, not a Parasolid solid; converting that mesh to X_T cannot restore the original analytic faces, tolerances, feature history, or design intent.

A mesh-to-CAD workflow can create approximate surfaces or solids through reverse-engineering software, but it requires remodeling, surface fitting, or manual healing. The result must be checked against known dimensions before engineering, tooling, or manufacturing use.

General online conversion sites should not be expected to perform a genuine EASM-to-X_T conversion. A reputable service such as CAD Exchanger Cloud may support relevant CAD input and X_T output, but its current format list must explicitly show EASM input; support for SOLIDWORKS part or assembly files does not imply support for eDrawings files. Do not upload proprietary assemblies unless the service, retention policy, and contractual terms meet the project's confidentiality requirements.

Quality and compatibility limits

A conversion based only on EASM display data cannot guarantee closed solids, dimensional accuracy, usable analytic faces, or manufacturing tolerances. Even an X_T export made from the original source can omit assembly metadata, feature history, mates, sketches, appearances, annotations, and drawings.

Check the Parasolid kernel version supported by the receiving application; an older CAD release may reject a file produced by a newer release. Confirm document units and scale during import, then compare critical dimensions, interference conditions, and—when relevant—mass properties with the source model before approving the transfer.