Convert SLDASM to 3DS

Older visualization, game, and 3D Studio-compatible applications may require 3DS instead of a native SOLIDWORKS assembly. The conversion creates a tessellated mesh copy for viewing or rendering; it does not preserve the editable CAD model.

SLDASM and 3DS formats

SLDASM is the native SOLIDWORKS assembly format. It stores assembly structure, component references, mates, configurations, display states, and related design information, but referenced .SLDPRT files, subassemblies, Toolbox components, and external references are normally separate files.

3DS is the legacy binary mesh format from Autodesk 3D Studio. It can store triangulated meshes, object transforms, basic materials, texture references, cameras, and lights, and remains accepted by older renderers, viewers, and asset pipelines. It cannot retain SOLIDWORKS features, sketches, dimensions, mates, configurations, mass properties, or parametric editability.

Convert with SOLIDWORKS

1. Open the assembly in SOLIDWORKS and resolve every component reference. Use File → Pack and Go to make a portable copy containing the assembly, parts, subassemblies, and required external files.
2. Activate the required configuration and display state. Suppressed, hidden, lightweight, or unresolved components can be absent from the exported mesh.
3. Remove or suppress unnecessary detail before export, including modeled threads, internal hardware, very small fillets, and parts not needed by the recipient.
4. Select File → Save As, choose 3D Studio (*.3ds), set the output filename, and open Options if available. Select tessellation settings appropriate to the destination: coarse for older software or real-time use, finer only where curved silhouettes must hold up at close range.
5. Import the resulting .3ds file into the receiving software and check scale, object positions, missing parts, normals, materials, and textures.

The available export formats depend on the installed SOLIDWORKS release and license. If 3D Studio (*.3ds) is not listed in Save As, use a current desktop translator that explicitly supports both native SOLIDWORKS assembly input and 3DS output, such as CAD Exchanger Lab. Import the complete, resolved assembly rather than an isolated .sldasm file.

Autodesk 3ds Max can also be used when its installed version lists SOLIDWORKS import support: import the assembly through File → Import → Import, then export through File → Export → Export as .3ds. SOLIDWORKS import availability can depend on the 3ds Max version and its installed CAD translator; confirm support before relying on this route.

Online conversion options

For non-sensitive, small assemblies, CAD Exchanger Cloud is a practical browser-based option when its current format matrix lists both .SLDASM import and .3ds export. Upload the complete Pack and Go package if the service accepts archives, then inspect the downloaded mesh locally.

Do not send controlled, proprietary, confidential, or export-restricted CAD data to a public conversion service. Online converters may also impose file-size limits or fail when an assembly references files outside the uploaded package.

Mesh and compatibility limits

3DS is a legacy format with a 65,536-vertex and 65,536-face limit per mesh object. Large CAD assemblies may require splitting into multiple mesh objects, and older importers can impose lower practical limits. Check the result in the actual destination program rather than relying only on the converter preview.

Every curved CAD surface becomes triangles. Higher tessellation improves visible curves but increases file size, memory use, and the risk of exceeding legacy-reader limits. Simplify the assembly before increasing mesh density.

3DS materials are limited. SOLIDWORKS appearances may become simple diffuse materials; decals, procedural appearances, PBR properties, transparency behavior, and texture coordinates may not transfer correctly. Keep exported texture images beside the .3ds file and relink them in the target application when necessary.

3DS stores scale information, but CAD unit interpretation is inconsistent among importers. Measure a known feature after import and correct the target scene scale if needed. Keep the original .sldasm package and, for engineering exchange, a neutral CAD copy such as .STEP; 3DS is a downstream visualization mesh, not an engineering archive.