Convert SLDASM to DWG

Teams need a DWG when recipients must open or edit assembly documentation in AutoCAD, DraftSight, BricsCAD, or another DWG-compatible CAD system. An SLDASM is a native 3D assembly, so the usual result is a 2D DWG drawing containing selected views, not a replacement for the original assembly.

What the SLDASM format is

.sldasm is the native assembly format used by Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. It stores component placement, assembly mates, configurations, display states, subassemblies, and links to referenced .sldprt part files and other .sldasm files.

The assembly file commonly references geometry instead of storing every component inside one file. Keep all referenced parts, subassemblies, toolbox components, and external references available; otherwise SOLIDWORKS may show missing components or generate incomplete drawing views. Use File → Pack and Go to collect the assembly and its dependencies before moving it to another computer.

What the DWG format is

.dwg is a CAD drawing format supported by AutoCAD, DraftSight, BricsCAD, and many other drafting applications. It can contain 2D linework, dimensions, notes, hatching, blocks, layers, title blocks, section views, and bills of materials; DWG can also store 3D objects when created by a suitable CAD application.

A DWG exported from a SOLIDWORKS drawing normally contains 2D drawing entities. It does not preserve SOLIDWORKS mates, feature history, design tables, configurations, parametric relationships, or native assembly editing behavior.

Convert the assembly with SOLIDWORKS

1. Open the SLDASM in SOLIDWORKS with every referenced part and subassembly accessible. Resolve lightweight, suppressed, or missing components before creating views.
2. Select File → Make Drawing from Part/Assembly, choose a drawing template and sheet size, and create the required sheets.
3. Insert front, top, side, isometric, section, detail, or exploded views with Model View. Set view orientation, projection standard, scale, hidden-line display, and tangent-edge options.
4. Add dimensions, annotations, balloons, notes, title-block information, and a BOM if the DWG is intended for manufacturing or inspection.
5. Select File → Save As, choose DWG (*.dwg), and select the required sheet or sheets. The available multi-sheet options depend on the SOLIDWORKS version and drawing setup.
6. Configure the DWG export settings. Use a SOLIDWORKS-to-DWG mapping file when the recipient requires specific layers, colors, or line types, and use a 1:1 drawing scale when the file will be dimensioned or plotted.
7. Open the exported file in the recipient's AutoCAD, DraftSight, BricsCAD, or DWG viewer. Check model-space scale, paper-space layout, fonts, dimensions, layers, line weights, hatches, view alignment, and BOM content.

SOLIDWORKS is the most reliable desktop choice because it can resolve the assembly references and generate controlled drawing views. AutoCAD, DraftSight, and BricsCAD generally edit the resulting DWG but do not open an SLDASM as a native SOLIDWORKS assembly.

Use an online converter

Online conversion is practical only when the service explicitly supports both SLDASM input and DWG output and accepts the complete reference set, usually as a ZIP archive. A service such as CAD Exchanger Cloud can be considered for nonconfidential data when its current format list confirms that exact workflow; upload the referenced parts and subassemblies together if the service supports them.

Do not assume that a general file converter supports SLDASM merely because it accepts common CAD formats. Many services convert only an individual part, ignore assembly references, or output a rendered 2D representation. Do not upload proprietary designs unless the service's retention, access, and deletion terms meet your requirements. For confidential or reference-heavy assemblies, local SOLIDWORKS conversion is preferable.

When a 3D DWG is required

A SOLIDWORKS drawing export is not a 3D assembly conversion. To obtain transferable 3D geometry, export the assembly to .step or another neutral format, then import it into a CAD application that supports the required 3D DWG workflow and save it as DWG. The result may contain solids or surfaces without the original assembly hierarchy, mates, configurations, appearance data, or feature history.

Quality and compatibility limits

• Missing references produce absent components, empty views, or incomplete sections. Verify every reference before export.
• DWG export can alter fonts, splines, line types, colors, hatch patterns, annotation behavior, and line weights. Install matching fonts or replace them deliberately.
• Exploded views and BOMs must be created in the drawing; they are not guaranteed to appear from a simple assembly export.
• Some dimensions and annotations become independent DWG entities rather than associatively linked SOLIDWORKS dimensions.
• Check units and scale in the destination application. A correct-looking view can still plot incorrectly if drawing units, insertion units, or paper-space settings change.