Convert SLDASM to IPT

Inventor, machining, or downstream CAD workflows may require an assembly’s geometry as a native .ipt part. Because .sldasm stores an assembly rather than a single part, the conversion normally requires importing the assembly and creating a derived or simplified Inventor part.

What the SLDASM format is

.sldasm is SolidWorks’ native assembly format. It stores component references, mates, configurations, suppression states, and assembly-level display data; the actual component geometry normally remains in separate .sldprt files. SolidWorks users, mechanical design teams, suppliers, and engineering departments use SLDASM files to define assemblies and their component relationships.

The referenced SLDPRT files are required for a complete import. A standalone SLDASM copied without its dependencies may open with missing components or unresolved references.

What the IPT format is

.ipt is Autodesk Inventor’s native part format. It can contain sketches, parametric features, materials, and one or more solid bodies, and it supports Inventor drawings, measurements, interference checks, and manufacturing preparation.

An assembly converted to IPT becomes a derived or simplified geometric representation. The IPT does not retain the original SolidWorks assembly hierarchy, mates, bill of materials, configurations, or assembly motion.

How to convert SLDASM to IPT in Inventor

1. Collect the .sldasm file and every referenced .sldprt file. Preserve the original folder structure when the assembly uses relative file paths.
2. In Inventor, choose File → Open, select the SLDASM file, and accept the SolidWorks import or AnyCAD options shown by your release. Inventor may import the assembly as an Inventor assembly while retaining a reference to the source data.
3. Resolve missing references and inspect units, component positions, suppressed components, and visible geometry. Save the imported assembly as an .iam if you need a recoverable intermediate file.
4. Use Simplify → Create Simplified Part, or the equivalent derived-part command in your Inventor version. Select the components or bodies to include and exclude hardware, internal details, or other geometry that is not required.
5. Choose whether to preserve separate solid bodies or combine suitable bodies into one. Do not combine components when the resulting union would remove clearances, interfaces, or manufacturing meaning.
6. Confirm the preview, create the simplified part, and save it as .ipt. Inventor command names vary between releases; Manage → Derive may provide the equivalent assembly-to-part workflow.

Inventor does not normally convert an SLDASM directly into an IPT with its mates and assembly history intact. The required sequence is an assembly import followed by a derived or simplified part operation.

Using SolidWorks as an intermediate step

If SolidWorks is available, it can first create a part containing the assembly geometry:

1. Open the assembly in SolidWorks and choose File → Save As.
2. Select Part (*.sldprt) and choose an option such as all components, selected components, or exterior faces, depending on the required result.
3. Open the resulting SLDPRT in Inventor and save or export it as Inventor Part (*.ipt).

This method gives SolidWorks control over which components enter the intermediate part. It still requires Inventor, or another application that can write native IPT files, for the final format. A recent application version is not automatically required; compatibility depends on the SolidWorks file version, Inventor’s supported translator, and the features used by the source assembly.

Online conversion options

Native IPT output is uncommon among online CAD converters. A service such as CAD Exchanger Cloud can be used, subject to its current format and plan limits, to convert an SLDASM package to an exchange format such as STEP or Parasolid. Upload the assembly together with its referenced parts, export the intermediate format, import it into Inventor, and create the IPT through the simplification or derivation workflow above.

Online conversion may fail when references are missing, configurations are unsupported, or the service treats the upload as a collection of independent parts. Do not upload confidential design data unless the service’s storage, retention, and access terms meet the project requirements.

Quality and compatibility limits

• SolidWorks parametric features usually do not become equivalent editable Inventor features. The result may contain imported base solids, surface bodies, or translated features with limited editability.
• Mates, component hierarchy, BOM behavior, configurations, suppression states, assembly-level motion, and SolidWorks design history are not preserved in the IPT.
• Check units, scale, mass properties, holes, threads, fillets, patterned components, contact faces, and critical dimensions against the source assembly.
• Inspect every body for translation errors, gaps, invalid faces, and unwanted internal geometry. Run Inventor’s body validation or interference tools where applicable.
• Keep the original SLDASM and all referenced SLDPRT files. They remain the authoritative editable assembly after the IPT is created.