Convert SLDDRW to DWG

AutoCAD, DraftSight, manufacturing systems, and document-management platforms may require a .dwg file instead of a SOLIDWORKS drawing. Converting the file provides editable 2D drafting data for recipients who do not use SOLIDWORKS.

What the SLDDRW format is

.slddrw is the native drawing format used by SOLIDWORKS. It stores one or more drawing sheets, projected views, dimensions, notes, tolerances, tables, annotations, blocks, layers, and references to the source .sldprt part or .sldasm assembly.

SOLIDWORKS users create SLDDRW files for manufacturing, inspection, assembly, and layout drawings. Referenced parts and assemblies may be required to rebuild model views, so keep the complete reference set available when opening or updating the drawing. A drawing copied from SOLIDWORKS PDM may also require permissions or local retrieval from the vault.

What the DWG format is

.dwg is a CAD drawing format associated with AutoCAD and supported by applications such as AutoCAD, DraftSight, BricsCAD, and many engineering, architectural, and manufacturing systems. It stores entities including lines, arcs, polylines, text, dimensions, hatches, blocks, layers, and layouts.

DWG is useful when the recipient must edit the drawing in a non-SOLIDWORKS CAD application, combine it with another DWG project, plot it through an AutoCAD-based workflow, or store it in a broadly supported drafting format. The export normally produces 2D drawing geometry; it does not create an editable 3D part or assembly.

Convert with SOLIDWORKS

1. Open the .slddrw file in a licensed desktop installation of SOLIDWORKS. Resolve missing references if views are incomplete or need rebuilding.
2. Select File → Save As.
3. Choose AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg) in Save as type, specify the output filename and folder, and select Save.
4. In the export dialog, choose the required DWG release and select the current sheet or all sheets when that option is available. Configure model-space or paper-space output, scale, layer mapping, and other export settings as required by the receiving CAD system.
5. Open the resulting DWG in AutoCAD, DraftSight, BricsCAD, or a compatible viewer. Check every sheet, dimensions, annotations, line weights, layers, text, and plotted scale before delivery.

For multiple-sheet drawings, verify how the selected SOLIDWORKS release exports sheets: it may place sheets in layouts or create separate DWG files depending on the export settings. Select an older DWG release only when the recipient's software requires it; older formats may not preserve newer entities.

Online and alternative conversion

Online services such as CloudConvert and Zamzar may support some CAD conversions, but SLDDRW input support is not universal and can change. Before uploading, confirm that the service explicitly lists .slddrw as an input format and .dwg as an output format; a service that accepts .sldprt or .sldasm does not necessarily accept drawings.

Use an online converter only for a non-confidential drawing and a conversion that does not require full SOLIDWORKS drawing fidelity. Upload a copy, review the provider's retention policy, delete the uploaded and converted files when possible, and do not submit controlled, proprietary, or customer-restricted designs without approval. If no service explicitly supports SLDDRW, export through SOLIDWORKS rather than renaming the extension or converting through an unrelated CAD format.

Quality and compatibility limits

• SOLIDWORKS-specific annotations may be converted to ordinary DWG entities or lose associativity. Inspect hole callouts, weld symbols, bend notes, revision tables, model-item links, custom properties, and associative dimensions.
• Exported views may consist of lines and arcs rather than objects linked to the source 3D model. Editing the DWG will not update the SOLIDWORKS model or regenerate its views.
• Missing fonts can substitute different fonts and change text width, note placement, and dimension layout. Install the approved fonts on the receiving system or use an approved text-to-geometry workflow where necessary.
• Hidden lines, tangent edges, shaded views, hatches, blocks, layers, and line weights can display differently between SOLIDWORKS and the target CAD application. Recheck the DWG and its plotted PDF at the required scale.
• Exported geometry can lose some SOLIDWORKS feature intelligence, constraints, and parametric behavior. Keep the original SLDDRW and its referenced part or assembly files as the authoritative editable source.