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3DM Import for SolidWorks Description

3DM Import for SolidWorks is a Rhinoceros (.3dm) file import add-in for SolidWorks®. This add-in gives SolidWorks the ability to import geometric data from 3DM files.

3DM Import for SolidWorks reads polygon mesh and curve data stored in 3DM files and imports it into SolidWorks. A polygon mesh in a 3DM file is comprised of a set of triangular/quad faces. 3DM Import for SolidWorks creates trimmed planar surfaces for each triangle/quad and knits them together to create a body. If the polygon mesh is closed (i.e. it does not contain boundary edges) then 3DM Import for SolidWorks will create a closed body feature, otherwise an open surface will be created. You can also import the polygon mesh as a 3D Sketch. The curves can be imported as a 3D Sketch in a part document, a 3D Sketch in an assembly document or 2D Curves in a drawing document.

3DM Import for SolidWorks is very easy to use as it adds new commands to SolidWorks. It also adds a submenu to the SolidWorks menu called "3DMImport".

The '3DMImport' submenu consists of the following commands:
# Import - Import a 3DM file
# Help - Display the 3DM Import for SolidWorks help file
# Register - Register your copy of 3DM Import for SolidWorks
# About - Display the 3DM Import for SolidWorks About box

3DM Import for SolidWorks comes with detailed documentation for each command as well as a tutorial to get you started in the shortest possible time.


The 3DM File Format

The 3DM (3D Model) file format is the native file format of Rhinoceros, the NURBS modeling software from Robert McNeel & Associates. The OpenNURBS Initiative was founded by Robert McNeel & Associates in January 2000, with the sole purpose of providing CAD, CAM, CAE and computer graphics software users reliable methods for transferring 3D geometry between applications via the 3DM file format. TerrainCAD, our terrain generation, editing and modeling software, also uses the 3DM file format as its native file format.