Collada Export

By exporting your SolidWorks assembly in the Collada format, your design is now defined by an open standard for 3D applications. This enables you to leverage other 3D authoring applications which may not import native SolidWorks files, including applications on different operating systems. Not only is your model geometry preserved in the export, but colors, textures and motion are available as well.

One of the key uses for a SolidWorks model exported to Collada is in a Microsoft Robotics Studio environment. This tool allows robotic simulation developers and robotic hardware makers to use code to control actual model geometry before any component is manufactured. Conversely, SolidWorks designers are able to export their motion studies into a format which in turn software developers can build upon to create simulations.

We have created a video blog entry showing its use.

Prerequisites

In order to use the full functionality of our COLLADA Export Add-In, please assure that you have the following:

SolidWorks 2008 SP5.0 or later - The Add-In will not run on older versions
MS Windows XP/Vista x32/x64

Instructions

Install the Add-In on a computer which meets the requirements listed above.
Open a SolidWorks Model.
Select a Motion Tab at the bottom of the SolidWorks window. If you do not specify a motion study, your COLLADA export will not include animation information.
Click the COLLADA toolbar button or select Save As COLLADA from the File menu.
Specify a location for the exported .dae file

Sample Models

Here are a few sample assemblies to get you started:

Download the sample SolidWorks assemblies.

Notes

If importing to Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio, you must use Standard edition. (Express Edition will not load exported .dae files.)
Please verify that you are using the most recent version of Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio
If importing to the July CTP of Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio, the assembly motors will not work correctly.

Download 32bit Collada Export

Download 64bit Collada Export

Reviews
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Collada insatll fails

by: Rossen Rachkov on Tuesday, April 9 2013

Trying to install Collada Add-in on a 64-bit system, win7 pro, with SolidWorks 2013. I get a message "There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor."
Any ideas?

Cannot even run it

by: Francois Racine on Wednesday, February 6 2013

The install itself is easy, but on French Windows (7 64 bit) we must copy Lang files unless the add-in does not add the UI items (buttons). Also, I get an error message about PhysX version 2.8.0. I installed the latest PhysX version from nVidia (9.12.1031) but it's still not working, I get the same message. The prerequisite list should be edited and maybe a link to download the correct PhysX version would be nice.

Install tanks

by: James Hudson on Friday, December 21 2012

Can't install-- same as other comments on the list.

RDS4

by: mathieu crozet on Friday, November 16 2012

One other problem is to install RDS4 on XP. I can't use the addins because of that.
why using the RDS for an exporter??

Requires PhysX engine version 2.8.0

by: Christopher Korpela on Thursday, November 8 2012

The Add-in installs correctly. However, when attempting to export, the requirement for PhysX engine 2.8.0 pops up as others have seen. I have tried both SW 2011 and 2012.

Is there a fix for this issue?

Not working here either

by: JM Brun on Monday, August 27 2012

Will not install before installing Nvidia's PhysX, and will crash SW every time trying to use it when installed with Nvidia's PhysX.

(SW2012 on W7-64)

Installer crash

by: Aloïs Nicolet on Wednesday, August 15 2012

Tried to install on SW2012, running under WindowsXP 64.
Installer crash with an error message :
"There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor".

Shame... it's a good idea to export in a Collada file.

Installer broken

by: Stephen Olenick on Wednesday, August 8 2012

Tried to install on Solidworks 2012. Works on 32 bit machine running xp but fails on 64 bit windows 7 machine. Just says that installer failed. Should be an easy fix. Please advise.

Installation problems...

by: John DiPalma on Tuesday, June 5 2012

Attempting to install with Windows 7, SolidWorks 2012. I see an error with Windows Installer Package during installation.
A comment below refers to need for PhysX, but I don't see that as a requirment in the instructions.
Is PhysX required? Any tips would be appreciated, thanks.

The transparent objects display incorrect

by: kapple qwer on Thursday, May 17 2012

I used to install 32bit and 64bit,both failed.So I happened to found that it maybe need to install Nvidia's PhysX first,then the installation become successful.Don't worry about your computer's GPU was ATI,no Nvidia.I do not know whether it will affect other display of your computer,but mine was OK now.
When I use the .dae which exported from SW into iBooks Author, I found the transparent objects display incorrect,they lose their alpha value,and their decals too.The lights of the scene was not good,always exist one Side dark unless you reset the scene.

The transparent objects display incorrect

by: kapple qwer on Thursday, May 17 2012

error on install

by: joel hansen on Monday, April 23 2012

I am trying to add this product but i am unable to get the installer to finish. i get an error stating that a part in the installer is not finishing. unfortunately i don't know what is not working since it is a very generic error. i am using 2012 64bit and have tried to reboot and make sure nothing is running that may be blocking the installer but i still can't make it run. if anyone has any ideas i would really love to have this work.

Works fine when good install

by: Lio Gerardin on Tuesday, April 17 2012

If you do not use an english version of solidworks, you have to rename the folder :

C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SW Collada Add-in\lang\english

to

C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SW Collada Add-in\lang\(your country version)

Ex: I have a french version of SW so I rename :

C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SW Collada Add-in\lang\french

No it works fine...

Works great in SolidWorks 2012 64-bit edition

by: Jeff Setzer on Wednesday, April 11 2012

I downloaded this about a month ago and just got around to trying it out. Every part or assembly I've tried to far works great -- I save the .dae file into my Dropbox, go home to my iMac with iBooks Author and they come right in. Thanks to SolidWorks for making this tool and supporting open standards.

Does not work in Solidworks 2011 or 2012

by: Gary Trzcianka on Saturday, January 21 2012

Does not install on 64bit, will install on 32bit but does not run as it is missing PhysX engine.

It is time to update this, Apple is now using Collada in their iBooks Author program, we wanted to create some interactive manuals.

Please email me as to when you think this will be updated.

Thanks.

DAE-file doesn't work

by: Pekka Uski on Wednesday, January 11 2012

I installed the Collada Export and made DAE-file but when I tried to open the DAE-file I did, it didn't start because the computer didn't recognize the software. I have W7 and I am using Solidworks 2012 SP4.0 64-bit.

Any information is wellcome!

it dosen't work

by: M H on Thursday, March 31 2011

I've installed SW 2009 0.0 and also collada export add-in put there is allways apperaing the message: collada export Addin can't load. There could be missing an extra programm or a component.

I don't know what I have to do!!!

HELP ME!

Looks good, won't work for me in SW2010

by: Tom Bonfield on Saturday, March 5 2011

Hi,

I'm trying to save my solidworks files as .dae to use in Augmented Reality applications using papervision3D. Unfortunately I can't get your product to work in SW 2010 x64. Is there anything you can suggest, or is it a compatibility issue? It creates a .dae file that won't be read.

Tom

Stuart

by: Stuart Howsden on Friday, February 25 2011

Running SW 2011 on Windows 7 64bit.
I just tried to install the add-in and it failed on the install with the following error message. "There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor".
I just today had a customer ask for this file format and found this, I was very pleased when I found it, it's a shame it did not work, can anyone advise as to whether this is still being looked into, thanks :)

RE: Nice when it works

by: Charles Parez on Wednesday, December 2 2009

Sorry to hear that you are having troubles with the COLLADA Add-In. The Add-In was last tested in Windows 7 x64 with parts and assemblies and performed well. If you could please respond to labsfeedback@solidworks.com with your system information and a sample file, we can attempt to reproduce and document the error you are seeing so future versions will be improved.

Thanks in advance,

Charles
SW Labs QA

Nice when it works

by: on Tuesday, November 24 2009

...but it doesn't work anymore.
I have to say, I find it disappointing that SolidWorks doesn't seem to read the Lab posts.
Is anyone working to update the Collada plugin for SW 2010?

The problem with these Labs plugins is that if you find them useful, and start to incorporate them into your workflow (otherwise, why bother trying them?) don't expect them to be maintained. Or even statused.

Creating PDF from Solidworks data

by: collada collada on Thursday, August 6 2009

Using the COLLADA exporter and Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended, one can create pdf documents that include the 3D model, enabling users to rotate the model directly in the pdf viewer, as well as exploring the object tree and see all the parts names.

there is a 30 days trial license for Acrobat Pro Extended
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobatproextended/tryout.html

Free browser-based plug-in-less viewer for SolidWorks

by: Marketing 3DXplorer on Wednesday, February 11 2009

Great news for all SW users. With this feature, export COLLADA file, import it into 3DXplorer and thus show your part/assembly on any website, without any installation required. Just any browser (IE, FF, Safari,....) on any computer (Windows, Mac, Linux) enables web visitors to walk in a 3D space and manipulate the 3D part built in SW.
Learn more here: www.3DXplorer.com

RE: Product is not working

by: Charles Parez on Wednesday, January 7 2009

Ireneusz, the Add-In should work with SolidWorks 2009 SP2.0. My guess is that you are using a foreign language operating system, in which case, the installation needs to be altered slightly to work. Please see the Blog in the next tab for the solution to the issue. Thanks!

Product is not working

by: Ireneusz Chorosz on Wednesday, January 7 2009

Well, I've just tried to use Collada export function, but it's not working, telling me, that add-on, or one of components is missing. I am using SWx 2009 SP2 EV, so maybe, that's the reason