Convert SLDASM to STEP: whole SOLIDWORKS assemblies to STEP

Converting SLDASM to STEP is how a SOLIDWORKS assembly leaves the building: customers on other CAD, contract manufacturers, simulation teams and plant designers all ask for it. PDMPublisher writes the whole assembly as one correctly named STEP, and a STEP per part and sub-assembly if you want. A SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional task does the same on a workflow transition.

What you get

STEP (step) is the neutral 3D format nearly every CAD, CAM and inspection tool reads. From an assembly it carries every component in its assembled position, without features or mates: the receiver sees the product, not how you modeled it.

You get one .step of the assembly. Export references to file formats individually adds one per part and sub-assembly; Convert multiple configurations adds one per configuration. Each is named by your pattern. SOLIDWORKS’ current STEP export options (AP version and so on) apply.

The manual way, and why it doesn’t scale

Open the top-level assembly, File > Save As, pick STEP AP214, name it, save. That’s the active configuration only. Repeat for every part you want as its own file, and again for every configuration.

Fine for one machine. For a 200-component release redone at every revision, it’s a day of clicking and a folder that never matches the BOM. And the supplier who got the active configuration only finds out when the wrong option ships.

Convert SLDASM to STEP with the add-in

1. Open the top-level assembly in SOLIDWORKS, references resolved (Get Latest first).
2. On the PDMPublisher tab, select Settings, then Publish.
3. Set Export location: a fixed or UNC folder, or placeholders from the >... menu.
4. Set the Filename pattern, such as (FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision); the extension is added for you.
5. Under File formats, tick STEP (step); other ticked formats come out in the same pass.
6. Leave Export references to file formats individually off for one file of the whole assembly, or tick it for a .step per part and sub-assembly too. No BOM template needed here.
7. Tick Convert multiple configurations with (ConfigurationName) in the filename. The Configuration Filter includes (PROD*) or excludes (*Flat*) by wildcard.
8. Select PDMPublisher > Publish, confirm the review dialog, and check Publishing results afterwards.

STEP is a Community Edition format of the add-in (with PDF and DXF), limited to 5 references per run. A larger assembly needs Premium, which also adds per-format export locations.

Automate it as a PDM task

PDMPublisher for PDM Professional runs the same engine as a task, so the assembly becomes STEP on a state change.

1. In PDM Administration, right-click Tasks, select New Task, choose PDMPublisher and name it.
2. On the Options page, set Export Location ((VaultRootFolder)\Exports\STEP, no trailing backslash) and Filename; PDM variables such as ($PartNumber) work here.
3. Under File Formats, tick STEP. Keep Export affected document on so the assembly itself is exported.
4. For the components too, set Template to a PDM BOM layout (name, configuration and quantity columns) and enable Export references to file formats individually.
5. Enable Convert multiple configurations and the Configuration Filter as in the add-in.
6. Pick Use this version of SOLIDWORKS. For release workflows, enable Get latest revision only; it exports the version tied to the newest revision.
7. Attach the task to a workflow transition, leave it in the right-click menu, or run it from Scheduled Items.

Settings that matter for STEP

Setting	What it does	Tip
Export location	Output folder: vault, relative, UNC or outside. Created if missing.	(TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\(Revision) works; no trailing backslash.
Filename	Static text, placeholders, custom properties or PDM variables.	(ConfigurationName) for configurations, (Revision) for released files.
File formats	Tick STEP (step); invalid formats are dropped.	Several formats per job.
Export references to file formats individually	One file per part and sub-assembly, beside the top-level export.	Task: needs a BOM Template with name, configuration and quantity columns.
Convert multiple configurations	Every assembly configuration, not just the active one.	Needs a configuration-specific filename.
Configuration Filter	Include or exclude by name or wildcard.	Pick names from open documents, or type PROD*.

Naming and folders

Placeholders resolve when the job starts, so every file is named the same way:

• (FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision) in (TopAssemblyFolder)\Exports\STEP: Conveyor-B.step lands beside the project.
• (FileNameWithoutExtension)-(ConfigurationName) with Convert multiple configurations: Conveyor-Short.step, Conveyor-Long.step.
• (VaultRootFolder)\Customer Packages\($ProjectNumber)\(TargetExtension) in the task: a step subfolder per project. The extension resolves itself, so don’t add a period after it.

Customize Location (Premium in the add-in, standard in the task) gives step its own folder. Typical use: STEP to a customer share, the same-name drawing as PDF to a released-drawings folder, from one task.

Tips and troubleshooting

• Community Edition of the add-in does PDF, DXF and STEP only, up to 5 references per run; a larger assembly needs Premium. The PDM task is licensed per vault with no such limit.
• Missing references? The job needs local copies of every reference. Get Latest first.
• Task missing or wrong references? Check the BOM Template columns. Suppressed, virtual, envelope and excluded-from-BOM components are ignored.
• Ticking PDF on an assembly exports the same-name drawing, not the model. Use 3D PDF – MBD (_3dpdf) for the model.
• Can’t see the exported files? You need add and edit permission in the export location. The vault root is usually locked; target a subfolder like (VaultRootFolder)\Exports.

Availability

Available in PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS (the add-in) and PDMPublisher for PDM Professional (the task).

Documentation and related features

• Run a Publish Job (PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS)
• File Formats option
• SOLIDWORKS assembly documents
• SOLIDWORKS part documents
• Conditional assembly processing
• Run as a SOLIDWORKS PDM task
• Export one STEP per part from an assembly
• Convert SLDPRT to STEP
• Convert SLDASM to Parasolid

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a whole SOLIDWORKS assembly to one STEP file?

Tick STEP under File formats, leave Export references to file formats individually off, set location and filename, then Publish. A PDM task does the same on a workflow transition.

Can I get the parts and sub-assemblies as separate STEP files at the same time?

Yes. Enable Export references to file formats individually. The add-in reads the resolved references; the task needs a BOM Template with name, configuration and quantity columns.

Is SLDASM to STEP free in PDMPublisher?

Community Edition publishes STEP, PDF and DXF free, up to 5 references per run. Larger assemblies need Premium; the PDM task is licensed per vault with a 7-day trial.

Can I export every configuration of an assembly to STEP at once?

Yes. Enable Convert multiple configurations, add (ConfigurationName) to the filename, and use the Configuration Filter to include or exclude by name.