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Tutorial: Creating Unity Assets with SOLIDWORKS (view source)
Revision as of 22:38, 11 June 2021
, 22:38, 11 June 2021Added the Solidworks Visualize (with textures) method.
The first method, without textures, gives you more control over how heavy the asset is.
The first method, without textures, gives you more control over how heavy the asset is.
=== Exporting to STL ===
===Exporting to STL===
* With SOLIDWORKS, open an assembly file. Under ''File'', select ''Save As'' and under ''Save as type'', select .STL
*With SOLIDWORKS, open an assembly file. Under ''File'', select ''Save As'' and under ''Save as type'', select .STL
[[File:Screenshot (7).png|center|thumb|364x364px|The ''File'' dropdown menu of SOLIDWORKS.]]
[[File:Screenshot (7).png|center|thumb|364x364px|The ''File'' dropdown menu of SOLIDWORKS.]]
* Press the ''Options'' button, and make sure that the option ''Save all components of an assembly in a single file'' is unchecked. You may also change the quality of the STL you export in this option dialogue. You should now have a .STL file for each assembly part. Place all the .STL files into a single folder.<br />
*Press the ''Options'' button, and make sure that the option ''Save all components of an assembly in a single file'' is unchecked. You may also change the quality of the STL you export in this option dialogue. You should now have a .STL file for each assembly part. Place all the .STL files into a single folder.<br />
[[File:Screenshot (8).png|thumb|The SOLIDWORKS ''options'' menu to convert all of an assembly's components to .STL files. |alt=|center]]<br />
[[File:Screenshot (8).png|thumb|The SOLIDWORKS ''options'' menu to convert all of an assembly's components to .STL files. |alt=|center]]<br />
In Blender, from the top left corner, press ''File,'' and then ''Save''. Simply drag and drop the .blend file into Unity, where the assembly can now be used as an asset. If you wish to modify the asset, such as change its size or its appearance, simply open the .blend file and modify it using Blender.
In Blender, from the top left corner, press ''File,'' and then ''Save''. Simply drag and drop the .blend file into Unity, where the assembly can now be used as an asset. If you wish to modify the asset, such as change its size or its appearance, simply open the .blend file and modify it using Blender.
== Exporting with Textures ==
==Exporting with Textures==
The process of exporting with textures requires the use of Solidworks Visualize and a bit of setup, but allows for exporting with less steps. The quality (weight) of the exported asset is not directly obvious, however, as SW Visualize does not give an option for the quality of the export. According to the documentation, the quality of the polygonal file created by visualize on import is dictated by the properties used in Solidworks for the quality of any open document (go to ''Options (Gear)>Document Properties (Tab)>Image Quality'' to change this setting). This was however never properly verified.
The process of exporting with textures requires the use of Solidworks Visualize and a bit of setup, but allows for exporting with less steps. The quality (weight) of the exported asset is not directly obvious, however, as SW Visualize does not give an option for the quality of the export. According to the documentation, the quality of the polygonal file created by visualize on import is dictated by the properties used in Solidworks for the quality of any open document (go to ''Options (Gear)>Document Properties (Tab)>Image Quality'' to change this setting). This was however never properly verified.
=== Setting Up Visualize ===
===Setting Up Visualize===
Visualize will by default scale any parts that are imported if they are larger than a specified value. To change this, open Visualize and go Tools>Options>Import, and change the auto-scale options to
Visualize will by default scale any parts that are imported if they are larger than a specified value. To change this, open Visualize and go Tools>Options>Import, and change the auto-scale options to the desired min and max quantities (this value is in millimeters).<br />
<br />
[[File:Solidworks Visualize Options Pane.png|center|thumb|The import options pane for Solidworks Visualize]]
=== Importing to Visualize ===
===Importing to Visualize===
Once you are in Solidworks Visualize, you may simply navigate to ''File>Import''... and browse to your Solidworks part or assembly.
Once you are in Solidworks Visualize, you may simply navigate to ''File>Import''... and browse to your Solidworks part or assembly. The recommended settings for importing are:
* Geometry:
** Automatic part grouping (this is the same as Appearance/Layer when importing .SLDPRT and .SLDASM files)
*** Retain structure will make the part exactly as it is in Solidworks, but the export from Visualize will be extremely heavy.
** Do not snap to floor (unless the part wasn't modeled around the origin in Solidworks.
** Instancing ON
** (Part monitoring is optional but might lead to slow loading times)
* Appearances:
** Ignore Texture References OFF
** Auto search for missing textures ON
** Manual search for missing textures ON
* Other options OFF
=== Exporting to Unity-Readable Formats ===
The preferred file types for importing to Unity are FBX or GLB. FBX files are typically more compact, though, while GLB/GLBF are more versatile, and are used in a multitude of programs other than Unity. GLB files contain the textures data in the file itself, such that you do not need to keep the model file with its textures.
* Navigate to ''File>Export>Export Project...''
* Change the file type to your desired type
* Save the file (it is suggested to create a folder within the project directory as all textures will also export as separate files.
You may now use these files in Unity. If you would like to modify the files in Blender, you may also do this with the aforementioned filetypes. To do this, follow the 'Importing .STL Files into Blender' steps from the 'Without Textures' section of this tutorial.