SimLab SolidWorks Importer for Maya — Quick Guide to Seamless CAD to Maya Workflows

How to Use SimLab SolidWorks Importer for Maya: Step-by-Step TutorialThis tutorial walks you through importing SolidWorks models into Autodesk Maya using the SimLab SolidWorks Importer. It covers preparation in SolidWorks, installing and configuring the SimLab plugin, export settings, importing into Maya, common workflow tips, and troubleshooting. Follow each step carefully to preserve geometry, assemblies, materials, and hierarchy.

Before you begin — system requirements & files

• Make sure you have compatible versions of SolidWorks, Maya, and the SimLab SolidWorks Importer.
• Back up your SolidWorks files (.sldprt, .sldasm) before exporting.
• Install any required service packs for SolidWorks and Maya that SimLab recommends.

Part 1 — Preparation in SolidWorks

1. Clean the model

   • Remove unnecessary small features (tiny fillets, holes) that may create excessive geometry.
   • Suppress nonessential components in assemblies.
   • Check for and fix any geometry errors (open surfaces, degenerate faces).

2. Simplify assemblies

   • Use configurations or simplified representations to reduce part count and polygon complexity.
   • Consider saving a copy of the assembly as a simplified assembly for export.

3. Apply meaningful names and hierarchy

   • Rename parts and sub-assemblies to names that will be useful in Maya (e.g., Body_Main, Left_Wheel).
   • Organize the tree structure—this helps preserve logical grouping after import.

4. Assign materials and colors

   • Apply SolidWorks appearances or colors to parts you want to map to materials in Maya. SimLab can translate appearance colors; complex material graphs will require rework in Maya.

Part 2 — Installing and configuring SimLab SolidWorks Importer

1. Download and install

   • Obtain the SimLab SolidWorks Importer from SimLab’s website or the vendor provided installer. Follow the installer prompts and ensure it targets the correct SolidWorks installation.

2. Enable the plugin in SolidWorks (if required)

   • In SolidWorks go to Tools → Add-Ins and enable the SimLab exporter if it appears there.

3. Configure export preferences

   • Open the SimLab exporter settings (usually accessible from a SimLab toolbar or menu). Set default options like export format (SimLab native, FBX, OBJ, or other supported formats), tessellation/triangulation quality, and whether to export hierarchy, materials, and units.

Key exporter options to consider:

• Tessellation/mesh quality: higher values preserve curvature but increase file size.
• Units and scale: ensure Maya and SolidWorks units match to avoid scale issues.
• Export normals and UVs: enable if you need smoothing and texture mapping preserved.
• Export assembly hierarchy: keep this ON to retain group/parent relationships.

Part 3 — Exporting from SolidWorks with SimLab

1. Choose export format

   • SimLab may let you export directly to FBX, OBJ, or a SimLab-specific file that the SimLab Maya importer reads. FBX is recommended for best preservation of hierarchy, transforms, and basic materials.

2. Set tessellation/mesh options

   • For detailed CAD parts, use medium–high tessellation; for preview purposes, low–medium is fine.
   • Test export on a representative part to find the right balance between fidelity and file size.

3. Materials and appearances

   • Choose whether to export colors/appearances. If converting to FBX, basic material color and opacity usually carry over; complex SolidWorks shaders will not.

4. Export selection

   • Export the entire assembly or selected components. Use selection sets for repeated export tasks.

5. Export and verify

   • Run the export. Open the exported file in a lightweight viewer (or re-import into SolidWorks) to verify basic geometry before moving to Maya.

Part 4 — Importing into Maya

1. Prepare Maya scene

   • Set project and units in Maya to match the SolidWorks export. File → Set Project and Windows → Settings/Preferences → Preferences → Settings → Working Units.

2. Use SimLab’s Maya importer plugin (if provided)

   • If SimLab supplies a Maya importer plugin, install it per SimLab instructions and enable it inside Maya (Windows → Settings/Preferences → Plug-in Manager).

3. Import via File → Import or SimLab menu

   • If using FBX/OBJ: File → Import and choose the exported file. For SimLab-specific formats, use the SimLab menu or importer.

4. Important import options in Maya

   • Preserve hierarchy: check options to import groups and parent relationships.
   • Import materials and textures: enable to bring in color information.
   • Normals and smoothing: import normals to preserve curved surfaces.
   • Scale and up-axis: confirm the correct up-axis (Y vs Z) and scale factor.

5. Verify geometry and groups

   • Inspect Outliner to confirm parts are named and organized as expected.
   • Select components in Maya to verify transforms, pivot points, and placement.

Part 5 — Post-import cleanup in Maya

1. Reassign materials

   • For production rendering, replace imported basic materials with Maya-standard materials (Arnold aiStandardSurface, or your render engine’s shaders). Use the imported color/texture as a base if present.

2. Repair normals and smoothing groups

   • If surfaces look faceted, adjust normals: Mesh → Smooth or use the Normals menu to set soft/hard edges or transfer normals from original meshes if available.

3. Reduce polygon count (if needed)

   • Use Maya’s Reduce tool or retopology workflows for animation-friendly meshes. Keep one high-resolution CAD mesh for baking normal maps.

4. Set up instances and groups

   • Convert repeated parts to instances to save memory. Group assemblies logically and lock transforms if needed.

5. UVs and texturing

   • CAD parts often lack useful UVs. Create UVs in Maya if you need to texture beyond flat color.

Part 6 — Common issues and fixes

• Scale mismatch

  • Fix: Confirm units in SolidWorks exporter and Maya preferences; apply uniform scale if already imported.

• Missing materials or incorrect colors

  • Fix: Export colors/appearances from SimLab; reassign shaders in Maya; use color as diffuse input.

• Excessive polygon count

  • Fix: Re-export with lower tessellation, or use Reduce/retopologize in Maya. For renders, use displacement/normal maps instead of extremely dense geometry.

• Broken hierarchy or renamed parts

  • Fix: Enable “export assembly hierarchy” in SimLab; if lost, re-create groups in Outliner and reassign names.

• Shading artifacts

  • Fix: Recompute normals, set smoothing properly, or increase mesh tessellation.

Tips for a smoother workflow

• Test small: export one representative part to tune tessellation and material mapping before exporting an entire assembly.
• Keep design intent: export useful metadata or naming from SolidWorks to speed up scene setup in Maya.
• Use instances: for repeated geometry (bolts, screws), export one part and instance it in Maya.
• Consider baking: for complex CAD details, bake normal/displacement maps to a low-poly model for animation or real-time use.
• Automate repetitive tasks: write Maya scripts or use SimLab batch options if you frequently import many assemblies.

Example quick checklist (export → import)

1. Clean and simplify SolidWorks model.
2. Name parts, assign colors.
3. Set SimLab exporter options: FBX, medium–high tessellation, export materials, preserve hierarchy.
4. Export and verify file.
5. In Maya set project and units.
6. Import file, preserve hierarchy, import normals.
7. Reassign materials, fix normals, reduce geometry if needed.

Troubleshooting resources

• SimLab documentation and forums for exporter-specific settings.
• Autodesk Maya help for importing FBX/OBJ and mesh cleanup tools.
• SolidWorks best-practice guides for preparing CAD models for downstream applications.

If you want, I can:

• Provide a short script for batch-exporting from SolidWorks (if you tell me which SolidWorks version).
• Create a Maya Python/MEL snippet to automate material reassignment after import.