solidThinking Releases Plug-in for SolidWorks 2009

By DE Editors

solidThinking (Troy, MI), a SolidWorks solution partner, is making available a plug-in for SolidWorks 2009 that users of solidThinking and SolidWorks can download for fre. It allows for solidThinking files to be imported directly into SolidWorks or for a SolidWorks model to be saved as a solidThinking (.st) file.

With the plug-in, SolidWorks users can import a solidThinking file as a SolidWorks part. Depending on the options selected, the system creates surfaces and/or solid bodies. Surfaces may be knit together, or separate sheet bodies can be created for each solidThinking surface. The user also may choose to rotate the model so that the original Z axis becomes the Y axis, providing the same vertical orientation as the original solidThinking model.

Similarly, solidThinking users can open a SolidWorks model that has been saved as a solidThinking file using the new plug-in. The SolidWorks sheet and solid bodies are stored as solidThinking entities, and the hierarchy given by assemblies, subassemblies and parts is translated into solidThinking groups and subgroups.

The free plug-in will be available to users at solidThinking, Inc.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company's website.