How to get Solidworks files into Dimension?

[Marley C.]

Hello,

My marketing team wants to utilize Dimension to create 3D Product Videos that show the assembly and installation of our products. Our engineering team uses the Solidworks program for our 3D models and renderings, and I have found that dimension does not accept any of those file types. 

Even freelancers I've tried to contract out for this creative are asking for the same files that Dimension requires, like OBJ and FBX.

So, I guess my ultimate question is, what is the process here? How do I get our Solidworks files into Dimension so I can create these videos? Do I need to convert the Solidworks files somehow?

Any assistance is GREATLY appreciated. There just isn't a lot of information out there on this that I have found!

[Ares Hovhannesyan · Accepted solution]

Solidwork can export STL format that is possible to import into Dn. But how you are going to use Dn for creating video, as Dn can't create animation? You can use for creating simple animations Adobe Substance 3D Stager.

[Marley C.]

Yes, I have realized that as I spend more time in the program. I still could find it useful for product imagery, but will look into Substance as you suggest.

I ended up paying someone to convert the file to OBJ, which I had read was typically the best file type to use. After playing around in the program I had more problems arise:

-Parts of my model weren't accurately showing the colors I had dropped in

-The rendering was terrible despite selecting highest quality output. Not even close to what I was showing on the screen.

Perhaps needs to be a different post, but I'm not wondering what could be causing those issues?

[Ussnorway]

the rendor is your hardware as are the colours but yes Dimension is the wrong tool for animation or vid jobs