SOLIDWORKS and the SOLIDWORKS Browser-Based Design apps are different applications that are each based on a different underlying architecture. Designs created in SOLIDWORKS are stored as Windows based files, whereas designs created using the browser-based Design design apps are stored directly on the cloud as native 3DEXPERIENCE components. These components are called physical products. 

When SOLIDWORKS parts and assemblies are saved to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, in addition to the part or assembly being uploaded, physical products are also created. 

Physical products are the objects used to represent SOLIDWORKS part and assembly files in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Physical products created in SOLIDWORKS can be opened in the SOLIDWORKS browser-based design apps and vice versa. 

Even though designs created in both SOLIDWORKS and the cloud design apps are represented as physical products, due to the differences in architecture the parametric feature history will only be visible and editable in the respective authoring app. 

The recommended methods for working on a design using both applications are outlined as use cases in this guide. 

To facilitate the visualization of SOLIDWORKS design data in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, when a part or assembly is saved from SOLIDWORKS, a corresponding graphical representation of the file known as ExactGeometry is generated on the cloud as a background process. The graphical data within the ExactGeometry representation is used for both thumbnail previews, and 3D previewing in viewers like 3DPlay, 3D Navigate, and 3D Markup. ExactGeometry is also used to represent SOLIDWORKS designs when they are opened in a browser-based design app like xDesign or xShape. 

All new 3DEXPERIENCE tenants are pre-configured with a conversion rule for automatically generating ExactGeometry when saving a part and assembly from SOLIDWORKS to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. 

It’s recommended that this rule is never deleted. If no rule exists, the geometry of SOLIDWORKS parts and assemblies will not display in 3DEXPERIENCE platform viewing or any of the browser-based design apps. 

For parts with complex geometry the process of generating the ExactGeometry representation can take minutes. To help track the conversion status a column titled “Convert Status” can be displayed in the SOLIDWORKS MySession task pane.

After saving to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform from SOLIDWORKS the convert status of each saved component will show an orange clock face symbol. As the ExactGeometry representation is generated asynchronously on the cloud the convert status column will automatically update to show a green circle with a white check mark.

Until the ExactGeometry of a component has been generated its 3D geometry will not be displayed when opened in a SOLIDWORKS browser-based design app.

Saving a design created in xDesign or xShape invokes a similar process. ExactGeometry is generated so that the xDesign or xShape physical product can be opened and used in SOLIDWORKS. Again, there can be a short delay while the ExactGeometry is generated by the cloud server. If an xDesign or xShape physical product is opened in SOLIDWORKS before the ExactGeometry has been generated the component will be represented by a graphics body only. 

When ExactGeometry is available the component can be reloaded. On reload the graphics body will be replaced with solid or surface geometry.

The guide explains this process in more detail using three common use case examples.