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Import 3D formats

Reuse a detailed component you already modeled in Autodesk® Inventor®, SolidWorks®, or PTC Creo® directly inside your DigiPara Liftdesigner project

Written by Sabine Bunese

Prerequisites

  • The DigiPara Liftdesigner edition that matches your CAD system: Autodesk Inventor Edition, SolidWorks Edition, or PTC Creo Edition. The CAD Models ribbon tab and its "Add" feature are only available in these editions.

  • The native CAD file for the component you want to reuse, in a supported format:

CAD system

Supported file extensions

Autodesk Inventor

.iam, .ipt

SolidWorks

.sldasm, .sldprt

PTC Creo

.asm, .prt

  • A project open with the component you want to replace already present (e.g. a rail bracket, a door component) — the CAD model is added in place of an existing Liftdesigner component.

ATTENTION: Liftdesigner can read these native CAD formats to add and update the model, but does not write back to them (confirmed for all three formats in the file-format reference tables). The link works the other way: Liftdesigner parameters drive the CAD model via parameter mapping.

Steps

  1. Select the existing component and open the CAD Models tab. In the Project tree (or the drawing), select the existing Liftdesigner component you want to replace — for example a rail bracket. Click the CAD Models ribbon tab.
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  2. Add your CAD file. Click Add in the CAD Model ribbon group. In the file dialog, set the file type filter to your CAD system (e.g. "Autodesk Inventor (*.iam, *.ipt)"), browse to your file, and click Open. The insert point used is the base point of the component you selected in step 1.
    ​

  3. Hide the original Liftdesigner component's geometry. With the original component selected, open its Properties window and, under CAD Settings → Create Geometry, choose Do not create this object only. This keeps the component (and its data) in the project tree but displays only your CAD model's geometry.
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  4. Align the model with the Orientation buttons. Select the loaded CAD model and use the X, Y, Z buttons in the Orientation ribbon group to rotate or mirror it until it matches the orientation of the rest of the project.
    ​

Result

The CAD model now appears in the work area, correctly positioned and aligned in place of the original Liftdesigner component, and is listed under Loaded CAD Models.

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