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I'm relatively new to solidworks and am looking to export my work in the highest possible quality for inclusion in a report (which will ultimately be a PDF).

My understanding is that Solidworks is based on vectors and hence, it should be possible to save one-view of the assembly as a vector image file (pdf, eps etc). I appreciate that saving a 3D model won't be possible, but is there a way I can save the current view in solidworks as a high quality image?

The alternative, I guess, is saving as a raster image with a high DPI but then this results in a large file size.

Thanks for any tips.

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    Havent used SolidWorks in a few years but the workflow used to be: create a drawing from the different views (afaik this also works with perspective) and then export to pdf rather than directly from solidworks. Requires a bit of cleanup on the lines but basically works.
    – KMSTR
    Jan 8, 2015 at 8:32

4 Answers 4

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Yes, the data is vectors (just not beziers). Yes, you can get a vector drawing but not one that looks like the current view. The 3d rendering engine produces raster images because the technology is different from what graphics designers use.

You can also convert the image to a vector edge line drawing. What happens is the image edges get converted to linear segments (again because they are not beziers and because its simpler. You need to open the drawing mode to do this.

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You should use 'Make drawing from part' in the files-menu. There you can insert the 'current view'. I even think you can add other views that you have saved (hit the space-bar in SW and save the view).

You can decide if you whant to display hidden lines or not in the Drawing-editor.

Then save (or is it export?) as PDF.

:)

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I've recently come across this. AI no longer opens SolidWorks docs. The solution is to save the Solidworks document as an Autocad 2010 version, DWG or DXF. Then it opens in Adobe Illustrator. And you can save as a PDF. Lynda.com has a tutorial about this.

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To save the solidworks model as an image

  1. Open the model in solidworks
  2. File > Save As > PDF

enter image description here

  1. Select Options

enter image description here

  1. Change the settings and save
  2. Your 3D model will be saved as PDF which you can use for your report
  3. You can even save as Adobe Illustrator file, Photoshop file, Autocad File etc.,
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    I dont believe he is asking how to save out as an image. I believe, based on the title, he is looking to learn how to save out as a PDF or EPS..
    – user9447
    Sep 10, 2014 at 3:05
  • Can you please edit your answer to include that.
    – user9447
    Sep 10, 2014 at 5:02

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