Mastering 3DEXPERIENCE: Smart Save Options for Your CAD Files

Saving your CAD files to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is pretty straightforward. You just hit that 'Save to 3DEXPERIENCE' button right from SOLIDWORKS. But, there's more to it than just a simple save! Did you know there are several handy options that can make finding your work later a whole lot easier? This guide will walk you through some of these useful settings for storing your data in the cloud.

Key Takeaways

• Collaborative Spaces: Think of these as secure, cloud-based storage areas designed for teams to work together on CAD data. They understand the relationships between your files.
• Bookmarks: These act like organized folders or favorites, providing a structured way to find your data within a collaborative space.
• Unlocking Files: You can choose to automatically release your claim on files after saving, making them available to others.

Getting Started with Saving

Let's say you have an assembly open in SOLIDWORKS, and you haven't saved it to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform yet. You'll find the 'Save to 3DEXPERIENCE' option within the regular Save menu.

When you click this, a dialog box pops up. It lists all the files you're about to save. But before you hit that final 'Save' button, it's worth checking out a few settings.

Understanding Collaborative Spaces

One of the first things you'll see is the option to select a collaborative space. What exactly is that? Well, it's basically a secure spot in the cloud where your data lives and gets managed. It's a place where you and your team can store and share files. The cool part is that it's 'CAD-aware,' meaning it knows how all your different CAD files connect to each other.

Your company's Platform Manager sets up these collaborative spaces. They decide who gets access, so your team can work together efficiently. When you're saving your assembly, picking the right collaborative space before you save is important. This makes sure your work lands exactly where your team can find and use it. For example, I'll choose a space called 'Design Projects' for my assembly.

Unlike old-school file folders, collaborative spaces don't really have a strict hierarchy. Everything goes into one big container. So, how do you keep things organized?

Using Bookmarks for Organization

This is where bookmarks come in handy. They're a feature of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform that gives you that much-needed structure for your data within a collaborative space. Think of them like folders or even your web browser's favorites – they create organized links to your content, making it super easy to share and find later.

I'm going to create a new shared bookmark folder right under 'Design Projects.' Then, I'll bookmark my main assembly file. This way, my team can quickly locate it without digging through a massive list of files.

Releasing Your Files

Before I finally click 'Save,' there's one more useful option: 'Unlock files after saving.' If you enable this, it means that once your files are safely stored on the platform, your claim on them is released. This is helpful if you want others to be able to access or work on those files right away.

And that's pretty much it! Your files are now saved to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, neatly organized with bookmarks, and ready for your team to collaborate on. It’s a much smarter way to manage your CAD data in the cloud.