The following settings are recommended up to Autodesk Inventor 2017 and SolidWorks 2016.

Inventor - System

• Only standard colors are transferred. Sub-elements of objects cannot be colored individually in the systems.

Inventor - STEP Preprocessor

• To export a STEP File please choose File -> Save Copy as.. and the STEP file.
• The translator uses as default file extension *.stp.
• The default setting for STEP export is AP203. For AP214 export you should always use the latest STEP standard. In this case AP214 IS.
• The export log file "filename.xlo" gives further information.

STEP File

• An adjustment of the STEP file is not necessary.

SolidWorks - STEP Postprocessor

• To import a STEP file go to File -> Open… and select the file.
• Click on Options and the Import Options dialog box appears. Under General options following can be selected:
  • Surface/solid entities: import surface and solid entities.
  • B-Rep mapping: import the model using boundary representation. If not selected, SolidWorks attempts to knit surfaces into solids.
  • Knit surfaces: imports as surfaces and tries to knit imported surfaces.
  • Do not knit: imports as surfaces without knitting them.
• Free point/curve entities: imports free points and curve entities.
  • Import as sketches
  • Import as 3D curves
  • Import multiple bodies as parts: Imports a multibody part as an assembly document. The multiple bodies are imported as part documents contained in the assembly. With this option cleared the multibody part imports as a part document that contains multiple imported bodies.
• Perform full entity check and repair errors: default is selected
• Customize curve tolerance: needed tolerance for the import can be entered here.
• Map configuration data (for STEP only): Imports STEP file configuration data plus geometric data. To import only the geometry this option must be left unchecked.
• The other available options are not applicable for the STEP import.
• Recommended options are to check Surface/solid entities, Try forming solids and Perform full entity check and repair errors.

SolidWorks – System

• Import errors are indicated in the history tree. By mouse right click over the model and choosing What’s wrong?, a detailed information will be displayed.
• Doing a Geometry check, the errors will be indicated in the model.