How to export SOLIDWORKS assemblies and open them in Autodesk Fusion

Autodesk Support

Mar 25, 2025

Products and versions covered

Issue:

Users have asked what is the procedure to export SOLIDWORKS assembly files (.sldasm format) and open them in Autodesk Fusion.

Solution:

Pack and Go method

  1. Perform a Pack and Go in SOLIDWORKS to package the assembly file and the part files used in the assembly.
    • This command is accessed from the SOLIDWORKS File menu:

Pack and go from SOLIDWORKS interface

    • Pack and Go command can also be found by right-clicking on any .sldasm file in Windows File Explorer and selecting SOLIDWORKS>Pack and Go:

SOLIDWORKS Pack and go files from file explorer

  1. The SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go dialogue box will give some options for the assembly packaging and gather all the part files associated with the top-level assembly. It will also give the option to define a folder or zip folder on your local drive to which the top-level assembly and supporting files will be saved, shown. Click "Save" after entering all desired preferences to package all SOLIDWORKS data associated with the assembly file to the selected folder location.

Pack and go window

NOTE: Using the "Flatten to single folder" option enables all files associated with the top-level assembly file are grouped in the folder selected in the screenshot. If "Flatten to Single Folder" flag is not enabled; the part and subassembly files associated with the top-level assembly will be scattered across multiple folders within the folder selected. It is still possible to upload the assembly to Fusion but it will be more difficult to include that all the supporting files are included when doing so. Files will be spread across multiple folders if so. Flattening to a single folder may help to reduce errors in this process because all the associated files will be packaged to the same place. This makes it more difficult to accidentally omit any designs necessary to include when uploading the assembly to Fusion.

  1. All packaged files in folder location selected in Step #2 can now be uploaded to Fusion. A warning will appear only if the top-level assembly file is uploaded; as all supporting files will also need to be uploaded. Drag and drop the assembly file and all supporting files to the Fusion upload dialog.

Drag and drop the files to fusion

  1. After adding all applicable files to the Upload dialogue box, define which file is the top-level assembly as shown:

Selection of top level assembly

  1. After hitting the "Upload" button, the top-level assembly file will appear on the Fusion Data Panel and will be able to access and edit a copy of the SOLIDWORKS assembly in Fusion.

Watch this screencast for a video of this process: SOLIDWORKS Pack and Go to Fusion (.SLDASM Assembly Uploads)

Using Step file conversion

Try converting the file to Step format in Solidworks and then upload to Fusion.

Products:

Fusion;

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