AutoCAD - Importing SAT file to AutoCAD 2008

Importing SAT file to AutoCAD 2008

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Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DXF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD web, Drive, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=4964
Printed Date: 10.Jul.2026 at 17:32

Topic: Importing SAT file to AutoCAD 2008

Posted By: RareRock0697
Subject: Importing SAT file to AutoCAD 2008
Date Posted: 14.Dec.2010 at 18:21

I got a problem importing a .sat file (3D model) sent from a vendor created I think using Solidworks. I keep getting this message "Unable to read the ACIS file" once I imported the file. Would .IGS format file be easier to import in AutoCAD? But I would be needing a converter for that. Anyone who can help me out with this? Thanks.

Replies:

Posted By: Cad64
Date Posted: 14.Dec.2010 at 18:43

It's important to provide all the information when asking a question.

I believe the error probably says "Save file is from a later version of Acis. Unable to read the ACIS file", correct? If so, the error message says it all. The file is coming from a newer version of the program that created it.

You need to verify what program, and what version of that program, created the file? If it's a newer version of that program, you probably won't be able to open the file in Autocad 2008.

See if they can save down to an earlier version.

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Posted By: RareRock0697
Date Posted: 15.Dec.2010 at 23:01

Thanks for the reply Cad64. Well, the message I'm getting is actually what i initially stated. It will show up in my command bar like this "_import Unable to read the ACIS file C:\Documents and

Settings\My folder\filename" whenever I tried importing it and nothing would happen.

The file was created using Solidworks program and according to the vendor their options are limited in saving/exporting their model to the the format we required which is dwg. They only have AutoCAD LT and they can't save it even to DXF format.

We previously encounter this problem before and what we did is download a trial version of a converter program - IGS to DWG. The result is a big 3D model file made up of surfaces which is hard to manage. We ended up redoing the model using solid and use the converted file as reference since "convtosolid" command won't work. By the way, we tried AutoCAD 2010 to import that file and is no avail.

Thanks for your advice. I haven't use Solidworks before and I don't know if they are doing it right or not. All I know of is that they can save it to either IGS or SAT. I don't have direct access to the vendor's drafter/modeller. It's our engineers who have access to the vendor and they just send the file to us. Maybe I should try to get direct access with the vendor's drafters. Thanks, again. I hope I clearly explained the problem this time.