Docs·Getting your model out of your CAD program
How to export a STEP assembly from Onshape
Export an Onshape assembly or Part Studio as STEP by right-clicking its tab, and why STEP is a better start than Onshape’s own glTF export.
Onshape works in the browser, and so does its export. You export from the tab at the bottom of the window.
Steps
- Open your model. For a whole assembly, open the Assembly tab. For parts, open the Part Studio.
- Right-click the tab at the bottom of the window and choose Export.
- Choose STEP as the format.
- Check the options (below). The defaults are fine for a first try.
- Choose how you want the file: Download saves it to your computer.
- Press Export.
In an assembly, the tab’s Export writes the whole assembly at once.
The options that matter
- Use latest version
- On by default. The latest supported version of STEP is written.
- Use custom units for export
- STEP only. Choose Millimeter, Centimeter, Meter, Inch or Foot. Millimetres are the usual choice for CAD.
- Preprocessing
- STEP only. Options to remove small entities or to convert all surfaces to b-surfaces before export. Leave it as it is.
Why STEP and not glTF
Onshape can also export glTF and GLB directly. People on Onshape’s own forum report that this export writes a separate mesh for every face of a part, which is slow to draw in real-time viewers. Exporting STEP and letting MeshOptimiser build the mesh avoids that, and it lets MeshOptimiser find the copies of repeated parts.
Next
Open the file in MeshOptimiser: see Open your first file.