[Abaqus] SolidWorks Associative Interface Installation

This article walks through the steps to install the SolidWorks Associative Interface for Abaqus.

Installation Steps

1. Locate your installation files for Abaqus and browse to this file path: <Abaqus Installation File Set>\1\SIMULIA_Abaqus_AI to locate the .tar file SIMULIA_Abaqus_AI.AllOS.1-1.tar.

2. Extract this .tar file with a program such as 7-Zip, WinRAR, or a similar program that can extract .tar files. 
3. Now click through the extracted folder following this file path: ...\SIMULIA_Abaqus_AI.AllOS\1\SolidWorks_X.X_Associative_Interface.
4. Extract the zipped folder called "SAI_X.X" and open the extracted folder.
5. Open SolidWorks with Administrator privileges which can be done by searching for SolidWorks in the "Windows Search Bar" and then right-clicking on your version of SolidWorks that comes up to select the option for "Run as administrator". If you do not have the permissions needed to run SolidWorks as Administrator, contact your IT. The example image below is the opening of SolidWorks 2023.

6. With SolidWorks open, go to File>Open at the top.
7. In the Windows Explorer window that comes up, browse to a .dll file called "Sw2AbqPlugin.dll" located in ...\SIMULIA_Abaqus_AI.AllOS\1\SolidWorks_X.X_Associative_Interface. and click "Open".

If the installation is successful, there will be a new Abaqus button in the SolidWorks Interface for "Export to Abaqus/CAE".

It will also be listed in the Add-ins list in Tools>Add-ins under the "Other Add-ins" section as "Abaqus/CAE".

To use the SolidWorks interface to export to Abaqus, read through the attached pdf which can be found in the same folder from step 3: ...\SIMULIA_Abaqus_AI.AllOS\1\SolidWorks_X.X_Associative_Interface.

For further assistance, please contact our HawkSupport team at 877-266-4469(US) or 866-587-6803(Canada) and support@hawkridgesys.com.