SolidWorks Is Great. Getting Started in It Isn't.
If you've used SolidWorks professionally, you know it's one of the most capable parametric CAD tools out there. You also know that creating initial geometry from scratch takes time. Even experienced users spend significant chunks of their day on the repetitive stuff: sketching profiles, applying constraints, extruding, cutting, patterning.
Ragnar CAD handles that first pass. Describe your part, get a solid model, export it as STEP, and open it in SolidWorks. Now you're starting from geometry instead of starting from nothing. The engineering work (tolerancing, simulation, drawings, DFM analysis) happens in SolidWorks where it should.
Step by Step
1. Generate in Ragnar
Head to app.ragnar.build and describe your part. Include the dimensions and features that matter for your application. For example: "A motor mount plate, 120x80x5mm, with four M4 mounting holes on corners at 100x60mm spacing, and a central 25mm bore for the motor shaft."
Iterate through conversation until the geometry matches what you need. You can also upload a reference sketch or photo.
2. Export STEP
Download the STEP file. Ragnar uses the AP214 standard, which SolidWorks fully supports. The file contains real B-Rep geometry, so SolidWorks treats it as a proper solid body.
3. Open in SolidWorks
Go to File > Open and select the STEP file. SolidWorks imports it as a solid body. You'll see it in the FeatureManager as an imported feature.
4. (Optional) Run FeatureWorks
This is where things get interesting. SolidWorks' FeatureWorks add-in can analyze imported geometry and recognize features like holes, fillets, extrusions, and chamfers. After import:
- Go to Tools > FeatureWorks > Recognize Features
- FeatureWorks scans the geometry and identifies features it can convert
- Accept the recognized features and they appear in your FeatureManager tree
- Now you can edit dimensions, suppress features, and work parametrically
This works particularly well with models from Ragnar because the geometry is clean B-Rep with well-defined features. FeatureWorks has an easier time recognizing a true cylindrical hole than a mesh approximation of one.
5. Continue Engineering
With the geometry imported (and optionally feature-recognized), you can:
- Add GD&T annotations for manufacturing
- Create detailed engineering drawings
- Run FEA for stress and thermal analysis
- Set up sheet metal bends and flat patterns
- Build assemblies with proper mates and constraints
- Configure BOMs and cut lists
Practical Tips
Save as SLDPRT immediately. After import, save the file in SolidWorks' native format. This converts it from a "referenced import" to a proper SolidWorks part file, which is faster to work with and doesn't depend on the original STEP file.
Check your units. Ragnar exports in millimeters. SolidWorks typically defaults to millimeters for MMGS templates, but if you're working in IPS (inches), double-check the import scale.
Use the Measure tool. After import, verify a few critical dimensions with the Measure tool. This is good practice with any imported geometry, regardless of where it came from.
Don't over-rely on FeatureWorks. It's great for simple features like holes and fillets, but it won't perfectly reconstruct every design intent. For complex geometry, it's often faster to add new features on top of the imported body rather than trying to make everything parametric.
Where This Saves the Most Time
The biggest time savings come when the part you need is "standard-ish" but still custom. Things like:
- Brackets and mounting plates with specific hole patterns
- Enclosures with particular dimensions and cutouts
- Adapters and spacers
- Test fixtures and jigs
These parts are straightforward to describe in words but tedious to model from scratch. Ragnar handles the tedious part, and SolidWorks handles the precision engineering.
Try It
Start at app.ragnar.build, generate a model, and open the STEP file in SolidWorks. For a simple bracket or plate, the whole process takes about 10 minutes.