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For software developers · 3D InterOp SDK

Convert SLDPRT to RFA in your application

3D InterOp is a CAD interoperability SDK that lets your software read SLDPRT files and write RFA, writing a Revit family (.rfa) as mesh geometry.

Spatial does not offer an online converter or a desktop conversion app. 3D InterOp is a component that software vendors embed in their own products.

  • Reads SOLIDWORKS part · Writes Revit family
  • Exact geometry → triangle mesh
  • C++ / C# APIs
bracket.sldprtSOLIDWORKS part · exact B-Rep · PMI
Your application
3D InterOp SDK
SOLIDWORKS readerHealingRevit writer
component.rfaRevit family · BIM component

SLDPRT to RFA at a glance

SOLIDWORKS part stores exact geometry; Revit family stores triangles. The translation is a tessellation, and the settings you choose decide how close the mesh stays to the original.

SOLIDWORKS part (source)Revit family (target)
Full nameSOLIDWORKS PartRevit family
Standard / ownerDassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKSAutodesk
File extensions.sldprt.rfa
GeometryExact B-RepB-Rep and mesh (read); mesh (written by 3D InterOp)
Assemblies / structurePart file (assemblies are SLDASM files)Nested families; assembly structure written by 3D InterOp
PMISemantic (DimXpert) and graphical, SOLIDWORKS 2014 and laterNone
3D InterOp supportRead onlyRead and write

What's preserved, what changes

Here is what your application can expect to carry across from SOLIDWORKS part to Revit family.

  • Changes
    Geometry written as mesh
    The Revit writer writes mesh only: exact B-Rep from SLDPRT isn’t exported to the family.
  • Not carried
    PMI
    The Revit writer writes no PMI, so the PMI read from SLDPRT isn’t written. Keep STEP AP242 as an output when PMI matters.

Why software vendors add SLDPRT to RFA conversion

Bring product content into Revit

Manufacturers publish their products as Revit families so architects can place them in building models. Writing RFA files lets your users produce that content from CAD data.

Coordinate with Revit-based teams

Many building projects are modeled in Revit. A Revit family gives those teams the geometry in a form they can load into their project.

Fewer manual remodeling steps

Without a direct export, CAD parts are often remodeled by hand in Revit. Writing the family directly saves your users that step.

Things to check before you ship

  • Written RFA versions: Revit 2026 families (.rfa).
  • Revit families are written in millimeters, without Revit parameters.
  • Supported SLDPRT input: SOLIDWORKS 98 to 2026.
  • Validate a sample of translated files in the target system your users actually work with.

Working with Spatial was a real milestone for us: Thanks to the powerful 3DInterOp library, we were able to successfully bring our complex CAD-based solutions to the cloud while remaining flexible to meet individual customer requirements. For us, Spatial is not just a technology partner, but a true enabler of our product strategy.

Dr. Arno Michelis, Founder, Simus Systems

Read the Case Study

About the formats

  • Source format

    What is an SLDPRT (.sldprt) file?

    An SLDPRT file is a SOLIDWORKS part: a single component with its exact 3D geometry, feature tree and properties. SOLIDWORKS is built on the Parasolid kernel.

  • Target format

    What is an RFA (.rfa) file?

    An RFA file is a Revit family: a reusable component such as a door, a window or a piece of equipment, with its geometry, types and parameters, loaded into Revit projects.

Frequently asked questions

No. The Revit writer writes mesh geometry only, without B-Rep or Revit parameters, for the latest Revit version (Revit 2026 in 3D InterOp 2026 1.0.1).

The Revit writer writes no PMI, so the PMI read from SLDPRT isn’t written. When PMI matters, offer STEP AP242 as an output.

No. The Revit writer writes the geometry as mesh, in millimeters, without Revit parameters.

Yes. If your application uses Parasolid, a Parasolid-based SOLIDWORKS reader is available.

Semantic PMI from SOLIDWORKS 2014 to 2026, and graphical PMI from SOLIDWORKS 2014 onwards.

3D InterOp reads SOLIDWORKS 98 to 2026.

3D InterOp writes Revit 2026 families (.rfa).

  • Building software that needs to convert SLDPRT to RFA?

    3D InterOp is an SDK that lets your application read SOLIDWORKS part and write Revit family alongside 30+ CAD and BIM formats.