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I am new to Webots. I have not good idea about the considerations what should I consider when import a SolidWork CAD model to the Webots. I have a SolidWork model of robot. But I have not good idea to how should I place the coordinate systems and make relations between movements. Can anyone give some rough idea about the steps I should follow to correctly import a model to Webots?

Chathuranga Weerasinghe
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Some tips when importing designs from Solidworks:

  • Stick to the Webots recommendation for the objects's orientation FLU (x-Forward, y-Left, z-Up) for example the front facing the positive X-axis and the left side aligned with the positive Y-axis.

  • Keep it simple; try to minimize the number of parts, especially with ball bearings, nuts, and bolts. Too many faces can slow down the simulation.

  • Keep degrees of freedom straightforward. Stick to Standard mates; if it gets more complex, use a combination of simpler ones.

  • Group moving parts together in subassemblies, and do the same for non-moving parts.

  • Use a main Assembly to arrange subassemblies and establish a base frame incorporating non-moving components.

  • In Solidworks, position the robot where you want it will be the origin position of the simulation in Webots . Use visualization modes to help with this.

  • Pay attention to joints axis orientation for consistency. for example if a motor rotates in counterclockwise (positive) but is mounting upsidedowm the move result be clockwise (negative) you can flip this in Webots too.

  • Create additional geometries for collision and import as separate mesh. You can do this manually using basic shapes.

take this tips make life easier, using the Solidwork to URDF plugin and then URDFtoProto to seamlessly bring it into Webots. Happy robot importing! ️

Marcelo Ortiz
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