We’re experiencing failures with batch CAD assembly imports in Aras 14.0. Our legacy CAD files from SolidWorks 2018 are missing part number metadata in the file properties, causing the import jobs to fail validation.
The batch import job configuration seems correct, but when processing assemblies with 50+ components, the job stops at components without embedded part numbers. We’ve tried mapping alternative properties like filename patterns, but the part number metadata extraction isn’t picking them up.
Error from import log:
Import validation failed: Part number required
Component: housing_assy_v3.SLDASM
Status: FAILED - Missing required property 'number'
We have about 2,000 legacy assemblies to migrate, and manually adding part numbers to CAD files isn’t feasible. The data migration delay is impacting our go-live schedule. Has anyone dealt with legacy CAD file processing in batch imports where source metadata is incomplete?
Check your import package definition. In the CAD import configuration, there’s an option to make certain properties optional during initial import, then use a post-import method to populate them. You could import the geometry first with auto-generated temporary part numbers, then run a secondary process to apply correct part numbers based on your business rules. This approach separates geometry migration from metadata cleanup, which often works better for large legacy datasets.
We handled similar migration by creating a pre-processing script. Before batch import, we scanned CAD filenames using regex patterns to extract part numbers from naming conventions. Most legacy files follow some pattern even if metadata is missing. Script generated a mapping file that the import job referenced. Took about a week to set up but processed 3,000 files without issues.
For the filename pattern approach to work, you need to customize the property mapping in your import configuration. The standard CAD connector looks for specific embedded properties. You’ll need to add a custom property mapper that reads filename patterns. I’ve done this using a server event that fires during import validation. It extracts part numbers from filenames using configurable regex, then injects them into the import context before validation runs. Works well for batch processing.
I’ve seen this before with legacy migrations. The key is understanding that Aras batch import validates required properties before creating items. If your CAD files lack embedded metadata, you need an intermediate mapping step. Consider exporting a manifest file from your CAD system with filename-to-partnumber mappings, then use that during import to populate missing fields. The batch import tool can reference external CSV files for property enrichment.