Embed 3D Models From SolidWorks on Any Web Page, Live and Interactive
You can now put a live SOLIDWORKS® 3D CAD assembly on your website, help center or client portal. Your readers rotate it, zoom in and read your markups in their browser. They don't need an account, a CAD license or anything to install.
Try it on the conveyor below. Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom.
That is a real SolidWorks assembly, embedded straight from a Sibe workspace. The file behind it is under version control like any other file on the team. No one exported it to a mesh or uploaded it to a separate viewer.
What your readers can do with an embedded model
- Rotate, pan and zoom the full assembly in any browser
- Read the comments and markups pinned to the model
- Open it on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android
- View it with no Sibe account, no SolidWorks license and nothing to install
- Scan a QR code to open the same model on a phone, on the shop floor or at a trade show stand
Why screenshots and exported files slow reviews down
You can show the whole design, not one camera angle. A screenshot answers the question you expected. The embedded model answers the one your client actually asks: "What's behind that bracket?"
Exported files cost you in a different way. Every STL, STEP or GLB you send is a copy outside version control. The design moves on, the copy doesn't, and someone ends up reviewing last week's revision. Zipped assemblies sent by email go wrong in their own way: a missing part file or a broken reference, and the reviewer opens an assembly with holes in it.
Embedding from Sibe skips both. The model comes from the same workspace where your team checks files in and out, so the assembly structure and its references are already resolved.
How to embed a SolidWorks model with Sibe
- Check in your assembly. Check it in directly in SolidWorks with the Sibe add-in. Sibe tracks every version and keeps the assembly references in order.
- Open the file in the Web Dashboard. Go to app.sibe.io and open the part, assembly or drawing you want to show.
- Turn on a Visitor link. Open the share panel and switch the file to a Visitor link. Visitor links are free.
- Copy the embed code. Sibe gives you an HTML iframe snippet. Change the height to fit your layout. A width of 100% keeps it responsive.
- Paste it into your page. In WordPress, add a Custom HTML block. In Webflow, drag in an Embed element. On any HTML page, help center or intranet, paste the iframe where the model should appear.
- Print the QR code, if you need one. Every Visitor link comes with one. Stick it on a part bin, a work instruction or a trade show banner.
Keep control of what you share
You decide what a visitor sees, and you can take it back at any time. Secure design sharing covers the full set of controls.
- Comments and markups: on by default for Visitor links. Turn comments off in the share panel if you don't want existing feedback on show.
- Revoke access: switch the file back to workspace members only. The link, the embed and the QR code stop working permanently. Turning sharing back on creates a brand new link.
- Your file stays controlled: check-in, check-out, version history and release status work exactly as before. The embed shows the model. It doesn't hand anyone your vault.
Where teams use embedded SolidWorks models
- Engineering services and design consultancies: show clients a live model in a proposal page or project portal, not a slide of screenshots
- Product pages: let buyers inspect a machine, fixture or part before they call sales
- Assembly and work instructions: put the model next to the steps in your documentation or intranet
- Support and help centers: show service teams and customers exactly which component a procedure refers to
- Design reviews with non-CAD teammates: give purchasing, production or a client a link they can open on any device, with the markups in place
Other ways to embed 3D models on a web page
Each option below solves a different problem. Pick the one that matches what your model is for.
| Option | Built for | Code needed? | Starting file |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sibe | SolidWorks teams sharing controlled design files with reviewers, clients and suppliers | No, copy and paste an iframe | Native SolidWorks parts, assemblies and drawings, plus DXF, DWG, STEP and PDF |
| Sketchfab | Marketing, education and portfolio models with textures, animation and AR/VR viewing | No | Mesh formats such as glTF, OBJ and FBX |
| Google model-viewer | Lightweight product models on web pages and in AR | Minimal HTML | glTF / GLB |
| Three.js or Babylon.js | Custom configurators and interactive product apps | Yes, JavaScript and WebGL development | glTF / GLB and other mesh formats |
If your model starts life in SolidWorks and still changes, embedding from the file your team actually works on saves you an export every time the design moves. If you need a textured, animated showpiece for a marketing site, a mesh-based tool like Sketchfab fits better. If you need a GLB file for one of the mesh tools, SolidWorks exports it directly.
File formats at a glance
| Format | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| SLDPRT / SLDASM / SLDDRW | Engineering reviews of live designs | Embed straight from Sibe, no conversion |
| STEP | Exchanging CAD data with suppliers | Precise geometry. Sibe shares it directly. Mesh tools need it converted first |
| glTF / GLB | Web visualization | Compact, keeps materials and textures |
| STL | Quick shape previews | Geometry only, no color or assembly structure |
| OBJ | Older mesh workflows | Larger files, basic materials |
FAQ
Does someone need a Sibe account to view an embedded model?
No. Anyone who can open the web page sees the model in their browser. They don't need an account, a SolidWorks license or an install.
Does the embed work on phones and tablets?
Yes. Visitor links open on Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad and Android, and each one has a QR code for quick mobile access.
Can I embed drawings as well as 3D models?
Yes. You can share SolidWorks parts, assemblies and drawings, as well as DXF, DWG, STEP and PDF files.
How do I stop sharing a model I've embedded?
Switch the file back to workspace members only. The embed, the link and the QR code stop working immediately and permanently. Turning sharing on again creates a new link.
Does embedding cost extra?
No. Visitor links, and the embed code that comes with them, are free.
More on sharing designs outside your team: how to share a 3D model securely and reviewing SolidWorks designs in the browser.
Put your own model on the page
Check in one assembly, turn on a Visitor link and paste the code. You'll have a live SolidWorks model on your site in the time it takes to write the caption. Behind the embed, Sibe gives your team version control, check-in and check-out directly in SolidWorks, and browser-based design reviews with anyone you share with.
No servers, no VPNs, no admin hassles.
Book a free 20-minute demo or try Sibe free for 14 days, no credit card.
SOLIDWORKS is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation. Sibe is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dassault Systèmes.
Book a free Demo with Ken to see Sibe in action
Ken Maren
Chief Solutions Architect
SolidWorks Expert with 30+ Years Experience
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