More about the Import Creation Command

The Import Creation command is accessible from most common workbenches (Part Design, Sheetmetal, Generative Shape Design) and can be extended to workbenches such as Functional Molded Part.

It was developed to improve the Paste Special... command for the creation of imports.

Related Topics
Creating Imports

Conceptual Notions

Here are some definitions to give you a better understanding of the functionality.


  • Mechanical import: mechanical feature issued from a copy of another feature (the reference). It is a datum that reproduces the geometrical result of its reference.

    Note: An import can keep the link to its reference. In this case it is called associative and can be synchronized with its reference.

  • External reference: import generated from a feature from another 3D shape.
  • Internal import: import generated from a feature of the same 3D shape.
  • External import: import generated from a feature from another 3D shape. If it is associative, it is called an external reference.
  • Contextual import: external reference in an Assembly context. It is associative in terms of positioning relatively to a specific product context.

Creation of Imports

You can create the mports using the Import Creation command.


  • External imports which can be associative or not.

    Note: The associative external reference can be associative in position and shape or just in shape.

  • Internal imports which can be associative or not.