Moving and re-linking your SOLIDWORKS CAM TechDB

Having many programmers sharing one SOLIDWORKS CAM TechDB will dramatically decrease production time while proving consistent results to the shop floor. By placing your TechDB in a network folder all users have share strategies, tools and operation settings. This folder must be a real folder and not a redirected folder. Redirected folders may cause TechDB linking issues.

Default CAM TechDB location

Here is the default location for the TechDB that is created when SOLIDWORKS CAM is installed:

C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS CAM\TechDB\TechDB.cwdb

You may find this under CAM Options > File Locations Tab > TechDB Location

For SOLIDWORKS PDM users, if your TechDB is checked into a vault it will have to be checked-out to make changes as write access is required. The TechDB may remain check-in for relinking.

The SOLIDWORKS CAM folder and sub folders are helpful for storing and organizing your imported custom tooling, holders and posts in one place with the TechDB file. For this example, we will work with the SOLIDWORKS CAM folder.

Be sure the make a back-up copy of the TechDB.cwdb or the entire SOLIDWORKS CAM folder before proceeding.

Next, copy the SOLIDWORKS CAM folder to a network folder.  A real one, seriously. Rename the folder to avoid confusion.

Repeat the steps below on each PC that will require access to the network TechDB.

Launch the TechDB. Tools > SOLIDWORKS CAM > Technology Database > Settings

We see a warning that SOLIDWORKS should be closed. Close SOLIDWORKS, so only the TechDB windows remains.

Here we can see our default TechDB location. Select Link Database and hit Browse.

Link TechDB

Navigate to the TechDB.cwdb located in your network TechDB folder. Please note that I am using another local folder for this test.

TechDB.cwdb located in your network

Once we get the Green connection updated message, we are good to go. Our TechDB location has also been updated.

TechDB location has also been updated

Click here for How to import and update your TechDB to a newer version of SOLIDWORKS CAM.

SOLIDWORKS CAM Training

Learn more about CNC programming in our SOLIDWORKS CAM Standard and SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional courses.