Hi RC
Please contact me in a private message and I can assist you.
You want to keep the parts in native SolidWorks format for new technologies. It is true that for the First competition you need to make a robot in 6 weeks so you dont worry so much about design iterations.
However, look at NI Soft Motion for SolidWorks a new technology
http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/372876a.pdf
to simulate your robot with actual motion profiles that allow you to simulate mechanical dynamics, including mass and friction effects, cycle times, and individual component performance before specifying a single physical part and connecting it to an actual control algorithm. From SolidWorks models and SolidWorks Motion parameters, information is transfered into Lab VIEW.
Also SolidWorks works with Microsoft Robotics Studio by exporting collada format.
You don't know what the future will bring but you can expect their will be change. Marie