Constrain two similar entities (points, edges, faces, etc) to be symmetric about a plane or planar face. A symmetry mate does not force the components to be symmetric, just the entities you select. Understand the acceptable selections for a symmetry mate. Constrain two planar faces to be symmetric about a reference plane.
Center a component relative to two faces of a groove using a width mate. Add a width mate to center a component relative to two faces of another component. Understand the degrees of freedom that are constrained by a width mate.
Use limit mates to restrict the movement of components within a specified range of linear or angular values. Add coincident and limit mates to restrict the degrees of freedom of a component. Set the starting, minimum, and maximum values for a limit mate.
Define mated entities and mate types for components that you use frequently. When you add the component to the assembly, some mates can automatically be added for you. Define the mate entities and mate types for a frequently used component. Add a component with mate references to an assembly. Select the configuration of a component that you drag into an assembly.
The Copy with Mates command copies existing components along with their mates. New references can be selected for the new mates to allow for modified placement. Use the Copy with Mates command to create new instances of components along with their mates. Understand when mate references for the copied mates are repeated. Understand when some of the copied mates require new mate references.
Use multiple mate mode within the Mate command as a shortcut to create many mate relations to one common reference. Create multiple mates to a common reference using multiple mate mode. Toggle alignment of mates. Explore different techniques to edit mate features.
The Belt/Chain assembly feature links idlers, pulleys, or sprockets together to achieve the intended rotation of several components simultaneously. Optionally, you can create a belt or chain component part. Select edges of pulleys and idlers for a belt/chain assembly feature. Set the properties of a belt/chain assembly feature.
Apply color, material and texture appearances to components, part features, or faces in an assembly. Control how those appearances propagate through the model. Appearances applied at the assembly component level do not affect the individual part file. Apply an appearance to several componets in an assembly. Apply a material appearance and change how it is displayed. Understand the hierarchy of appearance application in an assembly.
Mirror Component creates opposite-hand, but otherwise identical, versions of parts or subassembies. Specify which components are mirrored and which are purely copied (i.e. fasteners, which should not be mirrored). The geometry of a mirrored component changes to create a truly mirrored version, known as an \"opposite-hand\" version. Mirror components about an assembly plane. Create mirrored versions of parts in an assembly. Create opposite-hand versions of parts.
Smart Mates can be used to automate mates while adding a component to an assembly as well as for mating existing components. Different mate relations can be created based on the geometry that is specified for the Smart Mate. Automate mates while adding a component to an assembly. Use Smart Mates to mate existing components. Use Smart Mates with circular edges to generate multiple mates simultaneously.
Blocks group sketch entities and dimensions together so that they move as one in a sketch. Together with a layout sketch, you can go directly from an assembly sketch to the full assembly. Create, edit and save blocks. Create a layout sketch of an assembly using blocks. Build assembly components based on the existing blocks.
The Hole Series feature adds holes to multiple components in an assembly. Unlike a typical assembly feature, the Hole Series adds part-level features to the individual components. Create a Hole Series feature in an assembly. Create a Hole Series feature from an existing hole feature. Understand the difference between the Hole Series feature and a typical assembly feature.
Create display states to control the visibility and display style of components. Display states can be linked to configurations of an assembly. Display states can control hide/show state, display mode, appearance, and transparency of components. Add display states to an assembly. Modify visual properties of components with display states. Explore component selection techniques. Use the display pane. Open an assembly to a specific configuration and display state. Link display states to configurations.
Use selection tools to select one or more components in an assembly. Selection tools simplify the selection of components with similar properties or components in proximity to one another. Select components by dragging a box. Select components using a volume. Isolate components. Select components using conditions such as hidden, mated, or internal.
Break a part into multiple solid bodies using sketches, faces, planes, or surfaces. Split a single bodied part into multiple solid bodies. Save each solid body as a new part. Modify the new parts.
Use the Move/Copy Bodies tool to translate and rotate solid bodies in a part file. Insert one part into another part as a solid body. Copy the solid body multiple times. Move the instances of the copied bodies. Combine the solid bodies into a single, solid body.
Create sketch geometry by tracing pictures in the sketch. Insert, move, rotate, and scale sketch pictures. Sketch splines and arcs on top of the sketch picture. Mirror the sketch geometry about a centerline.
Use the Move Face and Delete Face tools to modify non-parametric, imported geometry. Increase the size of a model by moving faces of the body. Remove and patch filleted faces of a model by deleting the faces. Increase the diameter of a cylindrical boss by offsetting the cylindrical face.
By looking at the transitions between spiral surfaces and adjacent surfaces, you can understand the three types of continuity present in CAD systems. Identify C0 (contact), C1 (tangent), and C2 (curvature) continuity.
SOLIDWORKS includes many tools for evaluating part geometry. By analyzing the curvature of a parts curves and surfaces, you can evaluate the quality of transitions between features and the surfaces themselves. Understand what curvature is. Display Curvature to use colors to evaluate the surfaces of a model. Use Curvature Combs to evaluate sketch curves. Learn how to display the minimum radius and inflection points of a curve. Use zebra stripes to simulate reflections on faces of a model. Understand how to use evaluate tools to recognize tangency and curvature continuous conditions.
When the internal cut features of a model are of most importance in a design, one approach is to create solid features that represent the negative space of a part. Once the negative space is complete, the Combine command can be used to subtract the volume from another solid body. Use solid geometry representing the interior space of a manifold to create the negative space of the part. Create a separate solid body surrounding the geometry as the main body of the manifold. Combine the solid bodies in the part using a subtract operation.
When edges of a part are too close to allow for fillets to be created properly, often making use of separate solid bodies can help. Separate features into separate solid bodies. Apply fillets to the individual bodies. Use the Combine command to add the bodies back together. Apply an additional fillet to the part to complete the model.
Learn to use modeling techniques that allow for efficient transition between part design and delivery of the finished castings. Create a motorcycle gear case by designing the production tooling for the part. Start by designing the core, or the negative space, of the gear case. Design the pattern, or outside faces, of the gear case as a separate solid body. Save the tooling bodies as new part files. Combine the solid bodies, subtracting the core from the pattern. Apply machining features to finish the model.
