Use the Assembly Visualization tool to display, sort, and select components by property. Navigate the assembly visualization pane to sort or group components. Change the color of components to improve visualization in the graphics area. Add custom columns to the assembly visualization pane. Export the information in the assembly visualization pane.
Add each of the six mechanical mate types to control the degrees of freedom of components when designing mechanisms. Mate a cylinder, plane, or point to a series of tangent faces with a cam follower mate. Limit the rotational movement between two components with a hinge mate. Move one component linearly to move another component rotationally with a rack and pinion mate. Add a pitch relation between the rotation of one component and the translation of another with a screw mate. Rotate two components relative to one another with a gear mate or a universal joint mate.
The linear coupler mate links the translation of one component to the translation of another component. The translation occurs along an axis you define relative to the assembly origin or a reference component. Select the faces and reference components to define a linear coupler mate. Set the ratio of motion of one component relative to another.
Constrain a point or a vertex of a component to a path in an assembly. Then, control the pitch, yaw, and roll of the component as it moves along the path. Specify the entities for a path mate. Edit a path mate to control pitch, yaw, and roll of the component.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sketch and loft between two sketch profiles to create a sheet metal part. Understand the requirements for the sketch profiles and the loft feature. Sketch the profiles for a lofted sheet metal part. Understand the requirements for a lofted sheet metal part. Set the thickness and bend line options.
Explore gauge tables and bend tables which store default values of specifc parts. Populate and utilize sample tables provided during installation. Create and customize the sample tables to meet your own needs. Customize and create bend tables. Understand the use of gauge tables and bend tables.
Utilize sheet metal and weldment features in one part using a multibody part. Use fillet and weld beads on sheet metal parts. Create a sheet metal fixture on a weldments part. Use filllet beads and weld beads on a sheet metal part.
Add a jog to an existing flange. A jog adds material to a sheet metal part by creating two bends and a flat from a sketch line. The mirror feature adds symmetry in sheet metal designs. Add a jog to an existing flange. Incorporate symmetry in sheet metal designs. Position a jog.
A multibody sheet metal part has multiple sets of specific sheet metal features in the same feature tree. There are also multiple flat pattern features. The cut list shows each individual body. Learn the process for creating a multibody sheet metal part, and also some of the uses of such a part. Use sheet metal tools to create a new sheet metal body. Use a linear or circular pattern, mirror, or move/copy to duplicate a body. Use Insert Part to add a body into an existing sheet metal part. Divide a sheet metal body into multiple bodies. Learn some of the basic uses of multibody sheet metal design.
Create a swept flange using profile and path sketches. Create profile and path sketches for a swept flange. Use the Swept Flange feature to create a swept flange. Define sheet metal parameters within the Swept Flange tab.
Create folded hems on sheet metal parts to strengthen parts and eliminate sharp edges. Use the hem tool to edit the size, type, direction, and length of hems. Add folded hems on sheet metal parts. Practice creating hems and editing the type and dimensions.
Explore the Edge Flange feature, including edge selection, bend direction, and other pertinent options. Create an edge flange. Learn and understand the different options for edge flange.
Import parts into SOLIDWORKS, then use the rip feature to create thin cuts in sheet metal geometry between adjacent flanges. Insert bends to convert the model to a sheet metal part to flatten and further edit the part. Import other file types into SOLIDWORKS. Use rip feature to create thin cuts. Add bends to part to convert part to sheet metal.
Locate and diagnose problems in geometry imported from other CAD software. Then, use surface tools to repair the damaged geometry. Diagnose problems in a model with verification on rebuild, import diagnostics, and check entity. Heal faulty faces using the import diagnostics tool. Delete faulty faces and use various surface tools to re-create the geometry. Display curvature and check the minimum radius of curvature. Delete and replace fillets to create smoother blends. Extend, trim, and knit surfaces.
Use surface tools to create complex blends at the intersections of surfaces. The tools used in this module include trim surfaces, lofted surfaces, and fill surfaces. Trim surfaces using a sketch as the trim entity. Create a blend between surfaces using a lofted surface. Fill an area that is completely bounded by surfaces using the fill surface tool.
Select features or elements of a particular type so that they may be acted upon in one operation. Operations include appearance changes, suppression changes, and more. Bulk-select by feature type. Understand the options and search criteria of the Power Select tool.
Check for sharp edges, sliver faces, discontinuous geometry and more. This affords you the opportunity to fix these issues before finalizing a design. Check a model for insignificant geometry, sliver faces, sharp edges, and discontinuous geometry. Specify search criteria.
Specify, identify, and locate features based on selection criteria so you can modify all of the features, simplify the model by suppressing the features, and create a simplified configuration. Locate and identify features based on specified criteria. Modify selected features in one operation. Create a simplified configuration.
Compare the geometry of two parts to find face and volumetric differences. It is particularly useful for comparisons to imported geometry. Find differences in the geometry of similar parts. Find differences in the volumes of similar parts.
