SolidWorks Tutorial 2

PICTURE HOLDER

Preparatory Vocational Training

and Advanced Vocational Training

To be used with SolidWorks Educational Release 2008-2009

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SolidWorks Benelux developed this tutorial for self-training with the SolidWorks 3D CAD program. Any other use
of this tutorial or parts of it is prohibited. For questions, please contact SolidWorks Benelux. Contact information is printed on the last page of this tutorial.
Initiative: Kees Kloosterboer (SolidWorks Benelux)
Educational Advisor: Jack van den Broek (Vakcollege Dr. Knippenberg)
Realization: Arnoud Breedveld (PAZ Computerworks)

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

Picture holder
In this tutorial you will create a picture holder, consisting of a rectangular base with 4 vertical axes on it.
You will get to know some new features, such as the Chamfer command. You will also get to know the
Assemblies command.

Work plan

This time we will also examine how to shape this design. It has two different
parts, which we will design separately. We will then join them together in an
assembly.

We will start with the base. We will follow the same steps as we would in
the workshop:
1. Use a piece of material with following dimensions: 150x46x12.
2. Chamfer the ribs of the top plane.
3. Drill four holes with a diameter of 5.
4. Counter bore the holes on the bottom plane.

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

Start SolidWorks and open

a new file by clicking on
New.

Of course we will start by

making a part.

Click on the Part button in the menu first.

Then click on OK.

Click on Top Plane in the

left column of the FeatureManager.
In this plane we will make
a sketch.

Click on Sketch in the

CommandManager (which
is the menu at the top of
the screen) to show the
right buttons. Then click on
Rectangle to draw a rectangle.

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

Put the mouse right above

the origin, and it will
change shape like in the
view on the right.
Click once.

Move the mouse away

from the origin. The dimensions of the rectangle
you are drawing will appear at the cursor. The accurate dimensions are not
important yet.
Click again to draw the rectangle.

Now, we will determine the

accurate dimensions: click
on Smart Dimension in
the CommandManager.

Next, click on the upper

horizontal line. Move the
cursor up and click at a
random position to set the
dimension.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

A menu will automatically

appear in which you can
set the accurate dimension.
Change the dimension to
150 and click on OK (the
green check icon).

10

Do the same with the vertical side of the rectangle.

Make this dimension 46.
The sketch should now
look like the view on the
right.

11

The sketch is now ready,

and we will transform it into a rectangular piece of
material.
Click on Features in the
CommandManager
and
next
on
Extruded
Boss/Base.

12

Fill in a height of 12 on the

left side of the screen and
click on OK.

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13

There, the first feature is

done already!

14

Before we continue, make

sure no feature is still active.
Watch the right top corner
of your screen. If you see
one of the views on the
right, then click on the red
X to close any opened
commands.

15

Next, we will create the

chamfer on the top plane.
To do so, you do not have
to make a sketch first.
Click on the top plane of
the block to select it.

16

1. Click on the arrow directly below the Fillet

button in the CommandManager to show
the roll-down menu.
2. Click on Chamfer.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

17

Next, you must check and

set a number of items.
1. Be sure the options
Full preview is selected. This will give
you a good view of the
changes that are going
to happen.
2. When everything is
right, only one Face
(plane) is selected in
the blue field (read the
Tip below).
3. Set a chamfer of 3mm
and 45 deg.
4. If everything is set,
click on OK.

Tip!

In SolidWorks you will often see a blue selection field, like in step 17. In this
field you will see the elements of a part on which a command will be executed.
You can remove elements by selecting them and using the <Delete>button.
You can add elements by selecting them in the part.
In case you have more than one selection field, there will always be only
one active field (blue). To activate another one, click inside of the desired
field.

18

The chamfer is done now.

Tip!

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

Remember that you can zoom in and out at all times, or you can rotate the
model to get just the right view:
8

Zooming in and out is done by turning the scroll-wheel of the mouse.

Rotating is done by pushing the scroll-wheel of the mouse and moving

the mouse.

You can also use the View Orientation button to put your model directly in
the right position.

19

We are now going to drill

the holes.
Select the top plane of the
block by clicking on it.

20

Click on the View Orientation button at the top of

the screen and next click
on Normal To.
This command rotates the
model and gives you a direct view of the plane you
will be working on.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

21

Click on Sketch in the

CommandManager.

Click on the arrow next

to Line.

Click on Centerline.

Centerlines are construction lines that can help you

with the design of a part.
22

23

Next, draw a rectangle by

using four lines.

Notice the construction

lines will appear and
remain. These will help
you to draw horizontal
and vertical lines and
make sure that the
fourth corner will exactly fit underneath the
first one (look at the
drawing on the right).
In this way you will get
a closed rectangle.

Be sure that the corners of the rectangle

are not set directly
above or on top of
another element, such
as the edge of a plane.

After you have drawn

the last line you must
push the <Esc> button
on your keyboard to
end the command.

Next, draw the holes. Click

on Circle in the CommandManager.

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24

Click at one of the corners

of the rectangle, move the
mouse, and click again (do
not click on another element) to draw the circle.
The exact dimension of the
circle will be determined
later.

25

Use this method to draw a

circle on every corner of
the rectangle.
After drawing all four circles, push the <Esc> button on your keyboard to
end the command.

26

Next, we want to set the

dimensions. Click on Smart
Dimension.

27

Set the first dimension:

1 Click on the lower horizontal line of the model.
2 Next, click on the bottom construction line of
the rectangle you have
just drawn.
3 Next, click beside the
model to position the
dimension.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

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28

You can fill in a dimension

of 16 in the menu that appears and then click on the
OK icon.

29

Use this method to set a

dimension between the
bottom line of the model
and the top construction
line of the rectangle.
This dimension is set to 31.

30

Next, you will set two horizontal dimensions to determine the distance between the left side of the
model and the left and
right construction line of
the rectangle in exactly the
same way. Set these dimensions to 10 and 140.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

12

31

The diameter of the holes

must be set now.
Stay in the Smart Dimension command.
Click on a circle and click
beside the model to set
and position the dimension.

32

Enter a dimension of 5 for

the circle and click on the
OK icon.
Push the <Escape> button
on the keyboard to close
the Smart Dimension command.

33

To set the same dimension

for all circles, you do the
following:
1

Click on one of the circles.

2-4 Push and hold the

<Ctrl> button on your
keyboard. Next click on
the other circles one
by one.
5

Release
button.

the

<Ctrl>

If you did this properly, all

four circles are now selected (and turned green).
If not, click beside the
model to unselect everything and try again.

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34

Check in the left blue

field on your screen
when you have selected the four circles
and nothing else. In
the field, Arc will be
visible four times.

If so, click on Equal.

You have now added a relation. This relation makes

sure that the four holes will
always be the same size.

35

The sketch is finished and

we can continue by making
the holes.
Click on Features in the
CommandManager
and
next on Extruded Cut.

36

Rotate the model (push the

scroll-wheel and move your
mouse) so you can get a
better view.
Chose the depth of
holes Through All:
holes will go through
complete depth of the
terial.

the
the
the
ma-

Click on OK.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

14

37

Finally, we have to countersink the holes.

Rotate the model so you
have a good look at the
bottom plane.
1. Click on the arrow underneath the Fillet
button in the CommandManager.
2. Click on Chamfer.

38

To set the slope, you do

the following:
1. Select the option Full
Preview, so you can
see what is going to
happen.
2. Set the characteristics
of the slopes on
1.5mm and 45 deg.
3-6 Select the edges of the
four holes. ONLY select
the edges and not the
planes. In the blue
field you will read
Edge<> four times.
If you have selected an
incorrect element, click
on it in the blue field
and push the <Delete> button on your
keyboard. Try so select
the
right
element
again.
7. When you have selected the right elements, click on OK.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

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39

The holes now have a

countersink and the first
part of this model is ready.
Click on Save in the upper
menu and save your model
as: base.SLDPRT.

Work plan

Next, we need to make the second part, the axis. Again, we will make a
work plan first.

We will create this model in three steps:

1. We will take the basic material of 8 x 48.
2. We will cut a part at the bottom of the axis to 5 x 14.
3. We will make a sloped edge at the top.
We have seen all these steps before. Therefore, try to make the axis without
using the description which follows!
40

Start a new part. Click on

New in the upper menu
and choose Part.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

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41

We will use the Top-plane

to make the first sketch:
1. Select the Top-plane
in the FeatureManager.
2. Click on Sketch in the
CommandManager to
reveal the right buttons.
3. Click on Circle.

42

Draw a circle. Click on the

origin and next move the
mouse away from the origin and click again to draw
a random circle.

43

Set the dimension with

Smart Dimension:
1. Click on Smart Dimension in the CommandManager.
2. Click on the circle.
3. Set the dimension by
clicking beside the circle.
4. Change the dimension
to 8mm in the menu.
5. Click on OK.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

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44

Click on Features in the

CommandManager
and
next
on
Extruded
Boss/Base.

45

1. Drag the arrows in the

model to a length of
48mm.
Of course you can also
do this by filling in the
dimension of 48 in the
PropertyManager.
2.

Click on OK.

3.
46

Rotate the model to get a

good view of the bottom of
the part (use the scrollwheel of the mouse). Click
on this plane to select it (it
turns green).

4.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

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47

Click on Sketch in the

CommandManager
and
next on Circle.

5.
48

Draw a circle in the selected plane. Click on the

origin to get the center of
the circle right. Next, move
the mouse to draw a circle
with a random dimension
and click again.

6.
49

Set a dimension of 5 mm
for the circle.

7.
50

Click on Features in the

CommandManager
and
next on Extruded Cut.

8.

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51

52

Set the
14mm.

depth

to

Check Flip Side to Cut

to cut away the outer
material.

Click on OK.

The last feature that we

have to make is the chamfer at the top of the axis.
Rotate the model so you
can get a good view of the
top plane.
Click on Chamfer in the
CommandManager.

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

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53

Check and set the following features:

1. Select the top plane of
the axis.
2. Set the distance of the
chamfer to 1mm
3. Click on OK.
Be sure the option Full
preview is active so you
have a clear view of what
is happening.

54

Save
the
pin.SLDPRT.

file

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

as

21

55

The two parts for the picture holder are ready. We

are going to assemble
them in an assembly to
create the complete product.
1 Click on New in the
menu.
2 Select Assembly
3 Click on OK.

56

1 Click on base in the

PropertyManager. This
is the first part we
created.
2 Click at a random point
in the drawing field.
The part is placed in the
assembly.
Pay attention: If this step
does not work properly,
read the tip that follows.

Tip

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

In the last step, some commands may not work as described.

When the left column looks different from the example shown in step
56, the Insert Components command has not started automatically.
When this happens, click on Insert Components in the CommandManager.

When the parts base and pin are not in the list, you apparently closed
these parts. When this happens, click on Browse and find the right
files. After doing so, you can put them in the assembly as described.

22

57

Click on Insert Components in the CommandManager to add the first pin.

58

Select pin in the menu on

the left of the screen and
click at a random point in
the drawing field to place
the part.
If you closed the file
pin.SLDPRT, it will not be
in the list (read the last tip
again). When this happens,
click on Browse and find
the file.

59

Repeat the last step three

times in order to place four
pins in the drawing.
All pins are at a random
position.

60

Next we will place the pins

at their accurate position.
Click on Mate in
CommandManager.

SolidWorks for VMBO en MBO

Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

the

23

61

At this point, you will have

to select two elements as
Mates. You must do this
with the greatest degree of
accuracy!
Zoom in on one of the
holes in the base part.
Select the edge of the
hole (Pay attention: it must
be an edge and not a
face [=plane]).
In the blue field in the PropertyManager (at the left
of your screen) the description: Edge<1>@base1 will appear.

62

Rotate the model (push the

Scroll-wheel, remember?)
so you can get a good view
of the bottom of the pins.
Zoom in when necessary.
Select the edge of the pin
as illustrated in the right
view. Make sure you do
not select a plane.

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63

When the two edges have

been selected, the pin will
be placed into the hole.
When this is done and the
result looks good, click on
OK.

Tip!

It is very important to select the right elements when making a mate. If you
select something other than as described in the previous steps, something
completely different will happen or maybe nothing will happen.
When, by accident, the wrong element is selected, think about the description of the blue fields. You can delete a wrong element by clicking on it and
pushing the <Delete> button on the keyboard. After that, you can add
another element.

64

Repeat the last three steps

for every pin, so each pin
is eventually placed in one
of the holes.

Tip!

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Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

Every mate that you create will be visible like in the example below. Do you
want to remove a mate? Click on it and push the <Delete> button on the
keyboard. You can change a mate by clicking on it with the right mouse
button and choosing Edit Feature.

25

65

You have just created your

first assembly in SolidWorks! Congratulations.
Save the file as: picture_holder.SLDASM.

What are the most important things you have

learned in this tutorial?

In the part section, you used some new commands:

You drilled holes.

You copied the dimension of one hole to other holes using the Equal relation.

You have made sloped edges with the chamfer feature

After that, you made an assembly:

You assembled several parts into a complete product.

You placed the components in their correct positions using the mate
command.

You have reached a next level in SolidWorks. In the tutorials that follow, you
will use what you know already.

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26

SolidWorks works in education.

One cannot imagine the modern technical world without 3D CAD. Whether your profession is in the mechanical, electrical, or industrial design fields, or in
the automotive industry, 3D CAD is THE tool used by
designers and engineers today.
SolidWorks is the most widely used 3D CAD design
software in Benelux, thanks to its unique combination
of features, its ease-of-use, its wide applicability, and
its excellent support. In the softwares annual improvements, more and more customer requests are implemented, which leads to an annual increase in
functionality, as well as optimization of functions already available in the software.
Education
A great number and wide variety of educational institutions ranging from technical vocational training
schools to universities, including Delft en Twente,
among others have already chosen SolidWorks.
Why?
For a teacher or instructor, SolidWorks provides
user-friendly software that pupils and students find
easy to learn and use. SolidWorks benefits all training programs, including those designed to solve
problems as well as those designed to achieve competence. Tutorials are available for every level of
training, beginning with a series of tutorials for technical vocational education that leads students
through the software step-by-step. At higher levels
involving complex design and engineering, such as
double curved planes, more advanced tutorials are
available. All tutorials are in English and free to
download at www.solidworks.com.
For a scholar or a student, learning to work with SolidWorks is fun and edifying. By using SolidWorks,
design technique becomes more and more visible
and tangible, resulting in a more enjoyable and realistic way of working on an assignment. Even better,
every scholar or student knows that job opportunities
increase with SolidWorks because they have proficiency in the most widely used 3D CAD software in the
Benelux
on
their
resume.
For
example:
at www.cadjobs.nl you will find a great number of
available jobs and internships that require SolidWorks. These opportunities increase motivation to
learn how to use SolidWorks.
To make the use of SolidWorks even easier, a Student Kit is available. If the school uses SolidWorks,
every scholar or student can get a free download of
the Student Kit. It is a complete version of SolidWorks, which is only allowed to be used for educatiSolidWorks for VMBO en MBO
Tutorial 2: Picture Holder

onal purposes. The data you need to download the

Student Kit is available through your teacher or instructor.
The choice to work with SolidWorks is an important
issue for ICT departments because they can postpone new hardware installation due to the fact that
SolidWorks carries relatively low hardware demands.
The installation and management of SolidWorks on a
network is very simple, particularly with a network licenses. And if a problem does arise, access to a
qualified helpdesk will help you to get back on the
right track.
Certification
When you have sufficiently learned SolidWorks, you
can obtain certification by taking the Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) exam. By passing this test,
you will receive a certificate that attests to your proficiency with SolidWorks. This can be very useful
when applying for a job or internship. After completing this series of tutorials for VMBO and MBO, you
will know enough to take the CSWA exam.
Finally
SolidWorks has committed itself to serving the needs
of educational institutions and schools both now and
in the future. By supporting teachers, making tutorials
available, updating the software annually to the latest
commercial version, and by supplying the Student
Kit, SolidWorks continues its commitment to serve
the educational community. The choice of SolidWorks is an investment in the future of education and
ensures ongoing support and a strong foundation for
scholars and students who want to have the best opportunities after their technical training.
Contact
If you still have questions about SolidWorks, please
contact your local reseller.
You will find more information about SolidWorks at
our website: http://www.solidworks.com
SolidWorks Europe
53, Avenue de lEurope
13090 AIX-EN-PROVENCE
FRANCE
Tel.: +33(0)4 13 10 80 20
Email: edueurope@solidworks.com

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