Fund3D.

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SOLIDWORKS

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Education Edition

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2016-2017 D
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Fundamentals of 3D Design and

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Simulation
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Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation

175 Wyman Street
Waltham, MA 02451 U.S.A.
Fund3D.book Page 2 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

© 1995-2015, Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation, a Copyright Notices for SOLIDWORKS Standard, Premium,
Dassault Systèmes SE company, 175 Wyman Street, Waltham, Professional, and Education Products
Mass. 02451 USA. All Rights Reserved. Portions of this software © 1986-2015 Siemens Product
The information and the software discussed in this document are Lifecycle Management Software Inc. All rights reserved.
subject to change without notice and are not commitments by This work contains the following software owned by Siemens
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation (DS SolidWorks). Industry Software Limited:
No material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by D-Cubed™ 2D DCM © 2015. Siemens Industry Software
any means, electronically or manually, for any purpose without Limited. All Rights Reserved.
the express written permission of DS SolidWorks.
D-Cubed™ 3D DCM © 2015. Siemens Industry Software
The software discussed in this document is furnished under a Limited. All Rights Reserved.
license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the
terms of the license. All warranties given by DS SolidWorks as D-Cubed™ PGM © 2015. Siemens Industry Software Limited.
to the software and documentation are set forth in the license All Rights Reserved.
agreement, and nothing stated in, or implied by, this document or D-Cubed™ CDM © 2015. Siemens Industry Software Limited.

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its contents shall be considered or deemed a modification or All Rights Reserved.
amendment of any terms, including warranties, in the license D-Cubed™ AEM © 2015. Siemens Industry Software Limited.
agreement.

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All Rights Reserved.
Patent Notices Portions of this software © 1998-2015 Geometric Ltd.

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SOLIDWORKS® 3D mechanical CAD and/or Simulation Portions of this software incorporate PhysX™ by NVIDIA 2006-
software is protected by U.S. Patents 5,815,154; 6,219,049; 2010.
6,219,055; 6,611,725; 6,844,877; 6,898,560; 6,906,712; Portions of this software © 2001-2015 Luxology, LLC. All
7,079,990; 7,477,262; 7,558,705; 7,571,079; 7,590,497;

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rights reserved, patents pending.
7,643,027; 7,672,822; 7,688,318; 7,694,238; 7,853,940;
8,305,376; 8,581,902; 8,817,028, 8,910,078, 9,129,083, Portions of this software © 2007-2015 DriveWorks Ltd.

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9,153,072 and foreign patents, (e.g., EP 1,116,190 B1 and JP Copyright 1984-2010 Adobe Systems Inc. and its licensors. All
3,517,643). rights reserved. Protected by U.S. Patents 5,929,866; 5,943,063;
6,289,364; 6,563,502; 6,639,593; 6,754,382; Patents Pending.

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eDrawings® software is protected by U.S. Patent 7,184,044;
U.S. Patent 7,502,027; and Canadian Patent 2,318,706. Adobe, the Adobe logo, Acrobat, the Adobe PDF logo, Distiller
U.S. and foreign patents pending. and Reader are registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe
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Systems Inc. in the U.S. and other countries.
Trademarks and Product Names for SOLIDWORKS For more DS SolidWorks copyright information, see Help >
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Products and Services About SOLIDWORKS.
SOLIDWORKS, 3D ContentCentral, 3D PartStream.NET,
eDrawings, and the eDrawings logo are registered trademarks Copyright Notices for SOLIDWORKS Simulation Products
EP

and FeatureManager is a jointly owned registered trademark of Portions of this software © 2008 Solversoft Corporation.
DS SolidWorks. PCGLSS © 1992-2014 Computational Applications and System
CircuitWorks, FloXpress, PhotoView 360, and TolAnalyst are Integration, Inc. All rights reserved.
trademarks of DS SolidWorks.
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FeatureWorks is a registered trademark of Geometric Ltd. Copyright Notices for SOLIDWORKS Standard Product
SOLIDWORKS 2016, SOLIDWORKS Standard, © 2011, Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
SOLIDWORKS Professional, SOLIDWORKS Premium,
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Copyright Notices for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional

SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, SOLIDWORKS PDM Product
Standard, SOLIDWORKS Workgroup PDM, SOLIDWORKS
Outside In® Viewer Technology, © 1992-2012 Oracle
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Simulation, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation, eDrawings,

eDrawings Professional, SOLIDWORKS Sustainability, © 2011, Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
SOLIDWORKS Plastics, SOLIDWORKS Electrical,
SOLIDWORKS Composer, and SOLIDWORKS MBD are Copyright Notices for eDrawings Products
product names of DS SolidWorks. Portions of this software © 2000-2014 Tech Soft 3D.
Other brand or product names are trademarks or registered Portions of this software © 1995-1998 Jean-Loup Gailly and
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trademarks of their respective holders. Mark Adler.

COMMERCIAL COMPUTER SOFTWARE - PROPRIETARY
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Portions of this software © 1998-2001 3Dconnexion.

The Software is a "commercial item" as that term is defined at 48 Portions of this software © 1998-2014 Open Design Alliance.
C.F.R. 2.101 (OCT 1995), consisting of "commercial computer All rights reserved.
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software" and "commercial software documentation" as such

terms are used in 48 C.F.R. 12.212 (SEPT 1995) and is provided Portions of this software © 1995-2012 Spatial Corporation.
to the U.S. Government (a) for acquisition by or on behalf of The eDrawings® for Windows® software is based in part on the
civilian agencies, consistent with the policy set forth in 48 C.F.R. work of the Independent JPEG Group.
12.212; or (b) for acquisition by or on behalf of units of the Portions of eDrawings® for iPad® copyright © 1996-1999
Department of Defense, consistent with the policies set forth in Silicon Graphics Systems, Inc.
48 C.F.R. 227.7202-1 (JUN 1995) and 227.7202-4 (JUN 1995).
Portions of eDrawings® for iPad® copyright © 2003 - 2005
In the event that you receive a request from any agency of the Apple Computer Inc.
U.S. Government to provide Software with rights beyond those
set forth above, you will notify DS SolidWorks of the scope of
the request and DS SolidWorks will have five (5) business days
to, in its sole discretion, accept or reject such request. Contractor/
Manufacturer: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks Corporation, 175
Document Number: PME-F3DDS100-ENG
Wyman Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451 USA.
Fund3D.book Page i Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

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Contents

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Introduction O
To the Teacher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SOLIDWORKS Tutorials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
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My SOLIDWORKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
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Certification Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Training Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Educator Resources link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
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Prerequisites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Course Design Philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Conventions Used in this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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Windows 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
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Use of Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Graphics and Graphics Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Color Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Lesson 1: SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

What is the SOLIDWORKS Software? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
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Design Intent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
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Examples of Design Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

How Features Affect Design Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
File References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
File Reference Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Opening Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Computer Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The SOLIDWORKS User Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Pull-down Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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Contents SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Using the Command Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Adding and Removing CommandManager Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
FeatureManager Design Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
PropertyManager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Full Path Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Selection Breadcrumbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Task Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Opening Labs with the File Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Heads-up View Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Unselectable Icons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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Mouse Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Keyboard Shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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Multiple Monitor Displays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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System Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

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Lesson 2: Introduction to Sketching
2D Sketching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

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Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Saving Files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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Save. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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Save As . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Save As Copy to Disk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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Save As Copy and Open . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

What are We Going to Sketch? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Sketching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
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Default Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Sketch Entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
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Sketch Geometry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Basic Sketching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
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The Mechanics of Sketching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Inference Lines (Automatic Relations). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Sketch Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Status of a Sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
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Rules That Govern Sketches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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Design Intent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
What Controls Design Intent?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
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Desired Design Intent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Sketch Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Automatic Sketch Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Added Sketch Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Examples of Sketch Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Selecting Multiple Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Contents

Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Dimensioning: Selection and Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Angular Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Instant 2D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Extrude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Sketching Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Exercise 1: Sketch and Extrude 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Exercise 2: Sketch and Extrude 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Exercise 3: Sketch and Extrude 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

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Lesson 3: Basic Part Modeling
Basic Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

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Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Terminology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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Extrusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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Sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Boss. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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Cut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Fillets and Rounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
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Design Intent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
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Choosing the Best Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Choosing the Sketch Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
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Planes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Placement of the Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Details of the Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
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Standard Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Main Bosses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
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Best Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Sketch Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
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Design Intent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Sketching the First Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Extrude Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Renaming Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
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Boss Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
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Sketching on a Planar Face . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Sketching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
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Tangent Arc Intent Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Autotransitioning Between Lines and Arcs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Cut Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
View Selector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Using the Hole Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Creating a Standard Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Counterbore Hole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

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Contents SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Filleting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Filleting Rules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Editing Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Editing a Sketch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Selecting Multiple Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Editing Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Fillet Propagation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Rollback Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Detailing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Settings Used in the Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

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CommandManager Tabs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
New Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

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Drawing Views . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

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Tangent Edges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Moving Views. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

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Center Marks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Dimensioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

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Driving Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Driven Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

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Manipulating Dimensions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
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Associativity Between the Model and the Drawing . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Changing Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
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Rebuilding the Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Exercise 4: Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
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Exercise 5: Cuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Exercise 6: Basic-Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Exercise 7: Base Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
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Exercise 8: Part Drawings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110

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Lesson 4: Patterning
Why Use Patterns? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
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Pattern Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Linear Pattern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Flyout FeatureManager Design Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Skipping Instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
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Geometry Patterns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

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Performance Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Circular Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
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Exercise 9: Linear Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

Lesson 5: Revolved Features

Case Study: Handwheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Design Intent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Revolved Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Sketch Geometry of the Revolved Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Rules Governing Sketches of Revolved Features. . . . . . . . . . . . 131

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Special Dimensioning Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Diameter Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Creating the Revolved Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Building the Rim. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Slots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Multibody Solids. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Building the Spoke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Edge Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Chamfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
RealView Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

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Edit Material . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Mass Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151

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Mass Properties as Custom Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

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File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Classes of File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152

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Creating File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Uses of File Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

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Exercise 10: Flange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Exercise 11: Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Lesson 6: Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

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Case Study: Universal Joint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
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Bottom-Up Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
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The Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

Creating a New Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Position of the First Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
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FeatureManager Design Tree and Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Degrees of Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
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Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Component Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
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State of the component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Adding Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Insert Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Moving and Rotating Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
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Mating Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

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Mate Types and Alignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

Mating Concentric and Coincident . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
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Width Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Rotating Inserted Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Using the Component Preview Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Parallel Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Dynamic Assembly Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Displaying Part Configurations in an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
The Pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

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Using Part Configurations in Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

The Second Pin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Opening a Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Creating Copies of Instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Component Hiding and Transparency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Component Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Sub-assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Smart Mates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Inserting Sub-assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Mating Sub-assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

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Distance Mates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Unit System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

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Pack and Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

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Exercise 12: Mates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Exercise 13: Gripe Grinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

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Exercise 14: Using Hide and Show Component. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

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Lesson 7: Linear Static Analysis
The Analysis Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

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Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Case Study: Stress in a Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
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Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
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SOLIDWORKS Simulation Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
SOLIDWORKS Simulation Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
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Plot Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

Preprocessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
New Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
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Assigning Material Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214

Fixtures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
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Fixture Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Display/Hide Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
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External Loads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

Size and Color of Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Preprocessing Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Meshing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
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Standard Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

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Curvature Based Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

Blended Curvature Based Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
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Mesh Density . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

Element Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Minimum Number of Elements in a Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Mesh Quality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228

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Postprocessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Result Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Editing Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Nodal vs. Element Stresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Show as Tensor Plot Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Modifying Result Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Other Plot Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Other Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Multiple Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Creating New Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245

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Copy Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Check Convergence and Accuracy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248

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Results Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

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Comparison With Analytical Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

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Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253

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Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Exercise 15: Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254

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Exercise 16: Compressive Spring Stiffness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
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Exercise 17: Container Handle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
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Lesson 8: Motion Simulation and Forces
Basic Motion Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
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Case Study: Car Jack Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270

Problem Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
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Driving Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274

Gravity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
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Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Understanding Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
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Applied Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277

Force Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Force Direction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Case 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
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Case 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
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Case 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Results. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
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Plot Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281

Sub-Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Resizing Plots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Exercise 18: 3D Fourbar Linkage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288

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Lesson 9: Flow Simulation Analysis

Case Study: Manifold Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Problem Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Model Preparation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Internal Flow Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
External Flow Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Manifold Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Lids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Lid Thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

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Manual Lid Creation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Adding a Lid to a Part File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295

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Adding a Lid to an Assembly File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296

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Checking the Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Internal Fluid Volume. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299

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Invalid Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Project Wizard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

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Reference Axis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Exclude Cavities Without Flow Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307

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Adiabatic Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
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Roughness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Computational Domain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
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Mesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Load Results Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
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Monitoring the Solver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316

Goal Plot Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Warning Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
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Post-processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Scaling the Limits of the Legend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
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Changing Legend Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322

Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
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Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
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Introduction

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Introduction SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

To the Teacher The SOLIDWORKS Education Edition - Fundamentals of 3D Design

and Simulation manual is designed to assist you in teaching
SOLIDWORKS and SOLIDWORKS Simulation in an academic
setting. This guide offers a competency-based approach to teaching 3D
design concepts, analysis and techniques.
Qualified schools on subscription have access to the eBook at no cost
to students. Contact your SOLIDWORKS Value Added Reseller to
obtain access.
SOLIDWORKS The SOLIDWORKS Education Edition

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Tutorials - Fundamentals of 3D Design and
Simulation manual also supplements

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the SOLIDWORKS Tutorials.

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Accessing the To start the SOLIDWORKS Tutorials, click Help, SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS Tutorials. The SOLIDWORKS window is resized and a second
Tutorials window appears next to it with a list of the available tutorials. There are
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over 40 lessons in the SOLIDWORKS Tutorials. As you move the

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pointer over the links, an illustration of the tutorial will appear at the
bottom of the window. Click the desired link to start that tutorial.

TIP: When you use SOLIDWORKS Simulation to perform analysis,

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click Help, SOLIDWORKS Simulation, Tutorials to access

over 50 lessons and over 80 verification problems. Click
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Tools, Add-ins to activate SOLIDWORKS Simulation,

SOLIDWORKS Motion, and SOLIDWORKS Flow
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Simulation.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Introduction

Conventions Set your screen resolution to 1280x1024 for optimal viewing of the
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The following icons appear in the tutorials:
Moves to the next screen in the tutorial.
Represents a note or tip. It is not a link; the information is below
the icon. Notes and tips provide time-saving steps and helpful hints.
You can click most buttons that appear in the lessons to flash the

N
corresponding SOLIDWORKS button.

O
Open File or Set this option automatically opens the file or sets
the option.

TI
A closer look at... links to more information about a topic.

C
Although not required to complete the tutorial, it offers more detail on
the subject.

U
Why did I... links to more information about a procedure, and

D
the reasons for the method given. This information is not required to
complete the tutorial. O
Show me... demonstrates with a video.
R
Printing the If you like, you can print the SOLIDWORKS Tutorials by following
EP

SOLIDWORKS this procedure:

Tutorials
1. On the tutorial navigation toolbar, click Show.
R

This displays the table of contents for the SOLIDWORKS

Tutorials.
R

2. Right-click the book representing the lesson you wish to print and
select Print... from the shortcut menu.
FO

The Print Topics dialog box appears.

3. Select Print the selected heading and all subtopics, and click
OK.
T

4. Repeat this process for each lesson that you want to print.
O
N

3
Fund3D.book Page 4 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

Introduction SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

My SOLIDWORKS My.SolidWorks.com is a community website to share, connect, and

learn everything about SOLIDWORKS. My SOLIDWORKS learning
contains additional video lessons and individual learning paths for your
students.
Certification The Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate(CSWA) - Academic program
Exams provides free certification exams for you or your students in a
proctored setting. Achieving CSWA proves the fundamentals of
engineering design competency. Employers verify students job ready
credentials through our online virtual tester. Schools that provide two
or more courses in SOLIDWORKS-based instruction can also apply to

N
be a Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional(CSWP) - Academic

O
Provider.
More information and to apply can be found at

TI
www.solidworks.com/cswa-academic.

C
Training Files A complete set of the various files used throughout the course can be
downloaded from the following website:

U
www.solidworks.com/EDU_Fundamentals3DDesignSim

D
The files are organized by lesson number. The Case Study folder
within each lesson contains the files you need when presenting the
O
lessons. The Exercises folder contains any files that are required for
R
doing the laboratory exercises.
Educator The Instructors Curriculum link on the SOLIDWORKS Resources
EP

Resources link tab of the Task Pane includes substantial supporting materials to aid
in your course presentation. Accessing this page requires a login
account for the SOLIDWORKS Customer Portal. These supporting
R

materials afford you flexibility in scope, depth, and presentation.

R

1. Start SOLIDWORKS.
Using the Start menu, start the SOLIDWORKS application.
FO

2. SOLIDWORKS Content.
Click SOLIDWORKS Resources to
T

open the SOLIDWORKS Resources Task

Pane.
O

Click on the Instructors Curriculum link

N

which will take you to the

SOLIDWORKS Customer Portal web
page.

4
Fund3D.book Page 5 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Introduction

Prerequisites Students attending this course are expected to have the following:
 Mechanical design experience.
 Experience with the Windows® operating system.
 Completed the online tutorials that are integrated in the
SOLIDWORKS software. You can access the online tutorials by
clicking Help, Online Tutorial.
Course Design This course is designed around a process- or task-based approach to
Philosophy training. A process-based training course emphasizes the processes and
procedures you follow to complete a particular task. By utilizing case

N
studies to illustrate these processes, you learn the necessary commands,

O
options and menus in the context of completing a task.
A Note About The drawings and dimensions given in the lab exercises are not intended

TI
Dimensions to reflect any particular drafting standard. In fact, sometimes dimensions
are given in a fashion that would never be considered acceptable in

C
industry. The reason for this is the labs are designed to encourage you to

U
apply the information covered in class and to employ and reinforce
certain techniques in modeling. As a result, the drawings and dimensions

D
in the exercises are done in a way that complements this objective.
Conventions Used
in this Book
O
This manual uses the following typographic conventions:
R
Convention Meaning
EP

Bold Sans Serif SOLIDWORKS commands and options

appear in this style. For example, Features >
R

Extruded Cut means click the Extruded

Cut icon on the Features tab of the
CommandManager.
R

Typewriter Feature names and file names appear in this

FO

style. For example, Sketch1.

Double lines precede and follow sections of
17 Do this step the procedures. This provides separation
T

between the steps of the procedure and large

O

blocks of explanatory text. The steps

themselves are numbered in sans serif bold.
N

Windows 7 The screen shots in this manual were made using the SOLIDWORKS
software running on Windows 7. If you are not using Windows 7, or if
you have a different theme setting, you may notice slight differences in
the appearance of the menus and windows. These differences do not
affect the performance of the software.

5
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Introduction SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Use of Color The SOLIDWORKS user interface makes extensive use of color to
highlight selected geometry and to provide you with visual feedback.
This greatly increases the intuitiveness and ease of use of the
SOLIDWORKS software. To take maximum advantage of this, the
training manuals are printed in full color.
Also, in many cases, we have used
additional color in the illustrations to
communicate concepts, identify
features, and otherwise convey
important information. For example,

N
we might show the result of a filleting

O
operation with the fillets in a different
color even though, by default, the

TI
SOLIDWORKS software would not display the results in that way.
Graphics and The SOLIDWORKS software sets a new

C
Graphics Cards standard with best-in-class graphics. The

U
combination of a highly reflective
material and the realism of RealView

D
Graphics is an effective tool for
evaluating the quality of advanced part
O
models and surfaces.
R
RealView Graphics is hardware
(graphics card) support of advanced
EP

shading in real time. For example, if you

rotate a part, it retains its rendered appearance throughout the rotation.
R

Color Schemes Out of the box, the SOLIDWORKS software provides several
predefined color schemes that control, among other things, the colors
used for highlighted items, selected items, sketch relation symbols, and
R

shaded previews of features.

FO

We have not used the same color scheme for every case study and
exercise because some colors are more visible and clear than others
when used with different colored parts.
T

In addition, we have changed the viewport background to plain white

so that the illustrations reproduce better on white paper.
O

As a result, because the color settings on your computer may be

N

different than the ones used by the authors of this book, the images you
see on your screen may not exactly match those in the book.
User Interface Throughout the development of the software, there have been some
Appearance cosmetic User Interface changes, intended to improve visibility, that do
not affect the function of the software. As a policy, dialog images in the
manuals which exhibit no functional change from the previous version
are not replaced. As such, you may see a mixture of current and “old”
UI dialogs and color schemes.

6
Fund3D.book Page 7 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

N
Lesson 1

O
SOLIDWORKS Basics and the

TI
User Interface

C
U
D
O
R
EP

Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

 Describe the key characteristics of a feature-based, parametric solid
R

modeler.
 Distinguish between sketched and applied features.
R

 Identify the principal components of the SOLIDWORKS user

FO

interface.
 Explain how different dimensioning methodologies convey
different design intents.
T
O
N

7
Fund3D.book Page 8 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

What is the SOLIDWORKS mechanical design automation software is a feature-

SOLIDWORKS based, parametric solid modeling design tool which takes advantage of
Software? the easy to learn Windows graphical user interface. You can create fully
associative 3D solid models with or without constraints while utilizing
automatic or user defined relations to capture design intent.
The italicized terms in the previous paragraph mean:
 Feature-based
Just as an assembly is made up of a number of individual piece parts, a
SOLIDWORKS model is also made up of individual constituent

N
elements. These elements are called features.

O
When you create a model using the SOLIDWORKS software, you
work with intelligent, easy to understand geometric features such as

TI
bosses, cuts, holes, ribs, fillets, chamfers, and drafts. As the features are
created they are applied directly to the work piece.

C
Features can be classified as either sketched or applied.

U
 Sketched Features: Based upon a 2D sketch. Generally that sketch
is transformed into a solid by extrusion, rotation, sweeping or

D
lofting. O
 Applied Features: Created directly on the solid model. Fillets and
R
chamfers are examples of this type of feature.
The SOLIDWORKS software graphically shows you the feature-based
EP

structure of your model in a special window called the

FeatureManager® design tree. The FeatureManager design tree not only
shows you the sequence in which the features were created, it gives you
R

easy access to all the underlying associated information. You will learn
more about the FeatureManager design tree throughout this course.
R

To illustrate the concept of feature-

FO

based modeling, consider the part

shown at the right:
T
O

This part can be visualized as a

N

collection of several different

features – some of which add
material, like the cylindrical boss,
and some which remove material,
like the blind hole.

8
Fund3D.book Page 9 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

If we were to map the individual features to their corresponding listing

in the FeatureManager design tree, it would look like this:

N
O
TI
C
U
D
 Parametric
The dimensions and relations used to create a feature are captured and
O
stored in the model. This not only enables you to capture your design
R
intent, it also enables you to quickly and easily make changes to the
model.
EP

 Driving Dimensions: These are the dimensions used when creating

a feature. They include the dimensions associated with the sketch
geometry, as well as those associated with the feature itself. A
R

simple example of this would be a feature like a cylindrical boss.

The diameter of the boss is controlled by the diameter of the
R

sketched circle. The height of the boss is controlled by the depth to

which that circle was extruded when the feature was made.
FO

 Relations: These include such information as parallelism, tangency,

and concentricity. Historically, this type of information has been
communicated on drawings via feature control symbols. By
T

capturing this in the sketch, SOLIDWORKS enables you to fully

O

capture your design intent up front, in the model.

Solid Modeling
N


A solid model is the most complete type of geometric model used in
CAD systems. It contains all the wire frame and surface geometry
necessary to fully describe the edges and faces of the model. In addition
to the geometric information, it has the information called topology that
relates the geometry together. An example of topology would be which
faces (surfaces) meet at which edge (curve). This intelligence makes
operations such a filleting as easy as selecting an edge and specifying a
radius.

9
Fund3D.book Page 10 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

 Fully Associative
A SOLIDWORKS model is fully associative to the drawings and
assemblies that reference it. Changes to the model are automatically
reflected in the associated drawings and assemblies. Likewise, you can
make changes in the context of the drawing or assembly and know that
those changes will be reflected back in the model.
 Constraints
Geometric relationships such as parallel, perpendicular, horizontal,
vertical, concentric, and coincident are just some of the constraints
supported in SOLIDWORKS. In addition, equations can be used to

N
establish mathematical relationships among parameters. By using

O
constraints and equations, you can guarantee that design concepts such
as through holes or equal radii are captured and maintained.

TI
 Design Intent
The final italicized term is design intent. This subject is worthy of its

C
own section, as follows.

U
Design Intent In order to use a parametric modeler like SOLIDWORKS efficiently,
you must consider the design intent before modeling. Design intent is

D
your plan as to how the model should behave when it is changed. The
O
way in which the model is created governs how it will be changed.
Several factors contribute to how you capture design intent:
R
 Automatic (sketch) Relations
EP

Based on how geometry is sketched, these relations can provide

common geometric relationships between objects such as parallel,
perpendicular, horizontal, and vertical.
R

 Equations
Used to relate dimensions algebraically, they provide an external way
R

to force changes.
FO

 Added Relations
Added to the model as it is created, relations provide another way to
connect related geometry. Some common relations are concentric,
tangent, coincident, and collinear.
T

 Dimensioning
O

Consider your design intent when applying dimensions to a sketch.

What are the dimensions that should drive the design? What values are
N

known? Which are important for the production of the model? The way
dimensions are applied to the model will determine how the geometry
will change if modifications are made.
Consider the design intent in the following examples.

10
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Examples of The design intent of each sketch below is slightly different. How will
Design Intent the geometry be affected if the overall plate width, 100mm, is
changed?
A sketch dimensioned like this will keep
the holes 20mm from each end regardless
of the width of the plate.

N
Baseline dimensions like this will keep

O
the holes positioned relative to the left
edge of the plate. The positions of the

TI
holes are not affected by changes in the
overall width of the plate.

C
U
D
Dimensioning from the edge and from
center to center will maintain the distance
O
between the hole centers and allow it to
be changed that way.
R
EP

How Features Design intent is affected by more than just

R

Affect Design how a sketch is dimensioned. The choice of

Intent features and the modeling methodology are
R

also important. For example, consider the

case of a simple stepped shaft as shown at
FO

the right. There are several ways a part like

this could be built and each way creates a
part that is geometrically identical.
T

The “Layer Cake” The layer cake approach builds the part one piece at a time, adding each
Approach layer, or feature, onto the previous one, like this:
O
N

Changing the thickness of one layer has a ripple effect, changing the
position of all the other layers that were created after it.

11
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Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

The “Potter’s The potter’s wheel approach builds the part as

Wheel” Approach a single, revolved feature. A single sketch
representing the cross section includes all the
information and dimensions necessary to make
the part as one feature. While this approach
may seem very efficient, having all the design
information contained within a single feature
limits flexibility and can make changes awkward.
The Manufacturing The manufacturing approach to modeling mimics the way the part
Approach would be manufactured. For example, if this stepped shaft was turned

N
on a lathe, you would start with a piece of bar stock and remove

O
material using a series of cuts.

TI
C
U
D
There is not really a right or wrong answer when trying to determine
O
which approach to use. SOLIDWORKS allows for great flexibility and
making changes to models is relatively easy. But creating models with
R
design intent in mind will result in well built documents that are easily
modifiable and well suited for re-use, making your job easier.
EP

File References SOLIDWORKS creates files that are compound documents that
R

contain elements from other files. File references are created by linking
files rather than duplicating information in multiple files.
R

Referenced files do not have to be stored with the document that

FO

references them. In most practical applications, the referenced

documents are stored in multiple locations on the computer or network.
SOLIDWORKS provides several tools to determine the references that
exist and their location.
T

Object Linking and In the Windows environment, information sharing between files can be
O

Embedding (OLE) handled either by linking or embedding the information.

N

The main differences between linked objects and embedded objects are
where the data is stored and how you update the data after you place it
in the destination file.

12
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Linked Objects When an object is linked, information is updated only if the source file
is modified. Linked data is stored in the source file. The destination file
stores only the location of the source file (an external reference), and it
displays a representation of the linked data.
Linking is also useful when you want to include information that is
maintained independently, such as data collected by a different
department.
Embedded Objects When you embed an object, information in the destination file doesn't
change if you modify the source file. Embedded objects become part of

N
the destination file and, once inserted, are no longer part of the source
file.

O
File Reference The many different types of external references created by

TI
Example SOLIDWORKS are shown in the following graphic. Some of the
references can be linked or embedded.

C
Drawing

U
Fi
le

D
ce Re
ren fe
f e re
e Re
O nc
e
Fil
R
Design
Table
Part
In-Context Reference Assembly
EP

F il
ce

eR
er
ind
ren

efe
B
R

n
efe
sig

re
De
eR

nc
e
Fil
R
FO

Split Part Derived Part Mirror Part

T
O

Library Feature Insert Part

N

13
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Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Opening Files SOLIDWORKS is a RAM-resident CAD system. Whenever a file is

opened, it is copied from its storage location to the computer’s Random
Access Memory or RAM. All changes to the file are made to the copy
in RAM and only written back to the original files during a Save
operation.

Open

N
O
TI
C
RAM

U
Fixed Disk

D
O Save
R
Computer Memory To better understand where files are stored and which copy of the file
we are working on, it is important to differentiate between the two main
EP

types of computer memory.

Random Access Random Access Memory (RAM) is the volatile memory of the
R

Memory computer. This memory only stores information when the computer is
operating. When the computer is turned off, any information in RAM is
lost.
R

Fixed Memory Fixed memory is all the non-volatile memory. This includes the
FO

computer hard drive, floppy disks, zip disks and CDs. Fixed memory
holds its information even when the computer is not running.
T
O
N

14
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

The The SOLIDWORKS user interface is a native Windows interface, and

SOLIDWORKS as such behaves in the same manner as other Windows applications.
User Interface Some of the more important aspects of the interface are identified
below.

Menu Bar Menu Bar pull-downs CommandManager Tabs

FeatureManager

N
design tree
Heads-up
View Toolbar

O
TI
C
Task Pane

U
Graphics Area

D
O
Document Window Reference Triad Status Bar
R
Pull-down Menus The Pull-down menus provide access to many of the commands that
EP

the SOLIDWORKS software offers. Float over the right facing arrow
to access the menus. Click the pushpin to keep the menus open.
R
R

When a menu item has a right-pointing

FO

arrow like this: , it

means that there is a sub-menu associated
with that choice.
T

When a menu item is followed by ellipses

O

like this: , it means

that the option opens a dialog box with
N

additional choices or information.

15
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Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Customizing When the Customize Menu item is selected, each

Pull-down Menus item appears with a check box. Clearing the check
box removes the associated item from the menu.

Using the The CommandManager is a set of icons divided into tabs that are

N
Command geared towards specific tasks. For example, the part version has several
Manager tabs to access commands related to features, sketches, and so on.

O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
Note The CommandManager can be displayed with or without text on the
EP

buttons. These images show the Use Large Buttons with Text option.
Adding and The default settings show five
Removing CommandManager tabs for a part file.
R

CommandManager Others can be added or removed by

Tabs right-clicking on any tab and clicking or
R

clearing the tab by name.

FO

There are different sets of tabs for part,

assembly and drawing files.
T
O
N

16
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

FeatureManager The FeatureManager design FeatureManager Design Tree

Design Tree tree is a unique part of the PropertyManager
ConfigurationManager
SOLIDWORKS software DimXpertManager
that visually displays all the DisplayManager
features in a part or
assembly. As features are
created they are added to the
FeatureManager design tree. Hide/
Show
As a result, the Display
FeatureManager design tree Pane

N
represents the chronological
sequence of modeling

O
operations. The

TI
FeatureManager design tree
also allows access to the

C
editing of the features
(objects) that it contains.

U
Hide/
Show

D
FM

O
Show and Hide Many FeatureManager items (icons and folders) are hidden by default.
R
FeatureManager In the image above, only two folders (Sensors and Annotations) are
Items shown.
EP

Click Tools, Options, System Options, and FeatureManager to

control their visibility using one of the three settings explained below.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

 Automatic - Hide the item when it is empty.

 Hide - Hide the item at all times.
 Show - Show the item at all times.

Tip The CommandManager or PropertyManager can be dragged and

docked on the top, side or outside of the SOLIDWORKS window or to
a different monitor.

17
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Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

PropertyManager Many SOLIDWORKS commands are executed through the

PropertyManager. The PropertyManager occupies the same screen
position as the FeatureManager design tree and replaces it when it is in
use.
The top row buttons contain the OK
standard OK and Cancel Cancel
buttons.
Below the top row of buttons are
one or more Group Boxes that

N
contain related options. They Open and
can be opened (expanded) or Close icon

O
closed (collapsed) and in many
Group Box
cases made active or inactive.

TI
Open and active

C
U
D
O
R
EP

Group Box
Closed and inactive
R

Full Path Name The full path name of the document can be
seen as a tool tip when floating the cursor over
the file name.
R
FO

Selection Selection Breadcrumbs show the

Breadcrumbs hierarchy of objects based on a selected
piece of geometry. For example,
T

selecting a face can lead to a series of

objects including the feature, sold body, component, subassembly, and
O

finally to the top level assembly.

N

It also leads to the sketch of the feature and the mates attached to that
component.
These visual objects can also be used for access. Right-clicking on the
boss feature offers several editing tools including Edit Feature and
Hide.

Note These objects and tools will be discussed in later lessons.

18
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Task Pane The Task Pane window contains the SOLIDWORKS Forum ,
SOLIDWORKS Resources , Design Library , File Explorer
, View Palette , Appearances, Scenes, and Decals and
Custom Properties options. The window appears on the right by
default but it can be moved and resized. It can be opened/closed, tacked
or moved from its default position on the right side of the interface.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

19
Fund3D.book Page 20 Friday, June 10, 2016 11:47 AM

Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Opening Labs with You can open parts and assemblies

the File Explorer required for lab exercises using the File
Explorer.
 Open the Task Pane.
 Click File Explorer .
 Expand the Essentials folder used
for the class files. It should be found
under the SOLIDWORKS Training
Files folder.

N
 Expand the lesson folder
(Lesson01 for example) followed

O
by either the Case Study or
Exercises folder.

TI
 Double-click a part or assembly file
to open it.

C
U
Heads-up View The Heads-up View toolbar is a

D
Toolbar transparent toolbar that contains many
O
common view manipulation commands.
Many of the icons (such as the Hide/
R
Show Items icon shown) are Flyout
Tool buttons that contain other options.
EP

These flyouts contain a small down

arrow to access the other commands.
R
R

Unselectable Icons At times you will notice commands, icons, and menu options that are
FO

grayed out and unselectable. This is because you may not be working in
the proper environment to access those options. For example, if you are
working in a sketch (Edit Sketch mode), you have full access to all the
sketch tools. However, you cannot select the icons such as fillet or
T

chamfer on the Features tab of the CommandManager. This design

O

helps the inexperienced user by limiting the choices to only those that
are appropriate.
N

To Preselect or Not? As a rule, the SOLIDWORKS software does not require you to
preselect objects before opening a menu or dialog box. For example, if
you want to add some fillets to the edges of your model, you have
complete freedom – you can select the edges first and then click the
Fillet tool or you can click the Fillet tool and then select the edges. The
choice is yours.

20
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Mouse Buttons The left, right and middle mouse buttons have distinct meanings in
SOLIDWORKS.
 Left
Select objects such as geometry, menus buttons, and objects in the
FeatureManager design tree.
 Right
Activates a context sensitive shortcut menu. The contents of the menu
differ depending on what object the cursor is over. These menus also
represent shortcuts to frequently used commands.

N
Shortcut Menu At the top of the Shortcut Menu is the
Context Toolbar. It contains some of the most

O
commonly used commands in icon form.

TI
Below it is the pull-down menu. It contains
other commands that are available in the

C
context of the selection, in this example a face.

U
D
O
R
Note The Context toolbar will also become available as you make selections
with the left mouse button. It provides quick access to common
EP

commands.
 Middle
Dynamically rotates, pans or zooms a part or assembly. Pans a drawing.
R

Keyboard Some menu items indicate a keyboard shortcut like this:

Shortcuts
R

SOLIDWORKS conforms to standard Windows conventions for such

FO

shortcuts as Ctrl+O for File, Open; Ctrl+S for File, Save; Ctrl+Z for
Edit, Undo and so on. In addition, you can customize SOLIDWORKS
by creating your own shortcuts.
T

Multiple Monitor SOLIDWORKS can take advantage of multiple monitor displays to

Displays span monitors and to move document windows or menus to a different
O

monitor.
N

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Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Spanning Monitors Click Span Displays on the top bar of the SOLIDWORKS window
to stretch the display across both monitors.

N
O
Fitting to a Monitor Click either Click to Tile Left or Click to Tile Right on the top bar

TI
of a document to fit it to the left or right monitor.

C
U
D
O
R
EP

System Feedback Feedback is provided by a symbol attached to the

Vertex
cursor arrow indicating what you are selecting or
R

what the system is expecting you to select. As the

cursor floats across the model, feedback will come in Edge
R

the form of symbols, riding next to the cursor. The

illustration at the right shows some of the symbols: Face
FO

vertex, edge, face and dimension.

Dimension
T
O
N

22
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 1

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Options Located on the Tools menu, the Options dialog box enables you to
customize the SOLIDWORKS software to reflect such things as your
company’s drafting standards as well as your individual preferences
and work environment.

Tip Use the search bar in the upper right of the Options dialog box to find
system options and document properties. Type the label of the check
box, radio button, or other option to locate the page where the option
resides.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

23
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Lesson 1 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

SOLIDWORKS Basics and the User Interface

Customization You have several levels of customization. They are:

 System options
The options grouped under the heading System Options are saved on
your system and affect every document you open in your
SOLIDWORKS session. System settings allow you to control and
customize your work environment. For example, you might like
working with colored viewport background. I don’t. Since this is a
system setting, parts or assemblies opened on your system would have
a colored viewport. The same files opened on my system would not.

N
 Document properties
These settings are applied to the individual document. For example,

O
units, drafting standards, and material properties (density) are all
document settings. They are saved with the document and do not

TI
change, regardless of whose system the document is opened on.

C
 Document templates
Document templates are pre-defined documents that were set up with

U
certain specific settings. For example, you might want two different
templates for parts. One with English settings such as ANSI drafting

D
standards and inch units, and one with metric settings such as
O
millimeters units and ISO drafting standards. You can set up as many
different document templates as you need. They can be organized into
R
different folders for easy access when opening new documents. You
can create document templates for parts, assemblies, and drawings.
EP

 Object
Many times the properties of an individual object can be changed or
R

edited. For example, you can change the default display of a dimension
to suppress one or both extension lines, or you can change the color of a
feature.
R

Search The Search option can be used to find information from

FO

SOLIDWORKS Help, Commands, Files and Models on your system

by searching for any part of the name (requires Windows Desktop
Search engine), or MySolidWorks information. Search using this
procedure:
T

Choose which type of search you would like to do.

O


 Type a name or partial name into the Search
N

box and click the search icon .

 For my.solidworks.com searches, click
MySolidWorks and one or more sub options.

24
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N
Lesson 2

O
Introduction to Sketching

TI
C
U
D
O
R
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
EP

 Create a new part.

 Insert a new sketch.
R

 Add sketch geometry.

 Establish sketch relations between pieces of geometry.
R

 Understand the state of the sketch.

FO

 Extrude the sketch into a solid.

T
O
N

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

2D Sketching This lesson introduces 2D sketching, the basis of modeling in

SOLIDWORKS.

N
O
Sketches are used for all sketched features in SOLIDWORKS
including:

TI
 Extrusions  Revolves
Sweeps Lofts

C
 

The illustration below shows how a given sketch can form the basis of

U
several different types of features.

D
O
R
EP
R

Extrude Revolve Sweep Loft

In this lesson, only extruded features will be covered. The others will
R

be covered in detail in later lessons or courses.

FO

Stages in the Every sketch has several characteristics that contribute to its shape, size
Process and orientation.
 New part
T

New parts can be created in inch, millimeter or other units. Parts are
used to create and hold the solid model.
O

 Sketches
N

Sketches are collections of 2D geometry that are used to create solid

features.
 Sketch geometry
Types of 2D geometry such as lines, circles and rectangles that make up
the sketch.
 Sketch relations
Geometric relationships such as horizontal and vertical are applied to
the sketch geometry. The relations restrict the movement of the entities.

26
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

 State of the sketch

Each sketch has a status that determines whether it is ready to be used
or not. The state can be fully-, under- or over defined.
 Sketch tools
Tools can be used to modify the sketch geometry that has been created.
This often involves trimming or extending entities.
 Extruding the sketch
Extruding uses the 2D sketch to create a 3D solid feature.
Procedure The process in this lesson includes sketching and extrusions. To begin

N
with, a new part file is created.

O
Introducing: The New tool creates a new SOLIDWORKS document from a
New Part selection of part, assembly or drawing templates. There are several

TI
training templates in addition to the default ones.

C
Where to Find It  Menu Bar: New
Menu: File, New

U

 Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+N

D
1 New part. O
Click New and click the Part_MM template from the Training
R
Templates tab on the New SOLIDWORKS Document dialog box, and
click OK.
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

The part is created with the settings of the template including the units.
This part template uses millimeters as the units. You can create and
save any number of different templates, all with different settings.

27
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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Saving Files Saving files writes the file information in RAM to a location on a fixed
disk. SOLIDWORKS provides three options for saving files. Each has
a different effect on file references.
Save Copy the file in RAM to the fixed disk, leaving the copy in RAM open.
If this file is being referenced by any open SOLIDWORKS files, there
are no changes to the reference.

Where to Find It  Menu Bar: Save

 Menu: File, Save
Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+S

N


Save As Copy the file in RAM to the fixed disk under a new name or file type,

O
replacing the file in RAM with the new file. The old file in RAM is
closed without saving. If this file is being referenced by any open

TI
SOLIDWORKS files, you should update the references to this new file.
Save As Copy to Copy the file in RAM to the fixed disk under a new name or file type,

C
Disk leaving the original in RAM open. If this file is being referenced by any

U
open SOLIDWORKS files, you should not update the references to this
new file.

D
Save As Copy and Copy the file in RAM to the fixed disk under a new name or file type,
Open leaving both the copy and the original open.
O
R
2 Filing a part.
EP

Click Save and file the part under the name Plate. The extension,
*.sldprt, is added automatically. Click Save.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

What are We The first feature of a part will be created in this section. That initial
Going to feature is just the first of many features needed to complete the part.
Sketch?

N
Sketching Sketching is the act of creating a 2D profile comprised of wireframe

O
geometry. Typical geometry types are lines, arcs, circles and ellipses.
Sketching is dynamic, with feedback from the cursor to make it easier.

TI
Default Planes To create a sketch, you must choose a plane on which to sketch. The

C
system provides three initial planes by default. They are Front Plane,
Top Plane, and Right Plane.

U
Introducing: Sketch When creating a new sketch, the Sketch tool opens the sketcher on the

D
currently selected plane or planar face. You also use the Sketch tool to
edit an existing sketch.O
If you have not preselected a face or plane before activating the Sketch
R
tool, the cursor appears indicating that you should select a face or
EP

plane.
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Sketch
 Menu: Insert, Sketch
R

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a plane or planar face and click

Sketch
R
FO
T
O
N

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

3 Open a new sketch.

Click . This will show all
three default planes for
selection in a Trimetric
orientation. A Trimetric
orientation is a pictorial view
that is oriented so the three
mutually perpendicular planes
appear unequally

N
foreshortened.

O
From the screen, choose the
Front Plane. The plane will highlight and rotate.

TI
Note The Reference Triad (lower left corner) shows the orientation

C
of the model coordinate axes (red-X, green-Y and blue-Z) at all
times. It can help show how the view orientation has been

U
changed relative to the Front Plane.

D
4 Sketch active.
The selected Front Plane O
rotates so it is parallel to the
R
screen.
EP

The symbol represents

the sketch origin. It is
displayed in the color red,
R

indicating that it is active.

R

Introducing: When many SOLIDWORKS commands are active, a symbol or a set of

FO

Confirmation Corner symbols appears in the upper right corner of the graphics area. This
area is called the Confirmation Corner.
Sketch Indicator When a sketch is active, or open, the Confirmation Corner
T

displays two symbols. One looks like a sketch. The other is a

red X. These symbols provide a visual reminder that you are
O

active in a sketch. Clicking the sketch symbol exits the sketch and saves
any changes. Clicking the red X exits the sketch and discards any
N

changes.
When other commands are active, the confirmation corner
displays a check mark and an X. The check mark executes the
current command. The X cancels the command.
Press the D key to move the confirmation corner to the pointer
location.

30
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Sketch Entities SOLIDWORKS offers a rich variety of sketch tools for creating profile
geometry. In this lesson, only one of the most basic shapes will be used:
Lines.
Sketch Geometry The following chart lists some of the sketch entities that are available:

Sketch Entity Button Geometry Example

Line

N
Circle

O
Perimeter Circle

TI
Centerpoint Arc

C
U
Tangent Arc

D
3 Point Arc

Ellipse
O
R
EP

Partial Ellipse
R

Parabola
R
FO

Spline
T

Straight Slot
O

Centerpoint
N

Straight Slot
3 Point Arc Slot

Centerpoint Arc
Slot
Polygon

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Sketch Entity Button Geometry Example

Corner Rectangle

Center Rectangle
(Construction
geometry can be
added to any type)

N
3 Point Corner
Rectangle

O
3 Point Center

TI
Rectangle

C
Parallelogram

U
D
Point

Centerline
O
R
EP

Basic Sketching The best way to begin sketching is by using the most fundamental
shape, the Line.
R

The Mechanics of To sketch geometry, there are two techniques that can be used:
Sketching Click-Click
R


Position the cursor where you want the line to start. Click (press
FO

and release) the left mouse button. Move the cursor to where you
want the line to end. A preview of the sketch entity will follow the
cursor like a rubber band. Click the left mouse button a second
time. Additional clicks create a series of connected lines.
T

 Click-Drag
O

Position the cursor where you want the line to start. Press and hold
the left mouse button. Drag the cursor to where you want the sketch
N

entity to end. A preview of the sketch entity will follow the cursor
like a rubber band. Release the left mouse button.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Introducing: The Line tool creates single line segments in a sketch. Horizontal and
Insert Line vertical lines can be created while sketching by watching for the
feedback symbols on the cursor.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Line

 Menu: Tools, Sketch Entities, Line
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click Line
Introducing: Sketch Sketch Relations are used to force a behavior on a sketch element
Relations thereby capturing design intent. They will be discussed in detail in
Sketch Relations on page 39.

N
O
5 Sketch a line.

TI
Click Line and sketch a horizontal line
from the origin. The symbol appears at

C
the cursor, indicating that a Horizontal
relation will be automatically added to the

U
line. The number indicates the length of the line. Click again to end the
line.

D
Important!
O
Do not be too concerned with making the line the exact length.
SOLIDWORKS software is dimension driven – the dimensions control
R
the size of the geometry, not the other way around. Make the sketch
approximately the right size and shape and then use dimensions to
EP

make it exact.
6 Line at angle.
R

Starting at the end of the first line,

sketch a line at an angle.
R
FO

Inference Lines In addition to the and symbols, dashed inference lines will also
T

(Automatic appear to help you “line up” with existing geometry. These lines
Relations)
O

include existing line vectors, normals, horizontals, verticals, tangents

and centers.
N

33
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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Note that some lines capture actual

geometric relations, while others
simply act as a guide or reference
when sketching. A difference in the
color of the inference lines will
distinguish them. In the picture at the
right, the lines labeled “A” are
B A
yellow, and if the sketch line snaps to
them, a tangent or perpendicular
relationship will be captured.

N
The line labeled “B” is blue. It only provides a reference, in this case

O
vertical, to the other endpoint. If the sketch line is ended at this point,
no vertical relation will be captured.

TI
Note The display of Sketch Relations that appears automatically can be

C
toggled on and off using View, Sketch Relations. It will remain on
during the initial phase of sketching.

U
D
7 Inference lines.
Create a line moving in a direction per-
O
pendicular to the previous line. This
R
causes inference lines to be displayed
while sketching. A Perpendicular rela-
EP

tion is created between this line and the

last one.
The cursor symbol indicates that you
R

are capturing a perpendicular relation.

R

8 Perpendicular.
Create another perpendicular line from
FO

the last endpoint, again capturing a

perpendicular relation.
T
O

9 Reference.
N

Create a horizontal line from the last

endpoint. Blue inferences are strictly for
reference and do not create relations.
They are displayed in blue. This
reference is used to align the endpoint
vertically with the origin.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

10 Close.
Close the sketch with a final line
connected to the starting point of the
first line.

N
Sketch Feedback The sketcher has many
feedback features. The

O
cursor will change to
show what type of entity

TI
is being created. It will
also indicate what selections on the existing geometry, such as end,

C
coincident (on) or midpoint, are available using an orange dot when the

U
cursor is on it.

D
Three of the most common feedback symbols are:
Symbol Icon
O Description
Endpoint Yellow concentric circles
R
appear at the Endpoint
EP

when the cursor is over it.

Midpoint The Midpoint appears as a
yellow square. It changes
R

to orange when the cursor

hovers over the line.
R

Coincident The quadrant points of the

FO

(On Edge) circle appear with a

concentric circle over the
centerpoint.
T

Turning Off Tools Turn off the active tool using one of these techniques:
O

 Menu Bar: Select

N

 CommandManager: Click the active tool to toggle the tool off

 Keyboard Shortcut: Esc

11 Turn off the tool.

Press the Esc key on the keyboard to turn off the line tool.

35
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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Status of a Sketch Sketches can be in one of five definition states at any time. The status
of a sketch depends on geometric relations between geometry and the
dimensions that define it. The three most common states are:
Under Defined The sketch is inadequately defined, but the sketch can still be used to
create features. This is good because many times in the early stages of
the design process, there isn’t sufficient information to fully define the
sketch. When more information becomes available, the remaining
definition can be added at a later time. Under defined sketch geometry
is blue (by default).

N
Fully Defined The sketch has all the information necessary to fully describe the
geometry. Fully defined geometry is black (by default). As a general

O
rule, when a part is released to manufacturing, the sketches within it
should be fully defined.

TI
Over Defined The sketch has duplicate dimensions or conflicting relations and it

C
should not be used until repaired. Extraneous dimensions and relations
should be deleted. Over defined geometry is red (by default).

U
Note The two other states are No Solution Found and Invalid Solution

D
Found. They both indicate that there are errors that must be repaired.
Rules That
O
Different types of sketches will yield different results. Several different
Govern types are summarized in the table below. It is important to note that
R
Sketches some of the techniques shown in the table below are advanced
EP

techniques that are covered either later in this course, or in other

advanced courses.
R

Sketch Type Description Special Considerations

A typical “standard” None required.
R

sketch that is a neatly

closed contour.
FO
T

Multiple nested None required.

contours creates a boss
O

with an internal cut.

N

Open contour creates a None required.

thin feature with
constant thickness.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Corners are not neatly Use the Contour Select Tool.

closed. They should be. Although this sketch will work, it
represents poor technique and sloppy
work habits. Do not do it.

Sketch contains a self- Use the Contour Select Tool. If both con-
intersecting contour. tours are selected, this type of sketch will
create a Multibody Solid. See Multibody

N
Solids in the Advanced Part Modeling
course.

O
Although this will work, multibodies are
an advanced modeling technique that you

TI
should not use until you have more
experience.

C
The sketch contains This type of sketch can create a Multibody

U
disjoint contours. Solid. See Multibody Solids in the

D
Advanced Part Modeling course.
O Although this will work, multibodies are
an advanced modeling technique that you
should not use until you have more
R
experience.
EP

12 Current sketch status.

R

The sketch is Under Defined

because some of the geometry is
blue. Note that endpoints of a line
R

can be a different color and

FO

different state than the line itself.

For example, the vertical line at the
origin is black because it is (a)
vertical, and (b) attached to the
T

origin. However, the uppermost

O

endpoint is blue because the length of the line is under defined.

13 Dragging.
N

Under defined geometry (blue) can be

dragged to new locations. Fully defined
geometry cannot. Drag the uppermost
endpoint to change the shape of the
sketch. The dragged endpoint appears as
a green dot.
14 Undo the change.
Undo the last command by clicking the

37
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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Undo option. You can see (and select from) a list of the last few
commands by clicking the down arrow menu. The keyboard shortcut
for Undo is Ctrl+Z.

Tip You can also Redo a change, which reverts it back to the state prior
to undo. The shortcut for redo is Ctrl+Y.

Design Intent The design intent, as discussed earlier, governs how the part is built and
how it will change. In this example, the sketch shape must be allowed

N
to change in these ways:

O
TI
C
U
What Controls Design intent in a sketch is captured and controlled by a combination of

D
Design Intent? two things: O
 Sketch relations
Create geometric relationships such as parallel, collinear,
R
perpendicular, or coincident between sketch elements.
EP

 Dimensions
Dimensions are used to define the size and location of the sketch
geometry. Linear, radial, diameter and angular dimensions can be
R

added.
To fully define a sketch and capture the desired design intent requires
R

understanding and applying a combination of relations and dimensions.

Desired Design
FO

In order for the sketch to change properly, the correct relations and
Intent dimensions are required. The required design intent is listed below:
Horizontal and vertical
lines.
T
O
N

Angle value.

38
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Parallel Distance value.

Right-angle corners, or
perpendicular lines.

N
O
TI
Overall length value.

C
U
D
O
Sketch Sketch Relations are used to force a behavior on a sketch element
R
Relations thereby capturing design intent. Some are automatic, others can be
added as needed. In this example, we will look at the relations on one
EP

of the lines and examine how they affect the design intent of the sketch.
Automatic Sketch Automatic relations are added as geometry is sketched. We saw this as
R

Relations we sketched the outline in the previous steps. Sketch feedback tells you
when automatic relations are being created.
R

Added Sketch For those relations that cannot be added automatically, tools exist to
Relations create relations based on selected geometry.
FO

Introducing: Display/Delete Relations shows the relations in a sketch. It also

Display/Delete enables you to remove relations or add new ones.
Relations
T

Where to Find It CommandManager: Sketch > Display/Delete Relations

O


 Menu: Tools, Relations, Display/Delete
Properties PropertyManager: Add Relations
N

39
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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

15 Display the relations associated with a line.

Click the uppermost angled line and the
PropertyManager opens. The Existing Relations
box in the PropertyManager lists the geometric
relations that are associated with the selected line.

N
O
TI
C
Tip The relations are visible because View, Sketch Relations is turned on.
If it is turned off, clicking the geometry will show the relations and

U
open the PropertyManager.

D
16 Remove the relation.
Remove the uppermost relation by clicking
O
the relation, either the symbol or in the
PropertyManager, and pressing the Delete
R
key. If the symbol is selected, it changes
EP

color and displays the entities it controls.

R

17 Drag the endpoint.

Because the line is no longer constrained to
R

be perpendicular, the sketch will behave

differently when you drag it. Compare this to
FO

how the sketch behaved when you dragged it

in step 13.
T
O
N

40
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Examples of There are many types of Sketch Relations. Which ones are valid
Sketch Relations depends on the combination of geometry that you select. Selections can
be the entity itself, endpoints or a combination. Depending on the
selection, a limited set of options is made available. The following
chart shows some examples of sketch relations. This is not a complete
list of all geometric relations. Additional examples will be introduced
throughout this course.

Relation Before After

N
Coincident between
a line and an

O
endpoint.

TI
C
U
Merge between two
endpoints.

D
O
R
EP

Parallel between
two or more lines.
R
R
FO

Perpendicular
between two lines.
T
O
N

Collinear between
two or more lines.

41
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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Relation Before After

Horizontal applied
to one or more lines.

N
Horizontal between
two or more

O
endpoints.

TI
C
U
Vertical applied to
one or more lines.

D
O
R
EP

Vertical between
R

two or more
endpoints.
R
FO

Equal between two

T

or more lines.
O
N

Equal between two

or more arcs or
circles.

42
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Relation Before After

Midpoint between a
line and an endpoint.

N
Tangent between a

O
line and an arc/circle

TI
or two arc/circles.

C
U
Tangent between a
line and an arc using

D
the common
endpoint. O
R
Introducing: Add Add Relations is used to create a geometric relationship such as
EP

Relations parallel or collinear between sketch elements.

Where to Find It CommandManager: Sketch > Display/Delete Relations

R

> Add Relation

Menu: Tools, Relations, Add
R


 Shortcut Menu: Select one or more sketch objects and click a
FO

relation
Selecting Multiple As you learned in a previous lesson, you select objects with the left
Objects mouse button. What about when you need to select more than one
object at a time? When selecting multiple objects, SOLIDWORKS
T

follows standard Microsoft® Windows conventions: hold down the Ctrl

O

key while selecting the objects.

N

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

18 Add a relation.
Hold down Ctrl and click the two lines. The
context menu shows only those relations that
are valid for the geometry selected. Click
Make Perpendicular.

N
19 Drag the sketch.
Drag the sketch back into

O
approximately its original shape.

TI
C
U
D
Dimensions
O
Dimensions are another way to define geometry and capture design
R
intent in the SOLIDWORKS system. The advantage of using a
dimension is that it is used to both display the current value and change
EP

it.
Introducing: The Smart Dimension tool determines the proper type of dimension
Smart Dimensions based on the geometry chosen, previewing the dimension before
R

creating it. For example, if you pick an arc the system will create a
radial dimension. If you pick a circle, you will get a diameter
R

dimension, while selecting two parallel lines will create a linear

dimension between them. In cases where the Smart Dimension tool
FO

isn’t quite smart enough, you have the option of selecting endpoints
and moving the dimension to different measurement positions.
T

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Smart Dimension

 Menu: Tools, Dimensions, Smart
O

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click Smart

N

Dimension
Dimensioning: As you select sketch geometry with the dimension tool, the system
Selection and creates a preview of the dimension. The preview enables you to see all
Preview the possible options by simply moving the mouse after making the
selections. Clicking the left mouse button places the dimension in its
current position and orientation. Clicking the right mouse button
locks only the orientation, allowing you to move the text before final
placement by clicking the left mouse button.

44
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

With the dimension tool and two endpoints selected, below are three
possible orientations for a linear dimension. The value is derived from
the initial point to point distance and may change based on the
orientation selected.

Endpoints

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
Note The Smart Dimension tool can also be used post-selection. Select one
R
line or two, and click .
EP

20 Adding a linear dimension.

R

Click Smart Dimension and

click the line shown and right-click
R

to lock in the orientation. Click

again to place the text as shown.
FO

The dimension appears with a

Modify tool displaying the current
length of the line. The thumbwheel
is used to incrementally increase/
T

decrease the value using the

O

middle mouse button. Or with the text highlighted, you can type a new
value to change it directly.
N

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Note A midpoint location can be inadvertently selected

instead of the geometry itself. To avoid this, select the
geometry slightly off center.

N
The Modify Tool The modify tool that appears when you create
or edit a dimension (parameter) has several

O
options. The options available to you are:

TI
Dial the value up or down.

C
Save the current value and exit the dialog box.

U
Restore the original value and exit the dialog box.

D
Rebuild the model with the current value.
O
Reverse the sense of the dimension.
R
Change the thumbwheel increment value.
EP

Mark the dimension for drawing import.

Note The dimension name can be changed in the upper section of the dialog
R

box.
Units in the Modify Units different from the part units can be
R

Tool selected for the input. When typing the

value, select the Units > menu and select
FO

input units.
T
O
N

Note Unit abbreviations and fractions can also be typed into the value field
after the numeric value (for instance 0.375in or 3/8”).

46
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

21 Set the value.

Change the value to 20 and click
the Save option. The
dimension forces the length of the
line to be 20mm.

N
O
Tip Pressing Enter has the same effect as clicking the Save button.

TI
22 Linear dimensions.
Add additional linear dimensions to

C
the sketch as shown.

U
Dimensioning Tip When you dimension a sketch, start
with the smallest dimension first, and

D
work your way to the largest.
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Angular Angular dimensions can be created using the same dimension tool used
Dimensions to create linear, diameter and radial dimensions. Select either two lines
that are both non-collinear and non-parallel, or select three non-
collinear endpoints.
Depending on where you place the angular dimension, you can get the
interior or exterior angle, the acute angle, or the oblique angle. Possible
placement options:

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R

23 Angular dimension.
FO

Using the dimension tool, create

the angular dimension shown and
set the value to 125°.
T

The sketch is fully defined. See

O

Fully Defined on page 36.

N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Instant 2D Instant 2D can be used to manipulate sketch dimensions, dynamically

changing the values using a graphic Ruler.

Note The ruler is displayed to guide the drag. Moving closer to the ruler
gradients allows you to snap to them.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Instant 2D

24 Select dimension.
The Instant 2D tool is on by default. Select the 125° dimension.

N
Click and hold the round ball handle at the tip of the arrow.

O
The value of the dimension, and the geometry, changes dynamically as

TI
the handle is dragged.
Drag the value to 135° using the ruler.

C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

Extrude Once the sketch is completed, it can be extruded to create the first
feature. There are many options for extruding a sketch including the
start and end conditions, draft and depth of extrusion, which will be
discussed in more detail in later lessons. Typically, extrusions take
T

place in a direction normal to the sketch plane, in this case the Front
O

plane.
N

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Extruded Boss/Base

 Menu: Insert, Boss/Base, Extrude

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

25 Extrude.
Click Extruded
Boss/Base .
On the Features
CommandManager tab, the
options for other methods of
creating features are listed along
with Extrude and Revolve. They

N
are unavailable because this
sketch does not meet the

O
conditions necessary for creating
these types of features. For

TI
example, a Sweep feature
requires both profile and path sketches. Since there is only one sketch

C
at this time, the Sweep option is unavailable.

U
The view automatically changes to Trimetric and a preview of the
feature is shown at the default depth.

D
Drag Handles and Handles
O
appear that can be
Rulers used to drag the preview to the
R
desired depth. The handles are
EP

colored for the active direction

and gray for inactive direction. A
callout shows the current depth
R

value and a ruler.

R
FO
T

26 Extrude Feature settings.

Change the settings as shown.
O

 End Condition = Blind

N

 (Depth) = 6mm
Click OK to create the feature.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 2

Introduction to Sketching

Tip The OK button is just one way to accept and complete the process.
A second is to press the
Enter key.
A third method is the set of OK/Cancel buttons in the
Confirmation Corner of the graphics area, or press the D key
to bring it to the cursor.

A fourth method is to right-click and click OK

N
from the shortcut menu.

O
TI
C
27 Completed feature.

U
The completed feature is the first solid,

D
or feature of the part. The sketch is
absorbed into the Extrude1 feature.
O
R
EP

Note Click the preceding the feature name to expand

the feature and show the sketch.
R
R

28 Save and close.

FO

Click Save then click File, Close to close the part.

T
O
N

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Lesson 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Introduction to Sketching

Sketching Following is a collection of “rules of thumb” or best practices for

Guidelines† sketching of which all SOLIDWORKS users should be aware. Some of
these tips are covered in substantial detail in subsequent lessons within
this book.
 Keep your sketches simple. Simple sketches are easier to edit, less
likely to develop errors, and help with downstream features such as
configurations.
 Make use of the origin in your first sketch.
The first sketch of a new part should represent the main profile of

N

the part.

O
 Create sketch geometry first, add geometric relationships second,
and then add your dimensions last. Dimensions can sometimes

TI
interfere with the addition of required relations.

C
 Use geometric relations wherever possible to maintain design
intent.

U
 Draw the sketch to approximately the right scale to prevent errors

D
or geometry overlap when you start adding dimensions.

O
Add or edit dimensions on the closest / smallest geometry first, then
work your way to the outer / larger geometry to prevent geometry
R
overlap.
EP
R
R
FO

 Use relations, equations, and global variables to reduce the number

of independent dimensions needed.
T

Take advantage of symmetry. Use the Mirror or Dynamic Mirror

O


sketch tool to mirror sketch elements and add symmetrical
N

relations.
 Be flexible. It may be necessary to change the order in which
you’re adding dimensions or relations. Drag the sketch geometry
closer to the required location before adding dimensions.
 Fix errors as they occur. Use SketchXpert and Check Sketch for
Feature which can quickly help you identify problems and correct
them.
†
Thanks to Joe Medeiros, Javelin Technologies.

52
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 1

Sketch and Extrude 1

Exercise 1: Create this part using the information and

Sketch and dimensions provided. Sketch and extrude
Extrude 1 profiles to create this part.
This lab reinforces the following skills:
 Introducing: New Part on page 27.
 Sketching on page 29.
 Inference Lines (Automatic
Relations) on page 33.
 Dimensions on page 44.

N
 Extrude on page 49.

O
Units: millimeters
1 New part.

TI
Create a new part using the Part_MM template.

C
2 Sketch.
Create this sketch on the Front Plane using lines, automatic relations

U
and dimensions.

D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

3 Extrude.
Extrude the sketch 50mm in
depth.
T
O
N

4 Save and close the part.

53
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Exercise 2 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Sketch and Extrude 2

Exercise 2: Create this part using the information and

Sketch and dimensions provided. Sketch and extrude
Extrude 2 profiles to create the part.
This lab reinforces the following skills:
 Introducing: New Part on page 27.
 Sketching on page 29.
 Inference Lines (Automatic Relations) on
page 33.
 Dimensions on page 44.

N
 Extrude on page 49.

O
Units: millimeters
1 New part.

TI
Create a new part using the Part_MM template.

C
2 Sketch.
Create this sketch on the

U
Front Plane using lines,
automatic relations and

D
dimensions. O
Fully define the sketch.
R
EP

3 Extrude.
Extrude the sketch 25mm in
R

depth.
R
FO
T

4 Save and close the part.

O
N

54
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 3

Sketch and Extrude 3

Exercise 3: Create this part using the information and

Sketch and dimensions provided. Sketch and extrude
Extrude 3 profiles to create the part.
This lab reinforces the following skills:
 Introducing: New Part on page 27.
 Sketching on page 29.
 Inference Lines (Automatic Relations)
on page 33.
 Dimensions on page 44.

N
 Extrude on page 49.

O
Units: millimeters
1 New part.

TI
Create a new part using the Part_MM template.

C
2 Automatic relations.
Create this sketch on the Front Plane using lines and automatic

U
relations. Show the Perpendicular and Vertical relations.

D
O
R
EP

3 Dimensions.
Add dimensions to fully define
R

the sketch.
R
FO
T

4 Extrude.
O

Extrude the sketch 12mm.

N

5 Save and close the part.

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Exercise 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Sketch and Extrude 3

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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N
Lesson 3

O
Basic Part Modeling

TI
C
U
D
O
R
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
EP

 Choose the best profile for sketching.

 Choose the proper sketch plane.
R

 Extrude a sketch as a cut.

 Create Hole Wizard holes.
R

 Insert fillets on a solid.

FO

 Use the editing tools Edit Sketch, Edit Feature and Rollback.
 Make a basic drawing of a part.
 Make a change to a dimension.
T

 Demonstrate the associativity between the model and its drawings.

O
N

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

Basic Modeling This lesson discusses the

considerations that you
make before creating a
part, and shows the
process of creating a
simple one.

N
O
Stages in the The steps in planning and executing the creation of this part are listed
Process below.

TI
 Terminology

C
What are the terms commonly used when talking about modeling and
using the SOLIDWORKS software?

U
 Profile choice

D
Which profile is the best one to choose when starting the modeling
process? O
 Sketch plane choice
R
Once you’ve chosen the best profile, how does this affect your choice
of sketch plane?
EP

 Design intent
What is design intent and how does it affect the modeling process?
R

 New part
Opening the new part is the first step.
R

 First feature
What is the first feature?
FO

 Bosses, cuts and hole features

How do you modify the first feature by adding bosses, cuts and holes?
 Fillets
T

Rounding off the sharp corners – filleting.

O

 Editing tools
Use three of the most common editing tools.
N

 Drawings
Creating a drawing sheet and drawing views of the model.
 Dimension changes
Making a change to a dimension changes the model’s geometry. How
does this happen?

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 3

Basic Part Modeling

Terminology Moving to 3D requires some new terminology. The SOLIDWORKS

software employs many terms that you will become familiar with
through using the product. Many are terms that you will recognize from
design and manufacturing such as cuts and bosses.
Feature All cuts, bosses, planes and sketches that you create are considered
Features. Sketched features are those based on sketches (boss and cut),
and applied features are applied directly to existing geometry (fillet).
Plane Planes are flat and infinite. They are represented on the screen with
visible edges. They are used as the primary sketch surface for creating

N
boss and cut features.

O
Extrusion Although there are many ways
to create features and shape the

TI
solid, for this lesson, only
extrusions will be discussed.

C
An extrusion will extend a
profile along a path typically

U
normal to the profile plane for

D
some distance. The movement
along that path becomes the solid model.
O
Sketch In the SOLIDWORKS system, the name used to
R
describe a 2D profile is sketch. Sketches are created
on flat faces and planes within the model. They are
EP

generally used as the basis for bosses and cuts,

although they can exist independently.
R

Boss Bosses are used to add material to the model. The critical initial feature
R

is always a boss. After the first feature, you may add as many bosses as
needed to complete the design. As with the base, all bosses begin with a
FO

sketch.
Cut A Cut is used to remove material from the model. This is the opposite
of the boss. Like the boss, cuts begin as 2D sketches and remove
T

material by extrusion, revolution, or other methods you will learn

O

about.
Fillets and Rounds Fillets and rounds are generally added to the solid, not the sketch. By
N

nature of the faces adjacent to the selected edge, the system knows
whether to create a round (removing material) or a fillet (adding
material).
Design Intent How the model should be created and changed, is considered the design
intent. Relationships between features and the sequence of their
creation all contribute to design intent.

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

Choosing the Choose the “best” profile for the model's base feature. This profile,
Best Profile when extruded, will generate more of the model than any other. Look at
these models as examples.

Part Best Profile Extruded

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 3

Basic Part Modeling

Choosing the Once the best profile is determined, the next step is to decide which
Sketch Plane view to use and select the plane with the same name for sketching it.
The SOLIDWORKS software provides three planes; they are described
below.
Planes There are three default planes, labeled Front Plane, Top Plane and
Right Plane. Each plane is infinite, but has screen borders for viewing
and selection. Also, each plane passes through the origin and is
mutually perpendicular to the others.
The planes can be renamed. In this course the names Front Plane, Top

N
Plane and Right Plane are used. This naming convention is used in
other CAD systems and is comfortable to many users.

O
Although the planes

TI
are infinite, it may be
easier to think of them

C
as forming an open
box, connecting at the

U
origin. Using this

D
analogy, the inner
faces of the box are the O
potential sketch
planes.
R
EP

Placement of the The part will be placed into the box three times. Each time the best
Model profile will contact or be parallel to one of the three planes. Although
there are many combinations, the choices are limited to three for this
R

exercise.
When choosing the sketch plane, consider the part's appearance and its
R

orientation in an assembly. The appearance dictates how the part will

be oriented in standard views such as the Isometric. It also determines
FO

how you will spend most of your time looking at the model as you
create it.
The part's orientation in an assembly dictates how it is to be positioned
T

with respect to other, mating parts.

O

Orient the Model for Another consideration when deciding which sketch plane to use is how
the Drawing you want the model to appear on the drawing when you detail it. You
N

should build the model so that the front of the model is the same as the
Front view in the drawing. This saves time during the detailing process
because you can use predefined views.

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

In the first example, the best Right Plane Front Plane

profile is in contact with the Top
plane.

N
Top Plane

O
In the second example, it is Right Plane Front Plane
contacting the Front plane.

TI
C
U
D
O Top Plane
R
The last example shows the best Right Plane Front Plane
EP

profile in contact with the Right

plane.
Chosen Plane The Top plane orientation seems
R

to be the best. This indicates that

the best profile should be
R

sketched on the Top plane of the

model.
FO

Top Plane
T

How it Looks on the By giving careful thought to

O

Drawing which plane is used to

sketch the profile, the
N

proper views are easily

generated on the detail
drawing.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 3

Basic Part Modeling

Details of the The part we will be creating is shown below. There are two main boss
Part features, some cuts, and fillets.

N
O
Standard Views The part is shown here in four standard views.

TI
C
U
D
O
Main Bosses The two main bosses have distinct
R
profiles in different planes. They
EP

are connected as shown in the

exploded view at right.
R
R
FO
T
O

Best Profile The first feature of the model

is created from the
N

rectangular sketch shown

overlaid on the model. This is
the best profile to begin the
model.
The rectangle will then be
extruded as a boss to create
the solid feature.

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

Sketch Plane Placing the model “in the box” determines which plane should be used
to sketch on. In this case it will be the Top plane.

N
O
TI
Sketch Plane

C
Design Intent The design intent of this part describes how the part’s relationships
should or should not be created. As changes to the model are made, the

U
model will behave as intended.

D
 All holes are through holes.

tab.
O
The slot is aligned with the
R
 The counterbored hole in the
EP

front shares the same center

point as the rounded face of
the tab.
R

Procedure The modeling process includes sketching and creating bosses, cuts and
R

fillets. To begin with, a new part file is created.

FO

1 New part.
Click New , or click File, New. Create a new part using the
Part_MM template and Save it as Basic.
2 Select the sketch plane.
T

Insert a new sketch and choose

O

the Top Plane.

N

Tip A plane doesn’t have to be shown

in order to be used; it can be
selected from the
FeatureManager design tree.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 3

Basic Part Modeling

Sketching the First Create the first feature by extruding a sketch into a boss. The first
Feature feature is always a boss, and it is the first solid feature created in any
part. Begin with the sketch geometry, a rectangle.
Introducing: Corner Rectangle is used to create a rectangle in a sketch. The
Corner Rectangle rectangle is comprised of four lines (two horizontal and two vertical)
connected at the corners. It is sketched by indicating the locations of
two diagonal corners. There are several other rectangle/parallelogram
tools available:
 Center Rectangle - Uses a center point and corner to create a

N
rectangle with horizontal and vertical lines.
- Creates a rectangle based on a

O
 3 Point Center Rectangle
center point, midpoint of edge and corner. Lines are perpendicular

TI
at corners.
 3 Point Corner Rectangle - Uses three corners to define a

C
rectangle. Lines are perpendicular at corners.

U
 Parallelogram - Uses three corners to define a parallelogram
(corners are not perpendicular).

D
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Corner Rectangle
O
 Menu: Tools, Sketch Entities, Corner Rectangle
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click Corner
R
Rectangle
EP

3 Sketch a rectangle.
Click Corner Rectangle and
R

begin the rectangle at the origin.

R

Make sure the rectangle is locked to the origin by looking for

FO

the coincident icon next to the cursor as you begin sketching.

Do not worry about the size of the rectangle. Dimensioning it
will take care of that in the next step.
T

4 Fully defined sketch.

Add dimensions to the sketch.
O

The sketch is fully defined.

N

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

Extrude Options An explanation of some of the more frequently used Extrude options is
given below (see Extrude on page 49). Other options will be discussed
in later lessons.
 End Condition Type
A sketch can be extruded in one or two directions. Either or both
directions can terminate at some blind depth, up to some geometry in
the model, or extend through the whole model.
 Depth
The distance for a blind or mid-plane extrusion. For mid-plane, it refers
to the total depth of the extrusion. That would mean that a depth of

N
50mm for a mid-plane extrusion would result in 25mm on each side of

O
the sketch plane.
Draft

TI

Applies draft to the extrusion. Draft on the extrusion can be inwards
(the profile gets smaller as it extrudes) or outward.

C
U
5 Extrude.
Click Extrude and extrude

D
the rectangle 10mm upwards.
O
Click OK.
R
EP

The completed feature is shown

here.
R
R

Renaming Any feature that appears in the FeatureManager design tree (aside from
FO

Features the part itself) can be renamed using the procedure below. Renaming
features is a useful technique for finding and editing features in later
stages of the model. Well chosen, logical names help you to organize
your work and make it easier when someone else has to edit or modify
T

your model.
O

6 Rename the feature.

It is good practice to rename important features that you create with
N

some meaningful name. In the FeatureManager design tree, use a very

slow double-click to edit the feature Boss-Extrude1. When the name
is highlighted and editable, type BasePlate as the new feature name.
All features in the SOLIDWORKS system can be edited in the same
way.
Tip Instead of using a slow double-click to edit the name, you can select the
name and press F2.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 3

Basic Part Modeling

Boss Feature The next feature will be the boss

with a curved top. The sketch
plane for this feature will be a
planar face of the model instead
of an existing plane. The required
sketch geometry is shown
overlaid on the finished model.

N
Sketching on a Any planar (flat) face of the model can be used as a sketch plane.
Planar Face

O
Simply select the face and click Sketch . Where faces are difficult
to select because they are obscured by other faces, the Select Other

TI
tool can be used to choose a face without reorienting the view. In this
case, the planar face on the front of the BasePlate is used.

C
U
7 Insert new sketch.
Select the indicated face and click

D
Sketch .
O
R
Sketch Plane
EP

Note Make sure that Features > Instant 3D is turned off. Leaving it on
will cause several handles and axes that we are not currently using to
appear on the face.
R

Sketching SOLIDWORKS offers a rich variety of sketch tools for creating profile
R

geometry. In this example, Tangent Arc is used to create an arc that

FO

begins tangent to a selected endpoint on the sketch. Its other endpoint

can be placed in space or on another sketch entity.
Introducing: Tangent Arc is used to create tangent arcs in a sketch. The arc must be
Tangent Arc tangent to some other entity, line or arc, at its start.
T
O

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Arc > Tangent Arc

 Menu: Tools, Sketch Entities, Tangent Arc
N

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click Tangent

Arc

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

Tangent Arc Intent When you sketch a tangent arc, the

Zones SOLIDWORKS software infers
from the motion of the cursor
whether you want a tangent or
normal arc. There are four intent
zones, with eight possible results as
shown.
You can start sketching a tangent
arc from the end point of any existing sketch entity (line, arc, spline,
and so on). Move the cursor away from the end point.

N
Moving the cursor in a tangent direction creates one of the four

O

tangent arc possibilities.

TI
 Moving the cursor in a normal direction creates on of the four
normal arc possibilities.

C
 A preview shows what type of arc you are sketching.

U
 You can change from one type of tangent arc to the other by
returning the cursor to the endpoint and moving away in a different

D
direction. O
Autotransitioning When using Line , you can switch from sketching a line to sketching
Between Lines and
R
a tangent arc, and back again, without clicking Tangent Arc . You
Arcs can do this by returning the cursor to the endpoint and moving away in
EP

a different direction or by pressing the A key on the keyboard.

8 Vertical line.
R

Click Line and start the vertical

line at the lower edge capturing a
R

Coincident relation at the lower

FO

edge and Vertical relation .

9 Autotransition.
T

Move the cursor back to the endpoint and move away in a different
direction.You are now in tangent arc mode.
O

10 Tangent arc.
N

Sketch a 180° arc tangent to the

vertical line. Look for the inference
line indicating that the end point of
the arc is aligned horizontally with
the arc’s center.
When you finish sketching the
tangent arc, the sketch tool
automatically switches back to the line tool.

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11 Finishing lines.
Create a vertical line from the arc
end to the base, and one more line
connecting the bottom ends of the
two vertical lines.
Note that the horizontal line is black,
but its endpoints are not.

12 Add dimensions.
Add linear and radial

N
dimensions to the sketch.

O
As you add the dimensions,
move the cursor around to view

TI
different possible orientations.

C
U
Always dimension to an arc by selecting on its circumference, rather

D
than center. This makes other dimensioning options (min and max)
available.
O
13 Extrude direction.
R
Click Extrude and set the
EP

Depth to 10mm. Note that the

preview shows the extrusion
going into the base, in the
R

proper direction.
R
FO

If the direction of the preview is away from the base, click Reverse
Direction .
14 Completed boss.
T

The boss merges with the previous

O

base to form a single solid.

Rename the feature VertBoss.
N

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Cut Feature Once the two main boss features are completed, it is time to create a cut
to represent the removal of material. Cut features are created in the
same way as bosses - in this case with a sketch and extrusion.
Introducing: The menu for creating a cut feature by extruding is identical to that of
Cut Extrude creating a boss. The only difference is that a cut removes material while
a boss adds it. Other than that distinction, the commands are the same.
This cut represents a slot.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Extruded Cut

N
 Menu: Insert, Cut, Extrude

O
15 Rectangle.
Press Space bar and click

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Front . Start a sketch on

C
this large face and add a
rectangle Coincident with the

U
bottom model edge.

D
Turn off the rectangle tool.
16 Dimensions. O
Add a dimension as shown.
R
EP
R
R

Note The sketch is under defined, but it will be made fully defined later in
this lesson. See Status of a Sketch on page 36.
FO
T
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View Selector The View Selector helps to visualize how

views of the model will appear by using a
transparent cube surrounding the model.
Select a face of the cube to look at the
model through the cube, normal to that
face or select a view orientation by name.
The cube can also be rotated prior to
selecting a face.

N
Where to Find It  Heads-up View Toolbar: View Orientation and

O
View Selector
Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+Space bar

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

C
17 View Selector.
Press Ctrl+Space bar and click the corner of the cube that is labeled

U
Isometric.

D
O
R
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R
R
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18 Through All Cut.

Click Extruded Cut . Choose Through All
and click OK. This type of end condition always
cuts through the entire model no matter how far.
No depth setting was needed. Rename the
feature BottomSlot.

N
O
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C
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Using the Hole The Hole Wizard is used to create specialized holes in a solid. It can

D
Wizard create simple, tapered, counterbored and countersunk holes using a step
by step procedure. I n this example, the Hole Wizard will be used to
O
create a standard hole.
R
Creating a You can choose the face to insert the hole onto, define the hole’s
Standard Hole dimensions and locate the hole using the Hole Wizard. One of the most
EP

intuitive aspects of the Hole Wizard is that you specify the size of the
hole by the fastener that goes into it.
Tip You can also place holes on planes and non-planar faces. For example,
R

you can create a hole on a cylindrical face.

R

Counterbore Hole A counterbore hole is required in this model. Using the front face of the
model and a relation, the hole can be positioned.
FO

Introducing: The Hole Wizard creates shaped holes, such as countersunk and
The Hole Wizard counterbore types. The process creates two sketches. One defines the
shape of the hole. The other, a point, locates the center.
T

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Hole Wizard

O

 Menu: Insert, Features, Hole, Wizard

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19 Select Counterbore.
Select the face indicated and click Hole
Wizard . Set the properties of the hole as
follows:
Type: Counterbore
Standard: ANSI Metric
Type: Hex Bolt - ANSI B18.2.3.5M
Size: M8

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End Condition: Through All

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C
U
D
Select this face
O
R
EP

Note If a face is not preselected, a message will prompt for selection.

20 Wake up the centerpoint.
Click the Positions tab.
R

Hover the cursor over the

circumference of the large arc.
R

Do not click.
FO

When the Coincident symbol

appears , the center point of
the large arc has been “woken
up” and is now a point you can
T

snap to.
O

Click the point onto the arc’s centerpoint. Look for the feedback that
N

tells you that you are snapping to the arc’s center, a coincident relation.
Click OK to add the relation and again to complete the dialog.

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Filleting Filleting refers to both fillets (adding volume) and rounds (removing
volume). The distinction is made by the geometric conditions, not the
command itself. Fillets are created on selected edges of the model.
Those edges can be selected in several ways, and several options exist
for creating different fillet types including constant size, variable size,
face and full round fillets. Fillet profile options include circular, conic
and curvature continuous.

N
O
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C
Note See the Advanced Part Modeling course for more information on fillet
types and options.

U
Filleting Rules Some general filleting rules are:

D
1. Leave cosmetic fillets until the end.
2. Create multiple fillets that will have the same radius in the same
O
command.
R
3. When you need fillets of different radii, generally you should make
the larger fillets first.
EP

4. Fillet order is important. Fillets create faces and edges that can be
used to generate more fillets.
R

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Fillet

 Menu: Insert, Features, Fillet/Round
R

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a face or edge and click Fillet

FO
T
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N

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21 Insert Fillet.
Click Fillet . Click Manual, click Constant
Size Fillet and set the radius value to
8mm.
Preview You have a choice between Full preview,
Partial preview and No preview of the fillet.
Full preview, as shown in the following
images, generates a mesh preview on each

N
selected edge. Partial preview only generates

O
the preview on the first edge you select. As
you gain experience with filleting, you will

TI
probably want to use Partial or No preview
because they are faster.

C
U
D
22 Select edge. O
Select the two hidden edges shown through the model as shown.
R
EP
R
R

23 Additional selections.
Select the additional four corner edges as shown and click OK.
FO
T
O
N

Note All six fillets are controlled by the same dimension value. The creation
of these fillets has generated new edges suitable for the next series of
fillets.

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Recent Commands SOLIDWORKS provides a “just

used” buffer that lists the last few
commands for easy reuse. The
Enter key can also be used to re-
launch the last used command.

N
O
TI
C
U
Recent Features The History folder contains a list of the most

D
recent features that have been created or
O
edited. This is useful for getting access to
recent features. See Editing Tools on page 77
R
for more information.
EP
R
R
FO
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24 Recent Command.
Right-click in the graphics area and click Recent Commands and the
Fillet command from the drop-down list to use it again.
25 Preview and propagate.
Add another fillet, radius 3mm, using
Full preview.
Select the edges indicated to see the
selected edges and preview.

N
Click OK.

O
TI
C
U
D
Editing Tools Three of the most common editing tools are introduced in this lesson:
O
Edit Sketch, Edit Feature and Rollback. They can be used to edit and
repair sketches and features as well as specify where, in the
R
FeatureManager design tree, the features are to be created.
EP

Tip The other editing tools are found later in this lesson: Editing Features
on page 78 and Rollback Bar on page 79.
Editing a Sketch Once created, sketches can be changed using Edit Sketch. This opens
R

the selected sketch so that you can change anything: the dimension
values, the dimensions themselves, the geometry or geometric
R

relations.
FO

Introducing: Edit Sketch enables you to access a sketch and make changes to any
Edit Sketch aspect of it. During editing, the model is “rolled back” to its state at the
time the sketch was created. The model will be rebuilt when the sketch
is exited.
T

Where to Find It Shortcut Menu: Right-click a sketch or feature and click

O

Edit Sketch
N

 Menu: Select a face and click Edit, Sketch

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26 Edit the sketch.

Right-click the BottomSlot feature and click Edit Sketch . The
existing sketch will be opened for editing.
Selecting Multiple As you learned in Selecting Multiple Objects on page 43, when
Objects selecting multiple objects, hold down the Ctrl key and then select the
objects.
27 Relations.
Select the endpoint and edge as shown and

N
add a Coincident relation.

O
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C
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28 Repeat.
Repeat the procedure for the endpoint at

D
the other end of the rectangle as shown.
The addition of these relations will fully
O
define the sketch.
R
EP

Note For more information about relations, see Sketch Relations on page 39.
R

29 Exit the sketch.

Click Exit Sketch in the upper right (confirmation) corner to
R

exit the sketch and rebuild the part.

FO

Editing Features The second fillet should also be applied to the top edges of the Base
Plate. To do this we will edit the definition of the last fillet feature.
T

Introducing: Edit Feature changes how a feature is applied to the model. Each
O

Edit Feature feature has specific information that can be changed or added to,
depending on the type of feature it is. As a general rule, the same dialog
N

box used to create a feature is used to edit it.

Fillet Propagation The Tangent Propagation checkbox within the Fillet tool allows a
fillet feature to flow to tangent edges of the selections made.

Where to Find It  Menu: Edit, Definition

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a feature and click Edit Feature

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30 Edit the feature.

Right-click the Fillet2 feature and click Edit Feature . The existing
feature will be opened for editing using the same PropertyManager that
was used to create the feature. Make sure that Tangent Propagation is
clicked.
31 Select additional edge.
Select the additional edge as shown and the propagation will create the
fillets as shown. Click OK.

N
O
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C
U
D
O
R
EP

Rollback Bar The Rollback Bar is the blue horizontal bar

located at the bottom of the FeatureManager
R

design tree.
The Rollback Bar has many uses. It can be used to “walk through” a
R

model showing the steps that were followed to build it or to add

features at a specific point in the part’s history. In this example, it will
FO

be used to add a hole feature between the existing fillet features.

Using Rollback with The Rollback Bar is also useful when editing large parts to limit
Large Parts rebuilding. Roll back to the position just after the feature that you are
T

editing. When the editing is completed, the part is rebuilt only up to the
O

rollback bar. This prevents the entire part from being rebuilt. The part
can be saved in a rollback state.
N

Introducing: The You can roll back a part using the Rollback Bar in the FeatureManager
Rollback Bar design tree. The rollback bar is a line which highlights when selected.
Drag the bar up or down the FeatureManager design tree to step
forward or backward through the regeneration sequence.

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Note To move the rollback bar with the arrow keys, click Tools, Options,
System Options, FeatureManager, Arrow key navigation. The
focus must be set to the rollback bar by clicking on it. If the focus is set
to the graphics area, the arrow keys will rotate the model.

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a feature and click Rollback

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the FeatureManager design tree and
click Roll to Previous or Roll to End

32 Rollback.

N
Click on the Rollback Bar and drag it upwards. Drop it before the fillet
features as shown.

O
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O
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R
FO

33 Hole Wizard.
T

Click the Hole Wizard and click the Positions tab.

O

34 Face selection.
Select the face indicated.
N

Select this face

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35 Holes.
Add two points and dimension them as shown. Click OK.

N
36 Type.

O
Click the Type tab and set the properties of the
hole as follows. Click OK.

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Type: Hole

C
Standard: Ansi Metric
Type: Drill sizes

U
Size: 7.0

D
End Condition: Through All
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

37 Change the view orientation.

Click Isometric to change
view orientation.
T
O
N

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38 Roll to end.
Right-click on the rollback bar and click Roll
to End.

N
O
TI
Introducing: Use Appearances to change the color and optical properties of

C
Appearances graphics. Color Swatches can also be created for user defined colors.

U
Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a face, feature, body, part, or

D
component, click Appearances, and click the item to edit

O
Heads-up View Toolbar: Edit Appearance
R
39 Select swatch.
EP

Click Edit Appearance . Under the Color

selection, select the standard swatch and one
of the colors as shown.
R

Click OK.
R
FO
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40 Display appearances.
Click the DisplayManager tab to see the
color listed. Click the FeatureManager design
tree tab.

Tip The DisplayManager can also be used to view and modify decals,
scenes, lights and cameras.
A Note About Color You can customize the colors of the SOLIDWORKS user interface.
in the User Interface

N
This is done through Tools, Options, System Options, Colors. You
can select predefined color schemes, or create your own. In some cases,

O
we have altered colors from their default settings to improve clarity and
reproduction quality. As a result, the colors on your system may not

TI
match the colors used in this book.

C
41 Save the results.
Click Save to save your work.

U
D
O
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Detailing Basics SOLIDWORKS enables you to easily create drawings from parts or
assemblies. These drawings are fully associative with the parts and
assemblies they reference. If you change the model, the drawing will
update.

N
O
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C
U
D
O
Various topics related to making drawings are integrated into several
R
lessons throughout this book. The material presented here is just the
beginning. Specifically:
EP

 Creating a new drawing file and sheet.

 Creating drawing views using the View Palette.
Using dimension assist tools.
R

A comprehensive treatment of detailing is offered in the course

R

SOLIDWORKS Drawings.
FO
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Settings Used in The drawing template used in this section has been designed to include
the Template the Document Properties shown in the chart below. Settings are
accessed through Tools, Options. The settings that will be used in this
lesson are:

Document Properties
System Options
(Set using drawing template)
Drawings, Display Style: Drafting Standard:
• Display style for new views = • Overall drafting standard =

N
Hidden lines removed ANSI

Colors: Dimensions:

O
• Drawings, Hidden Model Edges • Font = Century Gothic

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= Black • Primary precision = .123
• Add parentheses by default =

C
Selected

Detailing, Auto insert on view

U
creation:

D
• All options = cleared
O Units
• Unit system =MMGS
R
CommandManager When working in a drawing document, the CommandManager tabs
EP

Tabs will update to include toolbars that are specific to the process of
detailing and making drawings. They are:
View Layout
R


R

Annotation
FO

New Drawing Drawing files (*.SLDDRW) are SOLIDWORKS files that contain
T

drawing sheets. Each sheet is the equivalent of a single sheet of paper.

O

Introducing: Make Make Drawing from Part takes the current part and steps through the
Drawing from Part creation of a drawing file, sheet format and initial drawing views using
N

that part.

Where to Find It  Menu Bar: New , Make Drawing from Part/Assembly

 Menu: File, Make Drawing from Part

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1 Create Drawing.
Click Make Drawing from Part/Assembly and choose
B_Size_ANSI_MM from the Training Templates tab.
The sheet format creates a B-size drawing (11” x 17”) arranged with its
long edge horizontal. The sheet format includes a border, title block,
and other graphics.
Tip Double-clicking the template will automatically open it, eliminating the
need to click OK.

N
O
Drawing Views The initial task of detailing is the creation of views. Using the Make
Drawing from Part/Assembly tool leads you through the selection of

TI
the drawing sheet to the View Palette. Previews of the model
orientations are shown in the lower pane of the View Palette. Create

C
views on the drawing sheet by using a drag and drop procedure.

U
Additional views can be projected or folded directly from the dropped
view.

D
These options are discussed in detail in the SOLIDWORKS Drawings
O
course.
R
2 View Palette.
EP

Clear Import Annotations. Drag the Front view from the View
Palette and drop it onto the drawing as shown.
R
R
FO
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3 Projected views.
Once the first view is placed, Projected View become active. Add the
Top view by moving the cursor above the view and clicking.
Return the cursor to the Front view and move to the right to create the
Right view. Click OK.

N
O
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U
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O
R
4 Drawing views.
Add the *Isometric view by dragging and dropping from the palette.
EP

Place it in the upper right corner.

R
R
FO
T
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N

Note The part document is still open. You can press Ctrl+Tab to switch
between the drawing and part document windows.

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Tangent Edges Tangent Edges are topological edges of faces that match in tangency.
The most commonly seen tangent edges are the edges of fillets. They
are often made visible in pictorial views but are removed from
orthographic views.
Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the view and click Tangent Edge

5 Remove tangent edges.

Click Tangent Edge and Tangent Edges Removed for the front, top,
and right views as shown.

N
O
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6 Display style.
R

Click the Isometric view and click Shaded . In the Front view,
R

click Hidden Lines Visible .

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Moving Views Drawing views can be repositioned on the drawing. You place your
pointer over the view border, then drag the view. In the standard 3 view
arrangement, the Front view is the source view. This means that
moving the front view moves all three views. The Top and Right views
are aligned to the Front. They can only move along their axis of
alignment.
7 Move Aligned Views.
Select the edge and move the Front view. It can be moved in any
direction and the other views remain aligned.

N
O
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D
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R
EP

Note Once the drawing view has been selected, it can be dragged with the
R

mouse or moved with the arrow keys. The distance moved for each
press of an arrow key is set under Tools, Options, System Options,
R

Drawings, Keyboard movement increment. Use Alt-drag to select

anywhere in the view. Use Shift-drag to maintain the spacing between
FO

the views while dragging.

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N

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Center Marks Center Marks are attached to circle and arc centers in the drawing
view.
Center marks were not inserted into the drawing
views automatically. You can turn this option on
or off. Set your preference using the Tools,
Options, Document Properties, Detailing
menu.

N
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Annotation > Center Mark
Menu: Insert, Annotations, Center Mark

O

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click

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Annotations, Center Mark

C
8 Center Mark.

U
Click Center Mark .
Clear Use document defaults, check the

D
Extended lines option and set the Mark size to
O
2mm as shown.
Click the large arc in the front view. Continue
R
adding center marks to the two holes in the Top
EP

view.
Click OK.
R
R
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Dimensioning Dimensions can be created in drawing views using several tools. Some
dimensions can be related to the dimensions generated in the sketches
and features of the model. These are driving dimensions. Other
dimensions are independent of the sketches and features of the model.
These are driven dimensions.
Driving Driving dimensions always display the proper values and can be used
Dimensions to change the model. The Model Items tool imports the dimensions
created in the sketches and features of the model into the drawing.
Driven Driven dimensions always display the proper values but cannot be used

N
Dimensions to change the model. The values of driven dimensions change when the
model dimensions change. By default, dimensions of this type appear

O
in a different color and are enclosed in parentheses. Here are two ways

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to create driven dimensions:
 The Smart Dimension tool manually adds dimensions to the

C
model like those in a sketch.
The DimXpert tool adds dimensions working from a datum

U

position.

D
Introducing: Model The Model Items tool assists in adding
Items dimensions to a view or all views using the sketch
O
and feature dimensions of the model.
R
You can import the dimensions for a selected
feature or the entire model. It also has the
EP

capability to select and import different types of

dimensions as well as many types of Annotations
and Reference Geometry that may exist within
R

the model.
R
FO
T
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N

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Annotation > Model Items

 Menu: Insert, Model Items

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9 Model items.
Click Model Items . Click Entire Model as the
Source and Import items into all views.
Under Dimensions, click Marked for drawing,
Hole Wizard Locations, Hole callout and
Eliminate duplicates.
Click OK.

N
O
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C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R

Note The position of a dimension depends on how the feature was created
FO

and where the model dimension was placed. Your results may vary
from the image above.
Tip Once the dimensions are inserted, they are associated to that view and
will move with it unless you deliberately move them to another view or
T

delete them. For more information, see Manipulating Dimensions on

O

page 93.
N

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Manipulating Once dimensions have been added to a view, there are several options
Dimensions as to how they can be manipulated:

Drag Drag dimensions by their text to new locations.

Use the inference lines to align and position
them.
Hide Right-click the dimension text and click Hide
from the shortcut menu.
Move to another There is generally more than one view where a

N
view dimension can be used. To move a dimension,

O
Shift + drag the dimension onto another view.
Copy to another To copy the dimension, hold down Ctrl and drag

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view it into another view and drop it.

C
Delete Unwanted dimensions can be deleted from the
drawing using the Delete key.

U
D
10 Drag dimensions. O
Drag dimensions within the view to reposition them as shown.
R
EP
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R
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Tip Align dimension text using the yellow guidelines.

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11 Move to another view.

Shift + drag the 125mm dimension to Drawing View1 and drop it. It
will be moved from the original view to the new view.

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O
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12 Move remaining dimensions.
Move dimensions to reposition them as shown.
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EP
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Basic Part Modeling

Dimension Palette The Dimension Palette appears near your cursor when you insert a
dimension or select one or more dimensions. It can be used to change
the dimensions’ properties, formatting, position, and alignment.

Where to Find It  Select one or more dimensions then click .

Dimension Assist Use the Smart dimensioning option of the dimension assist tool to
Tool - Smart manually add dimensions in the drawing. These dimensions are
Dimensioning considered to be driven dimensions. See Driven Dimensions on
page 91.

N
13 Arrange the dimensions.

O
Select all of the dimensions in the top view and click to open the

TI
Dimension Palette. Then, click Auto Arrange Dimensions to
provide better spacing and alignment of the dimensions.

C
U
D
O
R
Note Adjustments can be made to dimensions after using arrange.
EP

14 Dimensioning.
Click Smart Dimension . Select vertices
R

at the top and bottom and place the dimension

to the left of the view.
R

Click OK.
FO
T
O
N

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

Associativity In the SOLIDWORKS software, everything is associative. If you make

Between the Model a change to an individual part, that change will propagate to any and all
and the Drawing drawings and assemblies that reference it.

15 Switch windows.
Press Ctrl+Tab and click the part file
to switch back to the part document
window.

N
O
TI
Changing SOLIDWORKS makes it very easy to make changes to the dimensions

C
Parameters of your part. This ease of editing is one of the principal benefits of
parametric modeling. It is also why it is so important to properly

U
capture your design intent. If you don’t properly capture the design
intent, changes to dimensions may cause quite unexpected results in

D
your part. O
Rebuilding the After you make changes to the dimensions, you must rebuild the model
Model to cause those changes to take affect.
R
Rebuild Symbol If you make changes to a sketch or part that require the part to be
EP

rebuilt, a rebuild symbol is displayed beside the part’s name as well

as superimposed on the icon of the feature that requires rebuilding
R

. Look for the rebuild icon on the Status Bar, also.

The rebuild symbol also is displayed when you are editing a sketch.
R

When you exit the sketch, the part rebuilds automatically.

FO

Introducing: Rebuild Rebuild regenerates the model with any changes you have made.
Where to Find It  Menu Bar: Rebuild
 Menu: Edit, Rebuild
Keyboard Shortcut: Ctrl+B
T

Tip The model is also rebuilt when it is saved.

O

Note To rebuild all features, press Ctrl+Q.

N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 3

Basic Part Modeling

16 Double-click on the feature.

You can double-click on the BasePlate feature either in the
FeatureManager design tree or the graphics area. When you do this, the
parameters associated with the feature will appear.
Double-click on the 125mm dimension indicated. The Modify dialog
box will appear. Enter a new value either by typing it directly or by
using the spin box arrows. Enter 150mm and click OK.

N
O
TI
C
U
17 Rebuild the part to see the results.

D
Rebuild the part by clicking Rebuild
O . If you use the one on the
Modify dialog box, the dialog box will stay open so you can make
another change. This makes exploring “what if” scenarios easy.
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Lesson 3 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic Part Modeling

18 Update the drawing.

Press Ctrl+Tab and click the drawing file to switch back to the drawing
sheet. The drawing will update automatically to reflect the changes in
the model. Dimensions may move during the rebuilding process and
require some clean up.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
19 Close the drawing.
Click File, Close to close the drawing. Click Save All to save both the
EP

drawing and part files. Save the file in the same folder as the part.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 4

Plate

Exercise 4: Create this part using the information

Plate and dimensions provided. Sketch and
extrude profiles to create the part. This
lab reinforces the following skills:
 Choosing the Best Profile on
page 60.
 Introducing: Corner Rectangle on
page 65.
 Sketching on a Planar Face on page 67.

N
 Boss Feature on page 67.
 Using the Hole Wizard on page 72.

O
Units: millimeters

TI
Procedure Create a new mm part and name it Plate. Create the geometry as
shown in the following steps.

C
1 Sketch base feature.

U
Create a new sketch on the Top plane.
Add the geometry and dimensions as

D
shown.
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

2 Extrude base feature.

Extrude the sketch 10mm as shown.
T
O
N

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Exercise 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Plate

3 Boss.
Create a new sketch on the top face of the solid. Add the geometry and
dimensions as shown.
Extrude a boss 25mm.

N
O
TI
C
U
4 Hole Wizard.

D
Click Hole Wizard and click the face shown.
O
Click the Type tab. Set the properties of the hole as follows:
Type: Hole
R
Standard: Ansi Metric
EP

Type: Drill sizes

Size: 25mm
R

End Condition: Through All

Click the Positions tab. Place the points as shown.
R
FO
T
O
N

5 Save and close the part.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 5

Cuts

Exercise 5: Use rectangles, tangent arcs and

Cuts cut features to create the part.
This lab reinforces the following
skills:
 Introducing:
Corner Rectangle on
page 65.
 Tangent Arc Intent Zones on
page 68.

N
 Cut Feature on page 70.
 Filleting on page 74.

O
Units: millimeters

TI
Procedure Create a new mm part and name it Cuts. Create the geometry as shown
in the following steps.

C
1 Sketch base feature.

U
Create a new sketch on the Top plane. Add the geometry and
dimensions as shown.

D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

2 Extrude base feature.

Extrude the sketch 5mm as shown.
T
O
N

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Exercise 5 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Cuts

3 Cut slot.
Create a new sketch on the top
face of the solid. Add the
geometry and dimensions as
shown.
Extrude a cut using Through
All.

N
O
Tip Remember to create a closed profile by sketching the line across the
bottom.

TI
4 Cut another slot.

C
Create a new sketch using the
same face. Add the geometry

U
and dimensions as shown.

D
Extrude another cut using
Through All. O
R
EP

5 Cut rectangle.
R

Create a new sketch using the same face. Add the geometry and
dimensions as shown.
R

Extrude another cut using Through All.

FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 5

Cuts

6 Fillets.
Add fillets of R10mm and R8mm to the edges as shown.

N
O
TI
7 Save and close the part.

C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Exercise 6 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Basic-Changes

Exercise 6: Make changes to the part

Basic-Changes created in the previous
lesson.
This exercise uses the
following skills:
 Changing
Parameters on
page 96.
 Rebuilding the Model

N
on page 96.

O
TI
Procedure Open an existing part in the Lesson03\Exercises folder.
1 Open the part

C
Basic-Changes.
Several changes will be

U
performed on the model to resize

D
it and check the design intent.
O
R
EP

2 Overall dimension.
Double-click the first feature (Base Plate) in the FeatureManager
R

design tree or on the screen to access the dimensions. Change the

length dimension to 150mm (shown bold and underlined below) and
R

rebuild the model.

FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 6

Basic-Changes

3 Boss.
Double-click the Vert boss feature and change the height dimension as
shown. Rebuild the part.

N
O
TI
C
U
4 Hole locations.

D
Double-click the Ø7.0 (7) Diameter Hole1 feature and change the
O
position dimensions to 20mm. Rebuild the model.
R
EP
R

5 Center the Vert Boss.

R

Determine the proper value and change the dimension that centers the
FO

Vert Boss on the base.

Tip Optionally, you can delete the dimension and add a relations that
centers the VertBoss relative to the base.
T
O
N

6 Save and close the part.

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Exercise 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Base Bracket

Exercise 7: This lab reinforces the

Base Bracket following skills:
 Choosing the Best
Profile on page 60.
 Boss Feature on
page 67.
 Using the Hole Wizard
on page 72.
 Filleting on page 74.

N
Units: millimeters

O
Procedure Create a new mm part and name it Base_Bracket. Create the geometry
as shown in the following steps.

TI
1 Sketch base feature.

C
Create a new sketch on the Top plane. Add the geometry and
dimensions as shown.

U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

2 Extrude base feature.

Extrude the sketch 20mm to create the base feature as shown.
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 7

Base Bracket

3 Sketch on rear face.

Change to the Back view orientation, select the face indicated and
create a new sketch. Add the geometry and dimensions as shown.

N
O
TI
C
Select Face

U
4 Extrude boss.

D
Extrude to the sketch 20mm as shown.
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Exercise 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Base Bracket

5 Fillets.
Add fillets to the edges as shown.

R20mm

N
O
TI
C
U
D
R25mm
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T

R12mm
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 7

Base Bracket

6 Hole Wizard.
Click Hole Wizard and click the face shown. Click the Type tab
and set the properties of the hole as follows:
Type: Hole
Standard: Ansi Metric
Type: Drill sizes
Size: 20mm
End Condition: Through All

N
Click the Positions tab and locate the holes as shown.

O
TI
C
U
D
Select Face O
7 Second hole.
R
Repeat the procedure to create an 18mm hole on a different face as
EP

shown.

Select Face
R
R
FO
T
O

8 Save and close the part.

N

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Exercise 8 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Part Drawings

Exercise 8: Create this part drawing using the

Part Drawings information provided.
This lab reinforces the following
skills:
 New Drawing on page 85.
 Drawing Views on page 86.
 Center Marks on page 90.
 Dimensioning on page 91.
Procedure Create a new drawing and add the views and dimensions shown in the

N
following steps.

O
1 Open part.
Open the part Basic-Changes-done from the Lesson03/Exercises

TI
folder.

C
2 New drawing.
Use the Make Drawing from Part command and the

U
B_Size_ANSI_MM template to create the drawing views as shown.

D
3 Dimensions.
Add the annotations and dimensions as shown.
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

4 Save and close all files.

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N
Lesson 4

O
Patterning

TI
C
U
D
O
R
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
EP

 Create a linear pattern.

 Add a circular pattern.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

Why Use Patterns are the best method for creating multiple instances of one or
Patterns? more features when the design intent is for the features to always
remain the same. Use of patterns is preferable to other methods for
several reasons.
 Reuse of geometry
The original or Seed feature is created only once. Pattern Instances
of the seed are created and placed, with references back to the seed.
 Changes
Due to the seed/instance relationship, changes to the seed are

N
automatically passed on to the instances.

O
 Use of Assembly Component
Patterns

TI
Patterns created at the part level are
reusable at the assembly level as

C
Feature Driven Patterns. The pattern
can be used to place component parts

U
or sub-assemblies.

D
 Smart Fasteners
One last advantage of patterns is to
O
support the use of Smart Fasteners.
Smart Fasteners are used to
R
automatically add fasteners to the
EP

assembly. These are specific to holes.

Pattern Terminology To use patterns, you should understand the terms seed and pattern
R

instance.
R

 Seed
The seed is the geometry to be patterned. It can be one or more
FO

features, bodies or faces.

 Pattern Instance
The Pattern Instance (or just Instance) is the “copy” of the seed
created by the pattern. It is in fact much more than a copy because it is
T

derived from the seed and changes with the seed.

O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 4

Patterning

Types of Patterns There are many types of patterns available in SOLIDWORKS and the
following table is intended to highlight the typical uses for each type.
Note Not all of the pattern types in the table are shown as case studies.

Pattern Type: Typical usage: Key:

Seed =
Pattern Instance =

One-directional array with equal

Linear . . . . . . . . spacing.

N
O
TI
Two-directional array with equal

C
Linear . . . . . . . . spacing.

U
D
O
R
Two-directional array; pattern
Linear . . . . . . . . seed only.
EP
R
R

One- or two-directional array.

Linear . . . . . . . . Selected instances removed.
FO
T
O

One- or two-directional array.

Linear . . . . . . . . Selected dimensions varied.
N

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

Circular array with equal spacing

Circular . . . . . . . about a center.

Circular array with even spacing

Circular . . . . . . . about a center. Selected
instances removed or angle less

N
than 360°.

O
TI
Circular array with selected

C
Circular . . . . . . . dimensions varied.

U
D
O
Mirrored orientation about a
R
Mirror. . . . . . . . . selected plane.
EP
R
R

Arrangement based on a table of

FO

Table Driven . . . XY locations from a coordinate

system.
T
O

Arrangement based on the

N

Sketch Driven . . positions of points in a sketch.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 4

Patterning

Arrangement based on the

Curve Driven. . . geometry of a curve.

Arrangement of full or partial

Curve Driven. . . circular path.

N
O
TI
Arrangement based on the

C
Curve Driven. . . geometry of a projected curve.

U
D
O
R
Arrangement of instances to
Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . pattern based on a face.
EP

Fill can also use default shapes:

circles, squares, diamonds, or
R

polygons.
R

Arrangement based on selected

Variable . . . . . . . .
dimensions in a pattern table
FO

varied along a planar or curved

surface.
T
O
N

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

Pattern Options Pattern features share several options. They are unique to this class of
feature and will be discussed in detail later in this lesson.

Pattern Select Propagate Pattern Skip Geometry Vary Instances

Feature Feature, Visual Seed Instances Pattern Sketch to Vary
Bodies or Properties Only
Faces

Linear       

N
Circular     

O
TI
Mirror   

C
U
Table   
Driven

D
Sketch  
O 
R
Driven
EP

Curve      
Driven
R
R

Fill Features and    

Faces only
FO

Variable Features  All

only instances
T

vary
O
N

Note The sketch options Linear Sketch Pattern and Circular Sketch
Pattern can be used within a sketch to create copies of sketch
geometry. They do not create pattern features.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 4

Patterning

Linear Pattern The Linear Pattern tool creates copies, or instances, in one- or two-
dimensional arrays. Each array is controlled by a direction, a distance
and a number of copies or instances.
The direction can be defined by an edge, axis, temporary axis, linear
dimension, planar face/surface, conical face/surface, circular edge,
sketch circle/arc, or reference plane.
The instances are dependent on the originals. Changes to the originals
are passed on to the instanced features. This example uses the Spacing
and Instances option.

N
Note The number of instances includes the original or seed instance.

O
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Linear Pattern

TI
 Menu: Insert, Pattern/Mirror, Linear Pattern

C
1 Open the part named

U
Linear Pattern.
The part contains the seed

D
feature that will be used in the
pattern. O
R
EP

2 Direction 1.
Click Linear Pattern .
R

Select the linear edge of the

part and click Reverse
R

Direction , if necessary, to
set the direction shown.
FO

Click Spacing and instances, set the Spacing to 50mm” and

T

Number of Instances to 5.
O

Note The callout is attached to the geometry used to

define the pattern direction or axis. It contains the
N

key settings for Spacing and Instances and is

editable. Click the value field to change to change
the value.

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

Flyout The flyout FeatureManager

FeatureManager design tree enables you to
Design Tree view both the FeatureMan-
ager design tree and the
PropertyManager at the
same time. This enables
you to select features from
the FeatureManager design
tree when it would other-
wise be obscured by the

N
PropertyManager. It is also
transparent, overlaying the

O
part graphics.

TI
C
The flyout FeatureManager design tree is activated automatically with

U
the PropertyManager. It may appear collapsed and can be expanded by

D
clicking on the arrow icon preceding the top level feature.

3 Select features.
O
R
Click in Features and Faces and Features to
Pattern. Select the features Cut-Extrude1,
EP

Fillet1 and Fillet2 from the flyout

FeatureManager tree.
R

4 Direction 2.
Expand the Direction 2 group box and click a
second linear edge as shown.
R

Click Spacing and instances, set the Spacing

FO

to 35mm and Instances to 5.

T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 4

Patterning

Skipping Specific instances that are generated by the pattern can be skipped by
Instances selecting a marker at the centroid of the instance shown in the pattern
preview. Each instance is listed in array format (2,3) for identification.
Note The seed feature cannot be skipped.

5 Instances to Skip.
Expand the Instances to Skip group box and click the center instance
markers as shown. The tooltip shows an array location that is added to
the list when selected. Click OK to add the pattern feature LPattern1.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
Note The input box can be expanded by dragging the bottom edge.
EP

6 Seed and instances.

Click on the pattern in the FeatureManager design tree to highlight the
seed and instances in different colors. The toolip for the pattern feature
R

includes information about the settings that are used.

R
FO
T
O
N

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

Geometry Patterns The Geometry Pattern option is used to minimize rebuild time by
using the Seed geometry for all Instances in the pattern. It should only
be used when the geometry of the seed and the instances are of
identical or similar shape.
 Without Geometry
Pattern
If the Geometry
Pattern option is
cleared, the end
condition of the seed is

N
used in the instances. In

O
this example, the Offset
From Surface end

TI
condition of the blue
seed feature is applied

C
in the orange instances,
forcing them to use the

U
same end condition.

D
 With Geometry
Pattern O
If the Geometry
R
Pattern option is
checked, the geometry
EP

of the seed is used. The

geometry is copied
along the pattern,
R

ignoring the end

condition.
R
FO

7 Geometry Pattern.
Right-click the LPattern1 feature and click Edit
Feature . Check the Geometry pattern option
and click OK. Because the plate is constant
T

thickness, the resulting geometry will look the

O

same.
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 4

Patterning

Performance Performance Evaluation is a tool that displays the amount of time it

Evaluation takes to rebuild each feature in a part. Use this tool to identify the
features that take a long time to rebuild. Once they are identified, you
can possibly edit them to increase efficiency, or suppress them if they
are not critical to the editing process.
Introducing: The Performance Evaluation dialog box displays a list of all features
Performance and their rebuild times in descending order.
Evaluation
 Feature Order
Lists each item in the FeatureManager design tree: features, sketches,

N
and derived planes. Use the shortcut menu to Edit Feature, Suppress
features, and so on.

O
 Time%

TI
Displays the percentage of the total part rebuild time to regenerate each
item.

C
 Time
Displays the amount of time in seconds that each item takes to rebuild.

U
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Evaluate > Performance Evaluation

D
 Menu: Tools, Evaluate, Performance Evaluation
O
8 Performance Evaluation.
R
Click Statistics .
EP

The features are listed in

descending order according to the
amount of time required to
R

regenerate them.
The Pattern1 feature uses the
R

largest portion of the rebuild time.

FO

Click Close.
T

9 Geometry Pattern off.

Right-click the LPattern1 feature and click Edit Feature . Clear
O

the Geometry pattern option and click OK.

N

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

10 Repeat.
Click Statistics again.
The Pattern1 feature uses a
significantly larger portion of the
rebuild time when the geometry
pattern is toggled off.

11 Save and close the part.

N
O
TI
Interpreting the Data The first thing to keep in mind is that the total rebuild time for this part

C
is much less than one second, so a change to any one feature is not

U
likely to make a significant difference.
The second thing is the number of significant digits and rounding error.

D
For example, Feature1 may appear to take twice as long to rebuild as
O
Feature2, 0.02 seconds versus 0.01 seconds. Does this indicate a
problem with Feature1? Not necessarily. It is quite possible that
R
Feature1 takes 0.0151 seconds while Feature2 takes 0.0149 seconds,
a difference of only 0.0002 seconds.
EP

Use Performance Evaluation to identify features that significantly

impact rebuild time. Then either:
R

 Suppress or delete features to improve performance. Optionally,

you can do this directly from the Performance Evaluation dialog
R

box.
Analyze and modify features to improve performance.
FO

What Affects Features can be analyzed to determine why they behave as they do.
Rebuild Time? Depending on the feature type and how it is used, the reasons will vary.
For sketched features, look for external relations and end conditions
T

that reference other features. Keep these relations attached to the

O

earliest feature possible. Do the same for sketch planes.

In general, the more parents that a feature has, the slower it will rebuild.
N

Tip

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 4

Patterning

Circular The Circular Pattern tool creates copies, or instances, in a circular

Patterns pattern controlled by a center of rotation, an angle and the number of
copies. Changes to the originals are passed on to the instanced features.
Introducing: Circular Pattern creates multiple instances of one or more features
Circular Pattern spaced around an axis. The axis can be derived from a circular face,
circular or linear edge, axis, temporary axis or angular dimension.
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Linear Pattern > Circular
Pattern
 Menu: Insert, Pattern/Mirror, Circular Pattern

N
O
1 Open the part named Circular_Pattern.

TI
2 Pattern Axis.

C
Click Circular Pattern .

U
Click in Pattern Axis and click the
cylindrical face of the model as

D
shown.
O
R
EP

3 Settings.
Click in Features and Faces and click the three
R

features shown for Features to Pattern.

Click Equal Spacing, 4 instances and click
R

Geometry pattern.
FO

Check that the Angle is set to 360° and click OK.

T
O
N

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Lesson 4 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Patterning

Note The Reverse Direction

option is meaningful
only when an angle
other than 360° is used.

N
O
4 Save and close the part.

TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 9

Linear Patterns

Exercise 9: Create feature patterns in this part

Linear Patterns using a Linear Pattern with Spacing
and Instances.
This lab uses the following skills:
 Linear Pattern on page 117.
 Skipping Instances on page 119.

Procedure Open an existing part.

N
1 Open the part Linear

O
Pattern.
The part includes the “seed”

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feature used in the patterns.

C
U
D
2 Linear pattern. O
Create a pattern using the seed feature. Use the dimensions below.
R
EP
R
R
FO
T

3 Save and close the part.

O
N

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Linear Patterns

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O
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C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
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O
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N
Lesson 5

O
Revolved Features

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C
U
D
O
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
R
 Create revolved features.
EP

 Apply special dimensioning techniques to sketches for revolved

features.
Use the multibody solid technique.
R

 Create a sweep feature.

R

 Calculate the physical properties of a part.

FO
T
O
N

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Case Study: The handwheel requires

Handwheel the creation of revolved
features, circular
patterns and sweep
features.
Also included in this
lesson are some basic
analysis tools.

N
O
TI
Stages in the Some key stages in the modeling process of this part are shown in the
Process following list.

C
 Design intent
The part’s design intent is outlined and explained.

U
 Revolved features

D
The center of the part is the Hub, a revolved shape. It will be created
from a sketch with a construction line as the axis of revolution.
O
 Multibody solids
R
Create two discrete solids, the Hub and the Rim, connecting and
merging them using a third solid, the Spoke.
EP

 Sweep features
The Spoke feature is created using a sweep feature, a combination of
R

two sketches that defines a sweep profile moving along a sweep path.
 Analysis
R

Using analysis tools, you can perform basic analysis functions such as
mass properties calculations and first-pass stress analyses. Based on the
FO

results, you can make changes to the part’s design.

T
O
N

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Design Intent The design intent of this part is shown below:

Handwheel
Hub Diameter

N
O
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C
Spoke Rim

U
 Spokes must be evenly spaced.

D
 The center of the rim of the handwheel lies at the end of the spoke.
 The hub and the rim share the same center.
O
 The spokes pass through the center of the hub.
R
Revolved The Hub is a revolved feature that is created by revolving geometry
Features around an axis. Revolved features require axisymmetric geometry and
EP

a line (used as the axis) in the sketch. This revolved feature will be used
as the center of the wheel. Under the right circumstances, a sketch line
or an edge may also be used as the centerline.
R
R

Procedure To begin this case study:

FO

1 Create a new part using the Part_MM template.

Save the part as Handwheel.
Sketch Geometry Geometry for the revolved feature is created using the same tools and
of the Revolved methods as extruded features. In this case, lines and arcs will be used to
T

Feature form the shape and a centerline is used as the axis of revolution.
O

2 Rectangle.
Select the Right Plane and click Sketch.
N

Create a rectangle from the Origin as shown.

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3 Convert to construction.
Select the vertical line shown and click For
Construction. The line is converted into a
construction line.

N
Introducing: The 3 Point Arc option enables you to create an arc based on three
3 Point Arc points: the two endpoints followed by a point on the curve.

O
Where to Find It CommandManager: Sketch > Centerpoint Arc >

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

3 Point Arc

C
 Menu: Tools, Sketch Entities, 3 Point Arc
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click

U
3 Point Arc

D
4 Insert 3 Point Arc. O
Click 3 Point Arc .
R
Begin the arc by positioning the
cursor on the left vertical line and
EP

dragging downwards along that

edge. Release the mouse button
and then select and drag the point
R

on the curve away from the

sketch.
R

5 Trimming.
FO

Use the Trim tool with the Power Trim option and
trim away the portion of the line inside the arc.
T
O
N

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Rules Governing In addition to the general rules governing sketches that

Sketches of were listed in Lesson 2: Introduction to Sketching, some
Revolved Features special rules apply to sketches of revolved features:
 A centerline, axis, sketch line or linear edge must be
specified as the axis of revolution.
 The sketch must not cross the axis.
Not Valid

Special Revolved geometry is dimensioned like any other with one additional
Dimensioning option. Dimensions that measure diameters on the finished feature can

N
Techniques be changed from linear to diameter dimensions.
We will also dimension to the outside of the arc in the sketch, rather

O
than the center point which is the default.

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6 Arc dimension.

C
Dimension the arc by selecting the vertical line
and then Shift-selecting the circumference of

U
the arc. The result is a dimension between the

D
line and the tangent of the arc.
O
R
7 Finished dimension.
EP

Change the Value to 4mm.

R
R
FO

8 Dimensions.
T

Add the following dimensions to the sketch.

O
N

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Diameter Some dimensions should be doubled dimensions in the finished

Dimensions revolved feature. For these dimensions, always select the centerline
(axis of revolution) as one of the picks. You then have your choice of
either a radius or diameter dimension, depending on where you place
the dimension text. If you don’t pick the centerline, you won’t be able
to change the dimension to a diameter.
Note This option is available only if a centerline is used as the axis of
revolution. Doubled dimensions are not restricted to use in revolved
feature sketches.

N
9 Dimension to centerline.
Dimension between the centerline and the

O
outer vertical edge to create a horizontal
linear dimension.

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Do not click to place the dimension text just

C
yet.

U
Notice the preview. If you place the text now,
you will get a radius dimension.

D
O
R
10 Move the cursor.
EP

Move the cursor to the right of the

centerline. The preview changes to a
diameter dimension.
R

Click to place the dimension text. Change

the value to 25mm and press Enter.
R

Normally, a diameter dimension should

FO

have a diameter symbol preceding it,

thus: . When the revolved feature is
created from the sketch, the system will
T

automatically add the diameter symbol to

the 25mm dimension.
O

Note If you inadvertently place the dimension text in the wrong place, and
N

get a radius dimension instead of a diameter, you can fix it. Click the
dimension, and click the Leaders tab of the Dimension
PropertyManager. Click the Diameter button to make the
dimension a diameter dimension.

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Creating the Once the sketch is completed, it can be made into a revolved feature.
Revolved Feature The process is simple, and a full (360°) revolution is almost automatic.
Introducing: The Revolve option enables you to create a feature from an
Revolved Feature axisymmetric sketch and an axis. This feature can be a base, boss or cut
feature. The axis can be a centerline, line, linear edge, axis or
temporary axis. If a single centerline is present in the profile, it is used
automatically. If more than one is present, you must select it.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Revolved Boss/Base

Menu: Insert, Boss/Base, Revolve

N


O
11 Make the feature.

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Click Revolved Boss/Base .
A message will appear indicating that the sketch

C
is an open contour and asking if you want to close
the contour automatically. Click Yes.

U
Use the settings as shown.

D
 Direction1 = Blind O
 (Angle) = 360°
R
Click OK to create the feature.
EP
R
R
FO
T
O

12 Finished feature.
The solid revolved feature is created as the first feature
N

of the part.
Rename it Hub.

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13 Edit the sketch.

Click a face of the Hub. Click the sketch Sketch1
from the Selection Breadcrumbs and click Edit
Sketch.
Note You can right-click the feature in the FeatureManager design tree and
achieve the same result.
14 Normal To.
Click Normal To to change the view normal to the sketch. Do this
to see its true size and shape.

N
O
Introducing: Sketch Fillets can be used to trim and add tangent arcs in a single step.
Sketch Fillet If the corner has been trimmed, select the vertex point to add the fillet.

TI
Where to Find It CommandManager: Sketch > Sketch Fillet

C

 Menu: Tools, Sketch Tools, Fillet

U
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click
Sketch Fillet

D
15 Fillet settings.
O
Click Sketch Fillet and set the value to 5mm.
R
Make sure the Keep constrained corners option
EP

is checked.
R
R
FO

16 Selections.
Select both endpoints of the arc, as Pick here
indicated. Click OK.
T

The dimension drives both but only

O

appears once, at the last selection.

Virtual Sharp symbols are added
N

where the corners were. These

symbols represent the missing
corners and can be dimensioned to or
used within relations.

Note Floating over an endpont shows a preview of the fillet.

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17 Exit the sketch.

Exit the sketch to cause the changes to take effect.

N
Building the The Rim of the Hand-

O
Rim wheel is another revolved
feature. It too is revolved

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360°. The profile of the
Rim is a slot shape.

C
The Rim will be created as

U
a separate solid body, not
merged to the Hub.

D
O
R
Slots Straight and arc Slots are common
shapes based on lines and arcs. The
EP

slot is a single entity which is

composed of lines, arcs, construction
geometry and points.
R
R

Introducing: Slots The Slot tool is used to create straight and arc slot shapes based on
FO

different criteria. There are two types based on lines and two types
based on arcs. All slot types have the option to create dimensions with
the geometry. The following types are available:
T

Slot Type Resulting Geometry

O

Straight Slot The Straight Slot is created by locating

N

the centerpoints of the arcs and then

dragging outwards to create the width.

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Slot Type Resulting Geometry

Centerpoint Straight The Centerpoint Straight Slot is created
Slot by locating the geometric center, one of
the arc centerpoints and then dragging
outwards to create the width.

N
3 Point Arc Slot The 3 Point Arc Slot is created like a 3

O
Point Arc (see Introducing: 3 Point Arc
on page 130) and then dragging outwards

TI
to create the width.

C
U
D
Centerpoint Arc Slot
O The Centerpoint Arc Slot is created like
a Centerpoint Arc (see Sketch Geometry
R
on page 31) and then dragging outwards to
create the width.
EP
R
R
FO

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Straight Slot ,

Centerpoint Straight Slot
T

 Menu: Tools, Sketch Entities, Straight Slot,

Centerpoint Straight Slot
O

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click

Centerpoint Straight Slot
N

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18 Sketch.
Create a new sketch on the Right plane. Orient the model in the same
direction.
19 Centerpoint Straight Slot.
Click Centerpoint Straight Slot . Click
Add dimensions and Overall Length. Click
the location of the centerpoint and a location
horizontally to the right. A third click sets the

N
slot width. Click OK and set the dimension
values as shown.

O
TI
C
U
D
Tip The dimensions are added automatically if the Add dimensions option
O
is clicked.
R
20 Rotation axis.
Add a centerline using Centerline , setting
EP

Vertical and Infinite length. Place the line at the

origin. This will be the axis of revolution for the
revolved feature.
R

Add a diameter dimension from the centerline to

R

the centerpoint of the slot, and from the slot

centerline to the top edge of the Hub.
FO

The sketch is now fully defined.

T
O
N

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Potential Ambiguity If the sketch contains more than one centerline, the system will not
know which centerline is intended to be the axis of revolution. The
centerline to be used can be selected either before or after selecting the
Revolve tool.

21 Completed feature.
Select the infinite vertical centerline. Click Boss/Base, Revolve .
Use an angle of 360°. Rename the feature to Rim.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
Multibody Solids
O
Multibody solids occur when there is more
R
than one solid body in a part. In cases where
discrete features are separated by a distance,
EP

this can be the most efficient method in

designing a part.
R

The Solid Bodies folder holds the bodies and also

lists how many bodies are currently housed in the
R

folder (2). The bodies can be merged or

combined later to create a single solid body.
FO

For more information on multibody parts, see the

Advanced Part Modeling training manual.
T
O

Building the The Spoke feature will be created using a Sweep feature that requires
Spoke two sketches: a profile and a path. The sweep pushes a closed contour
N

profile along an open contour path. The path is sketched using lines and
tangent arcs. The profile is sketched using an ellipse. The feature will
bridge the space between the existing Hub and Rim features and
combine them into a single solid body.
The Spoke feature is important because it will be patterned to create
any number of evenly spaced spokes.

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22 Open the Display Pane.

In the FeatureManager design tree, click to expand the Display
Pane. It contains columns which can be used to change display
properties of items in the tree.
23 Search.
Use the FeatureManager Search box
to search by the starting
letters of a name or some portion of

N
the name.
Type ske into the FeatureManager

O
Design Tree filter to show the

TI
sketches of the Hub and Rim.
Click on the sketch icon for the Hub to show it. Repeat for the Rim.

C
24 Setup.

U
Create a new sketch on the Right plane and change the display to
Hidden Lines Visible.

D
25 Sketch line. O
Sketch a horizontal Line
running from the centerline
R
inside the Hub boundaries.
EP
R

26 Tangent arc.
R

Create a Tangent Arc from

the line endpoint in the
FO

direction shown. The actual

values are not important as
you sketch. They will be
T

defined by dimensions later.

O

27 Connecting tangent arc.

N

With Tangent Arc still

selected, continue sketching
by using the previous arc’s
endpoint as a start. Sketch this
arc tangent to the first, ending
at a horizontal tangency posi-
tion.

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Tip When the vertical inference line coincides with the arc’s center, the
tangent of the arc is horizontal.
28 Horizontal line.
Sketch a final line. It is
horizontal, with its length
to be determined by
relations and dimensions.

N
29 Relations.

O
Drag and drop the left

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endpoint of the line onto the
centerpoint of the Rim sketch.

C
A Coincident relation is
added.

U
Add another relation between

D
the line at the opposite end
and the centerpoint of the arc.
O
30 Return to a shaded display.
R
Click Shaded to change the display.
EP

31 Fully define sketch.

Add an Equal relation to the
arcs and add dimensions.
R
R
FO

Tip Picking end points and center points allows for more options when
T

creating the dimensions.

O

32 Exit sketch.
N

Click Exit Sketch to close the sketch without using it in a feature.

Hide the Hub and Rim sketches.

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Introducing: Sketching an ellipse is similar to sketching a circle. Position the cursor

Insert Ellipse where you want the center and drag the mouse to establish the length of
the major axis. Then release the mouse button. Next, drag the outline of
the ellipse to establish the length of the minor axis.

Important! To fully define an ellipse you must dimension or otherwise constrain

the lengths of the major and minor axes, and also constrain the orienta-
tion of one of the two axes. One way to do this is with a Horizontal
relation between the ellipse center and the end of the major axis.

N
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Sketch > Ellipse
 Menu: Tools, Sketch Entities, Ellipse

O
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click in the graphics area and click Ellipse

TI
33 Ellipse.

C
Create a new sketch on
the Front plane. Click

U
Ellipse and position

D
the centerpoint at the end
of the line. Move away O
from the center and
position the major and
R
minor axes with
EP

additional clicks.
34 Relations and
dimensions.
R

Add relations to make the

centerpoint and one of the
R

major axis points

Horizontal. Add the
FO

dimensions as shown.
Exit the sketch.
T
O
N

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Introducing: Sweep Sweep creates a feature from two sketches: a sweep profile and sweep
path. The profile is moved along the path, creating the feature.

Note The Circular Profile option uses a path sketch with a circle diameter.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Swept Boss/Base

 Menu: Insert, Base/Boss, Sweep

Note The Sweep command is covered in depth in the Advanced Part

Modeling course.

N
35 Sweep.

O
Click Swept Boss/Base . Select the closed

TI
contour sketch as the Profile and the open
contour sketch as the Path.

C
U
D
O
R
EP

Click OK.
36 Results.
R

Name the new feature

Spoke. The Solid
Bodies(2) folder
R

disappears. This indicates

FO

that the two solid bodies

have merged into one.
T
O

37 Pattern the Spoke.

Click Circular Pattern . Select the
N

cylindrical face as the center of rotation for the

pattern. Using the Spoke, set the Number of
Instances to 3 with Equal spacing.

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Rotate View Rotate View enables you to rotate the view of the model freely. To
restrict that motion, you can choose an axis, a line or edge, a vertex, or
a plane. Click the Rotate View tool and the center axis.
The same result can be obtained using the middle mouse button
rotation. Select the entity to rotate about using the middle mouse
button, then drag with the middle mouse button.

38 Rotate.
Rotate about the Handwheel center axis by

N
clicking a circular edge or cylindrical face of
the Hub with the middle mouse button. Then

O
Drag the middle mouse button to activate the
rotate command.

TI
C
Edge Selection The Edge Selection toolbar can assist in selecting combinations of

U
edges that are related to selected edge in some way. It is a multiple edge
selection method that can be used in combination with any other

D
selection methods.
O
For example, selecting this single hidden edge offers seven different
combinations of edges (shown as red and dashed), each under a
R
different icon and name.
EP

Between right feature Between left feature

and part and part
R
R

Between right feature

FO

and left feature

T
O
N

All All concave

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Note The number of available edge combinations, along with the naming and
icons, will vary based on the selected edge. For example, selecting one
of the arc shaped edges in this same model will produce a different
version of the edge selection toolbar. This toolbar can also be ignored
in favor of direct selections.

Direct Selection Similar results can be achieved through the direct selection of six edges
or two faces. Selection of a face selects all edges of that face.

N
O
TI
C
U
Note Face selections make the model better suited to withstand dimensional

D
changes. O
39 Add fillets.
R
Click Fillet, select an edge, and use
EP

the All Concave selection. Add 3mm

fillets to the edges as shown.
R
R
FO

Other Selection You can also select edges by dragging a window or using keyboard
Options shortcut.
 Drag the window from left to right, all the edges that are entirely
inside the window are selected.
T

 Press Ctrl+A to select all the edges.

O
N

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Chamfers Chamfers create a bevel feature on edges or vertices of a model. The

shape can be defined by two distances or a distance and an angle. In
many ways, chamfers are similar to fillets in that you select edges and/
or faces in the same way.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Features > Fillet > Chamfer

 Menu: Insert, Features, Chamfer
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a face or edge and click Chamfer

N
40 Chamfer.
Add a Chamfer feature using the top edge of the

O
Hub feature. Set the distances using the values
shown.

TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R

RealView Graphics If you have a certified graphics accelerator, you may be able to use the
RealView Graphics option. It provides high-quality, real time material
shaders when available.
R
FO

Where to Find It  Menu: View, Display, RealView Graphics

 Heads-up View Toolbar: View Settings ,
RealView Graphics
T
O
N

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Note If you do not have RealView Graphics, skip to step 45 on page 148.

Tip If RealView Graphics are not available, the icon will be grayed out.

N
O
TI
C
RealView On RealView Off

U
Appearances, The Appearances, Scenes and Decals tab of the Task Pane contains

D
Scenes and Decals three main folders: Appearances(color), Scenes and Decals.
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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41 RealView on.
Click RealView to toggle it on.
42 Appearances and scenes.
From the Appearances,
Painted, Powder Coat
folder, drag and drop
aluminum powdercoat into
the graphics window.

N
From the Scenes, Basic
Scenes folder, drag and

O
drop Backdrop - Black

TI
with Fill Lights into the
graphics window.

C
U
D
Tip The Apply Scene flyout tool on
O
the Heads-up View toolbar allows
you to select and apply a scene from
R
the list.
EP

Another option is to click the icon to

rotate through the list one at a time.
R
R

Appearances Colors and textures are applied using Appearances. This menu has
FO

tabs for Color/Image and Mapping.

 Color is used to apply a color to the texture added from the
Appearance folder.
T

 Mapping is used to change the mapping style of the texture added

from the Appearance folder.
O
N

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43 Color.
Click Edit Appearance and change the color
using a greyscale color swatch and light gray or
white. Click OK.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
Note Applying an appearance does not apply a material to the part. For
O
applying materials, see Edit Material on page 148.
R
Tip Click View, Display, Ambient Occlusion to add realism to the shaded
model.
EP

44 RealView off.
Click RealView to toggle it off.
R

45 Save and close all files.

R
FO

Edit Material The Edit Material dialog is used to add and edit the material associated
with a part. The material is used for calculations that rely on material
properties, including Mass Properties and SimulationXpress. The
T

material can vary by configuration.

O

It's important to understand that applying an appearance is not the same

as defining a material for the part. Appearances control the display of
N

the model, while editing the material will apply material properties for
the calculation of mass and density and often associated appearances.

Tip Part templates (*.prtdot) can include a predefined material.

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Material and click

Edit Material

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1 Open HW_Analysis.
Open the existing part HW_Analysis. This part has additional features
needed for use in the analysis section of this lesson.
2 Materials.
Right-click Edit Material and click SOLIDWORKS Materials,
Copper Alloys, Aluminum Bronze.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Note The Properties,

Appearance and
CrossHatch are those
assigned by the
selected material.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
3 Color.
Click Apply and Close. O
A change in material
R
changes the color of the
part. The material name is
EP

also updated in the

FeatureManager design
tree.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Mass Properties One of the benefits of working with a solid model is the ease with
which you can perform engineering calculations such as computing
mass, center of mass, and moments of inertia.

Notes  Section Properties can also be generated from a planar face or a

sketch in a model. The sketch can be active or selected.
 You can add a Center of Mass (COM) feature. You can measure
distances and add reference dimensions between the COM and
other entities. You add a COM point in the Mass Properties dialog
box or by clicking Insert, Reference Geometry, Center of Mass.

N
Introducing: Mass Properties is used to generate the mass properties of the entire

O
Mass Properties solid. The properties include mass, volume and a temporary display of
the principal axes.

TI
Where to Find It  CommandManager: Evaluate > Mass Properties

C
 Menu: Tools, Evaluate, Mass Properties

U
4 Mass properties.

D
Click Mass
Properties . The O
Density of
R
Aluminum Bronze
is used.
EP

The results of the

calculations are
displayed in the
R

dialog box.
R
FO

Note For those parts that do not posses an accurate physical description, you
can click Override Mass Properties. You can override mass, center of
mass, and the moments of inertia. This is helpful when you use
T

simplified models of purchased components.

O

To change the units, click Options, click

Use custom settings, and set the units.
N

There are other options you can set

including the density and the accuracy
level of the calculations.

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Revolved Features

Mass Properties Components of the Mass Properties of a part can be carried with the
as Custom part as a Custom Property. This information can be extracted by a Bill
Properties of Materials report.
File Properties File properties are details about Windows based files that help identify
it – for example, a descriptive title, the author name, the subject, and
keywords that identify topics or other important information in the file.
Document properties can be used to display information about a file or
to help organize files so that they can be found easily. You can search
for documents based on document properties.

N
There are file properties unique to SOLIDWORKS that are more suited
to engineering than the default properties. Additional properties can be

O
added based on the user’s needs.

TI
Metadata File properties and attributes are sometimes referred to as Metadata.
Classes of File File properties can be grouped into several classes.

C
Properties  Automatic

U
Automatic properties are maintained by the application that created
the property. These include properties such as the date the file was

D
created, last modified and file size.
O
 Preset
Preset properties already exist, but the user must fill in the text
R
value. The preset file properties used in SOLIDWORKS are stored
EP

in the file Property.txt. This file may be edited to add or remove

preset properties.
 Custom
R

Custom properties are defined by the user and apply to the entire
document.
R

 Configuration specific
FO

Configuration specific properties apply only to a specific

configuration.
 SOLIDWORKS custom properties
There are several custom properties that can be automatically
T

updated by SOLIDWORKS. These include the part’s mass and

O

material.
N

Where to Find It  Menu Bar: File Properties

 Menu: File, Properties

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Revolved Features

Creating File File properties can be created directly in the file, or they can be created
Properties by other procedures.
 Direct method
File properties are added directly to the file by the user.
 Design tables
Design tables can create custom properties using a column header
$PRP@property where property is the name of the property to be
created and populated with the information created in the design
table.

N
 Custom Properties Tab
Form templates for adding properties can be created using the

O
SOLIDWORKS Property Tab Builder. These forms can then be

TI
accessed from the Task Pane using the Custom Properties tab.
 SOLIDWORKS PDM applications

C
SOLIDWORKS PDM applications will add several custom
properties to files checked into the vault. These include: number,

U
status, description, project and revision. SOLIDWORKS PDM

D
applications can also be configured to add additional properties
defined by the Vault Administrator.
O
Uses of File File properties can be used for several operations.
R
Properties  Parts, assemblies and drawings
EP

File properties can be used to create parametric notes. Annotations

linked to file properties will update as the properties change.
 Assemblies
R

Advanced Selection and Advanced Show/Hide can select

components based on specific file properties. Specific procedures
R

are found in the training course Assembly Modeling.

Drawings
FO


File properties can be used to fill in data in the title block, BOM,
revision blocks and annotations. Specific procedures are found in
the training course SOLIDWORKS Drawings.
T

To communicate the description of this model and it's weight, we'll

O

add some custom properties to the file.

N

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Revolved Features

5 File properties.
Click File Properties and click the Custom tab. Activate the
Property Name cell in the first row of the dialog. Use the arrow at the
right of the cell to choose Description from the preset properties. In
the Value/Text Expression cell, type Handwheel for Globe Valve
as the description.

N
O
TI
C
U
6 New custom property.
Activate the Property Name cell and type in the Name mass. In the

D
Value/Text Expression cell, choose Mass from the preset properties.
O
The Evaluated Value cell shows the current mass and how it would
appear in a table or drawing title block. Close the dialog.
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 10

Flange

Exercise 10: Create this part using the dimensions provided. Use
Flange relations wisely to maintain the design intent.
This lab uses the following skills:
 Revolved Features on page 129.
Units: millimeters

Design Intent The design intent for this part is as follows:

N
1. Holes in the pattern are equally spaced.

O
2. Holes are equal diameter.
3. All fillets are equal and are R6mm.

TI
Note that construction circles can be created using the Properties of a

C
circle.

U
Dimensioned Use the following graphics with the description of the design intent to

D
Views create the part.
O
R
Top View
EP
R
R
FO

Front View
T
O
N

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Exercise 11 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Guide

Exercise 11: Create this part using the information and

Guide dimensions provided. This lab reinforces the
following skills:
 Introducing: Slots on page 135.
Units: millimeters
Procedure Create a new mm part and name it Guide. Create the geometry as
shown in the following steps.

Note These images show the sketch relations (View, Sketch Relations) for

N
clarity.

O
1 Lines and fillet.
Open a sketch on the Front plane.

TI
Create the sketch lines, a sketch fillet
and an angular dimension as shown.

C
U
D
2 Offset. O
Use offset entities to create the
20mm offset as shown.
R
EP
R

3 Close ends.
R

Close the ends using a

tangent arc and a line as
FO

shown.
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 11

Guide

4 Drag to origin.
Drag the centerpoint of the
arc to the Origin and drop it.
This creates a Coincident
relation.

N
5 Fully defined.

O
Add a Virtual Sharp by
selecting the two lines

TI
as shown and clicking
Point . Complete the

C
sketch by adding

U
dimensions as shown.

D
Extrude the sketch
10mm. O
R
EP

6 Circle and boss.

Add a circle to a new sketch on the top face of the model. Use Tangent
and Coincident relations to relate the circle to the geometry. Fully
R

define and extrude the sketch 10mm as shown.

R
FO
T
O
N

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Exercise 11 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Guide

7 Fillet.
Add a fillet R20mm as shown.

N
O
8 Slot.

TI
Use Straight Slot with the options Overall Length and Add
Dimensions to create the geometry shown below. Create a through all

C
cut with the sketch geometry.

U
D
O
R
EP
R

Tip The slot sketch should be fully defined. It may require a Parallel
relation.
R

9 Hole.
FO

Add a 20mm through all hole to complete the part.

T
O
N

10 Save and close.

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N
Lesson 6

O
Bottom-Up Assembly

TI
Modeling

C
U
D
O
R
EP

Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

 Create a new assembly.
R

 Insert components into an assembly using all available techniques.

Add mating relationships between components.
R

 Utilize the assembly-specific aspects of the FeatureManager design

FO

tree to manipulate and manage the assembly.

 Insert sub-assemblies.
 Use part configurations in an assembly.
T
O
N

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Lesson 6 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Case Study: This lesson will examine assembly modeling through the construction
Universal Joint of a universal joint. The joint consists of several components and one
sub-assembly.
Bottom-Up Bottom-Up assemblies are created by adding and orienting existing
Assembly parts in an assembly. Parts added to the assembly appear as Component
Parts. Component parts are oriented and positioned in the assembly
using Mates. Mates relate faces and edges of component parts to planes
and other faces/edges.
Stages in the Some key stages in the modeling process of this assembly are shown in

N
Process the following list. Each of these topics comprises a section in the
lesson.

O
 Creating a new assembly

TI
New assemblies are created using the same method as new parts.
Adding the first component

C

Components can be added in several ways. They can be dragged and

U
dropped from an open part window or opened from a standard browser.

D
 Position of the first component
The initial component added to the assembly is automatically fixed as it
O
is added. Others components can be positioned after they are added.
FeatureManager design tree and symbols
R

The FeatureManager design tree includes many symbols, prefixes and
EP

suffixes that provide information about the assembly and the

components in it.
 Mating components to each other
R

Mates are used to position and orient components with reference to

each other. Mates remove degrees of freedom from the components.
R

 Sub-assemblies
FO

Assemblies can be created and inserted into the current assembly. They
are considered sub-assembly components.
T
O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 6

Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

The Assembly In this lesson we will make an assembly using existing components.
The assembly is a universal joint, and is made up of a number of
individual parts and one sub-assembly as shown below:

crank sub

Yoke_male

N
Bracket

O
pin[short]

TI
(2 copies)

C
pin[long]

U
Spider

D
Yoke_female
O
R
EP

1 Open an existing part.

Open the part bracket. This part will be the
R

base component of the new assembly.

The first component added to an assembly
R

should be a part that will not move. By fixing

the first component, others can be mated to it
FO

without any danger of it moving.

T
O
N

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Creating a New New assemblies can be created directly or be made from an open part
Assembly or assembly. The new assembly contains an origin, the three standard
planes and a Mates folder.
Introducing: Make Use the Make Assembly from Part/Assembly option to generate a
Assembly from Part/ new assembly from an open part. The part is used as the first
Assembly component in the new assembly and is fixed in space.

Where to Find It  Menu Bar: New , Make Assembly from Part/Assembly

 Menu: File, Make Assembly from Assembly

N
Introducing: New A new assembly file can be created by clicking New and selecting
Assembly an assembly template.

O
TI
2 Choose template.
Click Make Assembly from Part/Assembly . Use the

C
Assembly_MM template.

U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

Note The units of the assembly can be different from the units of the parts.
For example, you can assemble a mixture of inch and millimeter parts
in an assembly whose units are feet. However, when you edit the
dimensions of any of the parts in the context of the assembly, they will
T

be displayed in the units of the assembly, not those of the part itself.
O

Using Tools, Options, you can check the units of the assembly and if
desired, change them.
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 6

Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

3 Locate component.
Place the component at the origin by placing the
cursor at the origin or by simply clicking OK.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
4 Save. O
Save the assembly under the name Universal Joint. Assembly files
have the file extension *.sldasm.
R
Close the bracket part file.
EP

Position of the The initial component added to the assembly is, by default, Fixed.
R

First Fixed components cannot be moved and are locked into place wherever
Component they fall when you insert them into the assembly. By clicking the green
R

check or placing the cursor at the assembly origin, the component’s

origin is at the assembly origin position. This also means that the planes
FO

of the component match the planes of the assembly, and the component
is fully defined.
Consider assembling a washing machine. The first component logically
T

would be the frame onto which everything else is mounted. By aligning

this component with the assembly’s planes, we would establish what
O

could be called “product space”. Automotive manufacturers refer to

this as “vehicle space”. This space creates a logical framework for
N

positioning all the other components in their proper positions.

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Lesson 6 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

FeatureManager Within the FeatureManager design tree of an assembly, the folders and
Design Tree and symbols are slightly different than in a part. There are also some terms
Symbols that are unique to the assembly.

Degrees of There are six degrees of freedom for any component

Freedom that is added to the assembly before it is mated or
fixed: translation along the X, Y, and Z axes and
rotation around those same axes. How a component
is able to move in the assembly is determined by its
degrees of freedom. The Fix and Insert Mate

N
options are used to remove degrees of freedom.

O
Components Parts that are inserted into the
assembly, such as the bracket, are

TI
represented by the same top-level
icon as is used in the part

C
environment. Assemblies can also
be inserted and are shown with an

U
assembly icon preceding the

D
assembly document name.
However, when the listing of these
O
icons is expanded, the sub-
assembly components and even the
R
component’s features are listed and
EP

accessible.
R

Component Part Each component part contains the entire contents of the part, including
Folder all features, planes and axes.
R

Note If the component is an assembly, the assembly, including all the parts,
FO

would be displayed.
Component Name The component name in the FeatureManager design tree displays a
wealth of information.
T

(f) bracket<1> (Default<<Default>_Display State 1>)

O

Display State
N

Configuration

Instance Number

File Name

State of the Component

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 6

Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

State of the There are several symbols that are used to represent the state of a
component component in the Assembly FeatureManager design tree. These are
similar to the symbols that represent the state of a sketch.
Fixed The component is Fixed to the current position, but it is not mated.

Under Defined The component's position is Under Defined and still has some freedom
of movement within the assembly.

Fully Defined Components that are not marked with a state indicator have a position

N
within the assembly that is Fully Defined with mates.

O
Over Defined Conflicting information for the position of the component will cause it

TI
to be Over Defined. Another error state is Not Solved where a
question mark is used as the state indicator.

C
File Name The name of the component, part or assembly, is listed. The icon

U
will show whether it is a part or an assembly. For more information
on assemblies, see Inserting Sub-assemblies on page 194.

D
Instance Number The instance number is used internally to distinguish each instance
O
of the component from each other when multiple instances of the
component are included in the assembly.
R
Instances are not renumbered for deletions. The highest instance
number may not reflect the total.
EP

Configuration The configuration, Default in this example, is the configuration of

the component that is used by this assembly.
R

Display State The display state, <Default>_Display_State1 in this example, is

the display state of the component that is used by this assembly.
R

For more information on configurations and display states in

FO

assemblies, see the Assembly Modeling manual.

External References When any parent document is opened, all documents that are
Search Order referenced by the parent document are also loaded into memory. In the
case of assemblies, components are loaded into memory according to
T

the suppression state they were in when the assembly was saved.
O

The software searches for referenced documents in paths you can

N

specify, the path where you last opened a document, and other paths. If
the referenced document is still not found, the software gives you the
option to browse for it or open the assembly without the document. See
the Search Routing for Referenced Documents topic in the online help
for a complete list of the paths the software searches.
Note All updated reference paths in the parent document are saved when you
save the parent document.

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

File Names File names should be unique to avoid bad references. SOLIDWORKS
cannot open two different documents with the same name at the same
time. Assemblies can use the wrong part if you have two different parts
with the same name. Here are two examples:
 Two different parts called bracket.sldprt are saved and closed.
When you open an assembly that references bracket.sldprt, the
software will use whichever comes first in the search order.
 A file named frame.sldprt is open in SOLIDWORKS. Then, you
try to open an assembly that references a different file named
frame.sldprt. The software gives the following message: The

N
document being opened references a file with the same

O
name as an already-open document. You can continue to open
the assembly with all instances of frame.sldprt suppressed or you

TI
can accept the open file as a replacement.
Rollback Bar The Rollback Bar can be used in an assembly to rollback:

C
 Assembly planes, axes, sketches

U
 Assembly patterns
In-context part features

D

 Assembly features
O
Any features below the marker are suppressed. Individual components
cannot be rolled back.
R
Reorder Features of an assembly can be reordered in the same way as part
EP

features; using drag and drop. Assembly objects that can be reordered
are:
Components
R


 Assembly planes, axes, sketches
 Assembly patterns
R

 In-context part features

 Mates within the Mates folder
FO

 Assembly features
Mates Folder The mating relationships in assemblies
are grouped together into a Mate
T

Folder named Mates. The mates get

solved in the order in which they are
O

listed.
N

For more information, see Introducing: Insert Mate on page 169.

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Adding Once the first component has been inserted and fully defined, other
Components parts can be added and mated to it. In this example, the Yoke_male
part will be inserted and mated. This part should be under defined so
that it is free to rotate.
 There are several ways to add components to the assembly:
 Use Insert Component
 Drag them from the Windows Explorer
 Drag them from an open document
 Drag them from the Task Pane

N
All these methods will be demonstrated in this lesson, beginning with
use of Insert Component. This is the same dialog that appears

O
automatically when Make Assembly from Part is used.

TI
Note Unlike adding the first component, additional components will be
added with their positions under defined.

C
Insert Component The Insert Component dialog is used to find, preview and add

U
components to the current assembly. Click the Keep Visible (pushpin)
button to add multiple components or multiple instances of the same

D
component.

Where to Find It 
O
CommandManager: Assembly > Insert Components >
R
Insert Components
 Menu: Insert, Component, Existing Part/Assembly
EP

 Windows Explorer: Drag a component into the graphics area

R

5 Insert Yoke_male.
Click Insert Components and click
R

the Yoke_male part using the Browse

button. Position the component on the
FO

screen to the left of the bracket and click

to place it.
The new component is listed as:
T

(-) Yoke_male <1>

O

This means that the component is the first instance of Yoke_male and
it's position is under defined.
N

Tip Clicking on a component in the FeatureManager design tree will cause

that component to highlight. Also, moving the cursor to a component in
the graphics window will display the feature name.

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Moving and One or more selected components can be moved or rotated to

Rotating reposition them for mating using the mouse, the Move and Rotate
Components Component commands or the Triad.
Move Using Also, moving under defined components simulates movement of a
Dynamic Assembly mechanism through dynamic assembly motion. See Dynamic Assembly
Motion Motion on page 182.
Move Move Component is used to move the component in space.

Where to Find It  Mouse Button: Drag a component with the left mouse button

N
 CommandManager: Assembly > Move Component
Menu: Tools, Component, Move

O


Rotate Rotate Component is used to rotate the component in space.

TI
Where to Find It  Mouse Button: Drag a component with the right mouse button

C
 CommandManager: Assembly > Move Component , Rotate

U
Component
 Menu: Tools, Component, Rotate

D
Triad The Triad is used to dynamically move along an axis or rotate about an
O
axis.
R
Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component
and click Move with Triad
EP
R
R
FO

Note Move Component and Rotate Component behave as a single, unified

command. By expanding either the Rotate or Move options, you can
switch between the two commands without ever closing the
PropertyManager.
T
O
N

The Move tool has several options for defining the type of movement.
The option Along Entity has a selection box, Along Assembly XYZ,
By Delta XYZ, and To XYZ Position require coordinate values.
The Rotate tool also has options to define how the component will
rotate.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 6

Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

6 Move.
Drag the component Yoke_male with the left
mouse button so it is closer to where it will be
mated.
Other options for moving and rotating the
component will be discussed later in this
lesson.

N
O
Mating Obviously dragging a component is not sufficiently precise for building
Components an assembly. Use faces and edges to mate components to each other.

TI
The parts inside the bracket are intended to move, so make sure that
the proper degrees of freedom are left available.

C
Introducing: Insert Mate creates relationships between component parts or between

U
Insert Mate a part and the assembly.

D
Mates can be created using many different objects. You can use:
 Faces O
 Planes
R
 Edges
 Vertices
EP

 Sketch lines and points

 Axes and origins
Most mates are made between a pair of objects. Two of the most
R

commonly used mates are Coincident and Concentric.

R

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Assembly > Mate

Menu: Insert, Mate
FO

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component and click Mate

Note Mates icons are based on their type, for example Coincident .
T
O
N

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Mate Types and Mates are used to create relationships between components. Faces are
Alignment the most commonly used geometry in mates. The type of mate, in
combination with the conditions Anti-aligned or Aligned, determines
the result.

Aligned Anti-Aligned

N
O
Coincident
(faces lie on the same

TI
imaginary infinite plane)

C
U
Parallel

D
O
R
EP

Perpendicular
Aligned and anti-aligned do
not apply to Perpendicular.
R
R

Distance
FO

Angle
T
O
N

Note These tables outline the mates of the Standard Mates set. There are
also Advanced Mates and Mechanical Mates sets that are discussed
in more advanced manuals.

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Fewer options are available with cylindrical faces but they are every bit
as important.

Aligned Anti-Aligned

Concentric

N
O
TI
Tangent

C
U
D
Lock
O Components that are locked
together will move together.
R
Select anywhere on component.
No alignment options.
EP

Tip After the mate has been created, you can right-click the mate feature in
the FeatureManager design tree, and click Flip Mate Alignment to
R

reverse the alignment.

R
FO
T
O
N

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Things to which you There are many types of topology and geometry that can be used in
can mate mating. The selections can create many mate types.

Topology/
Selections Mate
Geometry
Faces or
Surface

N
O
Line or Linear

TI
Edge

C
U
D
Plane O
R
EP

Axis or
R

Temporary
Axis
R
FO

Point, Vertex,
Origin or
T

Coordinate
O

System
N

Arc or Circular
Edge

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

Tip Although planes can be selected on the screen if they are visible, it is
often easier to select them by name through the FeatureManager design
tree. Click the “+” symbol to see the tree and expand individual
components and features.
Mating Concentric The Yoke_male component is to be mated so that its shaft aligns with
and Coincident the hole and the flat face contacts the bracket inner face. Concentric
and Coincident mates will be used.

Tip Selection filters can be used to limit your selections by geometry type
such as face or edge. Press the F5 key and select one or more filter

N
types.

O
7 Mate PropertyManager.

TI
Click Mate . If the PropertyManager is open,

C
you can select the faces without using the Ctrl key.

U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

Mate Options Several mate options are available for all mates:
T

 Add to new folder

O

Creates a new folder to hold all the mates created

while the Mate tool is active. The folder resides in
N

the Mates folder and can be renamed.

 Show pop-up toolbar
Toggles the Mate pop-up toolbar on and off.
 Show preview
Shows the positioning created by the mate as soon as the second
selection is made. It is not finalized until the dialog OK is clicked.

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Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

 Use for positioning only

This option can be used to position geometry without constraining it.
No mate is added.
 Make first selection transparent
This option forces the component selected first to be transparent while
adding the mate.
Introducing: Mate The Mate pop-up toolbar is used to make selections
Pop-up Toolbar easier by displaying the available mate types on the
screen. The mate types that are available vary by geometry selection
and mirror those that appear in the PropertyManager. The mate pop-up

N
toolbar appears on the graphics but can be dragged anywhere.

O
Either the on-screen or PropertyManager dialog can be used. This
lesson uses the on-screen pop-up toolbar. All types are listed in the

TI
chart Mate Types and Alignment on page 170.

C
8 Selections and preview.

U
Select the faces of the Yoke_male and the bracket as indicated.

D
As the second face is selected, the mate is previewed by moving to the
position that would result from the mate, and the Mate pop-up toolbar
O
is displayed.
R
Concentric is selected as the default and the mate is previewed.
EP
R
R
FO

9 Add a mate.
The faces are listed in the Mate Selections list. Exactly two items
T

should appear in the list. Accept the Concentric mate and click OK.
O

10 Planar face.
Select the top planar face of the Yoke_male
N

component.

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11 Select Other.
Use Select Other to select the hidden face of the bracket on the
underside of the top flange. Add a Coincident mate to bring the
selected faces into contact.

N
O
TI
12 Mates listed.
The mates, concentric and coincident, remain

C
listed in the Mates group box. They will be added
to the Mates folder when the Mate command is

U
completed. Click OK.

D
13 State of constraint.
The Yoke_male component is listed as under
O
constrained. It is still able to move by rotating
R
around the axis of its cylindrical surface.
Test the behavior of the Yoke_male by dragging it.
EP
R

14 Breadcrumbs.
R

Click on a face of Yoke_male. The Breadcrumbs for

that selection appear in the upper left portion of the
FO

Graphics Area.
The icon strip identifies the hierarchy upward starting
with the face and moving to the feature, body,
T

component, and finally the top level assembly. Below

the strip is the sketch associated with the selected feature. Above the
O

strip are the mates associated with the selected component.

N

Note Right-clicking on any of the icons allows you to edit that feature.
Clicking ‘air’ deselects the face.

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Adding Components Another way to add components to the assembly is through Windows
Using Windows Explorer or My Computer. The part or assembly file(s) can be dragged
Explorer and dropped into the active assembly.

15 Open Windows Explorer.

Since SOLIDWORKS is a native Windows application, it supports
standard Windows techniques like “drag and drop”. Component files
can be dragged from the Explorer window into the assembly to add
them. Drag and drop the spider into the graphics area.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP

16 Concentric mate for spider.

Add a Concentric mate between the two cylindrical
faces of the spider and Yoke_male components.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Width Mate The spider component will be centered within the Yoke_male and
Yoke_female components using a Width, Centered mate. The Width
mate is one of the Advanced Mates from the Mate dialog. Selections
include a pair of Width selections (the “outer” faces) and a pair of Tab
selections (the “inner” faces). The Tab faces are centered between the
Width faces to locate the component.

Width selections Tab selection(s) Result

N
O
TI
(Front view)

C
U
D
O (single selection)
R
(Front view)
EP
R
R

(Front view)
FO

Note The Width mate contains other options that can be used with the same
selections: Free, Dimension and Percent.
T

17 Width mate.
O

Click Insert Mate and

click the Advanced Mates
N

tab. Click the Width

mate and click Centered.

Click the Width selections and Tab selections as shown. Click OK.

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18 Mates by component.
The mate keeps the spider centered inside the
Yoke_male with equal gaps on each side.
Expand the spider component in the FeatureManager
design tree. A folder named Mates in Universal
Joint is added to each component that is mated. The
folder contains the mates which use geometry of that
component.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T

Note The icon indicates that the mate is in the path to ground, or, it is one
O

of the mates that keeps the component in position.

N

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Rotating Inserted Components inserted using Insert Component on

Components page 167 can be rotated after they are inserted but
before they are placed using Rotate Inserted Component. The angle
can be set and the direction buttons can be clicked as many times as
desired.

Rotate about Rotate about Rotate about Z

X Y

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R

Where to Find It Shortcut Menu: Click Insert Components and click a rotation
R

direction
FO

19 Insert and rotate.

Click Insert Components and select the
Yoke_female part.
T

Do not click to place the component yet.

O

Click Rotate component about Z twice

N

and click to place the component.

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20 Concentric mate.
Select the cylindrical faces as shown and add a
Concentric mate between them.

Using the The Component Preview Window is a handy tool that can be used to

N
Component make mate selections easier. When a component is selected for use, a

O
Preview Window separate viewport is created for the assembly and for the component.
Each viewport can be manipulated by zooming, scrolling, and rotating.

TI
Where to Find It  Menu: Click a component and click Tools, Component, Preview

C
Window
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component and click Component,

U
Preview Window

D
21 Preview window.
O
Click the spider component and click Preview Window . The
R
window splits to include both the assembly and the spider component.
EP

Click Mate .
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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22 Selections.
Click Width. Select the pairs of faces that make up the width and tab
selections. Use view manipulation or select other to make the
selections. The spider is centered on the Yoke_female component.
Click OK.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP

23 Exit preview window.

Click Exit Preview.
R

Because of the clearance between the

R

Potential Over
Defined Condition Yoke_female and the bracket, a Coincident
FO

mate is unsolvable. The gap prevents coincidence.

T
O

Parallel Mate A Parallel mate keeps the selected planar faces or planes parallel to
N

each other without forcing contact between them.

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24 Parallel mate.
Select the faces of the
Yoke_female and bracket as
shown above. Add a Parallel mate
to maintain the gap between the
faces. Press G to use the
magnifying glass and view the gap.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
Dynamic Drag under defined components to display the motion allowed by the
Assembly Motion remaining degrees of freedom.
O
Note Components that are fixed or fully defined cannot be dragged.
R
EP

25 Drag components.
Drag the Yoke_male component to turn it. The
mated components spider and Yoke_female move
R

with it.
R
FO

Displaying Part When you add a part to an assembly you can choose which of its
Configurations in configurations will be displayed.
T

an Assembly Or, once the part is inserted and mated, you can switch its
O

configuration.
N

The Pin The part named pin has two configurations:

LONG
SHORT and LONG. Any configuration can be
used in the assembly. In this case, two
instances will use SHORT and one will use
LONG.
SHORT

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Using Part Multiple instances of the same part can be used in an assembly, with
Configurations each instance referencing a different configuration. We will use
in Assemblies multiple instances of a part with different configurations in this
assembly.
Drag and Drop from The pin will be inserted by dragging it in from an open document
an Open Document window into the assembly.
Note If the bracket window is still open, close it before the next step.

26 Drag and drop.

N
Open the part pin and tile the windows of the assembly and part. Drag

O
and drop the pin into the assembly window by dragging the top-level
component ( ) from the FeatureManager design tree. An

TI
instance of the pin is added to the assembly.

C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Important! The pin is a component that contains multiple configurations. Like all
components, only the configuration that is used (LONG in this case)
appears in the component name.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
Note
O
Display States are primarily used in assemblies, but can be used in
multi-body parts. For more information on display states, see the
R
Assembly Modeling training manual.
EP

27 Concentric mate.
Select the cylindrical faces as shown. Add a
Concentric mate between the cylindrical face in
R

the Yoke_female and pin using the context

toolbar.
R
FO

Note To prevent rotation of the pin, click the Lock Rotation option.
Drag it the pin through the Yoke_female as shown.
T
O
N

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28 Tangent mate.
Add a Tangent mate between the planar end face of
the pin and the cylindrical face in the Yoke_female
using the context toolbar.

N
The Second Pin Another instance of the pin is needed. This one will be the shorter
version, SHORT. We will open the pin, tile the windows of the part and

O
assembly, and show the part’s ConfigurationManager.

TI
Opening a When you need to access a component while working in an assembly,
Component you can open it directly, without having to use the File, Open menu.

C
The component can be either a part or a sub-assembly.

U
29 Cascade the windows.

D
Click Window, Cascade to see both the part and assembly windows.
O
Switch to the ConfigurationManager of the pin.
30 Drag and drop a configuration.
R
Drag and drop the configuration SHORT into the graphics window of
EP

the assembly. You can drag and drop any configuration from the
ConfigurationManager, not just the active one.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

Note The configuration can also be selected when using Insert Component.

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Other Methods of There are several more methods for selecting the configuration of a
Selecting component used in an assembly.
Configurations
 To get the same result using Insert Component, browse for the
part and associated configuration.
 When using Explorer, parts that
contain configurations trigger a
message box when dragged and
dropped. Select the desired
configuration from the list.

N
O
 After the component has been

TI
added, click on it and select the
configuration name from the

C
context toolbar or Component
Properties (see Component

U
Properties on page 190).

D
O
31 Second instance.
R
The second instance of the pin
EP

component is added, this time

using the SHORT configuration.
The component is added and it
R

displays the proper configuration

name in the FeatureManager design tree.
R

32 Mate the component.

Add Concentric and Tangent mates to mate the
FO

second instance of the pin.

T
O
N

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Recent Documents SOLIDWORKS maintains a list of recently opened documents that can
be used to access documents quickly. Type the shortcut key R and click
the document to open.
The pin can be used to keep documents on the recent documents list.
The Show in Folder link is used to open the folder where the
document resides.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP

Where to Find It Keyboard Shortcut: R

R

Tip Clicking in the lower right hand corner of the image brings up a
R

dialog with several options when opening the file including selection of
the mode, configuration, and display state.
FO

33 Switch documents.
Switch to the pin.SLDPRT document, close it and maximize the
T

assembly window.
O
N

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Creating Copies of Many times parts and sub-assemblies are used more than once in an
Instances assembly. To create multiple instances, or copies of the components,
copy and paste existing ones into the assembly.
34 Drag a copy.
Create another copy of the pin
component by holding the Ctrl key
while dragging the instance with
the SHORT configuration into the
graphics area. The result is another
instance that uses the SHORT

N
configuration, since it was copied from a component with that

O
configuration.

TI
Tip You can drag a copy from the FeatureManager design tree or the
graphics area of the assembly.

C
U
Component Hiding Hiding a component temporarily removes the component’s graphics
and Transparency but leaves the component active within the assembly. A hidden

D
component still resides in memory, still has its mates solved, and is still
O
considered in operations like mass property calculations.
R
Another option is to change the transparency of the component.
Selections can be made through the component to others behind it.
EP

Introducing: Hide Component turns off the display of a

Hide Component component, making it easier to see other parts of the
Show Component assembly. When a component is hidden, its icon in the
R

FeatureManager design tree appears in outline form

like this: .
R

Show Component turns the display back on.

FO

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component and click Hide

Components or Show Components
T

 Display Pane: Hide/Show in the component row

O

 Keyboard Shortcut. Move the pointer over a component and press

Tab to hide. Move the pointer over a hidden component and press
N

Shift + Tab to display.

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Introducing: Change Change Transparency toggles the component

Transparency transparency between 0% and 75%. Selections
pass through the transparent component unless the
Shift key is pressed during selection. The
FeatureManager design tree icon does not change
when a component is transparent.

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component and click

N
Change Transparency
Display Pane: Transparency in the component row

O


TI
35 Hide the bracket.
Change the view orientation from the default

C
Isometric by pressing Shift+Left Arrow once. Click
on the bracket component and

U
Hide Component .

D
36 Complete the mating.
O
R
Complete the mating of this component by adding
Concentric and Tangent mates using Insert Mate.
EP
R

37 Show the component.

R

Select the bracket again and click Show

FO

Component to toggle the graphics back

on.
T
O
N

38 Return to previous view.

Previous view states can be recalled by clicking Previous View on
the Heads-up View Toolbar. Each time you press the button, the view
display backs up through the display list, whether the view state was
saved or not. Click once to return to the previous Isometric view.

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39 Visual references.
Dynamic Reference Visualization can be used with assemblies to
visually identify components from a mate and mates from a
component.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
Component The Component Properties dialog controls several aspects of a
Properties component instance.
EP
R
R
FO
T
O

Model Document Path

N


Displays the part file that the instance uses. To replace the file instance
references with a different file, use File, Replace.
 Display State specific properties
Hides or shows the component. Also enables you to select a display
state by name.
 Suppression state
Suppress, resolve or set the component to lightweight status.

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 Solve as
Makes the sub-assembly rigid or flexible. This allows dynamic
assembly motion to solve motion at the sub-assembly level.
 Referenced configuration
Determines which configuration of the component is being used.

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a component and click

Component Properties

N
40 Component properties.
Right-click the pin<3> component and click Component

O
Properties . The Referenced configuration option is set to

TI
SHORT. This dialog box can be used to change the configuration, sup-
press, or hide an instance. Click Cancel.

C
U
Sub-assemblies A new assembly will be created for the components of the crank. It will

D
be used as a sub-assembly.
Existing assemblies can also be inserted into the current assembly
O
using any of the techniques previously introduced for parts. When an
R
assembly file is added to an existing assembly, we refer to it as a sub-
assembly. However, to the SOLIDWORKS software, it is still an
EP

assembly (*.sldasm) file.

The sub-assembly and all its component parts are added to the
FeatureManager design tree. The sub-assembly can be mated to the
R

assembly by one of its component parts or its planes. The sub-assembly

is treated as a single piece component, regardless of how many
R

components are within it.

FO

1 New assembly.
Create a new assembly using the Assembly_MM template.
Click Keep Visible on the Begin Assembly
T

PropertyManager and add the crank-shaft component.

O

Locate it at the origin of the assembly.

It is Fixed.
N

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2 Add components.
Using the same dialog, add the
crank-arm and crank-knob
components.
Close the dialog.

N
O
TI
Smart Mates Mates can be added between components while dragging and dropping
them. This method, called Smart Mates, uses the Alt key in

C
conjunction with standard drag and drop techniques.

U
These mates use the same Mate pop-up toolbar as the Mate tool uses to

D
set the type and other attributes. Many mate types can be created with
this method. O
Certain techniques generate multiple mates and do not use the toolbar.
R
These require the use of the Tab key to switch mate alignment.
EP

3 Smart Mate concentric.

Follow these steps to add a Concentric mate through the Smart Mate
technique:
R

1. Press and hold the Alt key.

R

2. Click and hold the circular face of the crank-

arm.
FO

3. Move the component over the circular face of

the crank-shaft.
4. Drop the component when the tooltip
appears, indicating a concentric mate.
T

5. Confirm the Concentric type from the Mate

O

pop-up toolbar.
A Concentric mate is added between the crank-arm and the crank-
N

shaft components.

Tip The Alt key can be pressed before or after selecting a face to mate.

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4 Smart Mate parallel.

Spin the crank-arm around so the flat of the "D"
cut is selectable using dragging. Select the flat
and Alt-+drag it to the flat on the crank-shaft.
Drop the component when the symbol
appears, indicating a Coincident mate between
planar faces.
Use the Mate pop-up toolbar to switch to a Parallel mate.
5 Coincident.

N
Select the edge of the crank-arm and Alt-+drag it to
the flat on the crank-shaft. Drop the component

O
when the symbol appears, indicating a Coincident
mate between and edge and a planar face. Use the

TI
Mate pop-up toolbar to confirm the Coincident mate.

C
U
D
6 “Peg-in-hole”.
O
Rotate the crank-knob using Move
with Triad (Triad on page 168).
R
The “Peg-in-hole” option is a special
EP

case of the Smart Mate that creates

two mates from one drag and drop.
This operation is easier if the crank-
R

knob has been rotated.

Select the circular edge on the crank-
R

knob. Press Alt and drag it to the

circular edge on the top of the crank-
FO

arm.
Release the Alt key when the
symbol appears, indicating that both
T

Coincident and Concentric mates will

be added.
O

Press the Tab key, if necessary, to reverse the alignment. Drop the
N

component.
7 Save.
Save the assembly, naming it crank sub. Leave the assembly open.

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Inserting Sub- Sub-assemblies are existing assemblies that are added to the active
assemblies assembly. All of the sub-assembly components act as a single
component.

8 Select the sub-assembly.

Switch to the main assembly. Using Insert Component, the dialog is
set to list any open parts or assemblies under Open documents. The
crank sub is listed and selected.
9 Place the sub-assembly.

N
Place the sub-assembly near the top of the Yoke_male component.
Expanding the sub-assembly component icon shows all the component

O
parts within it, including its own mate group.

TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R

Mating Sub- Sub-assemblies follow the same rules for mating as parts. They are
FO

assemblies considered components and can be mated using the Mate tool,
Alt+drag mating or any of the other methods that have been discussed.
10 Smart Mate concentric.
T

Add a Concentric mate, using Alt+drag, between

the cylindrical surfaces of the post on the top of the
O

Yoke_male and the crank-shaft.

N

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11 Parallel mate.
Mate the flat on the Yoke_male with the flat in the
D-hole in the crank-shaft with a Parallel mate.

N
O
12 Alignment.
Click the Flip Mate Alignment

TI
button to test Anti-Aligned
(above) and Aligned (right). Use

C
the anti-aligned condition for this
mate.

U
D
O
R
EP

Question: Why wouldn’t you use a Coincident mate here?

would over define the assembly.
R

sponding hole are exactly right, a coincident mate

flats and the diameters of the shaft and corre-
Answer: Because unless the dimensions of the
R
FO
T
O
N

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Distance Mates Distance mates allow for gaps between mating components. You can
think of it as a parallel mate with an offset distance. There is generally
more than one solution so the options Flip Mate Alignment and Flip
Dimension are used to determine how the distance is measured and
which side it is on.
Unit System The Unit System controls input to the document as well as the units of
mass property calculations. The unit system can be set using Tools,
Options, Document Properties, Units. You can also set the unit
system by clicking Unit System on the status bar.

N
O
TI
Alternatively, you can enter dimensions in a

C
unit system other than the document’s units.
In the dimension value fields, you can type

U
the abbreviation for the desired units, or

D
choose the units from a drop down list.
O
R
EP
R

13 Select the faces.

Select the top face of the bracket and
R

the bottom face of the crank-shaft

FO

component to create the mate.

T
O
N

14 Add a Distance mate.

Specify a distance in units that are different than the document’s units.
Type 1/32 in. If the crank-shaft penetrates into the bracket select the
Flip Dimension button. Click OK to create the mate.

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Tip Double-clicking a Distance or Angle mate

in the FeatureManager design tree displays
it on the screen. The value displays in the
units of the assembly, in this case
millimeters.

15 Select in the FeatureManager design tree.

Select the sub-assembly crank sub in the
FeatureManager design tree. All components in the
sub-assembly will be selected and highlighted.

N
O
TI
C
U
Tip From the graphic window, right-click a component of the sub-assembly
and click Select Sub-assembly.

D
16 Dynamic Assembly Motion. O
Use Change Transparency on the yokes. Drag
the crank-arm to see the motion of the spider.
R
EP
R
R

Use For Positioning The mate option Use for positioning only can be used to position
Only
FO

geometry without adding the restriction of a mate. This is a useful

method for setting up a drawing view.
17 Mate.
Click Mate and click Use for
T

positioning only. Select the planar faces

O

shown and a Parallel mate. Click OK.

N

The geometry is positioned like a parallel

mate condition but no mate is added.
Save the assembly.

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Pack and Go Pack and Go is used to collect and copy all the files used by the
assembly into a single folder or zip file. It is especially useful when the
entire assembly must be sent to another user and the files are stored in
many different folders.
Note Drawings, Toolbox components and Simulation results can also be
collected and copied.

Where to Find It  Menu: File, Pack and Go

N
18 Pack and Go.
Click Pack and Go and click Save To Zip File using the default name

O
and Flatten to single folder.

TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

Click Save.
T

19 Save and close all files.

O
N

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 12

Mates

Exercise 12: Create this assembly by adding

Mates components to a new assembly and using
mates.
This lab uses the following skills:
 Creating a New Assembly on page 162.
 Adding Components on page 167.
 Mating Components on page 169.
Units: millimeters

N
Procedure Create a new assembly. All the component parts can be found in the
Lesson06\Exercises\Mates folder.

O
1 Add the component RectBase.

TI
Create a new assembly, using the RectBase
part as the base component. It should be

C
fixed at the assembly origin.

U
D
2 Add the EndConnect.
Add an instance of the EndConnect to the
O
assembly. Mate it to the RectBase using a
R
distance of 10mm and two coincident mates as
shown.
EP
R

3 Add the Brace.

R

Add an instance of the Brace to the assembly.

Mate it to the RectBase using coincident
FO

mates as shown.
The Brace is centered on the hole in the
EndConnect component.
T
O
N

Tip Coincident mates between planes or Width mates can be used to center
components.

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Exercise 12 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Mates

4 Additional components.
Add more instances of the Brace and EndConnect components,
placing them as shown.

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O
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5 Save and close all files.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 13

Gripe Grinder

Exercise 13: Assemble this device by following the steps

Gripe Grinder as shown.
This lab uses the following skills:
 Creating a New Assembly on page 162.
 Adding Components on page 167.
 Mating Components on page 169.
 Dynamic Assembly Motion on page 182.
 Smart Mates on page 192.
Units: millimeters

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Procedure Create a new assembly. All the component parts can be found in the

O
Lesson06\Exercises\Grinder Assy folder.

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1 Add the component Base.
Create a new assembly, using the Base

C
part as the base component. It should be
fixed at the assembly origin.

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D
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2 Add the Slider.
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Add the Slider to the assembly. Mate it
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to one of the dovetail slots. A width and

coincident mate are required.
R
R

3 Add a second copy of the Slider.

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Mate it to the other dovetail slot. Both

Sliders should be free to move back and
forth in their respective slots.
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Exercise 13 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Gripe Grinder

4 Crank assembly.
Open a new assembly using the
Assembly_MM template. Build the
Crank assembly as shown at the right.
Consider using “peg-in-hole”
SmartMates to add the coincident and
concentric mates in one step. The Crank
is shown in both exploded and collapsed
states.
The Crank assembly consists of:

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Handle (1)

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
 Knob (1)
Truss Head Screw (1)

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
[#8-32 (.5” long)] configuration
RH Machine Screw (2)

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
[#4-40 (.625” long)] configuration

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Note Both machine screws contain multiple

D
configurations. Be sure you use the correct ones.
5 Insert the Crank assembly into the
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main assembly.
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Tile or cascade the two assembly
windows, and drag and drop the sub-
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assembly into the main assembly.

R
R
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6 Mate the Crank assembly to the

Sliders.
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The two RH Machine Screws go

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into the holes in the Sliders. The

underside of the Handle mates to the
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top face of one of the Sliders.

7 Turn the Crank.

The movement of the Knob follows an elliptical path. The movement
of each Slider traces the major and minor axes of that ellipse.
8 Save and close all files.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 14

Using Hide and Show Component

Exercise 14: Create this assembly by using mates.

Using Hide and This lab uses the following skills:
Show
 Creating a New Assembly on
Component page 162.
 Adding Components on page 167.
 Mating Components on page 169.
 Component Hiding and Transparency
on page 188.
 Smart Mates on page 192.

N
Units: millimeters

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Procedure Create a new assembly. All the component parts can be found in the
Lesson06\Exercises\Gearbox Assy folder.

C
1 Create assembly.

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Open the Housing component. Use Make Assembly from Part/
Assembly to create a new assembly with the Assembly_MM

D
template. It should be fixed at the assembly origin.
2 Add the components.
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Drag or insert the remaining component parts into the assembly.
R
3 Mates.
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Mate the Cover Plate and both

Cover_Pl&Lug components to the
Housing as shown.
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R
FO
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Exercise 14 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Using Hide and Show Component

4 Hide.
Hide the Cover Plate and one of the
Cover_Pl&Lug components as shown.
5 Add more components.
Add the Worm Gear Shaft and Worm
Gear components as shown.

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O
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Tip Mate the Worm Gear to the
Housing using a Width mate.

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U
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R
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6 Detail.
R

Show the hidden components. Use Change Transparency to change

the appearance of the Housing.
R

Add the Offset Shaft component and mate it.

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Tip A detail for mating the Offset Shaft to

the Housing is shown at right.
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O
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7 Save and close all files.

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Lesson 7

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Linear Static Analysis

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Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
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 Navigate the SOLIDWORKS Simulation interface.

 Execute a linear static analysis using solid elements.
R

 Understand the influence of mesh density on displacement and

stress results.
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 Employ various methods to present FEA results.

Manage SOLIDWORKS Simulation result files.
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 Access available help and assistance.

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

The Analysis The process of analyzing models consists of the same basic steps
Process regardless of the type of analysis or model. We must understand these
steps fully to have a meaningful analysis.
Stages in the Some key stages in the analysis of a model are shown in the following
Process list:
 Create a study
Each analysis performed on a model is a study. We can have
multiple studies in each model.
Apply material

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
We apply material properties such as yield strength to the model.

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 Apply fixtures
Fixtures are added to represent the way the physical model is held.

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 Apply loads

C
Loads represent the forces on the model.
Mesh the model

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
The model is broken into finite elements.

D
 Run the study
The solver calculates the displacement, strain and stress in the
O
model.
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 Analyze the results
The results are interpreted.
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Case Study: In this first case study, we will determine the stress in a rectangular
Stress in a Plate plate, with a hole in it, under a tensile load. We will use this simple
R

model to familiarize ourselves with all the steps and the majority of the
software functionality typically used in a static analysis of solid
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models.
In spite of its simplicity, this is probably the most important lesson in
FO

this course. This lesson goes through all the required steps. However,
after the lesson is complete, you should continue to explore other
software functionality and other modeling assumptions, such as
T

different material properties, loads, restraints, and so on.

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Project The rectangular plate with a

Description hole is fixed at the short-
N

end face. A 110,000

Newton load is uniformly
distributed along the other
end face.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

In addition to learning SOLIDWORKS Simulation functions, our

objective is to investigate the impact of different mesh densities on the
results. Using FEA terminology, the objective is to investigate the
effect of different discretization choices on the data of interest; in our
case, on deformation and stress. Therefore, we will perform the
analyses using meshes with different element sizes to gain more insight
into how FEA works.

1 Open a part file.

Open rectangular hollow plate from the Lesson07\Case Studies

N
folder. Review the dimensions of the model and note down the length,

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width, and thickness of the part in millimeters.
2 Start SOLIDWORKS

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Simulation.
Click Tools, Add-Ins.

C
Select SOLIDWORKS

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Simulation.
Click OK.

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

SOLIDWORKS SOLIDWORKS Simulation functions are accessed in the same way as

Simulation core SOLIDWORKS. To create an FEA model, solve the model, and
Interface analyze the results, we use a graphical interface in the form of icons
and folders located in the SOLIDWORKS Simulation Study tree
window.

Analysis Library

CommandManager tab

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Toolbar

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Simulation

Simulation
Simulation Study
tabs
Advisor
O
Study tree
R
EP
R

Simulation Study Once a simulation study is created, the

Tree Simulation Study tree will appear in the
R

lower part of the FeatureManager design

tree. Its visibility is controlled by a tab
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below the graphics area.

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O
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Pull-down The Simulation menu provides a method to

Simulation Menu access all the commands for simulation.

N
O
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C
U
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Toolbars
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The Simulation toolbar contains all the commands that
have toolbar buttons. It can be customized to show only
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those commands you use frequently.
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CommandManager The CommandManager provides a universal toolbar for simulation.

The Simulation tab provides the tools to setup a study and for
R

analyzing the results.

R
FO

Context Menus Functions can be selected by right-

clicking geometry or items in the
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Simulation Study tree.

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

SOLIDWORKS Located on the Simulation menu, the Options dialog box enables you
Simulation to customize the Simulation software to reflect the standards your
Options company uses for analysis. There are two categories of options, system
and default.
 System Options
System options apply to all studies. Included are the settings for the
way the errors are displayed and the location of the default libraries.
 Default Options
Default options apply to new studies. As we do not use templates

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for simulation studies, this is where the options are set for units,
default plots, etc.

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Where to Find It Menu: Click Options from the Pull-Down Simulation menu.

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

C
3 Open Simulation Options window.
Click Options.

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4 Set default units for SOLIDWORKS Simulation.

D
Under Default Options, select Units. Make sure that the Units system
is set to SI (MKS) and Length/Displacement and Stress are in mm
O
and N/mm^2(MPa), respectively.
R
EP
R
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FO

5 Set default results.

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In this lesson, the analysis results will be created and stored in a sub-
folder located in the SOLIDWORKS document directory.
O

Select Results. Under Results folder, select SOLIDWORKS

N

document folder. SOLIDWORKS document folder is the folder

where rectangular hollow plate.SLDPRT resides on your
computer.
Select the Under sub folder check box.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

In the Under sub folder box, enter results. This will automatically
create a sub folder results to store SOLIDWORKS Simulation results.
Under Default Solver, select Automatic.

Note Solvers will be discussed later in the course.

N
O
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Plot Settings
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Upon completion of any static
R
analysis, SOLIDWORKS Simulation
automatically creates the following
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result plots:
 Stress1
Displacement1
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
 Strain1
The plot settings determine which
R

plots will be automatically created

FO

and their units. To add an additional

plot, right-click Results and select
the type of plot you wish to define.
Each type of plot can be stored in a
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user-defined folder.
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N

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

6 Set default plots.

Expand the Default plots subfolder located in the Plot folder. This
section allows you to select default result plots to be generated after
solving the analysis.
We will use the default settings in the Default plots folder for this
lesson.

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O
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C
U
7 Specify color chart options.
Under the Plot folder, select Color chart.

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Set Number format to scientific and No. of decimal places to 6.
O
Explore all the chart options in this window.
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Click OK to close the Options window.
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Preprocessing In the following steps, we will prepare the model for analysis. The
preprocessing steps include:

 Create a study
 Apply material
 Apply fixtures
 Apply external forces
 Mesh the model
New Study Creation of an FEA model always starts with the

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definition of a study.

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The study definition is where we enter information
about the kind of analysis we wish to perform.

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Each analysis we do is a separate study. When a

C
study is defined, SOLIDWORKS Simulation
automatically creates a study folder (named in this case, default

U
analysis) and places several icons in it.

D
Some of the icons are folders that contain other icons.

We use Part
O
to define and assign material properties, External
R
Loads to define loads, Fixtures to define fixtures, and Mesh
to create the finite element mesh.
EP

Connections are not used in this lesson.

There is only one component, named rectangular hollow plate, in
R

the Part folder. If an analysis is done with multiple bodies, then a

R

Parts folder is created which contains as many Part bodies as

there are in the model.
FO

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Simulation > Study Advisor >

New Study
T

 Menu: Simulation, Study

O

Renaming Studies The name of the study can be changed at any point by click-pause-
clicking on the study name, by clicking the study name and selecting
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the F2 button on the keyboard or by right-clicking on the study tab and

selecting Rename. (Similar functionality is seen when renaming files
and folders in Windows.)

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

Assigning Material We can assign material to the model in either the SOLIDWORKS or
Properties the SOLIDWORKS Simulation window.
If a material was assigned in the SOLIDWORKS window, the material
definition will be transferred automatically to SOLIDWORKS
Simulation.
In this lesson, we assign material to the part in the SOLIDWORKS
Simulation window, not because this is the preferred way, but to
demonstrate this option.
Frequently used materials can be added to the folder Apply Favorite

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Material. A material can be applied conveniently from this folder to
multibody parts and assemblies without displaying the material

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window. To manage the favorite material list, right-click Material

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in the FeatureManager design tree and select Manage Favorites.

C
Where to Find It:  Menu: Simulation, Material, Apply Material to All
CommandManager: Select the component in the Simulation Study

U

tree Simulation > Apply Material

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 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a body from the tree and click Apply/
Edit Material O
Note The first method assigns the same material properties to all components
R
in the model. The second method assigns material properties to the
components that were selected. The third method assigns material
EP

properties to one particular body. Because we are not working with an

assembly but with a single part which contains only one body (i.e. this
is not a multibody part) any of the above three ways of material
R

assignment can be used.

R

8 Create a study.
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Click Study .
9 Name the study.
Click Static for the Type of study.
T

Type default analysis for the Name.

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Click OK .
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

10 Assign material properties.

Click Apply/Edit Material .
Expand Solidworks Materials and select AISI 304 from the Steel
folder.

N
O
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C
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D
O
R
EP
R

Click Apply and Close.

R

The rectangular hollow plate icon in the Parts folder now displays
FO

a green check mark and the name of the selected material to indicate
that a material has successfully been assigned.

Note The required material constants are in red. The constants shown in blue
T

may be required if specific load types are used (for example, the
O

Temperature load would require the Thermal expansion

coefficient). You may add a new material library by right clicking any
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folder or existing material in the Material dialog window. The new

material can be added by copying the existing material into a new
location and editing its properties.

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

Fixtures To do a static analysis, the model must be properly restrained so that it

cannot move. SOLIDWORKS Simulation provides various fixtures
that can be used to restraint the model. Generally, fixtures can be
applied to faces, edges and vertices using various methods.
Fixture Types The fixtures and restraints are grouped as Standard and Advanced.
Their properties are summarized below:

Standard Fixtures
Fixture Type Definition

N
Fixed Geometry Also called a rigid support, all translational

O
and all rotational degrees of freedom are
constrained.

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Fixed Geometry does not require any
information on the direction along which

C
restraints are applied.

U
Immovable This restraint locks translational movement
but allows rotational movement. This option

D
Ois only available when working with shell and
beam elements but not solid elements. (Solid
elements can not rotate.)
R
Roller/Slider Use the Roller/Slider restraint to specify that
EP

a planar face can move freely in its plane but

cannot move in the direction normal to its
plane. The face can shrink or expand under
R

loading.
Fixed Hinge Use the Hinge restraint to specify that a
R

cylindrical face can move only about its axis.

The radius and the length of the cylindrical
FO

face remain constant under loading.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Advanced Fixtures
Fixture Type Definition
Symmetry This option is available for use on flat face;
in-plane displacements are allowed and
rotation in the direction normal to the plane is
allowed.
Cyclic Symmetry This option is used to restrain segments
which, if periodically revolved around a
specified axis of revolution, would form a

N
rotationally symmetrical body.

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Use Reference This option restrains a face, edge, or vertex
Geometry only in desired direction(s), while leaving the

TI
other directions free to move. You can specify
the desired direction(s) of restraint in relation

C
to the selected reference plane, axis, edge, or

U
face. The SOLIDWORKS Flyout
FeatureManager is useful for selecting

D
reference geometry (plane and axis).
On Flat Faces
OThis option provides restraints in selected
directions, which are defined by the three
R
principal directions of the flat face where
restraints are being applied.
EP

On Cylindrical This option is similar to On flat face except

Faces that the three principal directions of a
cylindrical reference face define the directions
R

in a cylindrical coordinate system; this option

is very useful because you can apply a
R

restraint that allows for rotation about the axis

FO

associated with the cylindrical face.

On Spherical Similar to On flat faces and On cylindrical
Faces faces; the three principal directions of a
spherical face define the directions of the
T

applied restraints in a spherical coordinate

O

system.
N

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Simulation > Fixtures Advisor > Fixed

Geometry
 Menu: Simulation, Loads/Fixture, Fixtures
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click Fixtures and click Fixed Geometry

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

Display/Hide Fixture and External Forces symbols can be displayed or hidden by

Symbols doing one of the following actions:
 Right-click Fixtures or External Loads and select Hide All or
Show All.
 Right-click a Fixture or External Loads symbol for each
restraint individually, and then select Hide or Show.

11 Define Fixed Restraints.

Click Fixed Geometry .

N
Rotate the model and select the face to apply restraints.

O
Click OK .

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C
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D
O
R
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R
R
FO

Having defined fixtures, we have fully restrained the model in space.

Therefore, the model cannot displace without elastic deformation. In
FEA terminology, we say that the model does not have any rigid body
modes.
T
O

Renaming Each boundary condition can be renamed to help us decipher the

N

meaning later on.

The names of the fixtures, loads and connectors can be changed at any
point by click-pause-clicking on the study name, by clicking the
fixture, load or connector name and selecting the F2 button on the
keyboard or by right-clicking on the study tab and selecting Rename.
(Similar functionality is seen when renaming files and folders in
Windows.)

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Fixture Symbols Fixture symbols are displayed on the face where they
have been applied.

In this case study, we select Fixed Geometry as the

fixture type, meaning that all six degrees of freedom
(three translations and three rotations) have been
restrained.
The fixture symbols are arrows to indicate translational restraints and
discs to indicate rotational restraints in respective directions. In this
lesson, the fixtures are defined by the directions of the global

N
coordinate system visible in the lower-left corner of the model window.

O
If, instead of selecting Fixed Geometry as the type

TI
of fixture, we selected Roller/Slider , then the
rotational degrees of freedom would not be constrained

C
and the corresponding fixture symbols would feature
only arrows, not discs.

U
External Loads Once the model is restrained, we must apply external loads or forces to

D
the model. SOLIDWORKS Simulation provides various external
O
forces that can be used to load the model. Generally, forces can be
applied to faces, edges, and vertices using various methods. These
R
external forces and their properties are summarized below:
EP

Standard External Forces

Force Type Definition
R

Force This option applies a force or moment to a face,

edge, or vertex in the direction defined by
R

selected reference geometry (plane, edge, face, or

axis).
FO

Note that a moment can only be applied on shell

and beam elements are used. Shell and beam
elements have six degrees of freedom per node
T

(translations and rotations) and can assume a

moment load. Solid elements have only three
O

degrees of freedom per node (translations only)

N

and, therefore, cannot assume a moment load

directly.
If you need to apply a moment to solid elements,
it must be represented by appropriately
distributed forces, or remote loads.
Torque This option applies torque about a reference axis
using the Right-hand Rule. This option requires
that the axis be defined in SOLIDWORKS.

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

Advanced External Forces

Force Type Definition
Pressure Applies a pressure to a face. Can be
directional and variable, such as hydrostatic
pressure.
Gravity Applies linear accelerations to parts or
assemblies.
Centrifugal Force Applies an angular velocity and acceleration

N
to a part or assembly.

O
Bearing Load Bearing loads are defined between contacting
cylindrical faces.

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Remote Load/ Remote loads apply loads that would

C
Mass normally be transferred by connecting
structure.

U
Distributed Mass Distributed masses are applied to selected

D
Ofaces to simulate the mass of components that
are suppressed or not included in the model.
Temperature Temperatures are applied to components for
R
thermal expansion effects.
EP

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Simulation > External Loads Advisor> click

one of the available Force Types
R

 Menu: Simulation, Loads/Fixture, click one of the available

Force Types
R

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click External Loads and click one of the

available Force Types
FO

Note The presence of an external force is indicated by arrows symbolizing

the load and by the corresponding icon.
T

12 Rename the fixture.

O

Use the Windows click-pause-click method to rename the fixture called

N

Fixture-1 to Fixed side.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

13 Define Force.
Rotate the model to reveal the face where the 110,000 N [24,729 lbf]
tensile force is to be applied and select this face.

Click Force .

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
In the Type area, select Normal, in the Units dialog make sure that SI is
selected, and in the Force Value box, type 110,000.
R
Select Reverse direction. This is required to define a tensile force.
EP

Note Clearing the Reverse direction check box would result in a

compressive force.
R

When defining a normal force we do not need to use any reference

geometry. Load direction is sufficiently defined by the orientation of
R

the loaded face when Normal is in effect.

FO

Click OK .
14 Rename the force.
Rename this force definition to Tensile force.
T
O
N

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Linear Static Analysis

Size and Color of The size and color of restraint

Symbols and load symbols can be
controlled both locally and
globally.
The local settings of the
symbols are controlled from the
Symbol settings dialog in the
Fixtures and External Loads
PropertyManagers.

N
O
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C
U
D
O
The global definitions for the symbols can be controlled by the
SOLIDWORKS Simulation Options in the Load/Fixture folder.
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

Display/Hide The model now shows both loads and restraints symbols. To hide or
Symbols show the symbols:
 Right-click a particular restraint or load icon in the Fixtures or
External Loads folder and choose Show or Hide.
 Right-click the Fixtures or External Loads folder to globally
display or hide loads and restraints and choose Show All or Hide All.

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Linear Static Analysis

Preprocessing Now that we have assigned the material properties, fixtures, and
Summary external loads, we have fully defined the mathematical model, which
we intend to solve with FEA.
The mathematical model must be discretized into a finite element
model. Before creating the finite element model, let us make a few
observations about the following terms:
 Geometry preparation
 Material properties
 External loads definition

N
 Fixtures definition

O
Geometry Geometry preparation is a well-defined step with few uncertainties.
Preparation Geometry that is simplified for analysis can be checked visually by

TI
comparing it with the original CAD model.
Material Properties Material properties are most often selected from the material library

C
and do not account for local defects, surface conditions, and so on.

U
Generally, material definition has more uncertainties than geometry
preparation.

D
External Loads External loads definition, even though done in a few quick menu
Definition
O
selections, involves many background assumptions because in real life,
load magnitude, distribution, and time dependence are often known
R
only approximately and must be roughly estimated in FEA with many
simplifying assumptions. Therefore, significant idealization errors can
EP

be made when defining loads. Nonetheless, loads can be expressed in

numbers, which makes loads easier for FEA users to relate to.
R

Fixtures Definition Defining restraints is where severe

errors are most often made. A
common error is over-constraining
R

the model, which results in an overly

FO

stiff structure that underestimates

deformations and stresses.
The relative level of uncertainties in
Geometry Material Loads Fixtures
defining geometry, material, loads,
T

and fixtures is qualitatively shown.

O

Idealizations and Geometry is the easiest to define while fixtures are the most difficult,
N

Assumptions but the level of difficulty has no relation to the time required for each
step, so the message in this bar graph may be counterintuitive. In fact,
preparing CAD geometry for FEA may take hours, while defining
material, and applying loads and fixtures involves only a few mouse
clicks.

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Linear Static Analysis

In all examples here, we assume that material properties, external

forces, and supports are known with certainty, and that the way they are
defined in the model represents an acceptable idealization of real
conditions. However, we need to emphasize that it is the responsibility
of the user of the FEA software to determine if all those idealized
assumptions made during the creation of the mathematical model are
indeed acceptable. The best automesher and the fastest solver do not
help if the mathematical model submitted for analysis with FEA is
based on erroneous assumptions.
Meshing

N
The last step before processing the FEA model is to mesh the geometry.
In this step, the geometry will be divided into finite elements by an

O
automesher. While the automesher will take care of the tedious part of
the problem, we have input into the process to control the size and

TI
quality of the mesh.

C
Standard Mesh This mesh type was the first developed
for SOLIDWORKS Simulation and

U
makes use of Voronoi-Delaunay
meshing scheme. However, when

D
representing small features and curved
O
geometries the mesh can experience
large aspect ratios or failure. When a
R
symmetrical mesh is required, this mesh type is ideal.
EP

Curvature Based The curvature based mesh algorithm

Mesh generates a mesh with a variable
element size that allows the accurate
R

resolution of small features in the

geometry. The curvature based mesher
supports multi-threading and is often
R

regarded as the fastest mesher. This

FO

mesh can result in large aspect ratios.

Blended Curvature This mesher is the slowest of the three.
Based Mesh However, models which produce large
aspect ratios or failure from the
T

curvature based mesher can often be

O

resolved with this mesher. This mesher

does not support multi-threading or
N

adaptive techniques.
Mesh Density SOLIDWORKS Simulation will suggest medium mesh density as the
default that SOLIDWORKS Simulation will use for meshing our
model. Mesh density directly affects the accuracy of results. The
smaller the elements, the lower the discretization errors, but the longer
the meshing and solution times.

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Linear Static Analysis

Element Sizes The element size represents the characteristic element size in the mesh
and is defined as the diameter of a sphere circumscribing the element
(on the left in the following figure). This representation is easier to
illustrate with the 2-D analogy of a circle circumscribing a triangle (on
the right in the following figure).

N
O
h

TI
Because the curvature based mesh algorithm generates a mesh with a

C
variable element size, the Maximum element size and Minimum

U
element size define how big and small the elements are. These
parameters are established automatically, based on the geometric

D
features of the SOLIDWORKS model.
SOLIDWORKS Simulation uses the units of length specified in the
O
SOLIDWORKS model for the element size. Remember, however, that
R
we can enter analysis data and analyze results in any one of three unit
systems: SI, Metric and English.
EP

Minimum Number The Min number of elements in a circle

of Elements in a defines how the small features in the
Circle geometry will be resolved. For example, if
R

the model had a hole, the number of elements

in a circle will define how many elements
R

will surround that circle. In the image to the

FO

right, we have defined a minimum of 10

elements to surround the hole.
T
O
N

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Linear Static Analysis

Ratio The ratio is used to define the transition of the mesh from the Minimum
element size to the Maximum element size.
The Ratio parameter specifies the ratio between element sizes in
consecutive transitional element layers. In our case, the default Ratio is
used.
The following shows the use of this option.

a) Minimum element
Maximum element size = 0.1 mm

N
size = 1mm

O
TI
C
Ratio = 2.0

U
b)
Minimum element

D
Maximum element size = 0.1 mm
size = 1mm O
R
EP

Ratio = 1.1
R

Tip In the majority of analyses with SOLIDWORKS Simulation, the

default mesh settings produce a mesh that provides acceptable
R

discretization errors while keeping solution times reasonably short.

FO

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Simulation > Run This Study >

Create Mesh
 Menu: Simulation, Mesh, Create
T

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click Mesh and click Create Mesh

O

15 Generate the mesh.

N

Click Create Mesh .

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16 Set the mesh properties.

Expand Mesh Parameters and select Curvature
based mesh.
The model will be meshed using High quality
elements.
Expand all the sections of the PropertyManager to
see all the available choices.
The default mesh density will have the slider at
mid-scale. Under Mesh Parameters, the

N
Maximum element size and Minimum element

O
size of the mesh is shown as 5.72453 mm
[0.2254 in], the Min number of elements in a

TI
circle is 8, and the Element size growth ratio is
1.5. For the initial analysis, we will use the default

C
settings.

U
D
O
R
EP

Mesh Quality The mesh can be created with either a High or Draft mesh quality. The
R

default is to use a High quality mesh. To use a draft quality mesh, you
must select it in the PropertyManager under Advanced options.
R

The difference between High and Draft quality is that:

FO

 Draft quality mesh uses first order elements.

 High quality mesh uses second order elements.
The differences between first and second order elements are discussed
in Element Types Available in SOLIDWORKS Simulation in the
T

Introduction to FEA chapter.

O
N

17 Set mesh quality.

In the Advanced section, clear Draft Quality
Mesh.
We will review the other mesh options as we
proceed with the class.

Click OK to generate the mesh.

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Linear Static Analysis

The mesh appears after mesh

generation is completed.
The Mesh icon in the
SOLIDWORKS Simulation Study
tree window now displays a green
check mark to indicate that meshing
has been successfully completed.

N
O
Note We named this study default analysis with the intention of using the
default mesh size. Later on in this lesson the problem will be solved

TI
again with coarse and fine meshes.

C
Display/Hide Mesh Mesh visibility can be controlled by right-clicking Mesh, and then

U
doing one of the following:

D
 Select Hide Mesh.
 Select Show Mesh. O
Processing Once the preprocessing operations are complete, the study is ready to
R
be run. This stage is known as processing. In the processing stage,
matrices are obtained from the preprocessing operations which describe
EP

the stiffness of the structure as well as the loads on the structure. These
matrices are then combined to obtain the response of the structure. The
response of the structure is what is then analyzed in the postprocessing
R

stage of the analysis.

R

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Simulation > Run This Study > Run This
FO

Study
 Menu: Simulation, Run, Run
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click on
the study name and click Run
T
O

18 Run the analysis.

N

Click Run .

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Linear Static Analysis

You can monitor or pause the

solution in the solver window
while the analysis is running.

N
Postprocessing After the analysis is complete, SOLIDWORKS Simulation

O
automatically creates the Results folder with the default results plots

TI
that we specified at the beginning of the lesson: Stress1 (-vonMises-
), Displacement1 (-Res disp-), and Strain1 (-Equivalent-).

C
Result Plots Each result plot can be displayed by doing
one of the following:

U
 Double-click the desired plot icon

D
(Stress1, for example).

O
Right-click the desired plot icon
(Stress1, for example) and select
R
Show under any folder.
EP

While a plot is active (appears in the model

window) you can right-click the plot icon
again to examine the plot control options.
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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19 Show and edit Stress1 (-vonMises-) plot.

Double-click on Stress1 (-vonMises-) under the Results folder to
display the plot.
Notice that the stress plot is in Mega-pascals (N/mm^2) units and the
legend features scientific numbers with six digits, just as we requested
in the Options at the beginning of the lesson.

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
We observe that the maximum value of Von Mises stress is 408 MPa,
EP

which significantly exceeds the yield stress of the material, 206 MPa,
indicated by the red marker in following the chart.
R

Editing Plots To edit a plot, right-click on the plot and

R

select Edit definition .

The Display dialog lets you specify a stress
FO

component, units, and the type of plot.

The Advanced Options dialog lets you
choose to plot either Node or Element
T

values which is discussed below.

O

The Show as tensor plot option lets users

plot the orientation as well as the
N

magnitudes of the principle stresses (shown

in the discussion below).
The Deformed Shape dialog lets the user
specify the deformation scale for the plot.
Automatic (default), True scale, and User
Defined scale options are available.
Students are encouraged to experiment with these options.

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Nodal vs. Element The following figures show the nodal and elemental values of the Von
Stresses Mises stress for our model.

Node Values

N
O
TI
C
U
Element Values

D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

The stress plot that displays Nodal values appears “smooth”, while the
stress plot that displays Element values appears “rough”.
T

To understand the reasons for these different appearances, we need to

explain the differences between nodal and element stresses.
O

During the solution process, in each element, stress results are

N

calculated at certain locations called Gauss points. First order

tetrahedral elements (draft quality) have one Gauss point in their
volume. Second order tetrahedral elements have four Gauss points.
First order shell elements have one Gauss point. Second order shell
elements have three Gauss points.

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Nodal Values Stresses in Gauss points can be extrapolated

to element nodes. Most often, one node is
shared by several elements, and each
element reports different stresses at the
shared node. Reported values from all
adjacent elements are then averaged to
obtain a single value. This method of stress
averaging produces averaged (or nodal)
stress results.
Element Values Alternately, the stress values from all Gauss points within each element

N
can be averaged to report a single elemental stress. Although these

O
stresses are averaged between Gauss points, they are called non-
averaged stresses (or element stresses) because the averaging is done

TI
internally within the same element only.
Element stresses and nodal stresses are always different, but too large a

C
difference indicates that the mesh is not sufficiently refined in that

U
location. See the exercise Exercise 15: Bracket on page 254 for the
practical use of these quantities.

D
Show as Tensor This plot type helps visualize the directions as well as the magnitudes
O
Plot Option of the principal stresses P1, P2, and P3. Due to the considerable
differences in magnitudes between these stress values, one must zoom
R
in substantially to see all three arrows.
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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Modifying Result The Results plots can be modified in several ways to suit your needs.
Plots There are three primary functions to control the content, units, display
and annotations of the plots.
 Edit Definition
Edit Definition controls the definition of the result and units to be
displayed. For example, the definition of a stress plot could be
changed to display principle stress as opposed to von Mises stress.
 Chart Options
Chart Options control the annotations. Options include which

N
annotations are shown as well as the color, type of units (scientific,
floating, general) and the number of decimal places shown in the

O
legend. The position of the legend and titles can also be adjusted.

TI
 Settings
Settings are used to control the display of the model.

C
Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click a plot and select Edit Definition. Select

U
Definition, Chart Options or Settings tab.

D
 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a plot and select either Edit Definition,
Chart Options or Settings
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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20 Modify the chart.

Right-click Stress1 (-vonMises-) and select Chart Options.
Check Show min annotation and Show max annotation boxes to
show the markers in the plot.
Clear Automatically defined maximum value and enter the yield
strength value of 206.8 MPa for AISI 304.

Click the Dropper . Specify a black color to represent stress values

N
over 206.8 MPa.
Note that you can also modify the color options.

O
Click OK to save new settings.

TI
C
Drag chart to new location

U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O

Note The black regions on the plot indicate the regions where stress exceed
N

the yield point.

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21 Modify settings of stress plot.

Right-click on Stress1 (-vonMises-) and
select Settings.
Explore the Fringe, Boundary, and
Deformed Plot Options in this dialog.

N
O
TI
C
22 Automatic maximum stress.
Double click on the legend of the von Mises stress

U
plot to get into Chart Options.

D
Check Automatically defined maximum value
to change back to the automatically defined stress
O
range.
R
Click OK .
EP
R

Other Plot There are several other plot types available to display specific results of
R

Controls the analysis.

Introducing: Section Sections plots allow a cutting plane to be positioned at any point in the
FO

Plot model and the plotted results shown at the plane location.

Where to Find It  Menu: Simulation, Result Tools, Section Clipping

Shortcut Menu: Right-click an existing plot and select Section
T


Clipping
O

Introducing: Iso Iso plots show that part of a model where the plotted parameter is a
N

Plots certain value or between certain values.

Where to Find It  Menu: Simulation, Result Tools, Iso Clipping

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click an existing plot and select Iso Clipping
Introducing: Probe A probe allows you to select a point or points on the model and display
the plot parameter in both tabular and plotted form.

Where to Find It  Menu: Simulation, Result Tools, Probe

 Shortcut Menu: Right-click a plot and select Probe

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23 Create section plot.

In many applications it is useful to cut the model and look at the
distribution of the result quantity in the through-thickness direction.

Click Section Clipping .

From the SOLIDWORKS fly-out menu, select Right plane as a
Reference entity.
Students are encouraged to explore all the options and parameters in the

N
Section dialog. Note that the user can also drag the triad to easily move
the cut plane through the model.

O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

Use Reverse Clipping Direction and Clipping On/Off to

T

control the cutting direction and to disable the section plot.

O

Click OK to close the Section dialog.

N

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24 Create Iso plot.

Suppose that we wish to display portions of the
model where the von Mises stress is between 170
MPa and 275 MPa.

Click Iso Clipping . This opens the Iso

Clipping PropertyManager.
In the Iso value box, under the Iso1 dialog, enter
275 N/mm^2 [MPa] [39,886 psi].

N
Check Iso 2 and in the Iso value box, enter 170 N/
mm^2 [MPa] [24,657 psi].

O
Click OK .

TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R

The black arrows on the stress legend indicate the values defined for
R

the two iso surfaces.

FO

Experiment with the Iso Clipping window options using different

numbers of iso surfaces and different cutting directions.

Use Reverse Clipping Direction and Clipping On/Off to

T

control the cutting direction and to reset the plot.

O
N

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25 Probe stress results.

Click Probe .
Using the pointer, click the desired locations on the plot. It helps to
zoom in on the area.
The stress results are listed in the Results dialog table and in the plot at
the selected locations.

N
O
TI
Select points
in this direction

C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

Under Report Option, you can save the results in a file, plot the path-
graph, or save the locations as sensors. (Sensors are discussed in detail
later on in the class.)
T
O

Click Plot .
N

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Linear Static Analysis

N
O
TI
C
U
The figure above shows a Von Mises stress path plot for the selected

D
locations.

Click OK .
O
R
26 View displacement plot.
Double-click the Displacement1 (-Res disp-) plot icon.
EP

The post processing features that we practiced in the case of Stress1

(-vonMises-) are applicable to all other result quantities, such as
R

Displacement.
The displacement shows a maximum resultant displacement of
R

0.1435 mm [0.00565 in].

FO
T
O
N

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Linear Static Analysis

Note We record the displacement result with 6 digits only to practice the plot
options and to compare results from studies with different meshes. The
uncertainties and simplifying assumptions used to create the model do
not justify this accuracy.
27 Superimpose undeformed shape.
Right-click on Displacement1(-Res disp-)
and select Settings.
Select Superimpose model on the deformed
shape. You can also adjust the transparency of

N
the undeformed image.

O
Click OK .

TI
28 Animate displacement plot.
To animate the displacement

C
plot, right-click on
Displacement1 (-Res disp-)

U
and select Animate.

D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

In the Animation PropertyManager you can

T

start and stop the animation, set the number of

O

frames, control the speed, and save the

animation as an *.avi file.
N

Try the options of the animation feature.

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29 Plot strain results.

Double-click the Strain1 (-Equivalent-) plot icon to show the plot.

N
O
TI
C
U
Note that strain results are dimensionless.

D
Strain results are shown as non-averaged (element values) by default as
opposed to stress results, which are shown as averaged (node values)
O
by default.
R
Examine the strain plot showing Element Values.
To review the averaged strain plot, right-click on Strain1
EP

(-Equivalent-) and select Edit Definition, and then select Node

Values.
To examine the available chart options, right-click Strain1
R

(-Equivalent-) and select Edit Definition.

All post processing features that we practiced for the stress plot are
R

available for strain plots as well.

FO

Other Plots There are several other postprocessing quantities available to view at
the end of the analysis.
T

Introducing: Stress Stress Plots are used to analyze various components of stress such as
O

Plot principle stresses and directional stresses. The von Mises stress is the
default stress plot.
N

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Define
Stress Plot
 CommandManager: Simulation > Results Advisor > New Plot >
Stress
Introducing: Displac Displacement Plots are used to analyze directional components of
ement Plot displacement.

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Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Define
Displacement Plot
 CommandManager: Simulation > Results Advisor > New Plot >
Displacement
Introducing: Factor Factor of Safety Plot show the safety of the design based on the
of Safety Plot design strength of the material (typically the yield strength).

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Define

N
Factor of Safety Plot
 CommandManager: Simulation > Results Advisor > New Plot >

O
Factor of Safety
Introducing: Fatigue Fatigue Check Plot serves as a quick indicator if the fatigue may be of

TI
Check Plot any concern in the design of the component.

C
Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Define

U
Fatigue Check Plot

D
Important! The fatigue check plot is only available if you have Simulation
Professional. O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
N

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30 Plot Fatigue Check Plot.

Click Define Factor of Safety Plot .
Set the Loading type to On/Off Loading to
indicate that the Tensile force may oscillate
between 0 and 110,000 N.
Set the Surface Finish Factor to Machined.
Keep the Loading Factor and Size Factor at
their default values of Axial and 0.75.

N
Under Material keep the Scale this value and

O
Minimum safety factor fields at their default
values of 1.

TI
Click OK .

C
U
D
O
R
EP
R

The areas in red indicate potential fatigue problems. Note that accurate
calculations using the SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional fatigue
modulus may be required.
R
FO
T
O
N

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31 Define P1: 1st Principal Stress plot.

Click Define Stress Plot .
Select P1: 1st Principal Stress as the stress
component, keep all other default options, and
click OK .

N
O
TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP
R
R
FO

We observe that the maximum value of the 1st principle stress, 416 MPa
[60,304 psi], is very close to the maximum value of the Von Mises
stress, 408 MPa [59,218 psi]. This is because the specified Tensile
load is the only dominant load component resulting in predominantly
T

tensile stress along the longitudinal direction of the plate.

O
N

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Multiple Studies We have completed the analysis of rectangular hollow plate with the
default mesh and now wish to see how a change in mesh density affects
the results. For this reason, we will repeat the analysis two more times
using both coarser and finer density meshes.
To repeat the analysis with coarsened mesh, we can create a new mesh
while still in the default analysis study, but this action would
overwrite the old results.
To preserve the results of the study, we will create a new study, coarse
analysis. Creating a new study can be done in several ways.

N
Creating New New studies can be created in one of two ways:

O
Studies  Create a new study from scratch.

TI
 Duplicate an existing study. Right-click the tab for the study you
want to duplicate and click Duplicate. This is essentially the same

C
as copying a study and pasting it into a blank study.
When we duplicate a study, SOLIDWORKS Simulation displays the

U
Define Study Name window. This will allow us to name the duplicated

D
study and choose the model configuration to use.
Copy Parameters O
When we create a new study, we can copy material, fixtures and
external forces from existing studies rather than recreating them in the
R
new study. To copy parameters, drag the parameter from the Simulation
Study tree to the tab of the new study.
EP

Note When a study is duplicated, the study settings, Fixtures, External

Forces, Mesh, and the study results will be copied as well.
R

32 Duplicate the study.

R

Right-click the default analysis tab and

FO

click Duplicate.
Type coarse analysis for the study
name. The model only has a Default
configuration, so we cannot change it.
T
O
N

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33 Create new mesh in coarse analysis study.

In the coarse analysis study, right-click Mesh and select Create
Mesh. A warning window appears.
Remeshing will delete the results for study: coarse analysis.
Click OK to open the Mesh window.
Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh
Parameters.
Move the Mesh Factor slider all the way to the
left. The Maximum element size should read

N
11.4491 mm [0.4508 in].

O
Click OK .

TI
C
U
D
O
R
EP

The generated mesh is

displayed to the right.
Notice that there is only
R

one element across the

thickness of the part. In the
R

default analysis there were

two elements across the
FO

thickness.
T
O

Note The mesh is rather coarse. Later, we will discuss why this sort of mesh
N

is not acceptable for reliable analysis results.

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34 Display mesh details.

Having created the mesh, we can
access the detailed mesh
information by right-clicking
Mesh and selecting Details.
The same detailed information
can of course be displayed for the
“old” mesh in the default
analysis study.

N
Many of the items in this list will
be discussed in later lessons.

O
35 Run the analysis.

TI
36 View displacement and stress results.

C
Record the maximum displacement (0.143 mm / 0.00563 in) and the
maximum von Mises stress (403 Mpa / 58,393 psi).

U
D
Note All plot settings remain the same as the default analysis study
because the plot definitions are copied from that study.
O
37 Re-run the analysis with fine mesh.
R
Repeat steps 32 - 35 to generate a new study with fine mesh named
fine analysis.
EP

When re-generating the mesh, move the slider all the way to the right.
The Maximum element size should read 2.86227 mm [0.1127 in].
R

The fine mesh generated

using the above settings is
R

shown to the right.

Notice that we now have
FO

several elements in the

through-thickness
direction. You will later
T

learn that this mesh is

acceptable for reliable
O

analysis results.
N

38 View displacement and stress results.

Record the maximum displacement (0.144 mm / 0.00567 in) and the
maximum von Mises stress (415 Mpa / 60,252 psi).

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Check Now we must collect information from all of the studies (default,
Convergence and coarse and fine analysis) to compare the displacement and
Accuracy maximum von Mises stress results for the various mesh refinements.
We can determine the maximum displacement and the maximum von
Mises stress results in plots.
We must also determine the number of elements and the number of
nodes in each mesh. These can be found in the Mesh Details window
of each respective mesh.
Finally, we must determine the number of degrees of freedom (DOF) in

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each model. To calculate this number, we could count the number of
unconstrained nodes by subtracting the number of nodes on the

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constrained face from the number nodes reported in mesh details. Then
we could multiply this number by three because each node in a solid

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element mesh has 3 DOF. An easier method, however, is to right-click
the Results folder in each study and select Solver Messages (see

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below).

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D
39 View solver messages.
Right-click on Results and choose
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Solver Messages. Note the
number of elements, nodes, and
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degrees of freedom.
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Results Summary The summary of the results produced by the three studies is shown in
the following table:

Max.
Max. von Number
Mesh displace- Number Number
Mises stress of
density ment of DOF of nodes
[MPa] elements
[mm]

coarse
.1432142 402.589 7,128 1,173 2,427
analysis

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default
.1434665 408.323 44,037 8,677 14,844
analysis

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fine
.1435111 415.605 310,977 68,511 104,248

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analysis

Note that all of the results of this table pertain to the same problem. The

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only difference is in the mesh density. You may find small differences

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between your own results and those presented in this table. This is due
to service pack upgrades, etc. Having noted that the maximum

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displacement increases with mesh refinement, we can conclude that the
model becomes less stiff (or softer) when the number of degrees of
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freedom increases. In our case, by selecting second order elements, we
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impose the assumption that the displacement field in each element is
described by second order polynomial functions.
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With mesh refinement, the displacement field in each element is still

described by second order polynomial functions; however, the larger
number of elements makes it possible to approximate the real
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displacement and stress fields more accurately.

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We can say that the artificial constraints resulting from element

definition become less imposing with mesh refinement. Displacements
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are always the primary unknowns in FEA, and stresses are calculated
based on displacement results. Therefore, stresses also increase with
mesh refinement. If we continued with mesh refinement, we would see
both displacement and stress results converge to a finite value. This
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limit is the solution of the mathematical model. Differences between

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the solution of the FEA model and the solution of the mathematical
model are due to discretization error. Discretization error diminishes
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with mesh refinement.

The process of consecutive mesh refinements that we have completed
is called the convergence process. Its objective is to determine the
impact of our discretization choices (element size) on the data of
interest, which, in this lesson, are the maximum resultant displacements
and the maximum von Mises stress.

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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

Comparison With An infinitely long rectangular hollow plate under a tensile load
Analytical Results possesses an analytical solution [1]. We compare FEA results with
analytical results.
W, D and T denote plate width (100 mm), hole diameter (40 mm) and
plate thickness (10 mm). P is the tensile load 110,000 N or 24,729 lb.
For comparison with analytical results, it is more convenient to use the
SI system because the SOLIDWORKS model have been defined in
mm.
n is the normal stress in the cross section where the hole is located, Kn

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is the stress concentration factor, and max is the maximum principal
stress.

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P 110000
 n = ---------------------------- = ----------------------------------- = 183.33MPa

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 W – D xT  100 – 40 x10
2 3

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D D D
K n = 3 – 3.13  ----- + 3.66  ----- – 1.53  ----- = 2.23568
W W W

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 max = K n x n = 183.33   2.23568  = 409.87MPa

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Review the P1: 1st principal stress plot for study default analysis.
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The maximum value reached 415.83 MPa, which corresponds to
approximately 60.3 ksi.
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Therefore, the difference is:
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NumericalSolutions – THEORY 415.83 – 409.87

difference = -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- = --------------------------------------- = 1.43
NumericalSolutions 415.83
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The difference of 1.43% between the SOLIDWORKS Simulation

result and the analytical solution does not necessarily mean that the
SOLIDWORKS Simulation result is worse and has a 1.43% error.
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We must be very careful in how we compare these results. Note that the
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analytical solution is valid only for a very thin plate where a plane
stress condition is assumed. SOLIDWORKS Simulation calculates a
solution for a 3D model with substantial thickness (10 mm) and
accounts for realistic stress distribution across the plate thickness.
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SOLIDWORKS Simulation also takes into consideration the fact that

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the plate has a finite length (200 mm) rather that an infinite one, as the
analytical solution does.
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Furthermore, detailed inspection of the stress results show the stress

gradient across the plate thickness, which is not accounted for in the
analytical model. Thus, we can conclude that SOLIDWORKS
Simulation provides more detailed stress information than the
analytical solution.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Reports Results may need to be recorded in report form for review, presentation
or archive purposes.
Reports can be published in Microsoft Word format. Different sections
can be added to the report from a list of predefined commonly used
topics. The default settings for the Reports can be found in the
Simulation, Options menu.
Predefined sections include:
 Description  Assumptions
Model Information Study Properties

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 
 Units  Material Properties

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 Loads and Fixtures  Connector Definitions
 Contact Information  Mesh Information

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 Sensor Details  Resultant Forces
 Beams  Study Results

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 Conclusion  Appendix

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To edit the content of a section, select the section in the Included

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sections and fill in the appropriate section properties.

Where to Find It 
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Menu: Simulation, Report
 Simulation Toolbar: Click Report
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 CommandManager: Simulation > Report
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40 Generate report in Microsoft Word format.

Click Report .
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Lesson 7 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Linear Static Analysis

41 Add sections.
Under Report sections, select the required report parts. (For example,
you could deselect the option Contact Information, as we do not have
any in this analysis.)
Enter your Header information and click Publish.

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42 Examine the report.

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Open the report in Microsoft Word and examine the results.

43 Save and Close the file.
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 7

Linear Static Analysis

Summary We used a simple model of a hollow rectangular plate to introduce the

SOLIDWORKS Simulation interface and, at the same time, to go
through all major steps in the FEA process.
We created multiple studies to execute a linear static analysis with three
different meshes.
While preparing models for analysis and examining results obtained
with different meshes, we introduced the concept of modeling error and
discretization error.
This first lesson was intended to provide an understanding of FEA

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methodology and the software skills necessary to complete the lessons

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that follow.
References

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1. Young and Budynas, Roark’s Formulas for Stress and Strain, 7th
Edition.

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Questions 
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The preprocessing stage of the FEA includes the following steps:
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1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
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3. _________________________________________________
4. _________________________________________________
5. _________________________________________________
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 The density of finite element mesh (does / does not) have

considerable impact on the analysis results.
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 In general, we would favor (finer / coarser) meshes to obtain

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reliable analysis results. Therefore, the time required to solve the

analysis will (increase / decrease), but this is an unavoidable
consequence.
Ultimately, we will try to design optimum meshes providing
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reasonable accuracy levels and resulting in acceptable run times.

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 The primary unknown in finite element analysis is (displacements /

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strains / stresses). This quantity is therefore the most accurate.

 The accuracy levels of (displacements / strains / stresses) and
(displacements / strains / stresses) are approximately the same, but
significantly worse than that of (displacements / strains / stresses).
Therefore, to obtain good (displacement / strain / stress) results, the
mesh must be reasonably fine.
 (Refining / Coarsening) the mesh results in solutions approaching
the analytical solution of a mathematical model.

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Exercise 15 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bracket

Exercise 15: In this first exercise, you will analyze a simple part with a single
Bracket restraint and one external force.
This lab uses the following skills:
 Fixtures on page 216.
 External Loads on page 219.
 Meshing on page 224.
 Multiple Studies on page 245.

Problem The aluminum part of an

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Statement assembly will be analyzed for its Bolt holes
maximum stresses and

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displacements. The part is

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bolted to the rest of the
assembly through the two bolt

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holes, as indicated in the figure.
The part is then subjected to a

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normal force of 500 N, applied to the counter bored face.

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1 Open a part file.
Open Bracket from the Lesson07\Exercises folder.
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2 Specify SOLIDWORKS Simulation options.
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Select Options in the Simulation menu.
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Select the Default Options tab, specify SI (MKS) as the Unit System
for this analysis. In the Units dialog, set the Length/Displacement and
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Pressure/Stress fields to mm and N/mm2 (MPa), respectively.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 15

Bracket

The following default results plots are generated after each static study
is completed: nodal von Mises stress and resultant displacement.

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Right-click on the Static Study Results folder and select Add New
Plot. Add an additional result plot for the nodal P1: 1st principal

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stress be generated as a default result plot.

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Specify the subfolder results in the SOLIDWORKS document

directory as a location to store the result files.
3 Number format.
Select Color chart. Select
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Scientific and 2 decimal places.

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4 Define a static study.

Create a new static study named stress analysis.

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Exercise 15 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bracket

5 Apply material properties.

Click Apply/Edit Material .
Specify Aluminum 1060 Alloy from the SOLIDWORKS materials
library.
Click Apply and Close.
6 Apply Fixtures.
Click Fixed Geometry .
Apply the fixture to the faces as shown in the figure below.

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Click OK .

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This restraint simulates the way this part is attached to the rest of the
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assembly.
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Fixed Geometry fixtures are used in this exercise to model the bolted
connections mounting the bracket to the other parts of the larger
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assembly. Also, the presence of the other parts to which this bracket is
attached is ignored in this exercise.
You will learn in the later lessons that more accurate and elegant
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methods and features, such as bolt connectors and virtual wall, exist to
simulate these conditions.
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 15

Bracket

7 Apply external load.

Click Force .
Select the inner face as
indicated in the diagram and
specify that the direction of
the load as Normal to the
selected face with a Force
Value of 500 N.

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Click OK .

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8 Mesh.

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Click Create Mesh .
Specify a Curvature-based mesh with High quality elements and

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default element sizes.

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Click OK . O
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9 Run the study.

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Exercise 15 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bracket

10 Plot stress results.

We observe that the maximum von Mises stress in the model is
approximately 32.4 MPa, which is above the yield strength of the 1060
Aluminum Alloy (27.6 MPa).

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The distribution of the P1: 1st principal stress indicates a maximum
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value of approximately 32 MPa. This value corresponds to the
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maximum tensile stress in the part (maximum compressive stress

where the value is negative).
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 15

Bracket

11 Probe von Mises stress on the fillet.

Later in the course you will learn that the
fixtures may result in stress
intensifications which are not real. For
this reason, we will focus our attention to
the filleted region between the horizontal
and vertical bosses on the part.

Click Probe .
Select On selected entities, then pick

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the seven faces of the fillet between the two bosses.

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Click Update.

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Probing the results on selected faces we see that the maximum stress at
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this stress concentration region is 30.59 MPa [4,507 psi], which is

slightly above the yield strength of 27.6 MPa [3,989 psi].
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Exercise 15 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bracket

12 Plot displacement results.

We observe the maximum resultant displacement of approximately
0.068 mm [0.0027 in].

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Coarse Mesh and Are our current results accurate enough? Visual inspection of our finite
Element Stress element mesh suggests that it may be rather coarse, especially in the
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regions where the fillets are present. Furthermore, inspection of the
distribution of the elemental values of the von Mises stress indicates
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considerable stress jumps from element-to-element in the higher stress
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concentration areas.
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We will repeat the analysis with finer mesh.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 15

Bracket

13 Create new static study.

Duplicate the study stress analysis as a new study named stress
analysis - refined.
The folders Fixtures, External Loads, Parts, Mesh, and Results
will be copied into the new study as well.
14 Create fine mesh.
Create High quality mesh. Slide the Mesh Density slider all the way to
the right which will result in an Maximum element size of 2.198 mm

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and a Minimum element size of 0.733 mm.

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The resulting mesh shows significantly improved mapping of the
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model geometry.
15 Run the study.
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Exercise 15 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Bracket

16 Plot stress results.

We now observe that the maximum von Mises stress increased from
32.4 MPa to 39.9 MPa, which is above the material yield strength of the
27.6 MPa. This translates to a difference of nearly 18%. However, if we
examine the plot, we will see that the maximum stress is at the sharp
corner of the bolt holes. We will discuss this further in the next lesson.

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17 Probe stress on the fillet.

Using the identical procedure described in step 11 probe the stress
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results on the filleted geometries.

We can observe the maximum von Mises stress on these entities
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decreased from 30.59 MPa to 29.42 MPa, which is still above the yield
strength but is a negligible difference from the previous study. We can
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therefore conclude that the mesh refinement confirmed the validity of

our simulation and our results are converged. It should be noted that in
other situations the difference in the stress results may be significant. In
general, requirements on the good stress results translates into a
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necessity to generate finer meshes. In our present case further

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refinement does not produce further improvement in the stress results

and we will thus conclude that they are converged.
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 15

Bracket

18 Plot displacement results.

The plot shows that the maximum displacement resultant increased
from 0.0678 mm to 0.0683 mm; a difference of less than 1 %.

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19 Save and Close the file.

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Summary In this exercise, we practiced the basic setup of the linear static study as
well as the post processing features available in SOLIDWORKS
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Simulation. We observed that the mesh quality has a significant impact

on the results (especially the stress results). While the deviation in the
resultant displacements obtained from the two studies was 1 %, the
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deviation for maximum von Mises stresses was nearly 18 % (often the
difference in stresses is much greater). The greater difference in the
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maximum stresses is attributed to the following two phenomena:

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 Displacements are the primary unknown in the finite element

analysis and, as such, will always be significantly more accurate
than strains and stresses. A relatively coarse mesh is sufficient for
satisfactory displacement results, while significantly finer mesh is
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generally required for satisfactory stress results.

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 The extreme values of the stresses occur in the vicinity of the

fixture where the stresses often assume unrealistically high values.
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This is a subject studied in the next lesson. The stresses at the

filleted regions reported in both studies were closer in their
magnitudes with a negligible difference. Finer meshes are required
in filleted regions as stress results are of importance to us.

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Exercise 16 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Compressive Spring Stiffness

Exercise 16: In this exercise, we will use SOLIDWORKS Simulation to determine

Compressive the compressive stiffness of a coil spring.
Spring Stiffness This exercise reinforces the following skills:
 New Study on page 213.
 Fixtures on page 216.
 External Loads on page 219.
 Meshing on page 224.
 Result Plots on page 229.
Procedure The stiffness of the helical spring can be determined as follows:

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1 Open a part file.

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Open spring from Lesson07\Exercises folder.

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Note For convenient application of fixtures and external loads, disks have
been added to both ends of the spring. The distance between the disks

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corresponds to the active length of the uncompressed spring.

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2 Set SOLIDWORKS Simulation options.
Set the system of Units to SI (MKS) and the units of Length and

D
Stress to mm and N/m2 (Pa).
3 Create study.
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Create a Static study named spring stiffness.
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4 Review material properties.
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The material properties (Alloy Steel) are transferred from

SOLIDWORKS.
5 Apply Fixed restraint.
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Apply a Fixed Geometry fixture to the end face of one disk (item 1).
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 16

Compressive Spring Stiffness

6 Apply radial restraint.

Use an advanced fixture to apply a restraint in the
radial direction to the cylindrical face of the other
disk (item 2).
This restraint only allows the spring to be
compressed (or expanded) in its axial direction
and to rotate about the longitudinal axis.

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1

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7 Apply compressive force.
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Apply a 0.1 N compressive force to the end face of the disk with the
cylindrical face constrained in the radial direction.
8 Mesh the model and run the analysis.
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Select Curvature based mesh under Mesh Parameters.

Use High quality elements with the default Maximum element size
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and Minimum element size of 2.787 mm and 0.557 mm, respectively.

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9 Run the study.

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Exercise 16 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Compressive Spring Stiffness

10 Plot z displacements.
Displacement results indicate an axial displacement of 0.426 mm. The
axial displacement is in the z direction.

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Coil Spring Axial
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The axial stiffness of the spring can be calculated as 234.7 N/m.
Stiffness
R
(k = f/x).
We use this result to define the spring connector in later lessons using
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the equation f= kx, where k=234.7 N/m.

Alternately, we could use an approximate formula for the stiffness of a
R

helical spring (Mechanical Vibrations by S. S. Rao, 1995).

4
Gd
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K Axial = --------------
3
8nD
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where:
 G is the material shear modulus
 d is the diameter of the wire
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 D is the mean coil diameter

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 n is the number of active turns

Substituting our values (n = 8.75, d = 1 mm, D = 17 mm, and G =
N

7.9e10 Pa) into the above formula gives an axial stiffness of

approximately 230 N/m. This result is very close to our actual result of
234.7 N/m.

11 Save and Close the file.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 17

Container Handle

Exercise 17: In this exercise, you will

Container assess the safety of the waste
Handle container handle.
This exercise reinforces the
following skills:
 New Study on page 213.
 Fixtures on page 216.
 External Loads on
Base plates
page 219.

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 Meshing on page 224.
Result Plots on

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
Handle
page 229.

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Problem The handle is used to attach the hook of the winch when loading the

C
Description container on the rails of the transporting truck. The entire container is

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manufactured from AISI 304 steel. The handle is welded (double-sided
fillet weld) to the two square base plates located symmetrically on both

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sides. The diameter of the handle is 30mm; the thickness of the steel
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plates is 5mm. Apply the most suitable fixtures to simulate the
connection between the handle and the steel plates.
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Loading In the most extreme loading
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Conditions situation, when the container is

pulled onto the truck rails, the handle
is loaded by a 3000 N force inclined
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at 15 degrees. The force should be

applied on the circular split face indicated in the figure above.
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The geometry of the handle

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structure with the base plates is

shown in the figure to the right.
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Goal Decide whether the design of this handle is safe. Pay attention to the
most appropriate representation of the fixture.
The part for this exercise is located in the Lesson07\Exercises
folder.

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Exercise 17 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Container Handle

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Lesson 8

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Motion Simulation and Forces

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Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
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 Use Assembly Motion to animate the motion of a car jack

assembly.
 Use SOLIDWORKS Motion to simulate physical behavior of the
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car jack and determine the torque required to lift a vehicle.

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Lesson 8 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Motion Simulation and Forces

Basic Motion In this lesson, we will perform a basic motion analysis using
Analysis SOLIDWORKS Motion to simulate the weight of a vehicle on the jack
and determine the torque required to lift it. Engineers can then use this
information to choose the required electric motor to drive the car jack.

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Case Study: Car A mechanical jack is a device that lifts heavy equipment. The most
Jack Analysis common form is a car jack, floor jack, or garage jack which lifts
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vehicles so that maintenance can be performed. Car jacks usually use
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mechanical advantage to allow a human to lift a vehicle. More
powerful jacks use hydraulic power to provide more lift over greater
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distances. Mechanical jacks are usually rated for a maximum lifting

capacity (e.g., 1.5 tons or 3 tons).
Because this is our first motion analysis, no contact is used and the
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tilting motion of the jack is prevented with the help of the mates.
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Problem The car jack will be driven at a rate of 100 RPM and will be loaded
Description with a force of 8,900 N., representing the weight of a vehicle.
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Determine the torque and power required to lift the load through the
range of motion of the jack.
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 8

Motion Simulation and Forces

Stages in the  Create a Motion Study.

Process This will be a new motion study.
 Add a rotary motor.
The rotary motor will drive the jack.
 Add gravity.
Normal gravity will be added so that the weight of the car jack
components are considered in the calculations.
 Add the weight of the car.
The weight of the car will be added as a downward force on the

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Support.

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 Calculate the motion.
The default analysis will run for five seconds but we will increase it

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to allow the jack to extend fully.
Plot the results.

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
We will create various plots to show the torque and power required.

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1 Ensure that
SOLIDWORKS Motion is O
added in.
Under Tools, Add-ins,
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make sure SOLIDWORKS
Motion is checked.
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Click OK.
2 Open an assembly file.
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Open Car_Jack from the

Lesson08\Case Studies
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folder.
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Lesson 8 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Motion Simulation and Forces

3 Set the document units.

SOLIDWORKS Motion uses the document units set in the
SOLIDWORKS document.
Click Tools, Options, Document Properties, Units.
Select MMGS (millimeter, gram, second) for the Unit system. This
will set our length units to millimeters and force to Newtons.
Click OK.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Lesson 8

Motion Simulation and Forces

4 Change to the Motion Study.

Click on the Motion Study 1 tab that appears at the bottom left-hand
corner of the window. If this tab is not visible, click View,
User Interface, MotionManager.

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5 Activate the Motion Type of Study.

Select Motion Analysis from the list of available study types.
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Note Animation is used to create animations for illustration purposes. Basic

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Motion can be used to create animations where gravity, mass and

collisions are applied to the parts in the model. Motion Analysis is a
complete rigid body simulation environment used to obtain
numerically accurate, physics based data and animations.

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Lesson 8 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Motion Simulation and Forces

Driving Motion Motion can be driven by gravity, springs, forces or motors. Each has
different characteristics that can be controlled.
Introducing: Motors Motors can create either linear, rotary or path dependent motion or
prevent motion. This motion can be defined in a number of different
ways.
 Constant Speed
The motor will drive at a constant velocity.
 Distance
The motor will move for a fixed distance or degrees.

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 Oscillating

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Oscillating motion is a back and forth motion at a specific distance
at a specified frequency.

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 Segments
Motion profile is constructed from segments of the most commonly

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used functions such as linear, polynomial, half-sine and others.

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 Data Points
Interpolated motion is driven by a tabular set of values.

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 Expression O
The motor can be driven by a function created from existing
variables and constants.
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 Servo Motor
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The motor used to implement control actions for the event-based

triggered motion.
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Where to Find It  MotionManager toolbar: Click Motor .

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FO
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Motion Simulation and Forces

6 Create a Motor that drives the Screw_rod at 100 RPM.

Click Motor .
Under Motor Type, select Rotary Motor.
Under Component Direction, select the cylindrical face of the
Screw_rod part as shown in the figure. The Motion Direction field
will automatically populate the same face to specify the direction.
Use the Reverse Direction button to orient the motor (see the figure).

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Leave the Component to move relative to field empty. This ensures
that the motor direction is specified with respect to the global

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coordinate system.

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Under Motion, select the Constant speed and enter a value of
100 RPM.

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D
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Important! Make sure that the motor is oriented as shown in the figure.

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Motion Simulation and Forces

Click the graph in the PropertyManager to view the enlarged plot.

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Close the graph plot.

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Click OK .

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Gravity
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Gravity is an important quantity when the weight of a part has an
influence on its simulated motion, such as a body in free fall. In
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SOLIDWORKS Motion, gravity consists of two components:
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 Direction of the gravitational vector

 Magnitude of the gravitational acceleration
The Gravity Properties allows you to specify the direction and
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magnitude of the gravitational vector. You can specify the gravitational

vector by selecting the X, Y and Z direction or by specifying a
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reference plane. The magnitude must be entered separately. The default

value for the gravitational vector is Y and the magnitude is
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9806.55 mm/sec2 or the equivalent in the currently active units.

Where to Find It  MotionManager toolbar: Click Gravity .

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7 Apply Gravity to the assembly.

Click Gravity .
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For Gravity Parameters, Direction Reference,

select the Y direction.
Under Numeric gravity value, type in a value of
9806.65 mm/sec^2.

Click OK .

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Motion Simulation and Forces

Forces Force entities (including both forces and moments) are used to effect
the dynamic behavior of parts and sub-assemblies of a motion model
and are usually a representation of some external effect acting on the
analyzed assembly.
Forces may resist or induce motion, and are defined using similar
functions that are used to define motors (constant, step, function,
expression or interpolated).
Forces in SOLIDWORKS Motion can be divided into two basic
groups:

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 Action Forces
A single applied force or moment

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representing the effect of the external

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objects and loadings on the part or sub-
assembly. The weight of the vehicle

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applied on the car jack or an
aerodynamic force on the car body are examples of action forces.

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 Action and Reaction Forces
A pair of forces or moments, both action and corresponding

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reaction, are applied on the parts or sub-assemblies.
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A spring force could be understood as action and reaction force
because both the forces on both end of the spring are on the same
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line of action. Another example would be a person pushing with
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his/her arms on the two opposing parts of an assembly. Such a

person can then be represented in the motion analysis by a pair of
two opposing forces of equal magnitude on the same line of action,
i.e. action and reaction forces.
R

Understanding A force can define load or compliance on a part. SOLIDWORKS

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Forces Motion provides the following type of forces:

Applied Forces Applied forces are forces that define loads at specific locations on a
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part. You must provide your own description of the force behavior by
specifying a constant force value or a function expression. The applied
forces available in SOLIDWORKS Motion are the applied force,
applied torque, action/reaction force and action/reaction torque.
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The orientation of action-only forces can be fixed or relative to the

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orientation of any part in the mechanism.

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Applied forces are used to model inputs such as actuators, rockets,

aerodynamic loads and many more.
Force Definition To define a force the following information must be specified:
 Part or parts on which the force acts.
 Point of the force application.
 Magnitude and direction of the force.

Where to Find It  MotionManager toolbar: Click Force .

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Motion Simulation and Forces

Force Direction The force direction is based on the reference part

you select in the Force Direction box. An
illustration below gives you the three cases on how
the force direction changes based on the selected
reference parts.

Case 1 Direction of force is based on a fixed component.

If fixed component is the assembly origin then the initial orientation of

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the force will be held constant throughout the simulation.

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Reference Fixed Component

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F1

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F1
F1

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Case 2 Direction of force is based on the selected moving component,
which is also the component on which you want to apply the
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force.
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If the part to which the force is applied is used as the reference datum,
then the force will remain locked in its relative orientation to the body
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over the entire simulation time (i.e. it will stay in alignment with the
geometry on the body used to define the direction).
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Reference Rotating Component

F1
R

F1
FO

F1
Fixed Component
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Motion Simulation and Forces

Case 3 Direction of force is based on the selected moving component

which is different from the component on which you want to
apply the force.
If another moving part is used as the reference datum, the direction of
the force will change based on the relative orientation of the reference
body to the moving body. This is hard to visualize easily, but if you
apply the force on a body that is held locked in position, and use a
rotating part as the reference datum, you should see the force rotate in
concert with the reference body.

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Reference Rotating Component

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F1
F1 F1

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Note Make sure that the gravity symbol shows the orientation in the

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negative Y direction.

8
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Create a force of 8900 N to simulate the weight of the car on the
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car jack.
Click Force .
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For Type, select Force.

Under Direction, select Action Only.
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Under Action Part and Point of Application of Action, select the

circular edge on component Support-1 (see image below).
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For Force Direction, select the vertical edge on the Base-1

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component.
Note The default force direction is defined by the circular edge selected in
the Action Part and Point of Application of Action field, i.e.
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perpendicular to the plane of the edge. Because the default direction is

correct in this case, the edge selected in the Force Direction field is not
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required and is done solely for the educational purpose.

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Motion Simulation and Forces

Under Force Function, select Constant. Enter a force value of

8900 N.

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D
Note Make sure that the force is directed downwards.
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Click OK .
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9 Run the Simulation.
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Click Calculate . The simulation will calculate for 5 seconds.

10 Run the Simulation again for 8 seconds.
Drag the end time key to 8 seconds on the timeline.
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R
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Click Calculate .
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Motion Simulation and Forces

Results The primary output from a motion study is a plot of one parameter
versus another, usually time.
Once the motion is calculated plots can be created for a variety of
parameters. All existing plots will be listed at the bottom of the
MotionManager tree.
Plot Categories Plots of the following categories can be created:
 Displacement  Displacement
 Acceleration  Forces
Momentum Energy

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 
 Power  Other quantities

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Sub-Categories Within each of the categories, plots can be created for:

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 Trace Path  XYZ Position
 Linear Displacement  Linear Velocity

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 Linear Acceleration  Angular Displacement
Angular Velocity Angular Acceleration

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 
 Applied Force  Applied Torque

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 Reaction Force  Reaction Moment
 Friction Force O  Friction Moment
 Contact Force  Translational Momentum
 Angular Momentum  Translational Kinetic Energy
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 Angular Kinetic Energy  Total Kinetic Energy
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 Potential Energy Delta  Power Consumption

 Pitch  Yaw
 Roll  Rodriguez Parameters
Bryant Angles Projection Angles
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 

Resizing Plots Plots can be resized by dragging any border or corner.

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Where to Find It  MotionManager toolbar: Click Results and Plots

FO
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Motion Simulation and Forces

11 Plot the torque required to lift the weight of the car.

Click Results and Plots .
Under Result, select the category as Forces.
Under Sub-category, select Motor Torque.
Under Result component, select Magnitude.
Under Select rotational motor object to create result, select the
motor that we created (see image below).

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Click OK .

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The plot of torque required appears in the graphics area.

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The required torque is about 7244 N-mm.

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Motion Simulation and Forces

Note Once the Rotary Motor1 is selected, a triad is displayed in the

graphics area. This triad indicates the local X, Y and Z axes of the
motor in which the output quantities may be displayed. In the present
case we require the plot of the magnitude which is independent of the
coordinate system. The post-processing is described in greater detail in
the next lesson.
12 Plot the power consumed to lift a weight of
8900 N.
We will add this plot into an existing graph.

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Click Results and Plots .

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Under Result, select the category as Momentum/
Energy/Power.

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Under Sub-category, select Power
Consumption.

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Under Select motor object to create result,

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select the same motor that you selected in the

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previous step.
Under Plot Results, select Add to existing plot
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and select Plot1 from the pull down menu.
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Click OK .
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O

The power consumption is 76 Watts. Based on the torque and the power
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information, we can select an electric motor and use it to drive the

Screw_rod instead of a human hand.

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Motion Simulation and Forces

13 Play animation.
Click Play .
The vertical time bar in both the MotionManager and the graph
indicates the time.

Click Stop .
14 Plot the vertical position of the Support.
Click Results and Plots .

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Under Result, select the category as Displacement/Velocity/
Acceleration.

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Under Sub-category, select Linear Displacement.

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For Result Component, select Y-component.
For Select two points/faces, select the top face of the support. If no

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second item is selected, the ground serves as the default second

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component, or the reference.

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Leave the Component to define XYZ directions field empty. This
indicates that the displacement is reported in the default global
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coordinate system.
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Note The displacement is measured at the origin of the Support part file,
indicated as the small blue sphere in the above figure, with respect to
the origin of the Car_Jack assembly file. The result is reported in the
default global coordinate system.

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Motion Simulation and Forces

Click OK .

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The above graph indicates change of the global Y coordinate of the

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origin of the Support part file. The displacement is therefore 51mm
(212-161mm) in the positive global Y axis.

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15 Modify the graph.

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Modify the ordinate of the graph to show the
angular displacement of the motor.
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In the MotionManager tree, expand the Results
R
folder. Right-click Plot2 and click Edit Feature.
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Under Plot Results, select New Result.

For Define new result, select Displacement/
Velocity/Acceleration.
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Select Angular Displacement under sub-category.

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Select Magnitude for result component.

Select RotaryMotor1 for the simulation element.
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Click OK .
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Motion Simulation and Forces

16 Examine the graph.

The result plot is a little coarse and the data ordinate does not cover the
full range of -180 to 180 degrees. To generate a graph with finer detail,
more data must be saved to disk.

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Introducing: Study SOLIDWORKS Motion has its own set of properties to control the way

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Properties the study is calculated and displayed.
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Study properties will be discussed throughout the book.
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Where to Find It  MotionManager toolbar: Click Motion Study Properties
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Introducing: Frames Frames per second controls how often the data is saved on the disk. The
per Second higher the frames per second, the more dense the data recorded.
R

Where to Find It  In the Motion Study Properties, expand Motion Analysis and either
type the number, use the spinbox arrows or adjust the slider.
R

17 Modify Motion Study properties.

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Click Motion Study Properties .

Change the Frames per second to 100.
T

Click OK .
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Motion Simulation and Forces

18 Calculate the study.

Click Calculate .
Notice that we have more detail and the angular displacement is nearly
from -180 to 180 degrees.

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19 Save and close the file.

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Exercise 18 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

3D Fourbar Linkage

Exercise 18: This assembly is a simple mechanism called 3D Fourbar linkage.

3D Fourbar There are only four parts in the mechanism. The Support part is
Linkage grounded, and the rotation of the Lever part will cause a sliding motion
of the SliderBlock part.

LeverArm

linkage

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Support

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SliderBlock

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C
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D
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This exercise reinforces the following skills:
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 Basic Motion Analysis on page 270.
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 Results on page 281.

Project The LeverArm will be simply rotated with a constant 360 deg/sec
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Description angular velocity. Determine the amount of torque required to drive this
mechanism and plot it from the motion simulation.
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1 Open an assembly file.

Open 3D Fourbar linkage from the Lesson08\Exercises folder.
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2 Verify fixed and moving

components.
Make sure that support is fixed
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while the other components can

move.
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3 Motion study.
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In the MotionManager, select Motion Analysis.

The default Motion Study 1 will be used for the analysis.
4 Add gravity.
Apply gravity in the negative Z direction.

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SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017 Exercise 18

3D Fourbar Linkage

5 Define motion of the Lever Arm.

Define a Rotary Motor at 360 deg/sec.

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O
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C
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D
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Tip You can enter 360 deg/sec directly into the PropertyManager and it will
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automatically be converted to RPM.
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6 Motion study properties.

Set the Frames per second to 100.
Set the time key to 4 seconds.
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7 Calculate the simulation.

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8 Determine the torque and power required to drive the mechanism.

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Define a graph showing Motor torque and the required power as a

function of time. Define both quantities in a single graph.
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Exercise 18 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

3D Fourbar Linkage

9 Linear velocity of the SliderBlock.

Plot a graph showing the linear velocity in the Y direction of the
SliderBlock as a function of time.

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10 Modify the graph.

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Modify the ordinate of the graph to show the angular displacement of
the Rotary Motor. This way the graph will show the variation of the

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SliderBlock velocity relative to the angular displacement of the

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LeverArm.
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R
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R
R
FO

11 Save and close the file.

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Lesson 9

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Flow Simulation Analysis

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Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
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 Understand the model preparations required for a Flow Simulation

Project.
 Create simple lids.
R

 Check the geometry for invalid contacts.

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 Calculate the internal volume.

Create a SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Project using the Project
FO


Wizard.
 Apply flow boundary conditions.
T

 Apply Goals.
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 Run an analysis.
Use the Solver Monitor window.
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 View the results.

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Lesson 9 SOLIDWORKS 2016 - 2017

Flow Simulation Analysis

Case Study: In this lesson, we will learn how to set up a SOLIDWORKS Flow
Manifold Simulation project using the Wizard. Prior to setting up our project, we
Assembly will learn how to properly prepare our model for the analysis. We will
run the simulation and learn how to interpret the results. In addition, we
will see the many options available when post-processing the results.
Problem Air enters an intake manifold assembly at
Description 0.05 m3/s and flows out through the six
openings as seen in the figure. The
common goal of intake manifold design

N
is even distribution of the combustion
mixture to the piston heads. This will

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insure optimum engine efficiency. We
will keep this in mind when analyzing

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our intake assembly.

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The objective of this lesson is to introduce the complete set up of a
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation project within SOLIDWORKS, from

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model preparation to post-processing. Study goals will be defined and
discussed. In addition, the results will be post-processed using the

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various options in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation.
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Stages in the  Prepare model for analysis.
Process Use the Lids tool to close the model in preparation for an internal
R
analysis. The Check Geometry command will be used to make
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sure that your model is ready for a flow simulation.

 Set up flow simulation.
Use the Wizard to set up the flow simulation project.
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 Apply boundary conditions.

Boundary conditions are applied to inlets and outlets.
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 Declare calculation goals.

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Goals can be defined that are special parameters that the user will
have information for after the analysis is run.
 Run the analysis.
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 Post-process the results.

The results can be processed using many available options in
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SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

1 Open SOLIDWORKS.

2 SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation Add-Ins.

Once installed, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can be activated on
SOLIDWORKS Add-Inns tab of the CommandManager.

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Note Alternatively, add-ins can be activated using the Tools, Add-Ins menu.

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3 Open Assembly.
Open Coletor from the Lesson09\Case Study folder.

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Model In any static analysis, it is often necessary to modify the

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Preparation SOLIDWORKS geometry to allow the simulation to run. The same is
true in flow simulations. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation groups flow
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analysis into two separate categories, internal analysis and external
R
analysis. Before beginning model preparations, it is necessary to ask
yourself which type of analysis you wish to perform.
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Internal Flow Internal flow analysis involves fluid flow bounded by outer solid
Analysis surfaces, e.g. flows inside pipes, tanks, HVAC systems, etc. Internal
flows are confined inside the SOLIDWORKS geometry. For internal
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flows the fluid enters a model through the inlets and exits the model
through the outlets with the exception of some natural convection
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problems that have no openings.

FO

To perform an Internal flow analysis, the SOLIDWORKS model must

be fully closed (no openings) using lids. The SOLIDWORKS Flow
Simulation, Tools, Check Geometry command tool can be used to
ensure that the model is fully closed.
T

External Flow External flow analysis involves a solid model which is fully surrounded
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Analysis by the flow, e.g., flows over aircraft, automobiles, buildings, etc. The
fluid flow is not bounded by an outer solid surface, but bounded only
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by the Computational Domain boundaries and does not require a lid

unless the application involves a flow source (such as a fan).
If both internal and external analysis is required simultaneously, e.g.,
flows over and through a building, the analysis is treated as an External
analysis in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

Manifold Analysis Now that we know the difference between internal and external
analysis, we can characterize our manifold analysis as internal. We will
only study the flow on the inside of the manifold assembly and are not
concerned with any flows around the body. As mentioned previously, to
perform an internal flow analysis, the SOLIDWORKS model must be
fully closed using Lids.
Lids Lids are used in internal flow analysis. In this type of analysis, all
openings within a model must be covered using the SOLIDWORKS
“lids” features. The surfaces of the lids (which contact the fluid) are
used to apply boundary conditions which introduce a mass flow rate,

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volume flow rate, static /total pressure, of Fan condition within a fluid

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volume.
Note Situations that do not require the use of lids include external analysis

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that measure flow over bodies such as: cars, planes, buildings, ...etc. In
addition, lids are not used in natural convection problems.

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Introducing: Create The Create Lids tool automatically creates lids for all openings in the

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Lids selected planar surface of the model. This tool is available for both part

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and assembly files. The lids are necessary for an internal analysis
(problems such as flow through a ball valve or pipe).
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Where to Find It  CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Create Lids
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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Tools, Create Lids
Flow Simulation Main toolbar: Create Lids
EP

4 Create a lid on the inlet face.

R

Under Tools, Flow Simulation, Tools, select Create Lids .

Select the annular face defining the plane of the inlet that should be
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closed by the lid.

FO

In the Create Lids PropertyManager, click the Adjust Thickness

button and enter 1mm as the Thickness.
Click OK.
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Flow Simulation Analysis

You’ll notice that a new part called LID1 gets created in the
FeatureManager design tree. The part is a blind extrusion from the
selected planar face into the opening with a distance that was specified
as the Thickness.
Note Multiple planar faces can be selected using the Create Lids tool. If the
user is working with an assembly, new parts named LID1, LID2... will
be created. If the user is working with a single part, new LID1,
LID2...features will be created.
Tip It is good practice to rename your lids when working in an assembly.

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This can avoid problems with multiple assemblies with lids open at the
same time.

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Lid Thickness If necessary, the thickness of the lid can be adjusted by clicking the
Adjust Thickness button and input the value in the Thickness box

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(as done in the previous step).

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The thickness of an external lid for an internal analysis is usually not
important for the analysis. However, the lid should not be so thick that

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the flow pattern is affected downstream in some way. If this is both an
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external and internal analysis then creating a lid that is too thin will
cause the number of cells to be very high. For most cases the lid
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thickness could be the same thickness used to create the neighboring
walls.
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Manual Lid The Create Lids tool cannot be used if there are no planar faces to use
Creation as references. In this instance, the user must create the lids manually by
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creating lid parts or features.

Adding a Lid to a  Click on the surface adjacent to where you would like to add the lid
R

Part File and open a sketch.

FO

 Select the inside edge(s) and select Sketch Tools, Convert

Entities.
 Insert, Boss/Base, Extrude and select the Mid Plane option.
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Flow Simulation Analysis

Note Selecting the Mid Plane option is very important. The Blind option
would create an invalid contact (disjointed body) between the lid and
the body. SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation is unable to apply
boundary conditions onto a surface when there is an invalid contact.
Mid-Plane extrusion Blind extrusion

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O
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Correct Lid Creation In-correct Lid Creation

C
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Adding a Lid to an There are several ways to create lids within a SOLIDWORKS
Assembly File assembly file. The following steps outline one of these recommended

D
ways. O
 Within the SOLIDWORKS assembly mode go to Insert,
Component, New Part.
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 Select the surface adjacent to where you would like to add the lid.
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 Select the inside edge(s) and select Sketch Tools, Convert

Entities.
 Insert, Boss/Base, Extrude and select the Mid Plane option.
R

 Click OK to close the part edit mode. A new Part will be added to
the assembly.
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Note It's usually a good idea to create the lids as a part file within an
assembly especially if your analysis involves heat transfer. These lids
FO

can then be assigned a different material, such as an insulator so that

the lid does not affect the heat transfer analysis.
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Flow Simulation Analysis

5 Remaining lids.
Create the remaining lids on the outlet faces using the manual lid
creation method described above. Use a Mid Plane extrusion of 2mm.

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C
Note We could have used the Create Lids tool to create the remaining lids,

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however the tool would have closed all of the openings on the selected
face, therefore closing the bolt holes. This is not necessary, and this

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also gives us the opportunity to practice manual lid creation.
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When creating lids before the analysis, keep in mind that they have two
R
Discussion
purposes; closing off any openings and allowing for solid geometry on
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which boundary conditions (i.e. static pressure, mass flow rate, etc.) are
defined. In this model, we could have used a single part to close off all
six outlet ports as shown in the figure. This type of lid would not be
R

applicable if we required different boundary conditions on each outlet.

In addition, this lid is inappropriate because to evaluate the design, we
R

require information about the flow through each individual outlet

(remember, a well designed manifold will distribute the combustion
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mixture evenly). We will see that this type of lid will make it more
difficult to obtain the information about each port.
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O
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Checking the The SOLIDWORKS model must be checked to determine if there are
Geometry any problems with the geometry that may cause problems meshing the
body and fluid regions.
There are two main reasons that prevent meshing of the solid and fluid
bodies.
 Openings in the geometry that prevent SOLIDWORKS from fully
defining a fully closed internal volume. This is for an internal
analysis only.
 Invalid contacts exist between parts in an assembly. (An invalid

N
contact is defined as a line or point contact between part files.)
These will be discussed later in the lesson.

O
Note Invalid contacts affect both internal and external analysis.

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Introducing: Check A SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation tool,
Geometry called Check Geometry, allows users to check

C
the SOLIDWORKS geometry. This tool also

U
allows you to check bodies for possible
geometry problems (e.g., tangent contact) that

D
cause SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to
create an inadequate mesh.
O
The State field allows you to disable some of
R
the assembly components from the geometry
check.
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Provided the fluid volume exists, Show Fluid

Volume command will graphically indicate it.
R

Check command will run the geometry check

on the assembly.
R
FO
T

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Check Geometry

O

 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Tools, Check Geometry

Flow Simulation Main toolbar: Check Geometry
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6 Check for invalid fluid geometry.

Access Check Geometry tool.
Keep all assembly components selected.
Under Analysis Type, select Internal.
Click Check.
The results are presented in the text field below
the graphics area.

N
The non-zero values for the fluid and solid
volumes indicate that the internal fluid volume is

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water tight and suitable for flow simulation.

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Close the text area with the results, and the Check Geometry property
manager.

C
Note The Check Geometry command will check for possible invalid

U
contacts, e.g., tangency, zero thickness, etc. If a problem has been
detected, the message appears in the Invalid contacts output box.

D
Tip When the geometry is deemed ready for analysis, it is good practice to
O
set all components as fixed. This insures that none of the components
move when defining boundary conditions, etc.
R
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Internal Fluid SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation will also calculate the total volume
Volume of solid components and the total fluid volume.
R

For internal flow analysis, the internal fluid volume must be greater
than zero. If there are no invalid contacts and the internal fluid volume
is still zero, then there is a small gap or an opening that connects the
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internal domain to the external space. Once the small gap or opening is
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detected and corrected, rerun the Check Geometry tool to ensure that
the internal fluid volume is greater than zero.
Invalid Contacts If invalid contacts exist, SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation will not be
able to calculate an internal fluid volume (within the computational
T

domain), and the Check Geometry tool will report the internal fluid
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volume to be zero even if the model is perfectly closed and has no

openings or gaps. Invalid contacts must be fixed before a flow analysis
N

can be performed.
The invalid contacts can be fixed by either separating the two parts
with a very small distance so that they are no longer touching, or by
creating an interference fit between the two parts.

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Invalid Contact Some typical types of invalid contact are

Examples shown in the figure.

In our example, if a Blind extrusion was

used, an invalid line contact would be
created as shown in the figure.

N
O
If an invalid contact is detected, you may
click the contact in the list of invalid

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contacts to show the location.

C
U
D
Note Not every tangent contact causes an invalid contact. SOLIDWORKS
O
Flow Simulation uses SOLIDWORKS API boolean operations to
compute fluid and solid bodies. If SOLIDWORKS is able to construct
R
the resulting bodies successfully, then SOLIDWORKS Flow
Simulation will consider the bodies as valid for its analysis even with
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potentially bad contacts, like “line contact.”

In some models, even with invalid contacts the user will be able to
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apply boundary conditions and solve the analysis. Users in these cases
may receive the “Failed to complete” error message when trying to
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define Cut Plots. The user would have to correct the invalid contact to
plot and rerun the analysis before defining Cut Plot images.
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Important! For internal flow analysis, boundary conditions can not be applied until
all openings are closed.
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7 Modify lid position.

To demonstrate lid positions that are not ideal, you will now change the
position of the last lid.
Edit the position of the last lid so
that its internal edge forms a line
contact along the edge of the
outlet.

N
O
Edge contact

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8 Check geometry.

C
Follow step 6 on page 299 to
check geometry for invalid

U
contacts. Make sure you specify

D
Internal analysis type.
The result text window indicates 16 detected unresolved contacts,
O
which were fixed.
R
Because the invalid contacts were fixed, the Check geometry tool was
also able to calculate both the fluid and solid volumes.
EP
R
R
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Note In most of such situations, software is able to heal invalid contact and
calculate the fluid and solid volumes.
Click on any of the invalid contacts to see it in the graphics area.
Close the text area with the results, and the Check Geometry property
manager.

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9 Modify lid position again.

Follow step 7 and change the
position of the lid to form a clear
gap between the lid and the outlet.

Gap (leak)

N
O
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10 Check geometry.

C
Follow 8 to check the geometry for invalid contacts. Make sure you
specify Internal analysis type.

U
The result text window indicates that the geometry

D
check failed. Both the solid and fluid volumes
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show zero volumes indicating that they could not
be calculated.
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EP

Introducing: Leak Leaks in geometry are sometimes difficult to detect. Leak tracker tool
Tracker makes this task easy.
R

Where to Find It  Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Tools, Leak Tracking

 Flow Simulation Main toolbar: Leak Tracking
R

11 Leak tracker.
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Go to Tools, Flow Simulation, Tools

Outside
and select Leak Tracking . face

Select one face on the inside of the

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manifold, and one face on the outside of

it.
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Click Find Connection.

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Inside face

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The trajectory from the inside face to

the outside face will be graphically
shown on the model.

N
12 Close Leak Tracer.

O
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13 Modify lid position. Face to face contact
Return the lid to its correct

C
position where it forms the
face to face contact with the

U
outlet.

D
O
R
EP
R

Note You may run the Check geometry command for the last time to verify
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that your geometry is water tight.

FO
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Project Wizard Project wizard is the most convenient way to create and specify the
basic configuration of your simulation project.
Introducing: Wizard The flow simulation project Wizard is used by even the most
experienced users of SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation. It walks you
through the basic steps of setting up a flow analysis. Additional
commands may then be needed to complete the definition of more
complicated analyses. The Wizard addresses the following parts of
modeling:
 Project Configuration

N
Select the configuration that you want to use with the simulation.
You can create a new configuration or use one that is currently

O
defined. It is recommended that you associate each flow simulation
project to a new configuration. This insures that your files and

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results will be organized.

C
 Unit System
Defines the unit system that will be used in the simulation. This can

U
be changed after finishing the Wizard in the Flow Simulation
menu by selecting Units. In addition, each custom defined unit

D
systems can be created that mix and match from the different
O
universal systems.
Analysis type
R

The analysis is defined as internal or external. In addition other
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features about the analysis can be defined (i.e., reference axis).

 Default Fluid
Defines the default fluid that is used in the analysis as well as the
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type of flow it will encounter (i.e., laminar, turbulent, both).

 Wall Conditions
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Defines the boundary conditions for the flow at the walls of the
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SOLIDWORKS geometry.
 Initial Conditions
Defines the initial and ambient conditions of the solids and fluids in
the model.
T

 Results and Geometry Resolution

O

Can define the density of the mesh based on the geometrical

features of the model (thickness of thin wall and gaps) as well as
N

the overall result accuracy.

Where to Find It  CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Wizard

 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Project, Wizard
 Flow Simulation Main toolbar: Wizard

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14 Create a project using a wizard.

From the Tools, Flow Simulation menu, choose: Project, Wizard .
15 Create a new project.
Under Configuration, click Use Current (default setting).
Note You can also select Create New to create a new configuration, or
Select to associate your project with any of the existing
SOLIDWORKS configurations.
In the Configuration Name box, enter Project 1.

N
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation will store all data in a separate folder

O
numbered sequentially, i.e. “1”, “2”, “3”,...etc. based on how many
projects have been defined. This folder is located in the same directory

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as the assembly file.

C
U
D
O
R
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Click Next.
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O
N

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16 Select units.

N
O
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C
U
D
Select SI (m-kg-s) as the Unit System for this project.
O
You can change the unit system anytime by going to Tools, Flow
Simulation, Units.
R
Click Next.
EP

Note You can also create your own system of units (by mixing and matching
unit systems). This is done by checking the Create New check box and
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entering the custom name for the new unit system.

17 Select analysis type.
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Select Internal under Analysis Type.

Under Consider closed cavities, clear Exclude cavities without
flow conditions.
Defining the Reference axis is not required for this analysis.
Accept all other default settings.
Click Next.

Reference Axis The Reference Axis is defined through the Wizard. It is used to define

N
the Dependency of a specific quantity (i.e., radiation or rotation).

O
Exclude Cavities The status of the Exclude cavities without flow conditions option is
Without Flow not important in this analysis; there is only one internal space within

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Conditions this model. If there were multiple unconnected internal spaces, then
selecting this box would prevent SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation

C
from meshing and solving for any internal spaces that do not have

U
boundary conditions.

D
18 Select fluid type (gas or liquid).
O
R
EP
R
R
FO
T
O
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Expand the Gases tree. Using the scroll box in the database of fluids,
click Air.
Click Add. This will move Air under the Project Fluids list.
Accept all other default settings.
Click Next.

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19 Set wall conditions.

N
O
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C
U
D
In the Parameter list, the value for Default wall thermal condition is
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Adiabatic wall and the value for Roughness is 0. Click Next.
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Adiabatic Wall Since this project does not involve any type of heat transfer, the default
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Adiabatic wall selection is recommended. Adiabatic wall assumes the

walls are perfectly insulated.
Roughness This value is used in the calculation of the velocity profile within the
R

boundary layer. If the default value of zero is used (recommended if the

roughness is not known), the solver assumes the walls are smooth.
R

Please consult the Flow Simulation help on how to determine

appropriate roughness parameters.
FO
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20 Initial and ambient conditions.

N
O
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C
U
D
O
Click Finish to accept the default standard ambient conditions as the
initial conditions for this analysis.
R
Note The closer the initial values are set to the final values determined in the
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analysis, the quicker the analysis will finish. Since we do not have any
knowledge of the expected final values, we will not modify them in this
lesson.
R

21 Review input data in the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis

tree.
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SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation will create a new project associated

with the Default SOLIDWORKS configuration and a SOLIDWORKS
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Flow Simulation analysis tree will also be created.

The Flow Simulation analysis tree tab in the SOLIDWORKS
FeatureManager should be automatically created and selected.
T

If, after a later date, changes are

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needed to be made to the input data

within the project, the user can right-
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click Input Data in the

SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
analysis tree and select the
appropriate option to update the
input information.

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Expand the options under Input Data

within the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
analysis tree. The SOLIDWORKS Flow
Simulation analysis tree is used to define
additional analysis settings for the project.
The Computational Domain, shown as a
wireframe box enveloping the model, is used
to visualize the volume being analyzed.

N
Computational The Computational Domain is defined as a volume fixed with respect

O
Domain to a coordinate system within a fluid flow field. Although the fluid
moves into and out of the computational domain, the computational

TI
domain itself remains fixed in space.
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analyzes the model geometry and

C
automatically generates a Computational Domain in the shape of a

U
rectangular prism enclosing the model. The computational domain’s
boundary planes are orthogonal to the model’s Global Coordinate

D
System axes. For external flows, the computational domain’s boundary
planes are automatically distanced from the model capturing the fluid
O
space around the model. However, for internal flows, the computational
domain’s boundary planes automatically envelop the model walls only.
R
Introducing: A boundary condition is required to describe where the fluid enters or
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Boundary exits the system (Computation Domain) and can be set as a Pressure,
Conditions Mass Flow, Volume Flow or Velocity. Boundary conditions can also
specify parameters of a wall such as ideal, stationary, or rotating.
R

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Boundary Conditions in the Flow

R

Simulation analysis tree and click Insert Boundary Condition

 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Boundary Conditions
FO

 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Insert, Boundary Condition

22 Insert boundary condition.

T

In the SOLIDWORKS Flow

Simulation analysis tree, under
O

Input Data, right-click

N

Boundary Conditions and select

Insert Boundary Condition.
Select the inside surface of the
SOLIDWORKS feature
representing the inlet, as shown in
the figure.

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Note To access the inner face, right-click the outer face on the lid and click
Select Other. In the Select Other window, cycle through the faces by
moving the pointer to highlight each face dynamically in the solid
geometry.
23 Set up the boundary condition.
In the Boundary Conditions
PropertyManager, under Type, select the Flow
openings button .
Still under Type, select Inlet Volume Flow.

N
Under Flow Parameters, click the Normal to

O
face button and enter 0.05 m3/s.
Click OK.

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The new Inlet Volume Flow1 item appears in

C
the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis
tree under Boundary Conditions.

U
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation will apply a

D
0.05 m3 of air per second across the inlet area,
normal to the selected face.
O
R
EP

Note Since the volume flow rate is required as an output at each outlet, a
pressure condition should be used to identify the outlet condition. If the
pressure is not known at the outlet of each port, an ambient static
R

pressure condition can be used as the boundary condition across each

outlet face for this analysis.
R

24 Insert boundary condition.

FO

In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation

analysis tree, under Input Data, right-click the
Boundary Conditions icon and select Insert
Boundary Condition.
T

Select the inner face of one of the outlet ports.

O
N

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25 Set up the boundary condition.

In the Boundary Conditions window, under
Type, select the Pressure openings button
.
Still under Type, select Static Pressure.
Click OK to accept the default ambient values.
The new Static Pressure1 item appears in
the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis
tree.

N
O
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C
U
26 Create additional outlet boundary conditions.

D
Each outlet port should have a static pressure boundary condition
O
assigned to the inside outlet lid surface. Create five additional static
pressure boundary conditions for the remaining five outlets.
R
EP

Introducing: SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation contains built-in criteria to stop the

Engineering Goals solution process. However, it is best to use your own criterion by using
what SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation calls Goals. You can specify
R

the Goals as physical parameters at areas of interest in the project, so

that their convergence can be considered as obtaining a steady state
R

solution from the engineering viewpoint.

Engineering goals are user specified parameters of interest, which the
FO

user can display while the solver is running and obtain information
about after convergence is reached. Goals can be set throughout the
entire domain (Global Goal), in a selected area (Surface Goal, Point
T

Goal), or within a selected volume (Volume Goal). Furthermore,

SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can consider the average, minimum
O

or maximum value when examining goals.

N

In addition, you can also define an Equation Goal, which is a goal

defined by an expression (basic mathematical functions) using the
existing goals as variables. This allows you to calculate a parameter of
interest (e.g., pressure drop) and keeps this information in the project
for later reference.

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There are five different types of goals that can be defined in

SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation:
 Global Goal  Point Goal
 Surface Goal  Volume Goal
 Equation Goal

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Goals in the Flow Simulation analysis
tree and click Insert Goals
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Flow Simulation
Features > Goals

N
 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Insert, Goals

O
Use in Instructions Choose the type of goal you want to define.

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27 Insert surface goal.
In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation

C
analysis tree, right-click Goals, and select

U
Insert Surface Goals.
To select the inlet surface for the surface

D
goal, split the feature pane and in the
O
upper portion click the boundary
condition Inlet Volume Flow1 item in
R
the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
analysis tree to input the face where the
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surface goal is to be applied.

In the Parameter list, locate Volume
R

Flow Rate and click the check box next

to it.
R

Click OK.
FO

The new SG Volume Flow Rate1 item

appears in the SOLIDWORKS Flow
Simulation analysis tree under Goals.
T
O
N

28 Rename surface goal.

Rename the SG Volume Flow Rate1 in the SOLIDWORKS Flow
Simulation analysis tree so that it appears as Inlet SG Volume Flow
Rate.

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29 Insert surface goal.

Repeat the earlier steps 27 and 28 to apply
a surface goal for the volume flow rate at
the outlet ports.
When selecting the Static Pressure
boundary conditions, hold the control key
and select all of the outlet boundary
conditions.
Click the Create goal for each surface

N
check box. This will create 6 surface goals
for each of the 6 outlets.

O
Rename each surface goal to reflect the

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outlet port.

C
U
D
O
R
EP
R

30 Insert equation goal.

The Equation Goal is used in this lesson to sum the outlet volume flow
R

rates. The Equation Goal will determine the total Volume flow rate
leaving the manifold.
FO

In the Flow Simulation analysis tree, right-click the Goals icon and
select Insert Equation Goal.
Select the Outlet SG Volume Flow Rate1 surface goal from
T

SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree to add it to the

O

Expression box.
N

Click + in the Equation Goal window.

Repeat the last 2 steps to add each of the remaining 5 outlet flow rates
to complete the equation.

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In the Dimensionality list, select Volume Flow Rate.

N
O
Click OK.

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31 Rename the equation goal.
Rename the equation goal to Sum of outlet flow rates.

C
Once the solution has converged, the sum of the outlet volume flow

U
rates should approximately be equal to the inlet volume boundary
condition.

D
Mesh
O
Density and quality of mesh influences the result resolution, or in other
words the level of accuracy of the results. In general, to achieve higher
R
level of result accuracy, the finer mesh is in general required which
EP

means higher total cell counts and increased physical RAM

requirements.
Higher mesh density will require longer CPU time to solve. Thus, the
R

optimum mesh density requires a balance between precise results and

computation time.
R
FO

32 Set initial global mesh parameters.

In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
analysis tree, under Input Data, expand the
Mesh folder, right-click Global Mesh and
T

select Edit Definition.

O

Under Type keep Automatic.

Under Settings accept the default Level of
N

initial mesh of 3.
Click OK.

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Note In some situations, entering values for the Minimum gap size is
important and ensures that any small gaps are not ignored during
meshing. Since this model has a fairly uniform diameter, no minimum
gap is required.
33 Save file.
Click File, Save to save the assembly file.

Introducing: Run The Run command solves the simulation.

N
Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the project folder (Project 1) in the
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree and click Run

O
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Run

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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Solve, Run

Load Results Because the results from SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation may

C
Option become large, it is necessary to Load them for post-processing. This
option automatically loads SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation results

U
once the solver completes.

D
Note If multiple configurations/solutions are obtained, only a single solution
set can be loaded at a time. Before loading a new set of results, the
O
currently loaded results must be unloaded.
R
Monitoring the The solution monitor window will appear after the solver has started.
Solver On the left of the Solver window is a log of each step taken in the
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solution process. On the right is an information dialog box with mesh

information and any warnings concerning the analysis.
R
R
FO
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Goal Plot Window The Goal Plot window will list each goal selected in the Add/Remove
Goals window. Here you can see the current value and graph for each
goal as well as the current progress towards completion given as a
percentage. The progress value is only an estimate, and the rate of
progress generally increases with time.

N
O
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C
U
D
O
R
EP

Warning Messages Warning messages are also displayed in the Info section of the Solver
window. In this analysis, you may see a warning message that reads “A
vortex crosses the pressure opening”. This message indicates that
R

there is a pressure difference across the outlet, which sometimes

indicates a recirculation across the outlet. After running the analysis,
the user can look at the result plots to see if the flow is entering through
R

the outlets. This message is only a warning and can be ignored for this
FO

analysis, but if there was flow entering through the outlet, then the user
would have to extend the outlet until the flow vectors were all leaving
the outlet.
T
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34 Solve the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation project.

In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree, right-click
Project 1 and select Run.

N
O
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C
Make sure that the check boxes next to Load Results is selected.

U
Click Run with default settings.

D
The solver should take approximately 5 minutes to run.
O
Note The Flow Simulation solver supports parallel computations. This
allows you to select the number of CPUs to be used in the calculation.
R
35 Insert goal plot.
EP

While the solver is running, In the Solver toolbar, click Insert Goal
Plot to open the Add/Remove Goals window.
Click Add All to add all the goals you want to plot.
R

Click OK.
R
FO
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36 Insert preview.
With the solver running,
after a few iterations, click
the Insert Preview button
on the Solver toolbar.
In the Preview Settings
window, selecting any
SOLIDWORKS plane from
the SOLIDWORKS
FeatureManager Tree and

N
clicking OK will create a

O
preview plot of the solution
on that plane. For this model,

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the Top Plane is a good
choice to use as the preview

C
plane. The preview plane
can be chosen anytime from

U
the SOLIDWORKS

D
FeatureManager.
Click the Settings tab. O
In the Parameter list, click
R
Velocity.
EP

Click OK.
R

Note The preview allows one to look at the results while the calculation is
still running. This helps to determine if all the boundary conditions are
R

correctly defined and gives the user an idea of how the solution will
look even at an early stage. It is important to note that at the start of the
FO

run the results might look odd or change abruptly. However, as the run
progresses, these changes will lessen and the results will settle in on a
converged solution. The results can be displayed either in contour,
isoline or vector representation.
T

37 Close the Solver window.

O

Click File, Close. This will close the Solver window.

N

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Flow Simulation Analysis

Post- The first step to view the results is to generate a transparent view of the
processing geometry, a 'glass-body' image. This way, you can easily see where cut
planes etc. are located with respect to the geometry.
Introducing: Cut A Cut plot displays any result on any SOLIDWORKS plane. The
Plots representation can be as a contour plot, as isolines, or as vectors and
also in any combination of the above (e.g. contour with overlaid
vectors).

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Cut Plots under Results in the Flow
Simulation analysis tree and click Insert

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 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Cut Plot

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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Insert, Cut Plot

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38 Set model Transparency.
In the Tools, Flow Simulation menu, select Results, Display,

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Transparency.

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Move the slider to the right to increase the Value to set. Set the model
transparency to 0.75.

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Click OK. O
Tip You can also right-click each part in the SOLIDWORKS
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FeatureManager tree and select Change Transparency.
As selected when initializing the solution, the
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Note
results will be automatically loaded. The
associated result file is indicated in the
parentheses next to the Result folder.
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39 Create Cut Plots.

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In the Flow Simulation analysis tree, right-click Cut Plots under

Results and select Insert.
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In the Section Plane or Planar Face box, select the Top plane view.
Click OK.
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Flow Simulation Analysis

We can observe that the total pressure magnitude varies from

101,254 Pa to 101,462 Pa.
A Cut Plot 1 icon will be created in the Flow Simulation analysis tree
under the Cut Plots icon.
40 Hide the cut plot.
Right-click the Cut Plot 1 icon and select Hide.
41 Add a cut plot.
Right-click the Cut Plots icon under Results
and select Insert.

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Choose the Top Plane as the cut plane.

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Make sure that the Contours button is

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selected.
Under Contours select Velocity and increase

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Number of Levels slider to 50.

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Click OK.

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Note The limits of the legend default to the global maximum and minimum.
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Use the Adjust Maximum and Minimum button under the Contours
dialog to change them.
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The maximum velocity close to 15.3 m/s is reached close to the inlet
where the rapid narrowing of the profile ends.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

To modify the options for this and other plots, either double-click on
the color scale or right-click the plot name and select Edit Definition.

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Double-click

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Scaling the Limits Click directly on the lower or upper limit
of the Legend value in the legend. The desired limit value

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can then be entered in the text field.
Cut Plane

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Model
To the right of the text field, there are two Maximum Maximum
auto-scaling buttons. The first button (left

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side) auto-scales the maximum value of the
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legend to the maximum value existing in
the model. The second button auto-scales
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the maximum value of the legend to the
maximum value in that cut plane. These
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buttons also exist for adjusting the minimum values of the legend.
Changing Legend To edit various legend settings such as color
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Settings palette, out of range colors, font and its size and
others, right click directly on the legend and use
the Edit and Appearance commands.
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42 Animate cut plot through the model.

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The animation feature can be used to view how the quantity plotted on
the cut plot (total pressure in our example) varies through the model.
Right-click on the
Cut Plot 2 item
under the Cut Plots
folder and select
Animation.

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The animation toolbar on the bottom of the SOLIDWORKS window

allows you to Play, Loop, and Record animation.
Click the Play button to automatically move the cutting plane (Top
plane in our example) through the mode and view how the plotted
quantity varies.
Close the animation toolbar.
Note The animation can be saved into an AVI file by clicking the Save
button on the animation toolbar.

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43 Create vector cut plot.
Right-click the Cut Plot 2 icon under Cut Plots and select Edit

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Definition.

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Under Display, deselect Contours and click Vectors.
Click OK.

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Note The vector Spacing, their Size, and other vector parameters can be
adjusted in the Vectors dialog of the Cut Plot window. Notice how the
flow must navigate around the sharp corners on the Ball.
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44 Hide Cut Plot 2.

Right-click the Cut Plot 2 icon under Results, Cut Plots in the
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SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree and select Hide.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

Introducing: Surface A Surface Plot displays any result on any SOLIDWORKS surface.
Plot The representation can be as a contour plot, as isolines, or as vectors -
and also in any combination of the above (e.g. contour with overlaid
vectors).

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Surface Plots under Results in the
Flow Simulation analysis tree and click Insert
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Surface Plot
 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Insert, Surface Plot

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45 Create surface plot.
In the Flow Simulation analysis tree, right-click the Surface Plots

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icon under Results and select Insert.

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Select Use all faces.
Make sure Contours is selected and specify Pressure as the quantity

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to plot.

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Click OK.

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R
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A Surface Plot 1 icon will be created in the SOLIDWORKS Flow

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Simulation analysis tree under Surface Plots. The same basic options
are available for Surface Plots as for Cut Plots. Feel free to experiment
with different combinations on your own.
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Flow Simulation Analysis

46 Probe.
In the Flow Simulation analysis tree, right-click Results and select
Probe. Select points of interest in the graphics window.
The pressure at those locations will appear in the graphics window.

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O
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D
To turn the Probe tool off, right-click Results and select Probe again.
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To turn off the probe displays, right-click Results and select Display
Probes.
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47 Hide Surface Plot 1.
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Right-click the Surface Plot 1 and select Hide.

Introducing: Flow Using Flow trajectories, you can show the flow streamlines and paths
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Trajectories of particles with mass and temperature that are inserted into the fluid.
Flow trajectories provide a very good image of the 3D fluid flow. You
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can also see how parameters change along each trajectory by exporting
data into Microsoft Excel. Additionally, you can save trajectories as
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SOLIDWORKS reference curves. The trajectories can also be colored

by values of whatever variable chosen in the View Settings window.
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Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Flow Trajectories under Results in

the Flow Simulation analysis tree and click Insert
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 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Flow Trajectories

Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Insert, Flow
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
Trajectories

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Flow Simulation Analysis

48 Create flow trajectory.

In the SOLIDWORKS Flow
Simulation FeatureManager, right-
click the Flow Trajectories icon
under Results and select Insert.
Click the Flow Simulation analysis
tree tab.
Under Boundary conditions, click

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Static Pressure1 item. This will
select the inner face of the outlet Lid

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2 part as the origin for the
trajectories.

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In the Number of points box, type

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16.
Click OK.

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D
Discussion Notice the trajectories that are entering and exiting through the exit lid.
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This is the reason for the warning (A vortex crosses the pressure
opening) during the solution process. When flow both enters and exits
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the same opening, the accuracy of the results will be affected. In a case
such as this, one would typically add the next component to the model
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(such as a pipe extending the computational domain) so that the vortex

does not occur at an opening.
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Another approach to deal with this warning message could be to

change the boundary condition at the pressure opening. We applied a
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static pressure boundary condition to each outlet face. This applies

static pressure to both sides of the lid. In reality, we know that if the lid
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was extended, the flow would experience some amount of pressure

difference. To account for this, we could have used an environment
pressure boundary condition. The environment pressure boundary
condition applies total pressure to the face of the lid where the flow
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enters the model and static pressure to the face of the lid where the flow
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leaves the model. This type of boundary condition will provide us with
more reliable results than the static pressure condition.
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Introducing: XY XY-Plot allows you to see how a parameter changes along a specified
Plots direction. To define the direction, you can use curves and sketches (2D
and 3D sketches). The data are exported into an Excel workbook,
where parameter charts and values are displayed. The charts are
displayed in separate sheets and all values are displayed in the Plot
Data sheet.

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click XY Plots under Results in the Flow
Simulation analysis tree and click Insert
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > XY Plots

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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Insert, XY Plots

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49 Hide Flow Trajectories 1.

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Right-click the Flow Trajectories 1 icon under Results, Flow
Trajectories in the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree and

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select Hide.
50 Plot XY plot.

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We have already created a SOLIDWORKS sketch containing a line

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through the manifold. This sketch can be created after the analysis is
finished. Take a look at Sketch-XY Plot in the SOLIDWORKS
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FeatureManager analysis tree.
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In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree, under Results,
right-click the XY Plots icon and select Insert.
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Under Parameters, select Pressure and Velocity.

Under Selection, select Sketch-XY Plot from the SOLIDWORKS
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FeatureManager.
Leave all options as defaults and click Show.
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The window with the graphs of the selected results will open on the
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bottom of the screen.

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Close the plot window by clicking the close button (see the figure
above).
Still in the XY Plot property manager, click the Export to Excel button.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

Microsoft Excel will open and generate two lists of data points as well
as two graphs, one for Velocity and the other for Pressure. You will
need to toggle between different sheets to view each graph.

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Introducing: Surface Surface Parameters can be used to determine pressures, forces, heat
Parameters flux as well as many other variables on any face within your model
contacting the fluid. For this type of analysis, it would probably be of
interest to calculate the average static pressure drop from the valve inlet
to outlet.

Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Surface Parameters under Results in

the Flow Simulation analysis tree and click Insert
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Flow Simulation Results
Features > Surface Parameters

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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Insert, Surface
Parameters

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51 Create Surface Parameters.
In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree, under Results,

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right-click the Surface Parameters icon and select Insert.
In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation analysis tree, under

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Boundary Conditions, click the Inlet Volume Flow 1 item. This

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will select and add the inner face of the inlet Lid 1 part to the Faces
list. O
Select All from the Parameters list.
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Click Show. At the bottom of the screen, two tables will appear. The
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table on the left will contain the local parameters and the table to the
right contains the integral parameters.
Shown in the Local table are the Minimum, Maximum, Average, and
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Bulk Average values for a number of parameters (including Pressure,

Temperature, Density, etc.) for the inlet face. The same information
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can be obtained if the outlet lid faces were selected.

Close the two tabs by clicking the Close Table mark at the right hand
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side of the screen.

Click Export to Excel.
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Flow Simulation Analysis

An Excel spreadsheet will be automatically created containing the

values in the Surface Parameter window.

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O
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Note The Integral table contains integrated values taken across the face of

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the selected surface. We can see that the volume flow rate on this inlet
face is equal to the volume flow rate boundary condition of 0.05 m^3/s

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that we specified.

Introducing: Goal
D
The goal plot allows you to see how the goal changes throughout the
Plot
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flow simulation as well as the final value of the goal at the end of the
R
calculation.
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Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click Goal Plots under Results in the Flow
Simulation analysis tree and click Insert
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Goal Plot
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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Goal Plot

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52 Goals plot.
In the SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation
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analysis tree, under Results, right-click Goal

Plots and select Insert.
Select All Goals in the Goal Filter and check
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All in the Goals to Plot list.

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Click Show.
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The table of the goal values will open on the bottom of the screen.

Change the view from Summary to History.

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C
U
D
Close the goal plot window by clicking the close button (see the figure
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above).
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Still in the Goal Plot property manager, click the Export to Excel
button.
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An Excel spreadsheet will be automatically created containing

information about the goals.
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FO
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Close the Goal Plot property manager.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

Note The spreadsheet contains the final, maximum, minimum and averaged
values of the goal during the calculation. In addition, there are plots
showing how the goal changed during the calculation.
Negative values represent flow out of the computational domain.
Here, we can also verify that our inlet volume flow rate boundary
condition was also applied properly during the calculation. In addition,
the total flow out is equal to the total flow in.

Postprocessing images such as cut plots and surface plots can be

N
Introducing: Save
Image exported in various image formats, and also in the eDrawings format.

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Where to Find It  Shortcut Menu: Right-click the Results folder and select Save

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Image
 CommandManager: Flow Simulation > Save Image

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 Menu: Tools, Flow Simulation, Results, Screen Capture, Save
Image

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D
53 Save image as eDrawings.
Show all your result plots.
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Right-click on the Results folder and select Save Image.
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Select eDrawings as the format, and keep the default name
Project 1.easm.
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Click Save.
The file will be saved in the directory associated with this project.
R

Close the property manager.

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Flow Simulation Analysis

54 Open eDrawings file.

Navigate to the result folder associated with this project, and open
Project 1.easm by double-clicking on it.
eDrawings will open the model with all defined results plots.

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O
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All plots shown in the Flow Simulation feature tree will be included.
55 Save and Close.
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Save and Close the assembly.

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Discussion We specified an inlet volume flow rate of 0.05 m^3/s and have verified
that this boundary condition was applied properly using Surface
Parameters and Goal Plots that this value was applied.
Due to conservation of mass, we also know that the total volume flow
rate into the manifold should equal the total volume flow rate out of the
manifold. We can verify that this is true using the Goal Plot and
looking at our goal for the Sum of outlet flow rates.
Furthermore, we would like to determine if the design of the manifold
will result in efficient engine performance. In the beginning of the

N
lesson, we said that the ideal situation would have similar flow through
all of the outlet ports. When looking at our goals, we can see that the

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volume flow rate can vary significantly through the outlet ports. It is up

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to the engineer to decide whether design modification would be
necessary to produce a more uniform outlet flow through each port.

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Summary In this lesson we learned how to set up a Flow Simulation project. The
Wizard was used to create all of the general settings of the analysis.

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Both inlet and outlet boundary conditions were defined and a number

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of goals were created. The results of the simulation was thoroughly
post-processed using many of the options available in SOLIDWORKS
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Flow Simulation. The stages of flow simulation that were outlined in
this lesson will be followed throughout the book.
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