Chamfer Enhancements SOLIDWORKS 2017 brings some new functionality to the chamfer command. Here we can see a change in the chamfer command menus. 2017 on the left and 2016 on the right. Even though they have changed to icons, the first three options are the same: Angle distance, Distance Distance, Vertex. SOLIDWORKS 2017 expands the functionality with Offset Face and Face Face chamfers. In the first example the chamfer is first measured using the distance distance method. The chamfer is created by measuring 10mm away from the vertex down each edge. The offset face offsets the faces adjacent to the edge selected by
CATI Tech Notes
SOLIDWORKS Tips and Tricks and Info on Professional 3D Printing with Stratasys from the Technical staff of CATI
Category: Modeling
SOLIDWORKS 2017 What’s New: Customizing Configuration Sort Order – #SW2017
Customizing Configuration Sort Order New to SOLIDWORKS 2017 is the ability to specify the order in which configurations are listed in the ConfigurationManager. To customize configuration sort order: 1. In the ConfigurationManager, right-click the top-level configuration and click Tree Order. 2. Select one of the following: Numeric – Sorts by ascending alpha or numeric value. Literal – Sorts by alphabetical order. Manual (Drag and Drop) – Let’s you drag and drop configurations in the configuration tree. As you drag up or down the tree, each configuration that you drag over is highlighted. The configuration that you are moving drops immediately below the currently highlighted item when
Chamfering Surfaces in SOLIDWORKS
If you do a lot of surface modeling in SOLIDWORKS, you may have gone bonkers looking for the chamfer command. Don’t worry, a conniving coworker did not modify your toolbar layout. Unfortunately, this is a limitation of the software. You cannot use the chamfer feature on surface bodies. The chamfer command is not even visible if your part consists of only surface bodies. Let’s explore two different methods of working around this limitation. These methods do require a few additional features. Despite the extra steps, the result is a robust model. In our example below, we have a part file that contains two intersecting surface bodies. We would like to
SOLIDWORKS- Linking Assembly Balloons to Notes
SOLIDWORKS- Linking Assembly Balloons to Notes SOLDWORKS offers many annotation enhancements to your drawings, one of them being the ability to relate the BOM to different drawing views by using balloons. SOLIDWORKS even goes a step further by automating the ballooning process with the Auto Balloon feature. But there are many other dynamic uses for balloons than the traditional part numbering. On occasion, when working with drawing assemblies, it would be nice to link the itemized balloons to a note. This comes in handy when working with multiple configurations of an assembly or listing out specific instructions on a drawing. Take the following Camping Flashlight for example: Adding in manufacturing
SOLIDWORKS-USING TWIST DURING A SWEPT BOSS/BASE
SOLIDWORKS-USING TWIST DURING A SWEPT BOSS/BASE Welcome to the conclusion of my flower-based summer series. Summer is over, it’s time to let go of colorful petals and beautiful smells. But as one last parting gift, I’m going to show you how to make a cool stem to go with all the flowers you designed this summer by utilizing twist. Most of the time when using the Swept Boss/Base feature, the orientation of the profile I am extruding is set to follow the path without twist. But there are many cool things you can do using twist, as seen in my stem’s shape. In order to create the stem, I used
How to manage the SOLIDWORKS Dimension Spacing Options
When dimensions are put on a drawing, they are placed where we click or where the Rapid dimensioning (Dimensions Assist Tool) puts it. When tolerances are added, the dimensions move. This is frustrating because more time is spent cleaning up the dimension spacing. The good news is that there is a checkbox for that! Go to Tools > Options > System Options > Drawings Uncheck Reduce spacing when dimensions are deleted or edited (add or change tolerances, text, etc.) If you prefer to leave that option checked, you can control the dimension spacing yourself. Go to Tools > Options > Document Properties > Dimensions. Change the Offset distances to
SOLIDWORKS Dynamic Highlighting In Graphics View
SOLIDWORKS Dynamic Highlighting In Graphics View Dynamic Highlighting in SOLIDWORKS…Okay what is it? And how do I turn it off when I want to? Dynamic Highlighting is under your SOLIDWORKS System Options. How to turn off “Dynamic highlight from graphics view” from your SOLIDWORKS System Options. See screenshots below: Once you have unchecked or turned off the “Dynamic highlight from graphics view” and click OK. Then if you select the sketch line, the midpoint selection does not highlight. See screenshot below: I hope this helps make you more efficient! Check you later, Don Glaske – Sr. Application Engineer Computer Aided Technology
Upcoming CATI Training Classes for September 2016
Are looking to improve your SOLIDWORKS modeling skills? Are you struggling to complete basic tasks? Are you tired of asking coworkers for help or calling tech support just to meet a deadline? Register today for one of our many training courses and let one of our highly skilled techs help you on your path to become a SOLIDWORKS Expert! We offer our classes in 2 formats; classroom and virtual classroom. Here is a snapshot of all of the upcoming training for all of our locations. This schedule also tells you how many seats are available as of 8/9/16. Hurry and sign up before your class fills up! An insight into
SOLIDWORKS 2016 Curve Driven Component Pattern
Recently I was asked about pattern choices in an assembly model and specifically how using a Curve Driven Pattern vs a Circular Pattern might give the user better results. For instance, the request was to have a way to pattern a set of parts along a circular edge without forcing each instance to always be pointing towards the center of this circular edge. So I started with an assembly that had three parts mated together some distance from the Origin. Next I created a new assembly level sketch to act as my layout or specifically a construction circle based with the center at the assembly origin: Now I am
Cake Cutout Conundrum*
A company employee brought a chocolate cake to the office with the intention of cutting it in half so that each half could be shared with the sales and technical groups at their separate weekly meetings. The office manager, who would not be attending either meeting, decided to take her share of the tasty treat before the cake was divided. Knowing that each group in the office appreciated equality, the cake baker was in a tough situation. The office manager’s cut removed a rectangular piece in a random position and orientation, making it nearly impossible to make a clean cut that would divide the cake evenly. Being an extremely clever
SOLIDWORKS Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
