SOLIDWORKS Features: Copy vs Move

I have been using SOLIDWORKS for the past 20 years and I love it when a customer reminds me of the simple things that SOLIDWORKS can do that just make the design life fun again. This topic was focused on when you should Move a feature versus Copying a feature. Did you know that SOLIDWORKS can do both rather quickly without using any toolbar buttons? Let me explain the difference with some screen grabs and a short video.

First off let’s use this simple part to demonstrate the two options. Below is an image of a model that has a Hole Wizard feature as well as a Fillet feature. I am going to copy the Fillet and move the Hole.

To ‘Copy’ a feature from its current location to a 2^nd location you must simply hold down the Left Mouse Button (LMB) as well as the Control Key (Ctrl) and drag to a new similar location.

For example, this fillet is applied to an edge, so if I drag and drop onto a new edge, we get the solution below:

Once you have applied the Fillet to another location, you can Edit the Feature and make whatever changes you wish. The original Fillet and the ‘Copied’ one are not associated to each other. No references, just an additional Feature that you can control.

After making the change to a smaller radius, the model is complete.

Let’s try that again but this time we will ‘Move’ the Hole Wizard feature. Again this can be done by using the (LMB) and Shift key approach.

For example, this hole feature is applied to a face, so if I drag and drop onto a new face, we get the solution below:

Upon choosing either to Delete or Keep the relations, in this case I chose to Delete, you can finish by editing the feature:

Notice the relations and dimensions are all removed from the newly located feature:

Just simply add whatever relations or dimensions you require:

And you have an updated model with the Hole Wizard feature now on the bottom flange:

There you have it! An example of some old fashioned Ctrl Vs Shift keyboard short cuts combined with LMB drag and drop!

I hope this article has been informative and helps you out in your future modeling adventures. Enjoy!

Brian Reel
CATI Sr. Manager, Field Technical Services-West
Computer Aided Technology, LLC