Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Infrastructure Sketch Solid Features

Surfaces
Assembly Design 2D Drawing Design Table & Equation
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User Interface
File Name
Menu bar (all commands) Feature Manager (to switch the layout of toolbars) Folder for surfaces (3 hidden inside) Folder for solids (one visible inside) Lights on model

General

Geometry area/ Working area

Toolbars (commonly-used commands only)

Dimmed features (hidden)

Specification Tree (all features stored in historical order)

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Global coordinate (never be changed)

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General

Type of Documents
The common documents are: A) A part document (. sldprt) , which contains information how the model is built

B) An assembly document (.sldasm), which contains the relative positions of components

C) A drawing document (.slddrw), which can be a part drawing or an assembly drawing
A

C B

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Display Settings
To improve the 3D surface accuracy: Select Tools->Options... on the menu bar, then open the tab page Document Properties Then Select Image Quality Increase the value for HLR/HLV resolution

General

To change the background color of the geometry area:

Select Tools->Options... on the menu bar, then open

the tab page System Options Then Select Colors Change the colors of Viewpoint Background , Top Gradient Color & Bottom Gradient Color A- 4
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General

Change the view with the mouse

A. Rotating enables you to rotate the model around a point. Click and hold the middle mouse button, then drag the mouse. Panning enables you to move the model on a plane parallel to the screen. Press and hold Ctrl key, then click and hold the middle mouse button, then drag the mouse. Zooming enables you to increase or decrease the size of the model. Press and hold Shift key, then click and hold the middle button, then drag the mouse up or down.

Middle button

B.

C.

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Sketch

Create a Sketch
Build a Sketch:1. Click Sketch Icon

2.

Select a plane or a planar face

3.

Draw a profile (with lines, curves and/or centerlines)

4. 5.

Add geometrical constraints (relations) Add dimensional constraints & modify the values Click Exit Sketch icon

6.

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Sketch

Toolbars in sketch
Project external curves/sketches/edges onto the active sketch

Get the intersection curve between external curves/ sketches/edges/faces and the active sketch plane

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Sketch

Construction Geometry
Construction geometry is created within a sketch to aid in profile creation. Only standard geometry will be used for creating solids or surfaces (Fig.1) Construction geometry is shown in dashed format. To convert an element into a construction element, select it and activate the option for construction. You can also toggle any construction elements from construction to standard by deselecting the option.

Construction geometry

Fig.1
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Sketch

Constraining the sketch

Dimensional Constraints (click the icon, then select the element(s)) Geometrical Constraints (multi-select the two elements by pressing CTRL key and click the icon)

Length Distance Angle Radius/Diameter Remark: To discontinue the command, click the icon again.

Perpendicularity Horizontal/Vertical Concidence

Tangency
Symmetry (multi-select the elements on the both side and then select the centerline)

You can also create constraints with other sketches and 3D elements out of the sketch

To show or hide all geometrical constraints on the screen, select View / Sketch Relations A- 9
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Sketch

Color and Diagnostic

1. 2. 3. Blue: Under-constrained Black: Fixed/Fully constrained Red: Over-constrained Case1

Case2
Only case 1 & 2 are allowable. For case 3, you must fix the error before quitting the sketch mode, otherwise a warning message will pop-out and you cannot continue until the error is fixed.
Size dimensions and location dimensions have been fully defined

Case3
One dimension is redundant

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Sketch

View Orientation
By default, the screen is parallel to the sketch support. To making constraints between the sketch geometry and the 3D element, you may need to rotate the model into a 3D view. To return the default orientation, press space key on the keyboard to activate the menu of orientation, and then select Normal to (the viewpoint normal to the sketch plane)

We can create a distance constraint between the circle centre and the solid edge

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Solids

Solid Modeling
Feature-Based Solid Modeling

Sketch

Extrude

Hole

Fillet

Parent and Children Relation

If deleting Hole, we get:

If deleting Fillet, we get:

If deleting Extrude, we get:

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Solids

Limit Type
Types of limit are :

A
A B C D E F G H

B
E E
surface

A plane
surface Solid (body)

F
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G
Extrude in both directions

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Solids

Extrude
A. B. Extruded Boss/Base (material added by extruding a sketch) Extruded Cut (material removed by extruding a sketch)

A
By default, extrusion start from the sketch; but it can also start from the offset direction from the sketch

Define the depth by different modes, e.g. dimension, up to next, through all, up to surface
You can define the extrusion direction by selecting a datum plane, a line, a planar surface, and a straight solid edge.

Extrude in opposite direction Define wall thickness (optional) Define the region for Crossed profile
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Solids

Revolve
A. B. Revolved Boss/Base (material added by rotating a sketch) Revolved Cut (material removed by rotating a sketch)

A
Centerline

LINE

You can change the mode to Two-Direction or Midplane

You need to draw another straight line along the centerline so that the profile is closed A- 15
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Solids

Sweep
A. B. Swept Boss/Base (material added by sweeping a profile along a path) Cut-Sweep (material removed by sweeping a profile along a path)

A
Profile Control
- Follow Path

keeping the angle value between the sketch plane used for the profile and the tangent of the path

- Keep Normal Constant Sweeping the profile while the profiles normal is unchanged Path Profile

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Solids

Loft
A. Lofted Boss/ Base (material added by sweeping one or more planar section curves along one or more guide curves Cut- Loft (material removed in the same way)

B.

A
Section 1
Make the loft tangent to the connecting faces on start/ finish ends

B
You can drag to change the closing point (blue point)

Section 2

- You can use an additional guide curve to control sweeping path If sections do not have the same number of vertices, ratio coupling will be used by default

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Hole
A. B. Simple Hole (circular material removed from the existing solid); Hole Wizard Several types of holes are available: Simple, Tapered, Counterbored, Countersinked, Pipetap)

Solids

Click here to define the position of the hole

Recall the dimensions for standard screws

Define the depth of the hole

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You can add Dimensional relations between the hole center and the solid edges
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Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Solids

Fillets
Fillet (creating a curved face of a constant or variable radius
that is tangent to, and that joins, two faces.)

Click to select the edge

Constant Radius

Variable Radius

Face to face

All round

Tangent Propagation: a fillet is applied to the selected edge and all edges tangent to the selected edge

The tangent edges are also highlighted by the system, according to Tangent Propagation

Without Setback

With Setback

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Chamfer
Chamfer (removing & adding a flat section from a selected edge to create a beveled surface between the two original faces common to that edge.)

Solids

Length1
Two Dimensioning Modes for Edges

Angle

For Vertex

Length2 Length1

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Solids

Draft
Draft (adding or removing material depending on the draft angle and the pulling direction)

Remark: Neutral plane always keeps unchanged after a draft is created Top face as neutral plane

Neutral Plane

Pulling direction

Case 1

Case 2

Side faces to draft

Bottom face as neutral plane
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Solids

Other Features
Shell (empty a solid while keeping a given thickness on its sides)
Face to remove Wall thickness

Rib (create a wall by extending an open profile up to limiting faces)

Accepted

Accepted
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A line with two ends, which are not touching solid faces

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The rib always touches the solid faces, not matter how the faces are changed / moved.
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Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Reference Geometry

Reference Geometry
Select insert / Reference Geometry, then select

Reference
Select a line and a point Offset the reference plane up to a point Offset by value / Rotate by value Select a curve and a point Select a surface and a point

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Obtain the axis of a cylindrical surface

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Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

3D Sketch
3D Sketch (Draw a sketch in 3D space; you dont need to create a plane before creating a 3D sketch)

Curves

Build a 3D Sketch:Click 3D Sketch Icon Draw a profile (with lines, curves and/or axis) (Remark: if you switch the viewpoint to Front View, the sketch plane will be Front Plane; similar for other viewpoints) (Remark: 3D sketch can be a non-planar curve) Add geometrical constraints (relations) Add dimensional constraints & modify the values

Click 3D Sketch icon again to exit

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Curves

Projected Curve
Sketch onto Face(s) (project a sketch onto a face. The projection can only be along the normal of the sketch)

Along the normal of the sketch

Limitations:
(1) Only planar sketches can be projected (2) You cannot select other projection direction than the normal of the sketch

You can project it onto a face of a surface or a solid

Sketch onto Sketch (create a curve resulting from the intersection of the extrusion of two curves. )

A 3D resultant Curve

The two extruded surfaces will not be created after this command

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Curves

Helix Curve
Insert / Curve / Helix/Spiral
Pitch 3 ways to define a helix: 1) Pitch and revolution

2) Height and revolution Draw a circle on a sketch 3) Pitch and Height

Height

With Taper (optional)

Spiral Curve
Define Pitch and Revolution

Draw a circle on a sketch

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Curves

Composite Curve
Insert / Curve / Composite Simply select the broken curves /edges and click ok to join them as one.

(A composite curve is then created, representing this group of curves/edges)

Curve through reference points

Cannot define the direction of tangency Control point

Create a 3D Spline by defining the control points

Control point
Control point

Limitation: Cannot define the direction of tangency at a control point.

Control point

If you need to control the direction, use 3D sketch

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Surfaces

Extrude
Extrude (create a surface by extruding a profile along a given direction)

If the profile is planar, the direction will be its normal by default. But you can change it to other direction.

Revolve
Revolve (create a surface by revolving a planar profile about an axis)

Remark: The axis must be a straight line

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Surfaces

Sweep
Sweep (create a surface by sweeping out a profile along a path)
Profile

Options Profile Orientation Additional Guide Curves Start /End Tangency

Path

Loft
Loft (create a surface by sweeping two or more section curves along an automatically computed or user-defined spine. The surface can be made to respect one or more guide curves. ) Options Additional Guide Curves Start /End Tangency Centerline A- 29
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Surfaces

Offset
Offset (create a surface, or a set of surfaces, by offsetting an existing surface, or a set of surfaces)

Remark: if Offset value = 0, you can duplicate the selected surface

Fill
Fill (create a surface to fill the opening among a number of boundary segments)

We can specify the desired continuity type between any selected support surfaces and the fill surface (Point or Tangent continuous)
The four points must be tangent-continuous

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Surfaces

Trim Surface
Standard Trim (split a surface by means of a trim tool. The trim tool can be a surface or a sketch)
Trim Tool ( always keeps unchanged)

Result by Standard Trim

Original
Mutual Trim (trim two or more surfaces)

Piece to keep

Trim by a sketch Result by Trim

Pieces to keep

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Untrim - Surface
UNtrim (patch surface holes and external edges by extending an existing surface along its natural boundaries)
Surface untrim, select both left edges and the inner edge. Under Options, select Connect endpoints.

Surfaces

Surface untrim, select the face. Under Options, select All edges. All edges are extended to their natural boundaries.

OR

Knit - Surface
Knit (join surfaces as one element)

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The two original surfaces A- 32 are hidden; a Knit surface is created

REMARK: If the resultant surface hasnt any open ends, the enclosed volume can be transformed into a solid
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Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Surfaces

Surface- Fillets
Fillet (creating a curved face of a constant or variable radius
that is tangent to, and that joins, two surfaces.)

Same as Solid
Variable Radius Face to face

Constant Radius

All round

Tangent Propagation: a fillet is applied to the selected edge and all edges tangent to the selected edge
Without Setback A- 33
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With Setback

Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Surfaces

Extend (Surface only)

Extend the whole Surface / the surface from an edge

Click the face

The extrapolated surface is joined with the original surface as one Click the edge

Extend by Curvature Trend

Extend Surface along the tangential direction

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This will be a straight edge

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Surfaces

Draft Analysis
Draft Analysis (analyze the draft angle on a surface/ a group of surfaces) STEPS: 1. Select Tools / Draft Analysis on the menu bar 2. Select a Direction as Direction of Pull 3. Enter a value as A (Angle), e.g 3 deg 4. Click Calculate icon If the big surface has no undercut, it should either all Green or all Red. Green: draft > 3deg Yellow: -3deg< draft <3deg Red: draft < -3 deg
Positive draft Negative draft Direction of Pull

Parting surface/plane

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Solids + Surfaces

Cut Solid (with Surface)

Cut with Surface (split a solid with a plane or surface )

Thicken Surface
Thick Surface (add material to a surface in two opposite directions or in one direction)

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Pattern /Mirror

Transformation (Solid/ Surface)

Features to Pattern - Select Hole1 & Fillet1 on the tree

Bodies to Pattern - Select the solid body

Faces to Pattern - Select all faces of the hole

Instance to skip - Select the bad instance to skip A- 37

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3 instances skipped

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Transformation (Solid/ Surface)

Translate, Rotate, Mirror, Scale

Select Insert/Features/ Move/Copy, then select Translate or Rotate

These commands are also valid for surfaces

Translate Rotate

Select Insert/Features/ Pattern/Mirror, then select Mirror

Select Insert/Features/ Scale

Mirror

Uniform Scale

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X-Y-Z Individual Scale

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Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

Face - Replace
Face - Replace (a Boolean operation combining a surface with a body. This capability adds or removes material by modifying the surface of the solid.)
Add a surface on top

Solids + Surfaces

Original Solid

The solid face is replaced; Material is added inside the cover surface

Face - Move
Face Move (offset, translate, and rotate faces and features directly on solid or surface models. )

Original Boss

Offset The radius of the curved face increases

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Translate The radius of the curved face remains the same.

Rotate

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Assembly

Assembly Design
An assembly stores a collection of components (parts or sub assemblies). The file extension is .sldasm.

Main Assembly

Part

Sub-assembly

Parts belonging to Sub-assembly Constraints among the parts of sub-assembly Constraints between the part (base) and the sub-assembly

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Assembly

Create a New Assembly

Create a New Assembly by: - Select File /New / Assembly

Insert existing components

Click Insert Component icon Select the file of the component Then press Enter key to complete (the component will be fixed at the assembly origin) Or Click on an empty space in the geometry area (the component will be placed at that location but it is still free-to-move) A- 41
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Move components
Upper Assembly is activated
Component being moved

Assembly

Remark:
(1)You can only move the components of the active assembly The base is deactivated (2) To activate an assembly, right-click on it and then select Edit Assembly

Instant Simulation
Their axes are coincided

Drag the bucket by mouse

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Assembly

Constraints between components

Click the icon Mate to define the constraints between two components

To align the axis onto another axis, select the corresponding circular faces and then use concentric mate A- 43
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Assembly

Interference check
Click Interference Detection icon Click Calculate icon Check the result on the list Press Esc key on the keyboard to exit

Interference result

The overlapped portion is highlighted A- 44

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2D Drawing

Part /Assembly Drawings

We can create a 2D drawing from a part or an assembly. They have the parentand-child relationship; 3D model is the parent and the drawing is his child. If the 3D model is changed, the drawing will be changed automatically. The file extension of Solidworks drawings is *.slddrw, no matter it is a part drawing or an assembly drawing. Same as the assembly file, the drawing file cannot be opened properly if the system cannot locate the part/assembly file. Wherever when we open the drawing file, the system will try to locate the parent part/assembly file to update all the views. A- 45
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It is unidirectional arrow; 3D can change 2D, but not vice versa

Solidworks 2006 Fundamentals

2D Drawing

Create Views
To create a 2D drawing:Select File/New on the menu Click Drawing and then OK Select a template, e.g. A-4 Landscape Click Browse, the select a part /assembly file Then Select Single View or Multiple Views (Single view create views one by one and we can see the preview; Multiple Views create many views at one time by highlighting the view icons below) If you want to scale down the view to fit it onto the paper, you can use Custom size. But generally, we prefer using a bigger paper to making the model views smaller.

To change the properties of the 2D drawing:Right-click on the paper and then select Properties We can now change the paper size and also change the projection method. (By default, First Angle projection is used. First Angle projection is commonly used in China, but Third angle projection is used in United states and Taiwan.) (Remark: After the projection method is changed, all existing views will be updated correspondingly) A- 46
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2D Drawing

Create Views
To remove all tangent edges on a view:
-Right-Click on the view -Select Tangent Edge/ Tangent Edges Removed

To add or remove curves on a view:

(For dependent curves, projected from 3D) -We can only hide the curve that we dont want to see. We cannot delete it. -To hide the curve, right-click on the view and then select Hide edge then select the curve

(For independent curves, created on the view) - Simply select and delete it.

To show hidden edges on a view:

Single Click on the view Select Hidden Lines Visible on the pop-up window on the left

To create a section view:

-Double-click the parent view -Select insert/ Drawing View / Section on the menu bar -Pick two points to define the mirror line

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2D Drawing

Dimensioning
To Create Dimensions on a view:Click Smart Dimension icon Select an entity / entities to dimension Remark: Type of dimension (distance, length, angle, diameter) is automatically selected To add a tolerance, select the dimension and then change the type of tolerance, e.g. LIMIT or Symmetric

LIMIT

Symmetric

To add a text before or after the dimension, type in the text before or after <DIM>

To change the dimension properties of the sheet:Select Tools /Options on the menu bar Select Document Properties

Select Detailing / Dimensions

Change the arrow style to closed filled Select Precision to increase/decrease the number of decimal places Select Detailing /Arrows to change the arrow size Select Detailing / Annotation Fonts/ Dimension to change the dimension

font size
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2D Drawing

Editing Title Block

To edit Title Block:-Double-click Sheet Format 1 on the tree (All the views will become invisible, and you can now select, add or delete any lines on the title block) -After editing, double-click Sheet Format1 again to exit

To add a text onto Title Block:Double-click Sheet Format 1 on the tree to activate Click Note icon Type in the text (You can change the text properties by the toolbar Formatting) Click ok to complete Drag the text to the desired position Double-click Sheet Format 1 on the tree again to exit

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Parameters

Equations and Design Tables

To Define an Equation to control parameter(s):(Use a simple box as an example) Height (30) = Length(80) - Width (50) Define Length and Width as the driving parameters, Height as the driven parameter. Select Tools /Equations on the menu bar Click Add.. Double-click the feature to show all related parameters Select the driven parameter Type = Select a driving parameter, then type - Select the other driving parameter, then click ok (The equation is added. Now the parameter Height is driven by Length and Width

To Create a Design Table to control parameter(s): Select Insert/ Design Table on the menu bar Select Blank as source; Select Block model edits that would update the design table; Deselect the below three options Click ok to create Double-Click on the feature Extrude1 to show all related parameters Double-Click the parameters to add them into the design table Add anther rows of values for these parameters Click on empty space to complete Select a configuration under Configuration Manager

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