SolidWorks ® 2009 Bible Matt Lombard SolidWorks ® 2009 Bible Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 10475 Crosspoint Boulevard Indianapolis, IN 46256 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada ISBN: 978-0-470-25825-5 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. 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Acknowledgments .......................................xxxvii Introduction .............................................xxxix Part I: SolidWorks Basics 1 Chapter 1: Introducing SolidWorks..............................3 Starting SolidWorks for the First Time 4 SolidWorks License Agreement 4 Welcome to SolidWorks 4 Quick Tips 4 Online documentation 8 Tutorials 8 What’s New 8 Moving from AutoCAD 8 Online User’s Guide 9 Tip of the Day 9 Hardcopy documentation 9 Identifying SolidWorks Documents 9 Saving your setup 11 Templates 11 Using multiple document templates 12 Sharing templates 15 Understanding Feature-Based Modeling 16 Understanding History-Based Modeling 18 Sketching with Parametrics 21 Understanding Design Intent 25 Editing Design Intent 25 View, Sketch Relations 26 Display/Delete Relations 26 Suppressed sketch relations 26 Working with Associativity 27 Tutorial: Creating a Part Template 27 Summary 30 Contents Chapter 2: Navigating the SolidWorks Interface ....................31 Identifying Elements of the SolidWorks Interface 33 Using the CommandManager and toolbars 33 CommandManager 33 Using toolbars 38 Tooltips 43 Managing toolbars 43 Workflow customization 46 Menus 48 Cursors 49 FeatureManager and PropertyManager windows 50 Using the FeatureManager 50 Using the PropertyManager 51 Task pane 52 Status bar 54 Tags 54 Quick Tips 55 2D Command Line Emulator 56 Making the Interface Work for You 57 Customizing colors 57 Default selection colors 57 Background options 59 Customization strategies 59 Hotkey approaches 60 Organizing hotkeys 60 Using the keyboard 61 Fewest number of icons 62 Device approaches 62 Macros 63 Saving custom interface settings 63 Working with multiple document windows 64 Window management 64 Changing windows 65 Tutorial: Getting to Know the Interface 67 Copy the existing settings 68 Set all interface items to their default settings 69 Customizing the CommandManager 69 Customizing menus 72 Change interface colors 73 Adding hotkeys 74 Combining macros with hotkeys 75 Summary 76 Contents Chapter 3: Working with Sketches ..............................77 Opening a Sketch 78 Identifying Sketch Entities 78 The Sketch toolbar 79 The Dimensions/Relations toolbar 100 Inferencing in Sketch 104 Exploring Sketch Settings 106 Using Sketch Blocks 107 Tutorial: Learning to Use Sketch Relations 109 Tutorial: Using Blocks and Belts 112 Summary 115 Chapter 4: Creating Simple Parts, Assemblies, and Drawings ........ 117 Discovering Design Intent 117 Is the part symmetrical? 118 What are the primary or functional features? 118 In what ways is the part likely to change? 118 What is the manufacturing method? 119 Will there be secondary operations? 119 Will there be other versions? 120 Creating a Simple Part 120 Where to start? 120 Symmetry 121 Make it solid 122 Instant 3D 127 Making the first extrude feature 128 Relative size or direct dimensions? 130 Creating the offset 130 Sketch techniques 131 Hole Wizard 134 Cutting a slot 136 Fillets and chamfers 139 Tutorial: Creating a Simple Assembly 141 Tutorial: Making a Simple Drawing 147 Summary 153 Chapter 5: Using Visualization Techniques ...................... 155 Manipulating the View 155 Arrow keys 156 Middle mouse button 156 Using the View toolbars 156 Scrollbars and splitters 157 Using the Magnifying Glass 158 Clicking the Triad axes 159 Contents Using the View Tools 159 Camera Views 162 View Orientation 165 The Standard Views toolbar 166 Annotation views 168 Understanding RealView 169 RealView basic components 169 Applying appearances 170 Appearance overrides 170 Other entity colors 171 The Display pane 172 Automatic colors 172 Using Display States 172 Using Edge Settings 173 Tutorial: Visualization Techniques 174 Summary 180 Part II: Building Intelligence into Your Parts 181 Chapter 6: Getting More from Your Sketches .................... 183 Editing Sketch Relations 183 Display/Delete Relations 184 SketchXpert 186 Copying and Moving Sketch Entities 187 Move entities 187 Rotate entities 187 Copy entities 188 Scale entities 188 Modify Sketch 189 Scale about 189 Translate 189 Rotate 189 Mirroring 190 Copy and paste 190 Simple drag 190 Derived sketch 191 Using Sketch Pictures 191 Three views 193 Perspective 193 Sharp edges 194 Auto Trace 194 Using Sketch Text 195 Contents Using Colors and Line Styles with Sketches 196 Color Display mode 196 Line color 197 Edit sketch or curve color 197 Line thickness and line style 197 Using Other Sketch Tools 198 RapidSketch 198 Sensors 198 Meta data for sketches 199 Construction geometry 200 Tutorial: Editing and Copying 200 Tutorial: Controlling Pictures, Text, Colors, and Styles 204 Tutorial: Using Meta Data 207 Summary 208 Chapter 7: Selecting Features ................................. 209 Identifying When to Use Which Tool 209 Extrude 210 Solid Feature 210 Thin Feature 210 Sketch types 212 Instant 3D 215 Creating extrudes with Instant 3D 215 Editing geometry with Instant 3D 217 Revolve 218 End conditions 218 Contour selection 218 Loft 218 Entities that you can use in a loft 220 The similarities between lofts and splines 220 The need for surfaces 221 Loft end constraints 222 Isoparameter U-V lines 224 Guide curves 224 Centerline lofts 225 SelectionManager 226 Loft options 226 Sweep 228 Simple sweep 228 Sweep with guide curves 229 Pierce relation 230 Cut Sweep with a solid profile 232 Contents Creating Curve Features 233 Helix 234 Tapered Helix 234 Variable Pitch Helix 234 Spiral 235 Projected curve 235 Sketch Onto Face 235 Sketch Onto Sketch 236 Curve Through XYZ Points 238 Curve Through Reference Points 238 Composite curve 238 Split lines 239 Equation Driven Curve 240 Filleting 240 Creating a constant radius fillet 242 Selecting entities to fillet 242 Tangent propagation 244 Dealing with a large number of fillets 245 Multiple Radius Fillet 247 Round Corners 248 Keep Edge/Keep Surface 249 Keep Feature 250 Creating variable radius fillets 250 Applying the values 251 Straight versus smooth transitions 252 Other reasons to use the variable radius fillet 252 Face fillet 253 Continuous curvature face fillets 255 Face fillets with Help point 256 Single hold line fillet 257 Double hold line fillet 258 Constant width fillet 260 Full round fillet 260 Setback fillet 261 Selecting a Specialty Feature 264 Dome and Shape 264 Wrap feature 267 Scribe 268 Emboss 268 Deboss 268 Flex 270 Deform 273 Point Deform 273 Curve to Curve Deform 275 Surface Push Deform 276 Indent 276 Contents Tutorial: Bracket Casting 277 Tutorial: Creating a Wire-Formed Part 281 Summary 284 Chapter 8: Patterning and Mirroring ........................... 285 Patterning in a Sketch 285 Further sketch myth debunking 287 Patterning a sketch 288 Linear Sketch Pattern 288 Circular Sketch Pattern 288 Mirroring in a Sketch 290 Mirror Entities 290 Dynamic Mirror 290 Symmetry sketch relation 291 Mirroring in 3D sketches 291 Geometry Pattern 291 Patterning Bodies 293 Patterning Faces 293 Patterning Fillets 295 Understanding Pattern Types 295 Linear Pattern 295 Circular Pattern 297 Curve Driven Pattern 298 Sketch Driven Pattern 301 Table Driven Pattern 301 Fill Pattern 303 Cosmetic Patterns 304 Mirroring in 3D 306 Mirroring bodies 306 Mirroring features 306 Mirroring entire parts 307 Tutorial: Creating a Circular Pattern 307 Tutorial: Mirroring Features 309 Tutorial: Applying a Cosmetic Pattern 311 Summary 313 Chapter 9: Using Equations .................................. 315 Understanding Equations 315 Creating equations 316 Naming dimensions 316 Building the equation 317 Using comments 319 Using driven dimensions 320 Equation tricks 322 IIF 322 322 SWITCH 323 Contents Using Link Values 324 Using Global Variables 325 Using Expressions 326 Tutorial: Using Equations 327 Summary 328 Chapter 10: Working with Part Configurations .................... 329 Controlling Items with Configurations 330 Finding configurations 330 Deleting configs 330 Sorting configs 331 Activating configurations 332 Creating configurations 334 Making a new config 334 Configuration properties and options 334 Advanced options 336 The Modify dialog box 336 Negative dimensions 337 Using the Modify Configurations box 337 Using Custom PropertyManagers 338 Derived configurations 338 File size considerations 339 Controlling dimensions 340 Controlling suppression 340 Controlling custom properties 342 Controlling colors 343 Controlling sketch relations 343 Controlling sketch planes 344 Controlling configurations of inserted parts 345 Library features 345 Unconfigurable items 346 Using Design Tables 347 What Can Be Driven by a Design Table? 347 Creating a simple design table 349 Design table settings 354 Linked design table 354 Edit control 355 Options 355 Editing the design table 356 Tutorial: Working with Configurations and Design Tables 357 Summary 361 Chapter 11: Editing and Evaluation ............................. 363 Using Rollback 363 Using the Rollback bar 364 Consumed features 365 Examining the parent-child relationship 365 [...]... .10 11 Serial number and license server 10 11 SolidWorks Search 10 11 Performance feedback 10 11 Other software 10 11 Administrative Image 10 12 Configuration and Standardization 10 12 Data Management 10 12 Filenames 10 13 Rules of file management .10 13 Compromise methods 10 14 Network files .10 15... .10 15 Using a PDM application .10 16 Toolbox .10 16 Custom Properties tab 10 16 Property Tab Builder .10 17 System Maintenance .10 18 Appendix B: Tools, Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 21 System Options .10 21 General Settings Page 10 22 Drawings page .10 27 Display... 10 08 Network card 10 08 Motherboard .10 08 Home-built computers 10 08 Configured Systems .10 08 Installation 10 09 Before installing 10 09 Installation Manager 10 09 Installing from discs 10 10 Pay attention while installing .10 10 New installation or upgrade? .10 10 Level to install .10 10... 10 30 Area Hatch/Fill 10 31 Colors 10 32 Sketch 10 34 Relations/Snaps 10 38 Display/Selection 10 39 Contents Performance 10 44 Assemblies 10 47 External References .10 48 Default Templates 10 50 File Locations 10 51 FeatureManager 10 52 Spin Box Increments .10 55... of External References 514 Inserted parts 514 Split parts 514 Mirror parts 515 Using the Layout feature 515 Using the Layout workflow . 516 Virtual components 516 Tutorial: Working In-Context 518 Summary 524 Part IV: Creating and Using Libraries 525 Chapter 17 : Using Hole Wizard and Toolbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 10 02 User groups 10 02 Implementation Schemes 10 02 Planning 10 03 Pilot project 10 03 Phased approach 10 03 Cold turkey 10 04 Hardware Selection 10 05 Contents Primary components .10 05 CPU 10 05 Video card 10 06 Memory (RAM) 10 07 Secondary components 10 07... 10 56 Backup/Recover 10 57 Hole Wizard/Toolbox 10 58 File Explorer 10 58 Search 10 60 Indexing Performance 10 62 Dissection 10 62 Collaboration 10 62 Advanced 10 64 Document Properties 10 64 Drafting Standard 10 65 Annotations 10 65 Dimensions 10 67 Centerlines/Center... Centerlines/Center Marks 10 68 DimXpert 10 68 Tables 10 69 View Labels 10 70 Virtual Sharps 10 71 Detailing .10 71 Display Filter .10 72 Text Scale 10 72 Always Display Text At The Same Size 10 72 Display Items Only In The View In Which They Are Created 10 72 Use Assembly’s Setting For All Components 10 72 Hide Dangling... Annotations .10 73 Grid/Snap 10 74 Units .10 74 Fractions .10 75 Line Font 10 75 Line Style 10 76 Line Thickness 10 76 Colors 10 78 Curvature 10 78 Apply Same Color To Wireframe, HLR and Shaded 10 78 Image Quality 10 79 Deviation .10 79 Optimize Edge Length 10 79 Apply To... with motion 510 In-context with multiple instances . 510 In-context and file management 510 In-context and mates . 511 Circular references . 511 Skeletons and layouts 512 In-context and libraries 512 Removing relations 512 Should you use mating or in-context? 513 Communicating design intent 513 Contents Other Types . Sketch 18 9 Scale about 18 9 Translate 18 9 Rotate 18 9 Mirroring 19 0 Copy and paste 19 0 Simple drag 19 0 Derived sketch 19 1 Using Sketch Pictures 19 1 Three views 19 3 Perspective 19 3 Sharp edges 19 4 Auto. 11 8 What is the manufacturing method? 11 9 Will there be secondary operations? 11 9 Will there be other versions? 12 0 Creating a Simple Part 12 0 Where to start? 12 0 Symmetry 12 1 Make it solid 12 2 Instant. SolidWorks ® 2009 Bible Matt Lombard SolidWorks ® 2009 Bible Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. 10 475 Crosspoint Boulevard Indianapolis, IN 46256 www .wiley. com Copyright © 2009 by Wiley