1

2

Graphics window

Draw Toolbar

Modify Toolbar

Pull Down Menu

Command Area

Text Window

DRAW COMMANDS

ARC / A To draw an arc (Center / Start / End / Angle / R / Chord)

PLINE / PL Create line having thickness

CIRCLE / C for drawing circles (Center R D 2p 3p TTR)

POINT / PO Create a point object

ELLIPSE / EL to draw ellipse / isocircle POLYGON / POL

To draw a regular polygon (3 to 1024 sides)

HATCH fills an area defined by lines. Arcs, with either a predefined patter / user defined

RECTANG / REC

To draw a rectangular line

LINE / L Draws simple lines

MODIFY COMMANDS

ARRAY / AR To make multiple copies of an object in row-column matrix/ Circular (Polar) array form.

MIRROR / MI

makes a mirror image copy of an object

BREAK / BR Erases a line, arc, pline between to points

MOVE / M moves objects

CHAMFER/ CHA

joins two unparalleled lines with an intermediate line or level

OFFSET / O create an object parallel to t a specified distance

CHPROP / CH

It like CHANGE, here to change Layer Ltype Ltscale

OSNAP / OS sets the current default OSNAP

DIVIDE marks an object into equal divisions

PEDIT / PE edits 2d/3d plines

ERASE / E To delete the object ROTATE / RO

rotates an object

EXTEND / EX lengthens an object to meet another object

SCALE / SC changes the size of objects

FILLET / F Uses an intermediate are to join two non-parallel lines

TRIM / TR shortens an object to meet another object

HATCHEDIT modifies an existing associative hatch block

EXPLODE / XP

reduces a block, plines, associative dim, to its component objects

DISPLAY COMMANDS

LIMITS Specify Drawing lower left corner and upper right corner

UNITS set Auto CAD to the unit format

GRID turns on the grid & sets the grid spacing

SNAP / SN controls the setting of snap mode

PAN/ P Shifts the display

3

TEXT COMMANDS

MITEXT / DT allows to enter several lines of text

TEXT to create single line text

PLOT/ SAVE

PLOT opens plot configuration dialog box

SAVE save the drawing

DIMENSIONING

DIMALIGNED / AL

aligned dimensioning DIMLNEAR for linear dim

DIMCETER Places across at the center point of are / circle

DIMRADIUS for radius

DIMDIAMETER Dai of circle LEADER / LECreates a line connecting annotation to an object

DIMEDIT To edit dim

FORMATING

Dimension Style

Changing the Dimension Style

Text Style Changing the Font Style

Command: line or lLINE Specify first point: 3,3

Specify next point or [Undo]: @4<0

Specify next point or [Undo]: @4<90

Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: @4<180

Specify next point or [Close/Undo]: c

Command: circle or c

CIRCLE Specify center point for circle or [3P/2P/Ttr (tan tan radius)]: 4,4

Specify radius of circle or [Diameter]: 3

4

Command: arc or a ARC Specify start point of arc or [Center]: c Specify center point of arc: 4,4

Specify start point of arc: 2,4

Specify end point of arc or [Angle/chord Length]: 6,4

Command: pline or plPLINESpecify start point: 2,2

Current line-width is 0.0000Specify next point or [Arc/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: @2<0

Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: a

Specify endpoint of arc or[Angle/CEnter/CLose/Direction/Halfwidth/Line/Radius/Second pt/Undo/Width]: @2<90

Specify endpoint of arc or[Angle/CEnter/CLose/Direction/Halfwidth/Line/Radius/Second pt/Undo/Width]: l

Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: @2<180

Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: w

Specify starting width <0.0000>: .2

Specify ending width <0.2000>: 0

Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: @.5<180

Specify next point or [Arc/Close/Halfwidth/Length/Undo/Width]: c

Command: rectangle or rec RECTANG Specify first corner point or [Chamfer/Elevation/Fillet/Thickness/Width]: 2,2

Specify other corner point or [Dimensions]: @2,2

Command: polygon or polPOLYGON Enter number of sides <4>: 5

Specify center of polygon or [Edge]: 4,4

Enter an option [Inscribed in circle/Circumscribed about circle] <I>:

Specify radius of circle: 2

5

6

Parts - Overview

Setting up a new part document

Creating a base feature

Adding a boss feature

Creating a cut feature

Adding fillets

Adding a shell feature

Completed Part

Set Up a New Part Document

Click New (Standard toolbar).

In the New SolidWorks Document dialog box, double-click Part.

In the dialog box, type Block1 for File name.

Click Save.

Creating a base feature

1. Click Extruded Boss/Base (Features toolbar).

The Front, Top, and Right planes appear, and the pointer changes to . As you move the pointer over a plane, the border of the plane is highlighted.

2. Select the Front plane.

The display changes so the Front plane faces you.

The Sketch toolbar commands appear in the Command Manager.

A sketch opens on the Front plane.

7

3. Click Rectangle (Sketch toolbar).

4. To start the rectangle, click below and to the left of the sketch origin

5. Move the pointer. Notice that it displays the current dimensions of the

rectangle.

6. To complete the rectangle, click above and to the right of the origin. You do

not have to be exact with the dimensions.

7. Release the Rectangle tool.

Constrain the Base

1. Click Centerline (Sketch toolbar).

You can use a centerline as a construction line. It exists in the sketch but is

not used when the sketch is extruded.

2. Move the pointer over a vertex of the rectangle.

3. Click the vertex.

4. Click the opposite vertex to end the line.

5. Release the tool.

6. Hold down Ctrl and select the centerline

and the origin.

7. In the Property Manager, under Add

Relations, click Midpoint .

8

Dimension the Base

1. Click Smart Dimension (Dimension/Relations toolbar).

2. Select the top edge of the rectangle.

3. Click above the line to place the dimension.

The Modify dialog box appears.

4. Set the value to 120.

5. Click .

The sketch resizes to reflect the 120mm dimension.

6. Click Zoom to Fit (View toolbar) to

display the entire rectangle and center it in

the graphics area.

7. Repeat steps 2-6, with a vertical line, setting

the height of the rectangle to 120mm.

Extrude the Base

1. Click Exit Sketch (Sketch toolbar).

The Extrude Property Manager appears

in the left pane, the view of the sketch

changes to Trimetric, and a preview of

the extrusion appears in the graphics

area.

2. In the Property Manager, under

Direction 1:

Select Blind in End Condition.

Set Depth to 30.

3. Click .

The new feature, Extrude1, appears in the Feature Manager design tree and

in the graphics area.

9

Sketch and Constrain the Boss

1. Click the front face of the block to pre-select the sketch plane for the next

feature.

2. Click Extruded Boss/Base (Features toolbar).

3. Click Normal To (Standard Views toolbar).

4. Click Circle (Sketch toolbar).

5. Move the pointer over the origin.

6. Click on the origin.

7. Click again to complete the circle. You do not have to be exact with the

dimensions.

Dimension the Boss

1. Click Smart Dimension

(Dimension/Relations toolbar).

2. Select the circle.

3. Move the pointer outside the base block to see the current

dimension.  

4. Click to place the dimension.

5. In the Modify dialog box:

a. Set the value to 70.

b. Click .

The circle turns black, and the status bar

indicates that the sketch is fully defined.

10

Extrude the Boss

1. Click Exit Sketch (Sketch toolbar).

The Extrude Property Manager appears in the left

pane, and a preview of the extrusion appears in

the graphics area.

2. Click Trimetric (Standard Views toolbar).

3. In the Property Manager, under Direction 1:

a. Select Blind in End Condition.

b. Set Depth to 25.

4. Click .

Extrude2 appears in the Feature Manager design tree.

Extrude the Hole

1. Select the front face of the boss.

2. Click Extruded Cut (Features toolbar).

3. Click Offset Entities (Sketch toolbar).

4. In the Property Manager:

Set Offset Distance to 5.

Select Reverse, if necessary to make the offset

circle smaller than the diameter of the boss.

5. Click .

6. Click Exit Sketch (Sketch toolbar).

The sketch closes and the Cut-Extrude Property

Manager appears.

7. Under Direction 1, set End Condition to Through

All.

8. Click .

11

Create the Base Fillets

1. Click Fillet (Features toolbar).

2. Select the front face of the base.

3. Under Items to Fillet:

a. Set Radius to 5.

b. Select Full Preview.

The face is highlighted and a preview of the

filleted face is displayed.

4. Select the four edges at the corners of the base.

As you move the pointer over hidden lines,

they highlight so you can select them.

As you select each edge, its name is added to

Edges, Faces, Features and Loops and the

preview is updated.

5. Click .

Create the Boss Fillets

1. Click Fillet (Features toolbar).

2. Under Items to Fillet, set   Radius to 1.5.

3. Right-click on either the inner or outer edge of the

boss face and click Select Other.

4. Select the face of the boss from the pop-up list.

5. Click Zoom to Selection (View toolbar).

6. Click .

12

Create the Shell

1. Click Rotate View (View toolbar).

2. Drag the pointer to rotate the part until you can see the

back.

3. Release the tool.

4. Select the back face.

5. Click Shell (Features toolbar).

6. Under Parameters, set Thickness to 1.

7. Click .

The shell operation removes the selected face and leaves

a thin-walled part.

Create a Section View of the Shell

1. Click Trimetric (Standard Views toolbar).

2. Click Section View (View toolbar).

3. In the Property Manager, under Section 1, click

Top Plane .

4. Click .

You can rotate and zoom the section view. Only the display of the part is cut,

not the model itself.

5. Click Section View   (View

toolbar) to clear the section view.

6. Save the part.

13

Pattern Features

In this lesson, you learn how to create a linear pattern and a circular pattern. A linear

pattern is a one- or two-dimensional array of features. A circular

pattern is a circular array of features.

The steps include:

Creating an oblong cut

Creating a linear pattern

Creating a circular pattern

Using an equation to drive the circular pattern

Creating an Oblong Cut

You need the sample part, mhousing.sldprt, to complete this tutorial. Do one of the

following:

Click here: Open mhousing.sldprt or browse to <install_dir>\samples\

tutorial\patterns\mhousing.sldprt.

Build the sample part. Click here to learn how

First you create the feature that you are going to pattern. You create a profile of an

oblong on a reference plane. Use mirroring to take advantage of symmetry and to

decrease the number of relations needed to fully define the sketch.

1. Click Hidden Lines Removed on the View toolbar.

2. Click Front on the Standard Views toolbar.

3. Click Extruded Cut on the Features toolbar.

The Solidworks application enters sketch mode because no active sketch is

selected.

For extrude and revolve features, if no active sketch is selected when you

select the tool, you are prompted to select a plane, planar face, or edge on

which to sketch the feature, or to select an existing sketch to use for the

feature.

4. Select Front in the Feature Manager design tree to open a sketch on that

plane.

5. Click Centerline on the Sketch toolbar, and sketch a vertical centerline

through the origin.

14

6. Click Line on the Sketch toolbar, and sketch two horizontal

lines of equal length, beginning at the centerline.

Watch for the on-curve pointer that indicates when you are

exactly on the centerline. Also, click View, Sketch Relations to

turn off the display of relations in the graphics area if the relations obscure the

sketch geometry.

7. Click Tangent Arc on the Sketch toolbar, or right-

click in the graphics area and select Tangent Arc.

Create a tangent arc as shown.  Then press Esc to

deselect the tool.

8. Hold down Ctrl, and select the centerline, both horizontal lines, and the

tangent arc.

9. Click Mirror Entities on the Sketch toolbar.

The sketch entities are mirrored across the centerline.

10.Dimension the oblong as shown.

The sketch is fully defined.

Now create the cut.

1. Click Isometric on the Standard Views toolbar.

2. Click Hidden Lines Visible on the View toolbar.

3. Click Exit Sketch on the Sketch toolbar.

4. In the Property Manager, under Direction 1, select Through All in End

Condition.

5. Click OK to create the oblong cut.

15

Creating the Linear Pattern

Now you create a linear pattern of the oblong cut on the sample part. You use a

vertical dimension to specify the direction in which to create the

linear pattern.

1. Double-click Extrude1 in the Feature Manager design

tree.

The dimensions of the Extrude1 feature appear in the

graphics area.

Click Linear Pattern on the Features toolbar.

The Linear Pattern Property Manager appears with the Pattern Direction

selection box active.

3. Under Direction 1:

For Pattern Direction, click 60 in the graphics area to create the pattern

along the same direction as the dimension line.

If necessary, click Reverse Direction so the arrow in the graphics

area points up.

Set Spacing to 10. This value is the distance between corresponding

points on the patterned feature.

Set the Number of Instances to 4.

This value includes the original cut-extrude

feature.

A preview of the pattern appears in the graphics

area.

A callout indicates the Direction, Spacing, and

Instances.

4. Select Extrude1 for Features to Pattern if it is not already selected.

5. Under Options, select Geometry pattern.

The Geometry pattern option speeds up the creation and

rebuilding of the pattern. Individual instances of the feature

are copied, but not solved.

6. Click OK .

7. Save the part.

16

Creating a Circular Pattern

Now create a circular pattern of the linear pattern, using a temporary axis as the axis

of revolution.

1. Click View, Temporary Axes.

2. Click Circular Pattern on the Features toolbar.

The Circular Pattern Property Manager appears with the Pattern Axis

selection box active.

3. In the Property Manager, under Parameters:

For Pattern Axis, select the temporary axis that passes through the

center of the revolved feature.

The pointer changes to when you move it over the axis.

Axis <1> appears in Pattern Axis.

If necessary, click Reverse Direction so the arrow in the graphics

area points up.

Set Angle to 120.

Set Number of Instances to 3.

Clear Equal spacing.

4. Under Features to Pattern , select LPattern1 from

the Feature Manager design tree.

A preview of the circular pattern updates in the graphics

area as you enter the parameters in the Property

Manager.

5. Under Options, select Geometry pattern.

6. Click OK .

A circular pattern of the linear pattern is created around the

part’s axis of revolution.

7. Click View, Temporary Axes to turn off the display of axes,

then click Shaded With Edges on the View toolbar.

17

Using an Equation in the Pattern

You can also use an equation to drive the circular pattern. In this

section, the equation calculates the spacing angle by dividing

360° by the number of instances desired. This creates a full circle

of equally spaced patterns.

1. In the Feature Manager design tree, double-click

CirPattern1.

2. Two values appear on the part: 3 (total instances) and 120° (spacing angle).

You may need to move the dimensions to see them clearly.

3. Select the spacing angle dimension (120).

4. Click Equations on the Tools toolbar. The Equations dialog box

appears.

5. Click Add.

The Add Equation dialog box appears. The name of the spacing angle

dimension you selected, D2@CirPattern1 (the second dimension in the

circular pattern), appears in the text box.

6. Using the calculator buttons in the Add Equation box, enter 360/ (or type

=360/).

7. Select the total instances value (3) in the graphics area.

D1@CirPattern1 is added to the equation. The equation should look as

follows: “D2@CirPattern1” = 360 / “D1@CirPattern1”

8. Click OK to complete the equation, and click OK again to close the Equations

dialog box.

An Equations folder is added to the Feature Manager design tree.

Testing the Equation in the Pattern

Now test the equation. Increase the total instances of the circular

pattern from three to four.

1. In the graphics area, double-click the total instances value (3)

2. In the Modify box, change the value to 4.

3. Click in the Modify box to rebuild the model, then click

to save the current value and to close the Modify box.

The part updates to show four instances of the pattern. The spacing angle

value changes to 90 in the graphics area.

4. Save the part.

Congratulations! You have completed this lesson.

18

Revolve and Sweep Features

In this lesson, you create the candlestick shown below. This

lesson demonstrates:

Creating a revolve feature

Creating a sweep feature

Creating an extruded cut feature with a draft angle

Sketching a Revolve Profile

You create the base feature of the candlestick by creating a sketch profile and

revolving the sketch profile around a centerline.

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar and create a new

part.

2. Click Revolved Boss/Base on the Features toolbar.

The Front, Top, and Right planes appear.

3. Select the Front plane.

A sketch opens on the Front plane.

4. Click Line on the Sketch toolbar. Sketch a vertical line from

the origin, and sketch the two horizontal lines as shown.

5. Click Smart Dimension on the Sketch toolbar. Dimension the lines as

shown.

Now sketch and dimension the arcs and lines needed to complete the profile. First

create the small arc at the top of the sketch.

1. Click Tangent Arc  on the Sketch toolbar.

2. Click the endpoint of the top horizontal line, move

the pointer to the right, then downward.

3. When the radius is approximately 10mm (R=10)

and the vertical inferencing pointer is visible, click

again.

4. Click Smart Dimension on the Sketch toolbar and dimension the arc

radius to 10.

19

Sketching a Revolve Profile (continued)

Now create the vertical line and the second arc.

1. Click Line on the Sketch toolbar, or right-click in the graphics area and

select Line from the shortcut menu.

2. Sketch a vertical line downward approximately 150mm long, starting at the

lower endpoint of the arc. Do not dimension the line at this time.

3. Click 3 Point Arc on the Sketch toolbar, or right-click in the graphics area

and select 3 Point Arc.

4. Sketch an arc so that the arc endpoints are coincident with the line. (Watch for

the pointer.) Use the following measurements:

length approximately 40mm (L=40), angle approximately 180° (A=180)

radius approximately 20mm (R=20)

5. After clicking to end the arc, set the angle to 180° in the Parameters section of

the Property Manager.

5. Click Smart Dimension on the Sketch toolbar or right-

click in the graphics area and select Smart Dimension, then

dimension the arc radius to 20.

6. Click Trim Entities on the Sketch toolbar.

7. In the Property Manager, under Options, click Trim to closest .

8. Select the highlighted segment to delete it.

Right-click in the graphics area and select Smart Dimension. Dimension the upper

vertical line to 40, as shown.

20

Sketching a Revolve Profile (continued)

Now add relations and a tangent arc.

1. Click Select on the Standard toolbar, then hold down Ctrl and select the

vertical lines on each side of the lower arc.

2. In the Property Manager, under Add Relations, click Equal , then click OK

.

The Equal relation ensures that both vertical lines will maintain equal length.

3. Click Tangent Arc on the

Sketch toolbar, then click the

endpoint of the lower vertical line.

4. Move the pointer downward to

create an arc that has an angle of

90° and a radius of approximately

60mm. Click to place the arc.

5. Sketch another tangent arc. Move

the pointer until the endpoint of the arc is coincident with the endpoint of the

bottom horizontal line as shown.

6. Click View, Sketch Relations to hide the sketch

relations in the graphics area.

7. Dimension the rest of the sketch as shown.

21

When you are done dimensioning, the sketch is fully defined (All lines and

endpoints are black).

Creating the Revolve Feature

Now that you created the sketch profile, you revolve the profile around the centerline

to create the revolve feature.

1. Click Exit Sketch on the Sketch toolbar.

The Revolve Property Manager appears.

2. Under Revolve Parameters:

Select the long vertical line in the sketch for

Axis of Revolution .

Select One-Direction in Revolve Type.

Set Angle to 360.

3. Click OK .

4. Save the part as Cstick.sldprt.

Sketching the Sweep Path

A sweep is a base, boss, or cut created by moving a section along a path. In this part

of the tutorial, you create the candlestick handle by using a sweep.

First, you sketch the sweep path. The path can be an open curve, or a closed, non-

intersecting curve. Neither the path nor the resulting sweep can be self-intersecting.

1. Select the Front plane in the Feature Manager design tree, then click Sketch

on the Sketch toolbar to open a new sketch.

2. Click Front on the Standard Views toolbar.

3. Click Hidden Lines Removed on the View toolbar.

4. Click View, Temporary Axes. Notice that the temporary axis of the revolved

base appears.

5. Right-click in the graphics area and select Line, then

move the pointer over the temporary axis.

The pointer changes to indicating that the pointer

is exactly on the temporary axis.

22

6. Sketch a horizontal line as shown, and dimension the line to 60.

Sketching the Sweep Path (continued)

7. Right-click in the graphics area and select Tangent Arc.

8. Sketch an arc starting at the endpoint of the line. Dimension the arc to a radius

of 150.

If the radial dimension is out of view, click the Leaders tab in the Dimension

Property Manager. Click Foreshortened radius , then click .

9. Select the endpoints of the arc and set the vertical dimension to 65.

As you move the pointer, the dimension snaps to

the closest orientation. When the preview

indicates the dimension type and location you

want, right-click to lock the dimension type. Click

to place the dimension.

10.Right-click and select Tangent Arc, then sketch

another arc as shown. Dimension it to a radius of

20.

Now add relations to control the sweep path.

1. Click Select on the Standard toolbar, then hold

down Ctrl and select the endpoints of the tangent arc you just sketched.

The Properties Property Manager appears. The two

endpoints are listed under Selected Entities.

2. Under Add Relations, click Horizontal .

3. Click OK .

The dimensions and relations prevent the sweep path from changing size and

shape when moved.

4. Click Display/Delete Relations on the Sketch toolbar.

5. In the Property Manager, under Relations, select All in this sketch in Filter.

6. Select each relation in Relations.

As you select each relation, its entities are highlighted in the graphics area.

7. Click OK .

23

 Sketching the Sweep Path (continued)

Next, dimension the sweep path with respect to the revolved base.

1. Dimension the distance between the horizontal line of the sweep path and the

bottom edge of the revolved feature to 10.

The sweep path is fully defined.

2. Click Exit Sketch on the Sketch toolbar. 

Sketching the Sweep Section

After you sketch the sweep path, you need to sketch the sweep section.

1. Select the Right plane in the Feature Manager design tree, then click Sketch

on the Sketch toolbar to open a new sketch.

2. Click Normal To on the Standard Views toolbar.

3. Click Ellipse on the Sketch toolbar, then sketch an ellipse anywhere in

the graphics area.

To sketch an ellipse, drag horizontally from the center point of the ellipse to

set the width of the ellipse, release the pointer, then drag vertically to set the

height.

4. Click Select on the Standard toolbar, then hold down Ctrl and click the

endpoints of the ellipse as shown.

24

5. In the Property Manager, under Add Relations, click Horizontal , then

click OK .

This relation ensures that the ellipse is not slanted.

6. Dimension the ellipse as shown.

7. Click OK .

8. Click Isometric on the Standard Views toolbar.

9. Hold down Ctrl and click the center point of the ellipse and the endpoint of the

horizontal line of the sweep path.

10. In the Property Manager, under Add Relations, click Coincident , then

click OK .

This coincident relation ensures that the center point of the sweep section lies

on the plane of the sweep path.

11.Click View, Temporary Axes to hide the temporary axis.

25

12.Click Exit Sketch on the Sketch toolbar.

Creating the Sweep

Now you combine the sweep path and sweep section sketches to create the sweep.

1. Click Swept Boss/Base on the Features toolbar.

2. In the Property Manager:

Select Sketch3 (the ellipse) in the graphics area for Profile

.

Select Sketch2 (the path) in the graphics area for Path .

A profile of the sweep appears in the graphics area. Note

how the colors in Profile and Path match those in the graphics area.

3. Under Options, select Follow Path in Orientation/twist

type.

4. Click OK to create the sweep.

The candlestick’s handle is complete.

5. Save the part.

Completing the Part

The final step is to create a cut to hold a candle.

1. Select the top face of the revolved base feature, then click Extruded Cut

on the Features toolbar.

2. Click Normal To on the Standard Views toolbar.

3. Click Circle on the Sketch toolbar, and select the sketch

origin. Sketch and dimension a circle as shown.

4. Click Exit Sketch on the Sketch toolbar.

5. In the Property Manager, under Direction 1:

Select Blind in End Condition.

Set Depth to 25.

Click Draft On/Off , and set Draft Angle to 15.

26

6. Click OK .

7. To see the angled cut, click Hidden Lines Visible on the View toolbar,

and rotate the part using the arrow keys.

Congratulations! You have completed this lesson.

Loft Features

In this lesson, you create this hammer head using loft features.

A loft is a base, boss, or cut created by connecting multiple cross sections, or

profiles.

This lesson demonstrates the following:

Creating planes

Sketching, copying, and pasting the

profiles

Creating a solid by connecting the

profiles (lofting)

Adding a flex feature to bend the model

Setting Up the Planes

To create a loft, you begin by sketching the profiles on faces or planes. You can use

existing faces and planes, or create new planes.

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar and create a new part.

The planes in a SolidWorks model are not always visible. However, you can

display them. For this lesson, it is helpful to display the Front plane.

2. Click View, Planes.

3. Right-click the Front plane in the Feature Manager design tree and select

Show .

The Front plane appears in the graphics area.

4. With the Front plane still selected, click Plane on the Reference

Geometry toolbar.

The Plane Property Manager appears. A preview of the new plane, Plane1,

appears in the graphics area. Under Selections, Front Plane is listed in the

Reference Entities box.

5. Set Distance to 25, then click OK .

A new plane, Plane1, is created in front of the Front plane.

27

6. With Plane1 selected, click Plane on the Reference Geometry toolbar

again, and add another offset plane at a distance of 25mm. (This is Plane2).

7. Click OK .

8. Another way to create an offset plane is to copy an existing plane. Select

Plane2 in the graphics area, hold down Ctrl, and drag to a location in front of

Plane2.

Drag the edge or the label, not the

handles. Dragging the handles changes

the size of the plane display.

Another offset plane, Plane3, is created.

9. To set the offset distance for the new

plane, set Distance to 40 in the

Property Manager.

10.Click OK .

Your graphics area should look like this image.

 Sketching the Profiles

You create the body of the hammer head by lofting between simple profile sketches.

1. Select the Front plane, then click Sketch on the Sketch toolbar.

The view orientation changes to a front view.

2. Sketch and dimension a 60mm square as shown to

center it about the origin.

3. Exit the sketch.

4. Open a sketch on Plane1, and sketch a circle,

centered on the origin.

5. It appears as though you are sketching on top of

the first sketch. However, the first sketch is on the Front plane, and it is not

affected by sketching on Plane1, a parallel plane in front of it.

6. Dimension the circle to 50mm in diameter.

7. Exit the sketch.

28

8. Open a sketch on Plane2, and sketch a circle, centered on the origin. As you

drag, make the diameter of the circle coincident with the vertex of the square.

(Watch for the pointer.)

9. Exit the sketch.

 Copying a Sketch

You can copy a sketch from one plane to another to create another profile.

1. Click Isometric on the Standard Views toolbar to

see how the sketches line up.

2. Select Sketch3 (the larger circle).

3. Click Copy on the Standard toolbar.

4. Select Plane3.

5. Click Paste on the Standard toolbar.

When you paste a sketch on a plane, a new sketch is

created automatically on that plane.

6. Save the part as loft.sldprt.

Creating the Loft

Now use the Lofted Boss/Base feature to create a solid model based on the

profiles.

1. Click Lofted Boss/Base on the Features toolbar.

2. In the graphics area, clicks near the same place on each profile (for example,

the upper-right side), so the loft path travels in a straight line and does not get

twisted. Select the sketches in the order you want to

connect them.

3. A preview shows you how the profiles will be

connected. The system connects the points or

vertices closest to where you click.

4. Examine the preview of how the profiles will be

connected.

If the sketches appear to be connected in the wrong order, you can use

the Move Up or Move Down buttons

under Profiles in the Property Manager to

rearrange the order.

29

If the preview indicates that the wrong points will be connected, right-

click in the graphics area, select Clear Selections, and select the

profiles again.

5. Click OK to create the solid model.

Creating a Boss Loft

For the pointed end of the hammer head, you create another loft.

1. Hold down Ctrl, and drag the Front plane to create an offset plane behind the

original Front plane. The Plane Property Manager appears.

2. Set Distance to 200.

3. Select Reverse direction so the new plane is created behind the Front plane,

then click OK to create the new Plane4.

4. Click Hidden Lines Removed on the View toolbar.

5. Click Normal To on the Standard Views toolbar.

6. Open a sketch on Plane4, then sketch and dimension

a narrow rectangle as shown, which is the profile you

use to create the next loft.

7. Exit the sketch.

Now you complete the second lofted boss.

1. Click Isometric on the Standard Views toolbar.

2. Click Lofted Boss/Base on the Features toolbar.

3. Select the square profile:

a. Position the pointer over the side of the loft, near the lower right-hand corner.

b. Right-click, choose Select Other.

A box appears with a list of the items that lie beneath the

pointer.

c. However the pointer over items in the list to highlight them in

the graphics area.

c. Click with the left mouse button in the list when the face shown below is

highlighted.

Click the lower part of the narrow rectangular sketch

Examine the preview of how the two profiles will be

connected.

30

4. Click OK .

5. Click Shaded With Edges on the View toolbar, and

save the part.

Bending the Part with the Flex Feature

The flex feature deforms a model. You can use the flex feature to bend, twist, taper,

or stretch a model. Here you use the flex feature to bend the hammer head.

1. Click Flex on the Features toolbar.

2. In the Property Manager, under Flex Input,

select:

a. The part in the graphics area for Bodies

for Flex .

b. Bending.

3. Under Trim Plane 2, click in Select a reference entity for Trim Plane 2 .

4. In the graphics area, select the vertex as shown.

5. Right-click the triad's center sphere as shown,

and select Align to...

6. Expand the flyout Feature Manager design tree

and select the Right plane to align the trim plane

axis (blue Z axis on the triad) normal to the Right

plane.

7. Right-click the triad's center sphere and select Move Triad to Plane 2.

The center of the model is aligned with the center of

the triad.

8. Drag the pointer over an edge of Trim Plane 1.

When the pointer changes to , click and

drag the pointer up and down.

Only the material between the trim planes

moves.

9. Click .

31

Congratulations! You have completed this lesson.

Assemblies

An assembly is a combination of two or more parts, also called components, within one

SolidWorks document. You position and orient components using mates that form relations

between components.

In this lesson, you build a simple assembly based on the part you

created in Lesson 1.

This lesson discusses the following:

Adding parts to an assembly

Moving and rotating components in an assembly

Creating display states in an assembly

Creating the Base Feature

You can use the same methods you learned in Lesson 1 to create the base for a new

part.

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar, and open a new part.

2. Click Extruded Boss/Base on the Features toolbar, and select the Front

plane.

A sketch opens on the Front plane.

3. Sketch a rectangle beginning at the origin.

4. Click Smart Dimension on the Dimensions/Relations toolbar, and

dimension the rectangle to 120mm x 120mm.

5. Click Sketch on the Sketch toolbar to exit the sketch.

The Extrude Property Manager and a preview of the extrusion appear.

6. Under Direction1:

Set End Condition to Blind.

Set Depth to 90.

7. Click OK to create the extrusion.

8. Click Hidden Lines Visible on the View toolbar

32

9. Click Fillet on the Features toolbar, and select the four edges shown.

10. In the Property Manager, under Items to Fillet, set Radius to 10.

11.Click OK to fillet the selected edges.

Creating the Base Feature (Continued)

Next, you shell the part.

1. Click Hidden Lines Removed on the View toolbar.

2. Click Shell on the Features toolbar.

The Shell Property Manager appears.

3. Select the front face of the model.

The face is listed in Faces to Remove in the Property

Manager.

4. Under Parameters, set Thickness to 4.

5. Click OK .

6. Save the part as Tutor2.

Creating a Lip on the Part

In this section, you use the Convert Entities and Offset Entities tools to create

sketch geometry. Then you create a cut to make a lip to mate with the part from

Lesson 1.

1. Click Zoom to Area on the View toolbar, and drag-select to a corner of

the part, as shown. Click Zoom to Area again to turn off the tool.

2. Select the front face of the thin wall. The edges of the

face are highlighted.

3. Click Extruded Cut on the Features toolbar.

A sketch opens on the selected face.

4. Click Convert Entities on the Sketch toolbar.

The outer edges of the selected face are projected (copied) onto the sketch

plane as lines and arcs.

5. Click the front face again.

33

6. Click Offset Entities on the Sketch toolbar.

The Offset Entities Property Manager appears.

7. Under Parameters, set Offset Distance to 2. The preview shows the offset

extending outward.

8. Select Reverse to change the offset direction

Creating a Lip on the Part (Continued)

9. Click OK .

A set of lines is added to the sketch, offset from the

outside edge of the selected face by 2mm. This

relation is maintained if the original edges change.

10.Click Sketch on the Sketch toolbar to exit the

sketch. The Extrude Property Manager appears.

11.Under Direction 1, set Depth to 30, then click

OK . The material between the two lines is cut,

creating the lip.

12.Click Zoom to Fit on the View toolbar.

Creating the Assembly

Now create an assembly using the two parts.

1. If Tutor1.sldprt is not open, click Open on the

Standard toolbar and open the part.

2. Click New on the Standard toolbar, click Assembly,

then click OK. The Begin Assembly Property Manager appears.

3. Under Part/Assembly to Insert, select Tutor1. A preview of Tutor1 appears

in the graphics area, and the pointer changes to .

4. Click Keep Visible in the Property Manager, so you can insert more than

one component without having to re-open the Property Manager.

5. Click anywhere in the graphics area to place Tutor1.

6. In the Property Manager under Part/Assembly to Insert, select Tutor2.

7. Click in the graphics area to place Tutor2

beside Tutor1.

34

8. Click OK .

9. Click Zoom to Fit .

10.Save the assembly as Tutor. (The .sldasm extension is added to the file

name.) If you see messages about rebuilding the assembly and saving

referenced documents, click Yes.

Mating the Components

In this topic, you define assembly mating relations between the components, making

them align and fit together.

1. Click Mate on the Assembly toolbar.

The Mate Property Manager appears.

2. In the graphics area, select the top edge of Tutor1,

then select the outside edge of the lip on the top of

Tutor2. The Mate pop-up toolbar appears, and the

components move into place, previewing the mate. The edges are listed in the

Entities to Mate box under Mate Selections in the Property Manager.

3. On the Mate pop-up toolbar, do the following:

Click Coincident as the mate type.

Click Add/Finish Mate .

A coincident mate appears under Mates in the Property Manager.

The position of Tutor2 is not fully defined yet. It still has some degrees of freedom to

move in directions that are not yet constrained by mates.

Test degrees of freedom by moving the components.

1. In the graphics area, select the Tutor2 component and

hold down the left mouse button.

2. Drag the component from side to side to observe the available degrees of

freedom.

Adding More Mates

1. Select the rightmost face of one component, then

select the corresponding face on the other

component. 

2. On the Mate pop-up toolbar, click Coincident , then

click Add/Finish Mate . Another coincident mate

appears under Mates in the Property Manager.

35

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, but select the top faces of both components, to add

another Coincident mate.

4. Click OK .

5. Save the assembly.

Using Display States

You can change the display settings of the components and save the settings in a

display state.

1. At the top of the Feature Manager design tree, to the right of the tabs, click

Show Display Pane .

The Display Pane shows the different display settings (color, texture, etc.) of

each component.

2. Right-click anywhere in the Display Pane and select Add Display State.

3. Type a name and press Enter.

4. Move the pointer over Tutor2 in the Feature Manager design tree, then:

a. Move the pointer into the Display Mode column.

b. When the pointer changes to , click, then select Hidden Lines

Visible .

5. Click Hide Display Pane .

6. Right-click and select Display State-1.

The assembly returns to its original display state.

36

Congratulations! You have completed this lesson!

 

37

Drawings

In this lesson, you create a multi-sheet drawing of the parts and assembly from

Lessons 1 and 2. This lesson includes:

Opening a drawing template and editing

a sheet format

Inserting standard views of a part

model

Adding model and reference

annotations

Adding another drawing sheet

Inserting a named view

Printing the drawing

Opening a Drawing Template

First you open the drawing template.

1. Click New on the Standard toolbar.

2. Click Drawing, then click OK twice. A new drawing appears in the graphics

area, and the Model View Property

Manager appears.

Next you edit the sheet format by changing

some text properties. Since you are working on the sheet format, and not inserting a

model in the drawing yet, cancel the Property Manager.

1. Click Cancel in the Property Manager.

2. Right-click anywhere in the drawing sheet, and select Edit Sheet Format.

3. In the title block, double-click the variable text that appears.

4. Change the text to the name of your company.

5. Change the font, size, or style, in the Note Formatting toolbar, and click OK.

8. Click outside of the text area to save your changes.

9. Right-click anywhere in the drawing sheet, and select Edit Sheet to exit the

edit sheet format mode.

38

Saving the Drawing Sheet Format

Next you save the updated sheet format. This is different from saving the drawing

itself.

1. To replace this format as the standard A-Landscape format, click File, Save

Sheet Format.

2. In Save in, navigate to Documents and Settings\All Users\Application

Data\SolidWorks\SolidWorks <version>.

3. Click a-landscape.slddrt, then click Save.

4. Click Yes to confirm that you want to overwrite the existing sheet format.

When you choose this sheet format for your own drawings, you do not need to

perform these edits again.

Setting the Detailing Options

Next, set the default dimension font, and set the style of dimensions, arrows, and

other detailing options. For this lesson, use the settings described below. Later, you

can set the detailing options to match your company’s standards.

1. Click Options on the Standard toolbar.

2. On the Document Properties tab, click Detailing.

3. Under Dimensioning standard, select Remove in Trailing zeroes to remove

all trailing zeroes from the dimensions displayed.

4. Click Annotations Font.

5. Under Annotation type, select Dimension.

The Choose Font dialog box appears.

6. Under Height, set Points to 12, then click OK.

7. Click OK again to close the dialog box.

Creating a Drawing of a Part

1. Open Tutor1.sldprt if it is not open. Then return to the drawing window.

2. Click Model View on the Drawing toolbar.

The pointer changes to .

39

3. In the Property Manager, do the following:

a. Under Part/Assembly to Insert, select Tutor1.

b. Click Next .

c. Under Orientation:

Select View orientation.

Click *Front under Standard views.

Select Preview to display a preview in the graphics area.

d. Under Options, select Auto-start projected view to automatically

display the Projected View Property Manager when you place an

orthogonal model view.

e. Under Display Style, click Hidden Lines Removed .

f. Under Scale, select Use custom scale, User Defined, and set to 1:4.

4. Move the pointer into the graphics area.

The pointer changes to with a preview

of the front view of Tutor1.sldprt.

5. Click to place the front view as Drawing

View1, as shown below.

6. Move the pointer up, and click to place

Drawing View2, then move to the side

and click to place Drawing View3.

7. Click OK .

This tutorial uses Third angle projection, so Drawing View2 is the Top view,

and Drawing View3 is the Right view.

To use First angle projection, right-click anywhere on the drawing sheet, and

click Properties. Then select First angle in the Sheet Properties dialog box.

In first angle projection, Drawing View2 is the Bottom view and Drawing

View3 is the Left view.

Moving Drawing Views

You move a view by clicking and dragging when the pointer changes to include .

This pointer appears when you are over the view border, a model edge, and so on.

You can drag the view in its allowed directions.

40

1. Click Drawing View2 (the upper left view on the sheet), then drag it up and

down.

2. Click Drawing View3 (the lower right view), then drag it left and right.

Drawing View2 and Drawing View3 are aligned to Drawing View1, and

move in only one direction to preserve the alignment.

3. Click Drawing View1 and drag it in any direction. The other two views move

to maintain alignment with Drawing View1.

4. Move the views on the drawing sheet to the approximate positions shown.

Adding Dimensions to a Drawing

Drawings contain 2D views of models. You can choose to display dimensions

specified in the model in all of the drawing views.

1. Click Model Items on the Annotations toolbar.

The Model Items Property Manager appears. You can select which types of

dimensions, annotations, and reference geometry to import from the model.

2. Under Source/Destination:

Under Source, select Entire model to import all the model dimensions.

Select Import items into all views.

2. Under Dimensions:

Click Marked for drawing to insert only those dimensions that are

marked in parts for drawings.

Select Eliminate duplicates to insert unique model items only.

4. Click OK .

41

Dimensions are imported into the view where the feature they describe is most

visible.

5. Drag the dimensions to position them as shown.

6. Click Save on the Standard toolbar and save the drawing document as

Tutor1. The default extension is .slddrw.

Modifying Dimensions

When you change a model dimension in the drawing view, the model is automatically

updated to reflect the change, and vice versa.

1. In Drawing View2, double-click the dimension

for the depth (25) of the boss extrusion.

The Modify dialog box appears.

2. Change the value from 25 to 40, and click

Rebuild .

The part rebuilds using the modified dimension.

Both the drawing and the part are updated.

3. Click .

4. Save the drawing.

The system notifies you that the model referenced in the drawing has been

modified, and asks if you want to save it.

5. Click Yes to save both the drawing and the updated model.

42

Now check the part.

1. Click Window, and select the Tutor1.sldprt window.

2. Double-click Extrude2 in the Feature Manager design tree to display the

dimensions of the feature.

Notice that the depth dimension is 40mm.

3. Click anywhere in the graphics area to turn off the dimensions.

Now rebuild the assembly that contains the modified part.

1. Open Tutor.sldasm if it is not still open.

If a message appears asking you to rebuild the assembly, click Yes.

The assembly rebuilds with the new dimensions.

2. Save Tutor.sldasm, then return to the drawing window.

Adding Another Drawing Sheet

Now you create an additional drawing sheet for the assembly. You then use the

Browse command to insert an assembly document into the drawing.

1. If the Property Manager is still open, click OK to close it.

2. Right-click on any open area of the drawing sheet and select Add Sheet.

Another sheet of the same size as Sheet1 is added to the drawing.

3. Click Standard 3 View on the Drawing toolbar.

4. In the Property Manager, select Tutor.sldasm then click OK .

5. Reposition the views on the sheet as shown below.

Inserting Another View

You can add more views to drawings to show the model in different orientations.

In this topic you add a standard isometric view of the assembly.

43

1. Click Model View on the Drawing toolbar.

2. In the Property Manager, do the following:

a. Under Part/Assembly to Insert, select Tutor .

b. Click Next .

c. Under Orientation, click Isometric under Standard views.

d. Under Display style, click

Shaded With Edges .

e. Under Scale, select Use

sheet scale.

The pointer changes to

3. Click in the sheet to place the view.

4. Click .

Printing the Drawing

1. Click File, Print.

The Print dialog box appears.

2. Under Print range, select All to print both sheets.

3. Click Page Setup.

The Page Setup dialog box appears, where you can change printer settings

such as resolution, scale, paper size, and so on.

4. Under Resolution and Scale, select Scale to fit.

5. Click OK to close the Page Setup dialog box.

6. Click OK again to close the Print dialog box and to print the drawing.

7. Click Save on the Standard toolbar.

8. If the system notifies you that the model referenced in the drawing has been

modified, and asks if you want to save it, click Yes.

9. Close the drawing.

Congratulations! You have completed this lesson. `

44