I've Done This Many Times in a Drawing by Following This Sequence

Tip 1

Setting the snap and grid parameters for each document is a very tedious and time-consuming process. To overcome this problem, you can create a template in which all snap, grid, and units are set. Whenever you have to create a part document, you just need to select that template from the Template tab of the New SolidWorks Document dialog box. To create and save a template, create a new document in the Part mode and set the parameters of units, snap, and grid from the Document Properties dialog box. Choose the Save button from the Standard toolbar or choose File > Save from the Menu Bar menus. The Save As dialog box will be displayed. Browse X:/Program Files/SolidWorks/data/templates location to save the file. X: is the drive in which you have installed SolidWorks. Select the Part Templates (*.prtdot) option from the Save as type drop-down list. Enter the name of the template file in the File name edit box. Choose the Save button from the Save As dialog box.

Next time when you invoke the New SolidWorks Document dialog box to start a new part document, choose the Advanced button to display the advanced version of this dialog box. The advanced version of the New SolidWorksDocument dialog box will have the Tutorial tab that lists the template that you created, along with the other default templates. Using the same procedure, you can also create the user-defined templates for drawing and assembly documents. You will learn more about drawing and assembly documents in later chapters.

Next time when you invoke the New SolidWorks Document dialog box, the advanced version of this dialog box will be displayed. To restore the original version, choose the Novice button.

Tip 2

Sometimes unwanted inferencing lines are displayed when you are drawing a sketch. You can remove them by choosingView > Redraw from the Menu Bar menus. You can also redraw the drawing area by pressing CTRL+R keys.

Tip 3

On creating multiple viewports, you will notice that the Heads-up View toolbar will be available in one of the viewport. This indicates that this viewport is currently active. To activate another viewport, click once in the drawing area in that viewport. After activating a viewport, you can change the model display in it. You will learn more about changing the model display later in this chapter.

You can chooseView Orientation > Link Views from theHeads-up Viewtoolbar to link the viewports. Now, if you pan or zoom one view while multiple viewports are being displayed, the model in all the other viewports will pan or zoom accordingly. Note, that this linking is not applicable for the viewport in which the model is displayed in 3D orientation. To break this link, chooseView Orientation > Link Views from theHeads-up View toolbar.

Tip 4

The sketch sharing option is also available in SolidWorks. This allows you to use a sketch used earlier in creating a sketch feature. For sharing the sketch, select it from theFeatureManager Design Tree, after invoking the feature tool. You need to expand the created sketched feature to select the sketch for sharing from theFeatureManager Design Tree.

Tip 5

While creating curves using theCurve Through XYZ Pointsoption, you can select a row and use the DELETE key on the keyboard to delete it completely. Use the SHIFT key the select the entire row and use the Insert button, to add a new row between any two rows.

Tip 6

You can also place a sub-assembly in the main assembly using the drag and drop method that was discussed in the previous chapter.

When you place a sub-assembly in the main assembly, an assembly icon will be displayed, with the name of the sub-assembly in theFeatureManager design tree. If you expand the sub-assembly in the FeatureManager design tree, all the parts assembled in the sub-assembly will be displayed.

You can also create a sub-assembly of the components that are already placed in an assembly file. Press and hold down the CTRL key and select the components from the drawing area or from the FeatureManager design tree. Invoke the shortcut menu and choose Form New Sub-assembly Here or Assembly from [Selected] Components. The Save As dialog box is displayed; you need to enter the name of the sub-assembly and save it in the current location. You will observe that the selected components will be combined and an assembly icon will be displayed in the FeatureManager design tree.

Tip 7

To generate the isometric section view of a model, create a separate configuration for the section view. Create a cut feature to display the section view of the model. Now, create the drawing view using this configuration. Using the Hatch/Fill too add the area hatches to the drawing view.

Tip 8

To generate the isometric section view of an assembly, create a separate configuration for the section view. Create an assembly cut feature to display the section view of the model. While creating the assembly cut feature you need to make sure that you should include only the parts that needs to be sectioned in the Feature Scope. Now, create the drawing view using this configuration. Using the Hatch/Fill too add the area hatches to the drawing view.