Shelving Unit: Driveworksxpress Training & Certification

SHELVING UNIT
DriveWorksXpress Training & Certification

www.driveworksxpress.com
Contents
Introduction to DriveWorksXpress ..................................................................................................... 4
What can I do with DriveWorksXpress?......................................................................................... 4
About This Tutorial ........................................................................................................................ 5
Getting Started ................................................................................................................................. 7
DriveWorksXpress Navigation Bar .................................................................................................... 8
Activating DriveWorksXpress ............................................................................................................ 9
Activating DriveWorksXpress ...................................................................................................... 10
About the Shelf Model..................................................................................................................... 13
Basic Setup .................................................................................................................................... 14
Launching DriveWorksXpress ..................................................................................................... 14
Before You Begin ........................................................................................................................ 15
Create a New Database .............................................................................................................. 15
Capturing Models............................................................................................................................ 17
Capturing SOLIDWORKS Models ............................................................................................... 17
Capturing Dimensions and Features .............................................................................................. 21
Capture The Support Dimensions ............................................................................................... 22
Capture The Shelf Dimensions .................................................................................................... 24
Capture The Top Dimensions ...................................................................................................... 25
Capture The Side Panel Dimensions ........................................................................................... 26
Capture The Back panel Dimensions .......................................................................................... 26
Capture The Base Dimensions .................................................................................................... 26
Capture The Shelving Assembly Dimensions .............................................................................. 27
Capturing Drawings ........................................................................................................................ 28
Capturing Configurations ................................................................................................................ 29
Creating Input Forms ...................................................................................................................... 30
Adding Controls........................................................................................................................... 30
Test the Form ................................................................................................................................. 34
Rules Builder .................................................................................................................................. 35
File Name Rules ............................................................................................................................. 37
Building Multiple File Name Rules ............................................................................................... 38
Side Panels and Back Panel File Name Rule .............................................................................. 40
Configuration Rules ........................................................................................................................ 42
Dimension Rules............................................................................................................................. 44
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© DriveWorks Ltd All Rights Reserved 2016
Feature Rules ................................................................................................................................. 46

Running the Project ........................................................................................................................ 47
Appendix......................................................................................................................................... 50
3
Introduction to
DriveWorksXpress
WHAT CAN I DO WITH DRIVEWORKSXPRESS?
DriveWorksXpress is entry-level Design Automation software included in SOLIDWORKS. It is
ideal if the designs and projects you work on are the Same but Different. DriveWorksXpress
is used in many industries from trailers to conveyors, furniture to machinery, mechanical seals
to pressure vessels, windows and doors.
You can use DriveWorksXpress to automate your design process. Generate infinite
variations of a model from a rules-based project you set up once and run again and again.
Automate your design process with DriveWorksXpress

 Capture and re-use design knowledge to save time and money.
 Incorporate design rules to minimize errors and the cost of manual mistakes.
 Automate repetitive tasks to dramatically reduce design time when specifying new variants.
 Liberate design engineers from repetitive tasks to concentrate on new and special designs.
 Generate variations quickly and easily based on rules you create.
4
ABOUT THIS TUTORIAL

In this tutorial, you will set up and run a DriveWorksXpress Project to automate the creation of
a shelving unit. Imagine you work for a company that designs and manufactures shelving
units, where each shelving unit you design is the same but different.
The height, width, depth and number of shelves can be changed. This means a custom design
needs to be produced for each sales enquiry or order. This could take a few hours and be very
repetitive for you, the engineer. Time spent creating custom files manually could also delay
the company’s sales cycle.
However, by using DriveWorksXpress, it is possible to reduce both the lead time and the cost
of custom designs to help companies to be more competitive and win more business.
What do you need to do?
To become a Certified DriveWorksXpress Associate you will need to complete the following
steps:
1. Complete the Shelving Unit Tutorial – follow the steps in the tutorial to build and
then run your own DriveWorksXpress Shelving Project.
2. DriveWorksXpress Certification. You will be asked to visit the online

DriveWorksXpress Certification to become a CDWXA
http://www.driveworks.co.uk/driveworksxpress-certification/
During the online Certification, you will be given a series of changes to make to your
DriveWorksXpress Shelving Project. Then you will complete a test which will evidence
your understanding of DriveWorksXpress and test the mass of you of your newly
generated models.
On successful completion of the exam you will be emailed your certificate immediately.
If you don’t pass first time you will be able to retake the exam.
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The DriveWorksXpress Training and Certification Resources
This tutorial is designed to help you to learn and become familiar with DriveWorksXpress
therefore we have created a range of resources to help you.
How to Videos – These videos have been designed to help guide you through the Shelving
Tutorial. For each new section in the tutorial there is a corresponding video. We advise you to
watch the video at the start of each section to get a good overview before you begin.
Tips, Notes & Concepts – Throughout this tutorial document you will notice boxes that contain
tips, notes and concepts. This information will help you to build a better understanding of
DriveWorksXpress. Many of the questions in the online exam can be found throughout the
manual. Therefore, we advise you read all the tips, notes and concepts as you go through the
tutorial.
Troubleshooting – In the Certification you will be asked to make changes to your

DriveWorksXpress Shelving Project. You will asked to make these changes without step by step
instructions. We advise you to return to the tutorial document and see how you completed similar
actions in the tutorial. You can use the DriveWorksXpress help file (the? Icon) which you can
access from the navigation bar in DriveWorksXpress.
Resources for Educators - If you are planning to teach the DriveWorksXpress Training and
Certification that is great news! We have created some resources to help you. You can download
the Educator Pack from the website and use the videos, presentation resources and guidance in
your sessions. http://www.driveworksxpresscertification.com/education.html
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Getting Started
Before you begin this tutorial, there are some SOLIDWORKS files that you must download
1. Download the required SOLIDWORKS project files for the shelving unit from the
DriveWorksXpress website: www.driveworksxpresscertification.com
The SOLIDWORKS files are contained within a zipped file.
2. Right click and ‘Extract All’ the files from this folder before beginning the training.
By following this DriveWorksXpress tutorial you will soon be automating your own designs in
SOLIDWORKS.
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DriveWorksXpress
Navigation Bar
Concept – DriveWorksXpress Navigation Bar:
The DriveWorksXpress Navigation Bar allows you to access the different sections needed
to create and run a DriveWorksXpress project. You will navigate to each of the main
sections highlighted in the red box as you work through the tutorial.
The buttons in the main section will navigate you to the following areas: Welcome Page,
Captured Model Information, Form Creation, Rule Creation and Run Project.
Within each section you can use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate.
Tip:
If you get lost during the set up of your project and you can’t navigate to the place you
need to be, you can click on one of the main button. This will take back to the start of that
section where you can use Next and Previous buttons to navigate more specifically.
Example: If you get lost during the Form Design part of your project, click the ‘Form Creation’
button and then use the next and previous button to get back to the specific stage you
require.
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Activating
DriveWorksXpress
DriveWorksXpress is included in every seat of SOLIDWORKS. You’ll find
DriveWorksXpress by navigating to: The SOLIDWORKS tool bar > Tools > Xpress
Products > DriveWorksXpress.
Note:
The first time you use DriveWorksXpress in SOLIDWORKS, you may need to activate
DriveWorksXpress. Instructions on this can be found on the next page.
Tip:
Educational SOLIDWORKS Licenses:

If you are using an Education licence of SOLIDWORKS 2016 or newer, you can skip
directly to the section ‘About the Shelf Model’
Full SOLIDWORKS Licenses:

If you are using an industry SOLIDWORKS 2014 or earlier, you can skip directly to the
section ‘About the Shelf Model’.
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ACTIVATING DRIVEWORKSXPRESS
1. Find your SOLIDWORKS Serial Number by navigating to: Help > About SOLIDWORKS
2. Click ‘Show Serial Number’ and copy it ready for step two.
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3. Open DriveWorksXpress.
You will be asked to log into your My.SOLIDWORKS account and register
DriveWorksXpress with your SOLIDWORKS Serial Number.
4. Click the on the My.SolidWorks.com/Xpress link and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you don’t already have a My.SOLIDWORKS account, you will need to create one. Click
the link to create an account.
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5. Once you’re logged in, you will get an Activation Code for DriveWorksXpress.
6. Copy the Activation Code and return to SOLIDWORKS.
7. Paste the code into the activation window and click ‘OK’.
DriveWorksXpress will be activated and the task pane will open.
You’re now ready to automate your designs with DriveWorksXpress!
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About the Shelf Model

In this Tutorial you will create a DriveWorksXpress Project that automates changes to a shelving
assembly in SOLIDWORKS. The diagram below indicates the different parts that make up this
assembly.
The DriveWorksXpress Project will quickly allow you to change the Height, Width and Depth of
the assembly. It will also give options for whether to include the Side Panels, Back Panel and
the quantity of Shelves.
Tip:
Take some time to explore the SOLIDWORKS Model before you begin the Tutorial. Think
about what needs to change in the model when changing the Height, Width, the depth, the
quantity of shelves etc.
Good knowledge about the product you are designing and how it might change equips you
with the logic to create a successful DriveWorks Project.
Doing this will help you understand the rules that need to be created in the
DriveWorksXpress Project to automate these changes.
Taking the height as an example. If we change the height then the length of the Supports,
the height of the Side Panels, the height of the back panel, the distance to the Top Shelf
and the distance between the Shelf pattern all need to change based on the overall height
of the Shelving Assembly.
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Basic Setup
LAUNCHING DRIVEWORKSXPRESS
1. Open SOLIDWORKS.
2. Click on the ‘Tools’ tab in the SOLIDWORKS menu bar. Go to Xpress Products and click
‘DriveWorksXpress’.
This launches DriveWorksXpress, which will open on the right hand side of the screen.
The DriveWorksXpress Welcome Page gives you three options:
 Create / Change Database
This allows you to create a new project or

load and change an existing project
 Add / Edit Models
Add more models to the existing project
 Run Models
Once your project is complete you can

run it to specify new variations
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN
1. In SOLIDWORKS, go to File > Open and browse to the location where you extracted the
training files.
2. Open the SOLIDWORKS Assembly file called Shelving Assembly.SLDASM.
3. Once the file has opened, save the file to update its SOLIDWORKS version to the version
that you are working on.
4. Close the Assembly file in SOLIDWORKS.
CREATE A NEW DATABASE

First you need to create a DriveWorksXpress Project.
Concept: DriveWorksXpress Project
A DriveWorksXpress Project is a Microsoft Access database where all of your project

information is stored. This includes, captured SOLIDWORKS data, Rules and Form
information
1. Click the ‘Create/Change Database’ radio button.
2. Click ‘Next’ in the DriveWorksXpress Task Pane.
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You will automatically be asked to open a new database.
3. Browse to the location where you want to create your new database and name it ‘Shelving’.
Tip:
Save your Project in the same location where you extracted the SOLIDWORKS files.
4. Click ‘Open’ to save the Project.
A new DriveWorksXpress database will be saved in your specified location.
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Capturing Models
CAPTURING SOLIDWORKS MODELS
1. Ensure the option ‘Add Models’ is selected.
2. Click ‘Next’ to navigate forward within the DriveWorksXpress Task Pane.
Concept: Captured Models and Dimensions
This section of DriveWorksXpress will allow you to define which Models change and the
parameters within that model that could change. Once you have captured a model, you
can capture Dimensions, Features, Custom Properties, Drawings and
Configurations.
Once a parameter is captured, you can write Rules that determine how these parameters
can change. The result of these rules ‘drive’ the SOLIDWORKS Model to its new size.
There are three ways to select which models are to be captured and driven using
DriveWorksXpress:
 Browse for new model
If no models are open in SOLIDWORKS,

you can browse to the location of the files
you would like to be driven and automated
using DriveWorksXpress.
 Use current open model
If you currently have a part or assembly

open in SOLIDWORKS, DriveWorksXpress
can capture these models to be driven and
automated.
 Models already in DriveWorksXpress
If you have previously captured models

within DriveWorksXpress, these will be
displayed in the DriveWorksXpress Task
Pane.
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3. Make sure ‘Browse for new model’ is selected and click ‘Next’.
4. Browse to the location where you extracted your Shelving files.
5. Select the SOLIDWORKS Assembly file called Shelving Assembly.SLDASM.
6. Click ‘Open’.
The Shelving Unit assembly will now open in SOLIDWORKS.
Note:
Now that you have identified the Assembly that DriveWorksXpress will automate. You
need to tell it which Sub-Assemblies and/or Parts also need to be captured.
The DriveWorksXpress Task Pane will now show all of the options for capturing model
information of the Shelving Unit Assembly.
Note:
It is possible for these tabs to be dragged and compressed into one line in order to create
more work space in DriveWorksXpress, as shown below.
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Concept – DriveWorksXpress Tabs:
With a captured model open, you will have the following tabs displayed. Each of these
tabs allows you to capture a specific parameter to control in your model.
Captured Models
This shows the models that have been captured inside DriveWorksXpress.
Captured Assembly Structure

This view reflects the SOLIDWORKS ‘tree’ view. You should only check the ones you
want to capture and control.
Dimensions and Features

Dimensions and features can be controlled by double clicking a model from the model list
within the model tree above the Capture options and then clicking the ‘Dimensions and
Features’ tab.
Custom Properties
Any custom property that has been assigned in SOLIDWORKS can be captured and
driven by DriveWorksXpress.
Drawings and Configurations

If there are drawings, you can browse for them and add them to DriveWorksXpress by
selecting this tab and clicking ‘Browse’ under the ‘Drawings’ heading.
You can drive existing configurations in the SOLIDWORKS Model. These can be captured
in this tab.
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7. At the bottom of the Task Pane, select the

‘Captured Assembly Structure’ tab.
This will display check boxes next to each

model in the assembly.
Concept – Capturing Models:
You only ever need to select the parts/assemblies that you want DriveWorksXpress to
control by checking the box next to each item. There is no need to capture parts or sub-
assemblies that won’t change.
Note: The top level assembly (Shelving Assembly) will already be checked.
For this Tutorial we will drive everything apart from the two Door Assemblies.
8. Make sure the checkboxes for the following Models are checked:
- Supports
- Shelf
- Base
- Top
- Side Panel
- Back Panel
Note: Make sure you capture everything shown in the

image on the right hand side, otherwise you will not be
able to capture them later on.
If your Captured Models list does not update after

capturing a new SOLIDWORKS Part or Sub Assembly,
use the blue cross on the DriveWorksXpress Navigation
bar to close DriveWorksXpress.
Re-open DriveWorksXpress from the Tools menu and the

Captured Models section should be updated.
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Capturing Dimensions
and Features
Concept – Capturing Dimensions and Features:
The Dimensions and Features tab allows you to choose which parameters from a model
or assembly you would like to capture and drive.
You will assign a descriptive name to the dimension or feature you have selected to make
writing rules easier.
The dimension or feature must be captured within the model, where it was created. For
example, if there is a dimension for a sketch within a shelf part, you must first open the
shelf part and then capture the dimension.
Process:
A parameter is captured by selecting the ‘Captured Models’ tab and then double clicking
on the model that the parameter exists in.
This will open the model in SOLIDWORKS allowing you to select the dimensions and
features you wish to capture and control.
Most dimensions can be found by double clicking the Sketch or Feature where the
dimension is used.
In the previous section, you captured the models. You can now begin the process of
capturing the parameters that you need to control within each model.
The following steps will guide you through the process of capturing dimensions and
features in DriveWorksXpress.
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CAPTURE THE SUPPORT DIMENSIONS
1. Click the ‘Captured Models’ tab near the bottom of the DriveWorksXpress task pane.
2. Double click the ‘Supports’ model.
3. Select the ‘Dimensions and Features’ tab.
Note:
The height of this Supports part will be controlled by the DriveWorksXpress

Project. Therefore, you must capture the dimension that determines the
Supports height.
4. Using the SOLIDWORKS feature tree that is displayed on the left-hand side of
the screen, double click on the feature named ‘Boss-Extrude 1’.
5. Single click on the dimension ‘1000’ that appears on the model.
Tip:
Make sure you select the blue‘1000’ to capture the dimension shown in the image above.
You will need to double click the Boss-Extrude 1 feature to make this dimension appear.
Note:
If you are having an issue selecting the dimension, check that Instant3D is turned off. You
can find this in the Features tab of SOLIDWORKS.
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In the DriveWorksXpress Task Pane, the SOLIDWORKS Name for the dimension appears
in the text box labelled ‘Address’. In this example, it is called:
‘D1@Boss Extrude1@Supports.Part’.
6. Name the dimension by typing ‘Height’ in the ‘Name’ text box.
7. Click ‘Add’.
Tip:
The captured dimensions can now be seen in the DriveWorksXpress Task Bar.
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CAPTURE THE SHELF DIMENSIONS
8. Click on the ‘Captured Models’ tab and double click ‘Shelf’ in the model tree.
9. Select the ‘Dimensions and Features’ tab at the bottom of the DriveWorksXpress Task
Pane.
Note:
You must capture the width and depth of the Shelf, the width of the cut out sections and
the distance between planes.
These all need to be controlled as they will need to change when new width is specified
for the Shelving Unit.
10. Double Click ‘Boss-Extrude 1’ to display the dimensions
11. Capture the Width and Depth Dimensions using the values in the table below.
Feature Name Dimension Value DriveWorks Name Address

Boss-Extrude 1 1500 Width D1@Sketch1@Shelf.Part
Boss-Extrude 1 400 Depth D2@Sketch1@Shelf.Part
Tip:
Click the green tick in SOLIDWORKS to browse back to the Feature Tree. This may help
you to select the next dimension.
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CAPTURE THE TOP DIMENSIONS
12. Click on ‘Captured Models’ and double click the ‘Top’ model from the model tree.
13. Select ‘Dimensions and Features’
Tip:
The process is always the same for capturing a Dimension or Feature. Now that you have
followed this process a few times, simply continue to capture the Dimensions in the table
below.
14. Capture the following dimensions from the ‘Top’ model:

Boss-Extrude 1 1500 Width D1@Sketch1@Top.Part
Boss-Extrude 1 400 Depth D2@Sketch1@Top.Part
Tip:
If you are struggling to find a Dimension or Feature,

you can use the filter box at the top of the feature
tree to search for the feature.
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CAPTURE THE SIDE PANEL DIMENSIONS
15. Click on ‘Captured Models’ and double click the ‘Side Panel’ model from the model tree.
16. Capture the following dimensions from the ‘Side Panel’ model:

Boss-Extrude 1 1000 Height D2@Sketch1@Side Panel.Part
Boss-Extrude 1 400 Depth D1@Sketch1@Side Panel.Part
CAPTURE THE BACK PANEL DIMENSIONS
17. Click on ‘Captured Models’ and double click the ‘Back Panel’ model.
18. Capture the following dimensions:

Boss-Extrude 1 1500 Width D1@Sketch1@Back Panel.Part
Boss-Extrude 1 1000 Height D2@Sketch1@Back Panel.Part
CAPTURE THE BASE DIMENSIONS
19. Click on ‘Captured Models’ and double click the ‘Base’ model.

Boss-Extrude 1 1500 Width D1@Sketch1@Base.Part
Boss-Extrude 1 400 Depth D2@Sketch1@Base.Part
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CAPTURE THE SHELVING ASSEMBLY DIMENSIONS
21. Click on ‘Captured Models’ and double click the ‘Shelving Assembly’ model.

Support Depth D4@LocalLPattern1@Shelving
LocalLPattern1 360
Distance Assembly.Assembly
Support Width D3@LocalLPattern1@Shelving
LocalLPattern1 1460
Shelf Pattern D3@LocalLPattern2@Shelving
LocalLPattern2 250
Shelf Pattern D1@LocalLPattern2@Shelving
LocalLPattern2 3
Quantity Assembly.Assembly
D1@Distance1@Shelving
Mate – ‘Distance1’ 250 Shelf Distance
Assembly.Assembly
23. Single click the Mirror Component. This will allow you to capture the mirror as a Feature.
24. Type ‘Side Panel Mirror’ in the DriveWorks Name and Click ‘Add’.
Feature Name DriveWorks Name Explanation

Controls if the mirror of the side
Mirror Component 1 Side Panel Mirror
panel is present or not
Your Captured Models list for the Shelving Assembly should now look like this:
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Capturing Drawings
Concept – DriveWorksXpress Drawings:
With DriveWorksXpress you can capture your SOLIDWORKS engineering drawings. This
means that when a new version of the model is generated using DriveWorksXpress, the
engineering drawing of that component will also update to match.
It is not possible to drive anything about the drawing such as scale or view positioning.
However, this is possible with DriveWorks Solo and DriveWorks Pro.
Process:
To add a drawing, open the model or assembly using the tree view in the Captured
Models tab and then browse to the Drawings and Configurations tab. Click on the
‘Browse’ button to search your files for the corresponding SOLIDWORKS drawing and
bring it into DriveWorksXpress.
1. With the Shelving Assembly open in

SOLDIWORKS, click the ‘Drawing and
Configurations’ tab.
2. Click ‘Browse’ and select the ‘Shelving

Assembly.SLDDRW’ file.
3. Click ‘Open’ to capture the Drawing.
Note:
It is possible to add one drawing per part or

assembly.
Concept:
The captured drawing will be updated and

saved with a new name every time a new
specification is run.
This new name will be the same as the

Master Model File Name.
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Capturing Configurations
Concept – DriveWorksXpress Configurations:
DriveWorksXpress allows you to capture the ability to control which SOLIDWORKS

Configuration a Part or Assembly is saved in. This means you can use existing
SOLIDWORKS Configurations that you have created in your Parts or Assemblies when
you run newly generated Models in DriveWorksXpress.
Process:
To capture the ability to control a SOLIDWORKS Configuration, first open the model using
DriveWorksXpress. Once the model is open, go to the Drawings and Configurations tab
and check the option next to ‘Yes, allow me to create a rule to switch configurations’.
4. Open the ‘Supports’ model from the

Captured Models Tab.
5. Once the model is open, go to the

‘Drawings and Configurations’ Tab
6. Check the option ‘Yes, allow me to create

a rule to switch configurations’
7. Go back to the Captured Models Tab and

repeat this process for the following models:
- Base
- Shelf
- Top
- Side Panel
- Back Panel
Note:
You do not need to capture the SOLIDWORKS

Configuration of the ‘Shelving Assembly’ model.
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Creating Input Forms

Concept – Forms:
In DriveWorksXpress you create an input Form where you will enter the values for your
new specification. Once you have set up your DriveWorksXpress Project you can add new
values in to your form again and again to specify and generate all the new parts and
drawings, based on the rules you set and values you enter.
ADDING CONTROLS
Tip:
To access the Form Designer, click the ‘Next’ arrow at the top of the DriveWorksXpress
Task Pane, or select the Form Creation Icon shown below.
1. Click the Form Designer icon as shown above.
Each control requires three things:
 Name – You must give the control a descriptive name to tell the user what information
you want to capture i.e. Customer Name.
 Type - Choose from five types of controls (inputs)
o Text Box: Input text directly by typing
o Numeric Text Box: Input numeric values. Specify a minimum and maximum value
o Drop Down: Provides a list of options to choose from
o Spin Button: Users can select from a range of numeric values. A maximum and a
minimum value, as well as the incremented value
o Check Box: Places a checkbox on the Form
 Required – This tells DriveWorks and the user that a value must be entered in order to
proceed
Note:
For this Tutorial, you will create two Text Box Controls: Customer Name and Order
Number.
Later in the Tutorial you will build a rule to append the Customer Name and Order Number
to each file that DriveWorksXpress creates so that each set of new files in a specification
can be easily identified.
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Begin by adding a Text Box to the Form so a Customer Name can be entered.
2. Add a new Text Box called ‘Customer Name’.
3. Type ‘Customer Name’ into the Name section.
4. Choose ‘Text Box’ from the ‘Type’ drop down control.
5. Tick the ‘Required’ check box to ensure a Customer Name is entered for each new
specification.
Control Name Control Type Required

Customer Name Text Box Yes
6. Click the ‘Next’ arrow to register the control and display the Control List.
Note:
Notice that the Form control appears in the Form designer within the DriveWorksXpress
Task Pane. As you create your Form you can edit and delete controls, as well as change
the order by using the Up and Down arrows.
You can also test your Form by clicking ‘Test’.
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7. Click ‘Add’ and repeat the steps to add the following Text Box controls:
Control Name Type of Control Required

Order Number Text Box Yes
Now add controls to specify the overall height, width and depth of the shelving unit using
Numeric Text Boxes, this allows a minimum and maximum value to be enforced.
8. Click ‘Add’ and repeat the steps to add the following Numeric Text Box controls:
Control Name Type of Control Required Min Value Max Value

Height Numeric Text Box Yes 800 2000
Width Numeric Text Box Yes 800 2000
Depth Numeric Text Box Yes 500 1200
To specify the number of shelves in the shelving model, a Spin Button can be used.
9. Click ‘Add’ and repeat the steps to add the following Spin Button control:
Control Name Type of Control Required Min Value Max Value Increment
Shelf Quantity Spin Button N/A 1 4 1
To allow the option of having side and back panels to the shelving unit, add the following
check box controls.
10. Click ‘Add’ and repeat the steps to add the following Check Box controls:
Control Name Type of Control Required

Side Panels Check Box N/A
Back Panel Check Box N/A
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In order to select which SOLIDWORKS Configuration the generated models will be in, a
Drop Down Control can be used.
11. Click ‘Add’ and repeat the steps to add the following Drop Down control:
Control Name Type of Control Required Options

Material Drop Down Yes Mahogany|Maple|Pine|Oak
Tip:
To add a new option to a Drop Down Control, hold down shift and press enter. This will move
the cursor onto a new line, where you can then add the new option.
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Test the Form

1. Click ‘Test’ within the Form Designer to preview the Form you have created and test it out
for yourself.
Concept – Form Warnings:
As you fill out the Forms with valid information, you

will notice the background of the text boxes will
change colour and the yellow warning triangles will
disappear.
When you created the Form Control there was an

option for that Control to be ‘Required’.
These warnings exist because this option was

checked and a value is required. Until valid
information is entered, the warning will remain and
DriveWorksXpress will not let you proceed.
Concept – Tooltips:
If you hover over a control, information about the

control will be shown in a tooltip.
Concept – Default Values:
It’s good practice to set default values for controls.

Setting default values makes building rules easier
because the controls have values.
2. Enter values into the Form controls and click

‘Set Defaults’.
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Rules Builder
Concept – Rules:
DriveWorksXpress lets you use Excel style rules and formulas to automate your
SOLIDWORKS models. These rules can make use of many different functions to calculate
the value you require.
Tip:
You can request a Little Book of Rules for a great guide of the functions available to you in
DriveWorksXpress. To request your copy email info@driveworks.co.uk
1. Navigate to the Rules tab by clicking the ‘Rules’ button in the DriveWorksXpress Task Pane.
Concept – DriveWorksXpress Rules tab:
The Rules tab shows a summary of the types of rules you can build in DriveWorksXpress.
The summary also highlights, in red, any rules you need to write so that the project can
run.
All rules must be built before a Project can be Run.
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Tip:
Each rule type has a check box next to it. Check the box for the rule type you want to
build. It is possible to select more than one rule type at a time. If there are no Rules for a
particular type, the check box will not be enabled.
You can filter the rules which is helpful when there are a large number of rules to be built.
Before you begin to create your rules, here is a quick summary of the DriveWorksXpress
Rules Builder.
There are four tabs inside the DriveWorksXpress Rule Builder:
 Inputs
o This drop down shows you the full list of controls that you have added to
your DriveWorksXpress Form. Your input rules will reference the values
typed in to the form controls.
 Recent
o This is useful for building rules where your most commonly used text
strings or equations can be stored. This can make build
 Math
o Mathematical operators (e.g. add, subtract, and divide) some of your rules
may require math symbols. You can use this tab to select them or you can
manually type the symbols in to the rule.
 Logic
o Logical operators (e.g. IF, <, >, =). These help you when you are not as
familiar with building rules ensuring you format your rules as required. You
can also manually type logic rules in to the rules builder.
Tip:
If you need help with the rules builder, click on the to launch the DriveWorksXpress
help file.
36
File Name Rules

Concept – File Name Rules:
File Name rules allow you to write a rule that determines the name of the SOLIDWORKS
files created by DriveWorksXpress.
DriveWorksXpress does not overwrite existing files, therefore if you need

DriveWorksXpress to create a new file, the File Name Rule must result in a unique value.
In this Tutorial, you will relate the File Names to the Order Number and Customer Name
typed into the DriveWorksXpress form.
2. Check the ‘File Name’ check box
3. Click ‘Next’ in the DriveWorksXpress Navigation.
When you click Next the captured

components that require a File
Name rule will be listed.
You can choose to show all rules or

just missing rules that have not been
built yet.
You also have the option to view

your files as a List or in a Tree View.
The default is set to List View.
37
BUILDING MULTIPLE FILE NAME RULES

Concept – Build multiple rules at once:
You can create the same rule for multiple models. Select each model in the list by holding
down the Ctrl key as you click on each of them then click Build
1. Multi-select all Rules except ‘Side Panel’ and ‘Back Panel’ and then click ‘Build’.
The DriveWorksXpress Rules Builder will open.
Note:
All the file names created for these models will need to be unique to that specification. The
file names should be populated with information that will allow the files to be easily
identified. For this tutorial, we will use the customer’s name and their order number within
the file name rule.
2. In the Rule Builder, select the ‘OrderNumber’ control from the Inputs tab.
This will now place the value from the control into the rule
Concept – combining two elements of a rule:
To incorporate the hyphen between OrderNumber and CustomerName, ampersands (&)

need to be used. This is because OrderNumber is one string and the hyphen is another
string. Therefore, you need to type & “-“&.
38
3. Type & “-“ &.
4. The rule should now say: OrderNumber & “-“ &.
5. Finish off the File Name rule by typing ‘CustomerName’ (or select ‘CustomerName’ from
the Input menu).
The completed rule should say: ‘OrderNumber & “-“ & CustomerName’
Note:
An example of the file name created by this rule would be:
‘Shelving Assembly DW004 – John Smith’
Tip:
The background of the rules builder will be white if your rule is valid. If the background
colour of the Rules Builder goes red, this means that the rule you have built is invalid.
This will cause you to get errors when you run your Project. Make sure the rule you are
building is valid before clicking OK.
6. Click ‘OK’ to confirm the rule and exit the Rules Builder.
39
SIDE PANELS AND BACK PANEL FILE NAME RULE

There will be two rules left to build in the list of missing File Name Rules: ‘Side Panels’
and ‘Back Panel’. These two rules will use a logic function.
The rule you will create will tell DriveWorksXpress if it should include the Side or Back
Panel models or not depending on what is specified on the Form.
Concept – Suppressing a Component:
You can use the File Name rules in DriveWorks to control whether a model is suppressed,
deleted or unsuppressed in the assembly.
If a file name results in the value ‘Suppress’, the model will be suppressed.
Similarly, if the result of a file name is ‘Delete’, the model will be deleted.
This concept also applies to rules controlling a Feature within a model.
Tip:
The result of a Check Box Control will be TRUE if the check box is ticked, and FALSE if
the Check Box is unticked.
1. Select the ‘Side Panel’ file name rule and click ‘Build’ to open the Rules Builder.
2. Select the ‘IF ( , , )’ function from the ‘Logic’ tab and build the following rule for the Side
Panel:
File Name Rule

Side Panel =IF(SidePanels = TRUE, OrderNumber, “Delete”)
Concept – IF Statements:
The IF statement you have created means:
IF the ‘Side Panel’ check box is ticked, the Order Number will be displayed at the end of
the file name.
IF the ‘Side Panel’ check box has not been ticked, then the file will be deleted and will not
appear in the new version of the assembly.
40
3. Click ‘OK’ to save the rule and close the rules builder.
4. Select the ‘Back Panel’ rule and click ‘Build’.
5. Select the ‘IF ( , , )’ function from the ‘Logic’ tab and build the following rule for the Back
Panel:
File Name Rule

Back Panel =IF(BackPanel = TRUE , OrderNumber , “Delete”)
The File Name Rules have now all been created.
7. Click ‘Back’ in the DriveWorksXpress navigation to return to the Rules Summary page.
41
Configuration Rules
Concept – Configuration Rules:
Configuration Rules need to be built so that the rule results in the name of an existing
SOLIDWORKS configuration contained within the SOLIDWORKS model.
8. Uncheck the check box next to ‘File Names’ and select the check box next to
‘Configurations’.
9. Click ‘Next’ on the DriveWorksXpress navigation.
Note:
Because we want each part of the Shelving Assembly to be the same material, we are
going to use the same rule for each of the Configuration Rules.
Tip:
You can hold down Shift and select the top and bottom rules to select every rule in
between.
10. Select all of the ‘Configuration Rules’.
11. Click ‘Build’ to open the DriveWorksXpress Rules Builder.
We want to link the Configuration Rules to the ‘Material’ Drop Down Control on our
Form. We do this by selecting the Material Control from the Inputs Tab of the
DriveWorksXpress Rules Builder.
42
12. Click on the ‘Inputs’ Tab in the Rules Builder and select the ‘Material’ Control.
13. Click ‘OK’ to save the rule and close the Rules Builder.
14. Click ‘Back’ on the DriveWorksXpress Navigations Bar to return to the Rules Summary
page.
43
Dimension Rules
Concept – Dimension Rules:
Dimension rules allow you to automate your SOLIDWORKS models by taking information
entered on the Form, calculating a result and then sending it to the SOLIDWORKS model
to generate a new model. This allows you to control multiple dimesions at the same time
using only a few inputs.
15. Uncheck the check box next to ‘Configurations’ and check the check box next to
‘Dimensions’.
16. Click ‘Next’ in the DriveWorksXpress navigation.
The tables below show the name of each dimension and the rule that should be created
for that dimension.
17. Use the table on the next page to build rules for the captured dimensions.
Note:
Work through the table a row at a time. Find the ‘Rule Name’ in the list of rules, click
‘Build’ and type the rule as it displays in the table under the ‘Rule’ column.
Remember that you can use the Inputs drop down to select the Controls that are being
referenced
Tip:
Remember that identical Rules can be multi-selected and built at the same time.
Why not save yourself time and do this for Shelf Pattern Distance and Shelf Distance. You
can also do it for all of the Width, Height and Depth rules.
44
Here is the table of rules that you need to build. Work your way through them using the
tips from the previous page.
Rule Name Rule

Shelf Pattern Distance =Height / (ShelfQuantity + 1)
Shelf Distance =Height / (ShelfQuantity + 1)
Shelf Pattern Quantity =ShelfQuantity
Support Depth Distance =Depth – 40
Support Width Distance =Width – 40
Width =Width
Depth =Depth
Height =Height
18. Click ‘Back’ to return to the original rules screen.
There should be 0 rules missing for the captured dimensions.
45
Feature Rules
Concept – Feature Rules:
Just like with Dimension rules, you can capture and write rules to control features in
SOLIDWORKS. Features can either be set to Suppress, Delete or Unsuppress.
1. Deselect the ‘Dimensions’ check box and select the ‘Features’ check box.
2. Click ‘Next’ to view the feature rules.
3. Highlight the ‘Side Panel Mirror’ feature and click ‘Build’ or double click on the rule to bring
up the Rules Builder.
4. Build the following rule for the Side Panel Mirror:
Rule Name Rule

Side Panel Mirror =IF( SidePanels = TRUE , “Unsuppress” , “Suppress” )
Note:
The rule you have built means:
IF the ‘Side Panels’ check box has been ticked, then the Feature will be shown when the
project is generated and therefore it will be automated when the project is run in
DriveWorksXpress.
Otherwise IF the ‘Side Panels’ check box has not been ticked the Feature will be
suppressed and will not be shown within the finished project.
6. Click ‘Back’ to return to the original rules screen.
There should be 0 rules missing for the captured dimensions.
Note:
You have now completed the ‘Set Up’ stage of your first DriveWorksXpress Project.
In the next lesson, you will learn how to Run your Project and create new variations of the
Shelving Assembly again and again.
46
Running the Project

1. Click ‘Run’ in the DriveWorksXpress navigation, which will take you to the ‘Run’ Task Pane.
Now that all the rules are written for the project,
new specifications can be created.
Within the Run Task Pane, you will be able to

see the Form Controls you created earlier in the
project and the default values you set up.
Concept – Form Warnings:
All the controls which require a value will

appear with a warning triangle to the right. This
will disappear once a suitable value is entered.
Concept – Filling out your Form:
There are three methods of completing the

Form. You can use the Default control values,
Last Used values or enter new details.
Concept - This project requires you to add a

unique order number each time you run the
Project.
This is because we set up the rule to include

then Order Number in the File Name rules of
each of the parts. DriveWorksXpress stores the
names of the models it has generated before
and if a duplicate is sent for generation,
DriveWorksXpress will not generate it a second
time.
2. Follow the Tool Tips and complete the Form.
3. Click ‘Create’. DriveWorksXpress will now generate your new models and drawings.
47
Concept – Generation Reports:
As the SOLIDWORKS data is generated, a generation report is produced which shows

activity on all the driven values. Any errors will appear with a red cross, and all successful
values will appear with a green tick.
Tip:
48
To view the modified SOLIDWORKS Drawing File for this new model, open the folder
where all the files have been saved.
Note:
If your model doesn’t look right, but you have all green ticks in your Generation Report,
then chances are you have either captured the wrong dimension, or your rules are using
the wrong inputs to drive your model.
Green Ticks represent actions that have been performed by DriveWorks. Look through
them to see if any look wrong.
Note:
The way this project has been set up you are required to add unique order number each
time you run the Project. This is because the Order Number is included in the File Name
rules of each of the parts. DriveWorksXpress stores the names of the models it has
generated and if a duplicate is sent for generation, DriveWorksXpress will not generate it a
second time. This will save you even more time when running your specifications.
Congratulations you have completed your first DriveWorksXpress Project!
To become a Certified DriveWorksXpress Associate you need to complete the following

Certification:
 DriveWorksXpress Certification. Please visit the online DriveWorksXpress

Certification project from Step 2 of the website:
http://www.driveworksxpresscertification.com/
During the online Certification, you will be given a series of changes to make to
your DriveWorksXpress Shelving Project. Then you will complete a test which will
evidence your understanding of DriveWorksXpress and test the mass of you of
your newly generated models.
49
Appendix
BEST PRACTICES
Setting up Models for Automation
Certain types of models are better suited to design automation. When setting up models
for automation, consider how they fit into an assembly and how the parts might change
when automated.
This illustration shows a simple support that uses planes.
Several planes have been created so that the sketches and features can be referenced to
them (coincident, up to surface, etc.) This allows the dimension for the plane to be
changed and the extrusion extended with it. When placed in an assembly, other
components can be mated to this plane so that they move with consideration to the parts
altered.
Using a coincident mate with the face could cause problems with more complex parts.
Planes have little effect on the part or assembly file size but do increase the stability of the
part during part configuration. Stability becomes increasingly important as part complexity
increases. This principle also applies to axes, although not ‘temporary axes’, which
disappear if the geometry disappears.
50
COMPARING DRIVEWORKSXPRESS WITH DESIGN TABLES

Why should I use DriveWorksXpress rather than design tables?
File Size
DriveWorksXpress creates new files which keeps file size to a minimum.
Ease of Use
New variations are easy to create. Customer-specific models and drawings are easy to
manage.
Scalability
Projects can be scaled and maintained as needs evolve over time.
Automated Drawings
Unique drawings for all parts and assemblies can be created automatically.
Rule Driven
Rules determine which calculation or value is required to drive a given parameter. Rules
and calculations that affect multiple parts and assemblies are easily linked in the rule
editor.
GUIDELINES
DriveWorksXpress Database
 Database names must be unique.
 Files can be shared between projects but not between databases.
 You can create separate databases for each model. If your models use parts that
have the same file name but are totally different, they must be stored in different
databases.
 You can store your project information on a network drive for other users to
access. All DriveWorksXpress SolidWorks files must have the same referenced
location for each SolidWorks user, for example: M:\DriveWorksXpress\ModelA\.
Dimension Values
When you run a specification, use the same dimension units (metric/imperial) that were
used to create the part in SolidWorks. If the model was created in one unit type and the
input values are in another, your rules must provide for conversion between the units.
File Management
Storage for New Models
Model variations (clones) are stored in the same location as their corresponding master
models. The cloned models are typically the same size as the master file, although the
size can be reduced by automatically deleting unused features and subassemblies.
Updating After Moving Files

If you have recently moved your SolidWorks models, open the top level assembly and
force a rebuild. Save to ensure that all file references are updated. Do the same for any
drawing files.
51
Using Files Created in Earlier Versions of SOLIDWORKS

Use a new version of SolidWorks to open a model created in an earlier release. The file is
converted when you save it and is no longer compatible with the earlier version.
Naming
 Assign unique names to all the master models that you intend to drive or control.
 Give assemblies different names than their child parts.
 When naming parameters or form controls, it is good practice to avoid special
characters such as @ , or <.
 Do not give a custom property the same name as a captured dimension or feature.
Deleting Files
 Deleting a parent deletes its children; deleting a child does not delete the parent.
 You can delete the top level assembly only from the model list.
52
Congratulations! You have now completed this DriveWorksXpress Tutorial.
Head back to www.driveworksxpresscertification.com to take your

DriveWorksXpress Certification Part 1 and Part 2.
53

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SHELVING UNIT

DriveWorksXpress Training & Certification

Feature Rules ................................................................................................................................. 46

Automate your design process with DriveWorksXpress

ABOUT THIS TUTORIAL

What do you need to do?

2. DriveWorksXpress Certification. You will be asked to visit the online

The DriveWorksXpress Training and Certification Resources

Troubleshooting – In the Certification you will be asked to make changes to your

The SOLIDWORKS files are contained within a zipped file.

Concept – DriveWorksXpress Navigation Bar:

Educational SOLIDWORKS Licenses:

Full SOLIDWORKS Licenses:

6. Copy the Activation Code and return to SOLIDWORKS.

DriveWorksXpress will be activated and the task pane will open.

You’re now ready to automate your designs with DriveWorksXpress!

About the Shelf Model

The DriveWorksXpress Welcome Page gives you three options:

 Create / Change Database

This allows you to create a new project or

 Add / Edit Models

Add more models to the existing project

Once your project is complete you can

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

2. Open the SOLIDWORKS Assembly file called Shelving Assembly.SLDASM.

4. Close the Assembly file in SOLIDWORKS.

CREATE A NEW DATABASE

Concept: DriveWorksXpress Project

A DriveWorksXpress Project is a Microsoft Access database where all of your project

1. Click the ‘Create/Change Database’ radio button.

2. Click ‘Next’ in the DriveWorksXpress Task Pane.

You will automatically be asked to open a new database.

4. Click ‘Open’ to save the Project.

A new DriveWorksXpress database will be saved in your specified location.

1. Ensure the option ‘Add Models’ is selected.

2. Click ‘Next’ to navigate forward within the DriveWorksXpress Task Pane.

Concept: Captured Models and Dimensions

 Browse for new model

If no models are open in SOLIDWORKS,

 Use current open model

If you currently have a part or assembly

 Models already in DriveWorksXpress

If you have previously captured models

4. Browse to the location where you extracted your Shelving files.

5. Select the SOLIDWORKS Assembly file called Shelving Assembly.SLDASM.

The Shelving Unit assembly will now open in SOLIDWORKS.

Concept – DriveWorksXpress Tabs:

Captured Assembly Structure

Dimensions and Features

Drawings and Configurations

7. At the bottom of the Task Pane, select the

This will display check boxes next to each

Concept – Capturing Models:

Note: Make sure you capture everything shown in the

If your Captured Models list does not update after

Re-open DriveWorksXpress from the Tools menu and the

CAPTURE THE SUPPORT DIMENSIONS

2. Double click the ‘Supports’ model.

3. Select the ‘Dimensions and Features’ tab.

The height of this Supports part will be controlled by the DriveWorksXpress

5. Single click on the dimension ‘1000’ that appears on the model.

6. Name the dimension by typing ‘Height’ in the ‘Name’ text box.

CAPTURE THE SHELF DIMENSIONS