VT Advanced Assembly Modeling.


SolidWorks 2001
Training Manual
Advanced Assembly Modeling
SolidWorks Corporation
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Concord, Massachusetts 01742
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Document Number: SW
SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual
Table of Contents
Lesson 1:
Top-Down Assembly Modeling
Top-Down Assembly Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Stages in the Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
In-context Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Design Intent:In-context Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Edit Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Changes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
A Note of Caution. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Design Intent: Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Adding a New Part into an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Results of Insert, Component, New Part. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Building Parts in an Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Using Offsets from Assembly Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Open the Button Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Centered Plane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
The Plate Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Assembly Patterning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Propagating Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Putting a Part Back Into Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Breaking External References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
External Reference Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Breaking and Locking External References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Editing the Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Exercise 1: Top-Down Assembly Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Exercise 2: Level Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Exercise 3: 3D Sketches in a Top-Down Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Advanced Assembly Modeling i

Table of Contents SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual
Lesson 2:
Working with Assemblies
Working with Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Efficient Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Mating Shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Component Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Configurations of an assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Lightweight Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Efficient Assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Designing with Sub-assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Mating Shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
SmartMates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Mate References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
SmartMates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
From an open document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
SmartMates from within the assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Adding Mate References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Feature Palette Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
SmartMate Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Summary:Inserting and Mating Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Inserting the First Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Inserting Additional Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Inserting and Mating Simultaneously . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Mating Existing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Configurations of an Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Terminology Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Adding a New Assembly Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Suppressing Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Suppress the Added Component. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Assembly Design Tables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
What They Can Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Controlling Part Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Specifying Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Controlling Assembly Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Controlling Mates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Comments and Other Headers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Insert New Design Table Method. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Configuration Properties. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Changing Component Mates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Completed Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Component Sub-assemblies in an Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Layout Sketches in the Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Adding Sub-assembly Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Lightweight Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Creating Lightweight Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Indicators of Lightweight Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
ii Advanced Assembly Modeling

SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual Table of Contents
Resolving Lightweight Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Exercise 4: Mating and Assembly Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Exercise 5: Fill Pipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Exercise 6: Configurations of an Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Exercise 7: Assembly Design Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Exercise 8: Layout Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lesson 3:
Assembly Editing
Assembly Editing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Key Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Editing Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Finding and Repairing Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Information from an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Design Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Opening Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
SolidWorks Explorer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Window Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
File Management Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Using SolidWorks Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Dissolving a Sub-assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Promoting and Demoting Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Creating a New Sub-assembly with Components. . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Editing a Sub-assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Component Patterning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Opening sub-assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Replacing and Modifying Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Mate Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
View Dependencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Visual Display of a Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Over Defined Mates and Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Information From an Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Multiple Mategroups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Time Dependent Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Parent/child relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Assembly Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Find References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Reorder and Rollback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Assembly Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Equations in an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Dimension Names in an Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Adding Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Joining Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Renaming Components. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Mirroring Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Advanced Assembly Modeling iii

Table of Contents SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual
Exercise 9: Assembly Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Exercise 10: Assembly Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Exercise 11: Assembly Equations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Exercise 12: Mirror Component . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Exercise 13: Using SolidWorks Explorer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Exercise 14: Working with Sub-assemblies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Lesson 4:
Core and Cavity
Creating a Mold or Die Cavity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Using Scale and Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Creating a Radiate Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Creating a Knit Surface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Using the Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Using the Cavity Option . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Stages in the Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Cavity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Create Derived Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Using a Base Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
List External References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Propogating Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Exercise 15: Mold Cavity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Exercise 16: Using Cavity and Surfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Exercise 17: Using Cavity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Exercise 18: Using a Base Part . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Exercise 19: Base Parts and Splitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
iv Advanced Assembly Modeling

Lesson 1
Top-Down Assembly
Modeling
Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

Q Build a new part in the context of an assembly by employing Top-
Down assembly modeling techniques.
Q Create features in the assembly context by referencing geometry in
mating parts.
Q Reference assembly parts.
Q Use silhouette edges.
Q Create assembly patterns.
Q Remove external references from a copied part.
1
Lesson 1 SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual
2
SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual Lesson 1
Top-Down This section begins in an

Assembly assembly with the parts
Modeling MouseCoverMouseCov
er and mouse_bottom
inserted and mated. First,
the mouse_bottom is
edited and a feature that
uses geometry from the
MouseCover will be
created. Relationships will
be established between the
parts when the new feature is created. In the second part, the Button,
will be created in the context of the assembly, creating more
relationships of this type.
Stages in the The major stages in the process are listed below:
Process
Q Adding new parts into an assembly
When you add a new component part to an assembly, you have to give
it a name and select a plane (or planar face). The name is used as the
part name while the plane orients the Front reference plane of the
new part.
Q Building parts in an assembly
As the new part is created, the selected plane/face becomes the active
sketch and the part is in Edit Part mode. The part is created using
standard methods and references to other geometry in the assembly.
Q Creating in-context features
When you reference geometry in other parts while creating a feature,
you are creating what is called an in-context feature. For example,
referencing the edge of a shaft when making its mating hole in another
part creates a relationship between the shaft and the hole. A change to
the diameter of the shaft would cause a corresponding change to the
diameter of the hole.
Q Assembly patterning
Components can be patterned in the assembly using existing patterns in
parts or in a linear or circular pattern unique to the assembly.
Q Breaking external references
In-context parts and features create many external references. To break
these references and keep the part intact, several techniques are used.
Top-Down Assembly Modeling 3

In-context In-context Features are used to create geometry in the active part by
Features sketching on, converting, offsetting or dimensioning to, geometry in
other component parts. The feature that is created is called an In-
context Feature, a feature with external references. In this example, a
circular boss will be created in the mouse_bottom that connects to a
circular boss in the MouseCover.
Design Intent:In- The design intent of this
context Feature feature is listed below.
Q It will always be flush
with the matching boss
from the
MouseCover.
Q The outside diameter
will always be equal to
that of the matching
boss.
Q The hole will always be slightly smaller than the hole in the
matching boss.
1 Open an existing
assembly. MouseCover
Open the assembly
Top_Down_Assy. It
contains two
components that are
mated and fully
constrained.
mouse_bottom
2 Message.
If you recall from
Lesson 5, the mouse
cover was derived
from a base part. This
message indicates
that the system has recognized that external reference and given you
the option of opening the referenced base part. Since we do not
anticipate making any changes to the base part, click No.
Don’t Ask Me Again Whether or not this message appears when you open a file with
external references depends on a setting on the Tools, Options,
System Options, External References menu. The option Load
4 In-context Features
referenced documents: has three settings. They are Prompt, Always,

and Never. By default, the option is set to Prompt, which is why the
message appears. If you click Don’t ask me again (before you click
Yes or No), the option is updated to reflect your choice. (Yes changes
the option to Always, No changes the option to Never).
Edit Part While you are in an assembly, you can switch between editing the
assembly — adding mate relations, inserting components, etc. — and
editing a specific part. Editing a part while in the context of an
assembly allows you to take advantage of geometry and dimensions of
other components while creating matching or related features. Using
geometry outside the part creates External References and In-context
Features.
Two commands, Edit Part and Edit Assembly, are used to switch back
and forth between editing one component in an assembly and editing
the assembly itself. When you are in edit part mode, you have access to
all the commands and functionality the part modeling portion of
SolidWorks. Plus, you have access to other geometry in the assembly.
In this example, we will use Edit Part to make changes to the
mouse_bottom part while in the context of an assembly.
Introducing: Edit Part/Edit Assembly is used to switch between editing a part, and
Edit Part editing the assembly itself. The right-mouse menu will display the
andEdit Assembly proper command.
Where to Find It Select the part you wish to edit. Then:

Q Choose Edit, Part or Edit, Assembly.
Q Or, from the right-mouse menu, select Edit Part or Edit Assembly
Name.
Q Or, from the Assembly toolbar, pick the tool.
3 Edit Part.
Select the component mouse_bottom and click the Edit Part tool.
The component and its representation in the FeatureManager change
color. The color used is the current Edit Part in Assembly color which
by default is a salmon color.
Tip The tool is a toggle. It switches you between edit part mode and
edit assembly mode. It also acts as a visual indicator of which mode
you are in. It is depressed or pushed in when you are in edit part mode.
Other indicators that you are in edit part mode are the status bar which
reads Editing Part, and the window banner which looks like this:
In-context Features 5
4 Section View.
Use the Section View tool with the
Front plane to section the
assembly.
Move the section plane towards the
circular boss feature.
5 Sketch plane.
The sketch plane used for the
mating circular boss is the bottom
face of the boss from the
MouseCover. Select it and click
Insert Sketch.
6 Convert.
Switch to Hidden Lines Removed
mode. Select the outer circular
edge of the boss and click Convert
Entities. Changes to the original
feature will be passed on to this
new sketch.
7 Offset.
Select the inner circular edge of the
boss and click Offset Entities. Set
the value to 0.5mm and click
Reverse so that the offset goes to
the inside.
Click Apply and Close.
8 Up To Next.
The position of the sketch plane
is above the part itself, so the
extrusion must go towards the
mouse_bottom. Direction of extrusion
Use the Up To Next end

condition with 3° of draft,
drafted Outward.
Turn off the Section View tool.
9 Hide component.
Click the tool, or Hide
Component to hide the MouseCover.
Newest In-context
feature
The FeatureManager design tree lists the new feature as

Boss-Extrude3 ->. The arrow symbol, ->, indicates one or more
external references. Rename the feature cir_boss.
10 Fillet.
Add a 1mm fillet around
the base of the boss
feature to complete it.
11 Return to assembly
editing.
Return to editing the
assembly by clicking the
Edit Part tool or by
selecting Edit Assembly:
assembly name
from the right-mouse
menu.
12 Show the MouseCover component.
13 Section view.
Create a section view using the long center
reference plane from the MouseCover
component.
Changes Automatically propagating changes is one of the strongest qualities of

the in-context feature. In this example, you will change the length of
the circular boss in the MouseCover to force a change in the
mouse_bottom.
14 Open MouseCover.
Right-click on the MouseC-
over. Select Open Mouse-
Cover.sldprt from the
right-mouse menu. This will
open the part document sepa-
rate from the assembly.
15 Edit the plane.

Select the plane Plane2 and Edit
Definition. This is the plane used for
the sketch of the Tapered Boss
feature. Both the Distance and
Entity Selected will be changed.
16 Face selection.
Click Clear Selections on the
right-mouse menu to remove the
face selection. Replace it by
selecting the face indicated.
17 Distance.
Set the distance to 1mm and
reverse it so it is inside of the
shell. The revised boss should be
entirely within the shell. Click
Finish.
18 Save and close.
Save the changes to the
MouseCover and close the file.
The changes will be propagated to the assembly.
19 Update.
When the part
is closed, the
assembly win-
dow becomes
visible. The change to the MouseCover is detected and SolidWorks
asks if you want to rebuild the assembly. Click Yes.
Tip Generally, if the changes are minor and the assembly is small, click
Yes. If there are numerous changes are to be made, and if the assembly
is very large, you should click No and defer rebuilding until all the
changes are completed.
20 Result.
The boss in the mouse_bottom updates
accordingly.
21 Turn off the Section View.
A Note of Caution One of the things to consider before deciding to model a part in the
context of an assembly is where that part will be used. In-context
features and parts are best used for “one-of-a-kind” parts that will only
be used in the assembly where they are modeled. Parts that will be used
in more than one assembly should probably not be modeled in context.
The reason for this is the external references that are created by the in-
context features.
Consider the mouse_bottom we just finished modeling. If the
mouse_bottom were to be used in another assembly, the height of
the in-context boss feature could change unexpectedly. If someone
were to change the Tapered Boss in the MouseCover, that change
would propagate to the mouse_bottom, regardless of where it was used.

Therefore, the decision to model a part in-context must be given careful
consideration.
If an in-context part is to be reused in other assemblies, it is possible,
with some work, to make a copy of the part and remove all of the
external references. The procedure for doing this will be discussed later
in this lesson.
Design Intent: The design intent of this model
Button is listed below.
Q The edges of the Button
are offset from the existing
holes in the MouseCover.
Q The shell thickness is
constant.
Q The Button protrudes
2mm above the outside face of the MouseCover.
Q The part edge is coincident with the inner face of the shell.
Q Holes in the Button line up with the existing pins in the
MouseCover.
22 Hide component.
Since the mouse_bottom plays no part in the creation of the
Button, Hide it to improve visibility.
Adding a New New parts can be added to an assembly as needed. These new parts can
Part into an be created in the context of the assembly, using the geometry and
Assembly locations of existing parts to build upon. They will appear in the
FeatureManager design tree as component parts, with a full listing of
their features.
Introducing: Insert, Component, New Part creates a new part and component in
Insert Component the assembly. The new part is named and then mated to a plane or
planar face of an existing part in the assembly.
Where to Find It Q From the menu choose: Insert, Component, New Part...
Default Template Since this command creates a new part document, you have the option
of specifying a template or allowing the system to use the default
template. This choice is determined by means of Tools, Options,
System Options, Default Templates. For more information about
default templates, see Default Templates on page 426 in the Volume 1
Appendix.
Design Intent: Button 11

23 Save As dialog box.

Click Insert, Component,
New Part... and enter the
name Button in the File
Name field. You can also
create and change
directories to put the file in,
if required.
Press Save.
24 The face/plane cursor.

A new cursor appears, indicating that a plane or planar face must be
selected. In the next step, a planar face will be selected.
25 Face selection.
Select the inside planar face that the
button holes penetrate. Although
you don’t need to in this case, you
can use the Select Other
functionality to select a face that is
not visible from that direction.
Results of Insert, When a new part is inserted into an assembly, several things happen:
Component, New Q The new part is created.
Part Q The new part appears in the FeatureManager as a component of the
assembly.
Q The Front reference plane of the new part is made coincident with
the face or plane that you selected.
Q You are switched into edit part mode.
Q A new sketch is opened on the selected face.
Q A new mate, named InPlace1, is added fully defining the
component.
Q The Origin of the new part is aligned with the projection of the
assembly Origin on the selected face/plane.
12 Adding a New Part into an Assembly

26 Inserted part.
Since the new part is empty, the only
visible evidence of it is the Origin
symbol on the selected face.
Automatically, you are editing the new
part in a new sketch. The sketch plane
is the face you selected. The color of
the part and FeatureManager text is
changed to indicate that the part is being edited.
27 Mate in place.
Parts created in-context, such as this one, automatically receive a single
mate. This mate is named Inplace1 and it fully defines the new part.
Building Parts When building parts in-context of the assembly, you can take
in an Assembly advantage of other parts that exist. You can copy geometry, offset from
it, add sketch relations to it, or simply measure to it. In this example,
the button hole and pins will be used to create the Button.
Using Offsets from The Button will be created so that it fits, with some clearance, into
Assembly Parts the button hole provided. The base feature of this part will be this main
oval shape. Using the existing edges of the button hole, the clearance
can be created using Offset Entities.
Sketching the When you build parts in the context of the assembly, sketching is just
Feature like it is in the part mode with the added benefit that you can see and
reference the geometry of the surrounding parts. In this example, the
base feature is created as a boss using offset edges.
28 Edit the Button part.

By default, you are actively editing the Button. The tool can be
used to toggle edit part on and off.
29 Selections.
Using Offset Entities on a
face with more than one
contour requires a different
procedure. Select the face as
indicated.
Ctrl-select an edge of the
closed contour to be offset.
Building Parts in an Assembly 13

30 Offset value.
Click Offset Entities and
set the value to 0.5mm,
offset to the inside.
31 Offset
created.
The offset is
created to
inside of the
edges.
Creating an Using the sketch created with the offset, a base feature will be created as
Extruded Base an extrusion. The extrusion will extend the sketch from the inside of the
Feature MouseCover part to the outside, forming the main Button shape.
Our design intent is to have the Button protrude 2mm beyond the
outside face of the MouseCover. The best way to do this is to use the
Offset From Surface end condition. This way we not only don’t need
to remember the thickness of the shell, we don’t have to worry about
what happens if someone changes that thickness.
32 Base extrusion.
Create the base feature as
an extrusion of the
sketch. Click Insert,
Base, Extrude and
choose Offset From
Surface as the end
condition.
Click in the selection list
and select the outside
face of the
MouseCover
(highlighted).
Set the Offset to 2mm
and toggle Reverse
Direction and Reverse Offset. (Reverse Offset is necessary so the
extrusion terminates 2mm above the surface rather than below it.) Add
3° of Draft and click OK to create the feature.
14 Building Parts in an Assembly

33 Completed feature.
The base feature in the
Button is complete.
Open the Any component in an assembly can be opened. Opening the Button
Button Part means that the part file itself is opened as a separate document, leaving
the assembly open as well. In this example several features will be
added that do not need assembly information.
Any changes made here will automatically appear in the assembly.
34 Open the Button.
Right-click the Button in the graphics
window or in the FeatureManager design
tree, and select Open
Button.sldprt from the right-
mouse menu.
Note that the Origin of the part and the
standard reference planes do not pass
through the center of the geometry.
Centered Plane Insert, Component, New Part does not allow you to choose a position
for the Origin of the new part. A plane that is centered on the
geometry can prove useful in sketching and mating. Such a plane will
be created here.
35 Show sketch.
Expand the folder of the base feature and Show the sketch.
The sketch contains lines, arcs and centerpoints.
36 New Plane.
A new plane, centered on the geometry, will be created.
Click on Insert, Reference Geometry, Plane to access the
Plane Wizard. Click the Parallel to Plane at a Point button
Open the Button Part 15

and click Next.
37 Selections.
Select the Right reference plane
and either of the arc centerpoints.
Click Finish.
38 Centered plane.
The new plane is parallel to the Right plane
and passes through the center of the solid.
Name the plane centering.
39 Return to the assembly.
Switch back to the assembly without closing
the part.
Click Window, Button -in-
Top_Down_Assy or press Ctrl+Tab to
toggle through open SolidWorks documents.
If prompted, click Yes to rebuild the
assembly.
The Plate The plate feature forms the bottom of

Feature the button and prevents it from
moving outside the MouseCover. It
will follow the contours of the inside
edges of the MouseCover.
40 New sketch.
Select the plane
named centering
and open a new
sketch.
41 Convert edges.
Select three edges of the model as shown, and click Convert Entities.
The model edges are converted to sketch lines and an arc.
16 Open the Button Part

42 Complete profile.
Complete the sketch by adding end lines and dimensions. Use
Temporary Axes for dimensioning to the arc and circle centers.
43 Thin Feature.
Extrude the sketch using the Mid
Plane end condition. Set the
Depth to 14mm.
For the Thin Feature settings,
use 1mm thickness applied to the
inside of the MouseCover.
Open the Button Part 17

44 Add a fillet and shell.

Switch back to the part Button and add a 2mm fillet on the top edge.
Add a shell of 0.5mm, removing the bottom faces.
45 Draft.
Add 3° of draft to the faces of the plate using Insert Draft. Using
Neutral Plane draft, select the indicated faces for the Neutral Plane
and Faces to Draft.
Neutral Plane
Faces
to draft
This detail shows that the draft has

occurred too late in the
FeatureManager design tree to
affect the inside faces created by
the shell. Reordering will take care
of that.
Doesn’t have draft
18 Open the Button Part

46 Reorder.
Drag and drop the Draft1
feature so it comes before the
Shell1 feature in the
FeatureManager design tree.
The draft will now affect the
inner and outer faces of the
shell.
47 Close.
Save the Button and Close
the file, returning to the
assembly.
Now has draft

48 Updated assembly.
Changes to the part are shown in the
assembly.
49 Offset around the pins.

Continue editing the Button. Select the
new inner face of the shelled Button as
the sketch plane. Create two offsets, one
around each of the existing pin features.
Both contours will be cut as one feature.
Extrude the sketch as a Through All cut.
50 Edit the assembly.
Click to switch to edit assembly
mode.
Assembly A pattern in a component part can be used to pattern other components

Patterning in an assembly. In this example, the pattern that was used in the
MouseCover to create the button holes will be used to pattern the
Button.
Assembly Patterning 19
Introducing: Insert Component Pattern uses existing patterns from parts to pattern
Insert Component components in an assembly.
Pattern
Where to Find It Q From the menu choose: Insert, Component Pattern...
51 Pattern dialog box.

Click Insert, Component
Pattern... to access the dialog box.
Click Use an existing feature
pattern.
Click Next to continue.
52 Select component to be
patterned.
Make sure the Seed
Component(s) field is active, and
then select the Button
component in the FeatureManager
design tree or the graphics window.
This is the component that will be
patterned.
53 Select the existing pattern
feature.
Click in the Pattern Feature box
and select the pattern feature Sketch-Pattern1 from within the
MouseCover in the FeatureManager design tree.
Click Finish.
54 Completed pattern.
The pattern that was used to create the
holes is used to pattern the component
parts.
20 Assembly Patterning
55 FeatureManager display.
Within the FeatureManager design tree, some
new features have been added. The Update
features refer to each time geometry was
created based on another component. Each
external reference has a corresponding
Update feature.
The DerivedSketchPattern feature is
created with the component patterning
command. Listed beneath the feature are the
components that were added: Button<2>
and Button<3>.
56 Completed
assembly.
After showing the
mouse_bottom, the
entire assembly is
visible.
57 Save.
Save the assembly
and its associated
parts.
Propagating As previously mentioned, the power of in-context features and parts is

Changes their ability to change when the geometry they reference changes. In
the next portion of this lesson, we will explore how a change to the
shape of the Button Hole will propagate through the MouseCover,
the mouse assembly and the Button itself. We will also look at those
conditions when a change might not propagate and what to do about it.
58 Tools, Options.
Click Tools, Options.
Click System Options, External References
Set the option Load referenced documents: to Never.
59 Changes.
In the assembly locate
the Button Hole
feature in the
MouseCover. This
feature ultimately
controls the size of the
Button.
Change the dimensions
of the Button Hole
to those shown in the
illustration at the right and rebuild the assembly. The changes
propagate to the patterns of the hole and the Button part itself.
60 Save and close.
Save and close all open documents.
61 Open the MouseCover.
The MouseCover appears exactly as
it was when we saved it.
62 Change the Button

Hole.
Make another set of
changes to the
dimensions of the
Button Hole and
rebuild the part.
63 Open the Button.

The Button does not reflect the
changes just made to the Button
Hole. Why?
22 Assembly Patterning
Out of Context The Button was modeled in the context of the assembly. Because the
assembly is not open, the Button is out of context. Therefore, any
changes to the MouseCover are not able to propagate to the Button.
Changes to the MouseCover propagate through the assembly to the
Button. The assembly has to be open for this to occur.
Putting a Part To put an out of context part back into context, open the externally
Back Into Context referenced document. There is an easy way to do this.
Introducing: Edit in Edit in Context automatically opens the document that is referenced
Context by an external reference. This is quite a time saver because you do not
have to query the feature to identify the referenced file, browse to
locate it, and then open it manually.
Where to Find It Q Right-click the feature with the external reference, and select Edit
in Context from the shortcut menu.
64 Edit in context.
Right-click the out of context feature, in this
case, Base-Extrude1, and select Edit in
Context. This will open the externally
referenced document, which in this case is the
Top_Down_Assy.
65 Everything is updated.
When the assembly opens, the
Button, which is a component in the
assembly, updates to reflect the
newest dimensions of the Button
Hole.
66 Switch to the Button window.

Use Ctrl+Tab to bring the Button
document window to the front. Notice
that the geometry is correct.
67 Reference markers.
Now that the assembly is open, the external
reference markers for the Button should appear as
->, indicating that the features are in context. If
they do not appear that way, a simple Rebuild will
refresh the display of the FeatureManager design
tree.
Breaking The external references established by creating parts and features in-
External context remain with the part. Changes to the part will appear
References everywhere that the part is used; assemblies and drawings. By the same
token, changes to parts that it references will also cause it to change. As
we just saw, when the size of the Button Hole in the MouseCover
changed, the Button changed also.
If you want to reuse the in-context part in another assembly, or even use
it as the starting point for a similar design, you should remove the
external references. By copying and editing the in-context part, you can
create a duplicate part that is not tied to the assembly.
68 Save a copy of the Button.

Click File, Save As. The message box tells you that Save As will
replace the document, while Save As Copy will not. Click OK.
Note This dialog appears only when the referenced document (the assembly)
is open.
24 Breaking External References

69 Save As Copy.
Save a copy of the part as
FreeButton. Make sure
to check the Save As Copy
option. Click Save.
70 FreeButton.
Save and close the current
part (the Button) and
open the copy —
FreeButton.
71 Derived Features.
Look at the FeatureManager design tree to check for
external references. You will see the notation “->?”
appended to many of the features and sketches,
denoting some kind of external reference.
The symbol means:
-> The part or feature was created in-context, or
derived from somewhere else.
? The reference is currently out of context because
the assembly is not active. If the assembly was
active when the part was opened, the marker would appear as “->”.
Each of the flagged features and sketches must be edited to remove the
reference. Note that in some cases, only the sketch is derived, not the
feature itself. In these cases, both the sketch and the related feature will
display the marker.
Breaking External References 25

72 List External References.

One way to determine whether the feature or the sketch (or both) have
external references is to list them. Right-click the part name icon in the
FeatureManager design tree, and select List External Refs.... The
dialog below appears.
External This dialog lists the following information:

Reference Report Q Assembly — The assembly in which the external reference was
created.
Q Feature — Each feature or sketch in the model that contains an
external reference.
Q Data — What type of relation or selection was made to create the
external reference.
Q Status — Whether the feature is in or out of context.
Q Referenced Entity — The name of the selected edge, face, plane
or loop used to generate the external reference. The syntax also lists
the part the entity exists in. Edgeof MouseCover<1> means
that it is an edge in the first instance of the MouseCover
component.
Q Feature’s Component — The component in which the external
reference exists.
This dialog shows that three sketches; Sketch2, Sketch3 and
Sketch4 contain external references. It also lists a feature, Main, as
having one. These are the features and sketches that must be edited.
Note Do not confuse the command List External References with File,
Find References. In a part document, the command File, Find
References only lists the name of externally referenced documents, if
they exist. It does not provide feature, data, status, entity, or component
information. For example, File, Find References would tell you this:
Q The referenced part document for a part created using Base Part or
Mirror Part.

Q The assembly document for any part with in-context references.

This includes a part created using Derive Component Part, or a
part that has a cavity or join feature, or a part that has been edited in
the context of an assembly to reference the geometry of other
components.
Breaking and When the List External References dialog is active, there are options
Locking External available to Break All or Lock All references. These options allow you
References to change the relationship between the in-context part and referenced
files.
Break All The Break All button is used to break all references with the
controlling files. Pressing the button launches a message that indicates
the change is not reversible after OK is pressed.
The FeatureManager lists the broken references with an “->x” in place

of the “->?” symbols. Changes will no longer propagate to the
FreeButton.
Once the references are broken, they can only be listed using the List
Broken References checkbox.
Lock All The Lock All button is used to lock or freeze the references until they
are unlocked at a later date using Unlock All. Unlike the Break All
option, these changes are reversible after OK is pressed. Until the
references are unlocked, changes will not propagate the FreeButton.
The FeatureManager lists the locked references with “->*” symbols in

place of the “->?” symbols. Using Unlock All later will restore the
->? symbols.
No additional external references can be created while the part is in the
“locked” state.
73 Break All External References.

The FreeButton part can be used in other assemblies if the external
references are broken. From the List External References dialog click
Break All and OK.

The part is no longer forced to change due to changes in the mouse

cover part.
Editing the It is all well and good that we have

Features broken the external references.
However, what happens when we
want to change the dimensions of
the features in the FreeButton?
For example, the only dimension
associated with the sketch of the
base feature are the offset and draft
dimensions. How can we change the
length or width of the extrusion?
All features that contain the “->x” symbol can be edited to change the
way in which the geometry is constrained. Although the relationships
have been broken, the geometry is still created using part references.
These references can be removed by editing of sketches and features in
the part which has the effect of changing the design intent of the
features.
Starting with the last feature first and working up the design tree
prevents the part from becoming Disjoint, meaning that the solid has

features that are not in contact with each other.

Pin Cutouts The last feature, Cut-Extrude2 was created by offsetting model
edges from the MouseCover. The sketch contains the offset geometry
and dimensions.
74 Edit Cut-Extrude1.
Select and edit the sketch of the Cut-
Extrude1 feature.
75 Delete dimensions.
The dimensions carry the offset
relation. Deleting them will delete both
the relation and the dimension while
keeping the size and position of the
geometry intact. Delete the dimensions
and click Yes to remove the relations.
76 Fully define the sketch.

Working on the underside of the button where
the sketch was created, add the following:
Q A centerline at the midpoint of the edge.
Q A Symmetric relation between the circles
and the centerline.
Q Dimensions as shown at the right.
77 Exit the sketch.
The external reference marker has been
removed from the sketch and feature.
Button Plate The plate that forms the bottom of the Button was created by
converting and offsetting geometry that was in the MouseCover. The
relations of this sketch will be changed.
78 Edit sketch.
Edit the sketch of Boss-Extrude-Thin1.

79 Display/Delete Relations.
Click Display/Delete Relations to
see the relations that exist in this
sketch.
Narrow the search by choosing
External as the Criteria. This listing
displays only those relations that
contain an External Reference.
Click Delete All to delete all the
External references. The other, internal, relations are maintained. You
can prove this by changing the Criteria to All.
Click Close.
Note Geometry created by converting or offsetting base their location and
orientation strictly on the edge being referenced. When the Offset or
On Edge relations are removed, the geometry does not contain other
relations such as tangency, horizontal, vertical or collinear.
80 Repairs.
These missing relations must be added. Repair the sketch by adding:
Q A collinear relation between the sketch line and the bottom edge of
the base feature.
Q Tangent relations between the two lines and the arc.
Q Dimensions as shown.
81 Exit the sketch.

The feature rebuilds without any external references.
Base Feature The base feature sketch was formed by offsetting the edge of the button
hole in the MouseCover. The sketch was then extruded using an
Offset from Surface end condition. This created two different sets of
external references — one associated with the sketch, and one
associated with the feature. Both external references should be
removed.

82 Edit sketch.
Edit the sketch of the base feature. The relations on
this sketch are all offsets.
83 Delete All.
Another method for dealing with relations is to use
Delete All followed by Constrain All. Delete All
removes all relations in the sketch and Constrain All
adds back those that can be inferred due to the position
of the geometry.
Click Display/Delete Relations and then Delete All.
Click Close.
84 Constrain All.
The Constrain All command only works when there are no relations at
all in the sketch.
Click Tools, Relations, Constrain All.
85 Message.
Constrain All has added 6 relations based
on the position and orientation of the
geometry. Click OK.
86 Dimensions and relations.
Add dimensions to fully define the sketch. This time,
rather than accepting the dimensions with their current
values, change the values as shown in the illustration at
the right.
Add a Coincident relation between the centerpoint of
the upper arc and the Origin. This relation can also
be created by dragging and dropping the centerpoint
onto the Origin.
87 Exit the sketch.
The sketch no longer has an external reference but
Base-Extrude does.
Face Reference The remaining external reference is a face reference that was created
during the extrusion. Remove the reference by changing the end
condition of the extrusion.

88 Measure distance.
Measure the distance between the
top face of the button and the upper
face of the plate. The distance is
4mm.
89 Edit Definition.
Edit the definition of the Base-
Extrude feature and change the
Type to Blind, with a Depth of
4mm.
Click OK to complete the change.
90 Save.
Save the changes to the completed FreeButton.
91 Close all documents.

SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual Exercise 1:
Exercise 1: Create this part by using existing

Top-Down geometry in the assembly TOP DOWN
Assembly ASSY.
Modeling This lab uses the following skills:
Q Top-down modeling
Q Creating new parts in an assembly
Q Sketch offsets
Units: inches
Design Intent The design intent for this part is as follows:

1. Cover Plate must relate to ID on Main Body.
2. Cover Plate must relate to OD on Ratchet.
3. Cover Plate must relate to OD on Wheel.
Part Design Use the following graphics with the design intent to determine the
shape and relationships within the part. The clearances are:
Cover Plate to Main Body = 0.010”
Cover Plate to Ratchet = 0.005”
Cover Plate to Wheel = 0.005”
Wheel Ratchet
33
Exercise 2: SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual
Level Assembly
Exercise 2: Create this assembly using the top

Level Assembly information and dimensions cover
provided. Add new parts top
down and bottom up. This lab
reinforces the following skills: glass
Q Top-down assembly cylinder
modeling
Q Bottom-up assembly
modeling
level
Q In context features
Q Hole wizard
Q Mating
Q Exploded Views
Design Intent The design intent for this assembly and its part is as follows:
1. The glass cylinder is placed within the cutout in the level,
tangent to the bottom and centered.
2. The top cover component fits tightly into the top of the level
part. Its top is flush with the top of the level part.
Part Design Three component

parts make up this
assembly. The
top plate will
be built in
context. The
glass
cylinder can
be built outside
the assembly.
The level part is an earlier lab that is
used in this assembly. If you have not
completed it do so now.
34
Level Assembly
The top cover is a plate with a cut and

countersink hole that is built in context. The
positions of the countersinks line up with the
holes in the level. The rounded sight hole is
centered on the plate.
The glass cylinder is a simple

cylinder that can be created outside the
assembly and dragged in.
Exploded view Add an exploded view, moving

the glass cylinder and the
top cover as shown below.
35
3D Sketches in a Top-Down Assembly
Exercise 3: Use an existing assembly to provide

3D Sketches in locations for an in context part. The
a Top-Down part is created using a 3D Sketch.
Assembly This lab reinforces the following
skills:
Q Insert a new part into an
assembly
Q Building parts in context
Q 3D Sketches in context
Q Sweeping
Procedure Use the following procedure:

1 Open an existing assembly named
TD3DSk.sldasm.
This part contains the Radiator and
thermostat housing components,
oriented as shown.
2 Insert new part.
Insert a new part named Upper Hose
into the assembly. Select the Top
reference plane. An Inplace mate is
created and you are ready to sketch.
3 Exit the sketch.
To create the path for the Upper Hose,
we will need a 3D sketch.
4 3D Sketch.
Start a new 3D Sketch in
the part. Add lines that go
along the default X and Y
axes.
36
5 Sketch normal to face.

Hold down Ctrl and select the top face of
the flange and begin sketching. Use Tab to
switch planes until you are sketching along
the Z direction, normal to the face.
6 Relations between the sketch and the

thermostat housing.
Add relations to define the position of the
line.
Q Concentric between the inner face of
the cut and the line.
Q Coincident between the endpoint of the
line and the top face of the flange.
7 Relations between the sketch and the

Radiator.
Add similar relations between the line and
the radiator at the other end of the sketch.
8 Relations between
lines.
Add a Merge
Points relation
between the open
endpoints in the
sketch.
Create a dimension
that measures the
length of the first
line from the Radiator. Set the value to 6”.
37
9 Filleting.
Add three 3” fillets. The 3D
sketch is complete.
Exit the sketch.
10 Sweep section.
Create a plane at the end of the 3D
sketch and sketch a 2.25” diameter
circle on it.
Exit the sketch.
11 Sweep feature.
Sweep a base feature using
concentric circles and the 3D sketch.
Optionally, open the ends by shelling
the sweep with a 0.125” thickness.
12 Close.
Save and close the assembly.
38
Lesson 2

Q Creating efficient assemblies and sub-assemblies
Q Shortcuts to mating components
Q Using Component Patterns
Q Build configurations of an assembly.
Q Create an assembly design table using Microsoft Excel™.
Q Insert a design table into a SolidWorks assembly.
Q Access the different configurations of the part/assembly created by
the design table.
Q Use a layout sketch in the assembly.
39
40
Working with Assemblies can be efficient and workable if they are created properly.
Assemblies Large or small, there are common methods used to ensure that the
assembly operates as efficiently as possible. Generally, these methods
begin at the part level and carry on through the assembly and drawing.
Efficient A summary of tips for efficient assembly modeling starts the lesson off.
Assemblies
Mating Shortcuts As the assembly is being put together, SmartMates, Mate References
and the Feature Palette are invaluable timesavers for adding and
mating components.
Component Patterns in the part become timesavers in the assembly.
Patterns
Configurations of Configurations are essential to the efficient assembly. Using part, sub-
an assembly assembly and main assembly configurations are explored.
Lightweight Increased assembly opening speed is accomplished using Lightweight
Components Components.
Working with Assemblies 41

Efficient Whether your assembly is large or small, there are best practices to
Assemblies follow for more efficient and faster assemblies. Faster means both
opening speed and editing speed, both of which contribute to the
overall time it takes you to work in SolidWorks.
Each of these topics will be introduced here and the discussed in more
detail later in this lesson.
Designing with SolidWorks allows you to create an
Sub-assemblies assembly and add it to another assembly.
The one being added becomes a sub-
assembly, and is treated as a component.
Best practice is to have the majority of
your part components within sub-
assemblies, meaning that the assembly
FeatureManager design tree shows more
sub-assemblies, and less top-level part
components.
Some advantages are:

Q Fewer top-level components
More sub-assemblies means that fewer part
components are visible at the top-level of the
assembly. This makes the FeatureManager
design tree more manageable and access to
individual components easier.
Q Ease of movement
Sub-assemblies are used to group related part (and
assembly) components together. The “group” can
then be easily moved and reused in other assemblies,
carrying with it its own internal set of mating
relationships.
The sub-assembly is treated as a single component
and moves as one unit.
Q Options in editing
The sub-assembly can be edited from within the larger assembly (Edit
sub-assembly) or opened as its own assembly and edited.
Components can be moved into or out of the sub-assembly when
working at the larger assembly level.
42 Efficient Assemblies
Q Faster access
You can have faster access to components through the sub-assembly.
Breaking the assembly into smaller sub-assemblies means that each
one is smaller and less complicated than the main assembly.
Q Facilitates multi-user design environments
When a large assembly is broken down into smaller, more manageable
sub-assemblies, separate members of a design team can work on
individual sub-assemblies. If all components are top-level components
within the main assembly, only one member of the design team can
have write access to the assembly at any given time. This makes
collaborative work more difficult.
Q Configurations
Configurations of the assembly and sub-
assemblies can be used to create different
versions of a product. The versions can differ
by the number of components, the visibility of
the components, or the configurations of the
components. One assembly configuration
could contain simplified configurations of
part components. Selecting that configuration selects all the part
configurations contained within it.
A disadvantage of using sub-assemblies is:
Q Dynamic assembly motion
Any components that are intended to move or rotate should be top-level
part components. Components that are collected into a sub-assembly
can only move together, not individually.
Efficient Assemblies 43
Mating Mating is a basic skill in the creation of

Shortcuts assemblies. The Insert, Mate tool was used
to create many types of mates between
components, removing some or all of their
degrees of freedom. To create the two most
common types of mates, Concentric and
Coincident, there are shortcuts.
SmartMates SmartMates allow you to create multiple mates dynamically as you add
components to the assembly. They can create Coincident and/or
Concentric mates and are the easiest way to create mates.
Mate References A Mate Reference can be added to a part so that SmartMates can be
used when dragging and dropping a part from Explorer or the Feature
Palette window. In this example, a part will be modified to have a mate
reference and be saved to the Feature Palette. The copy on the Feature
Palette will then be dragged into the assembly using SmartMates.
SmartMates SmartMates can be used to quickly create Coincident or Concentric
mates. They can be used from an open part document or from within
the assembly.
From an open Using an open document for SmartMates does two things at once: it
document adds the component to the assembly and mates it. A standard drag and
drop technique is employed to do this. Depending on what geometry is
chosen, one, two or three mates can be added.
In addition, parts that contain matching pattern features, flanged piping
for example, can be rotated while mating.
1 Open SmartMates.
Open the assembly SmartMates. It
contains a single component.
2 Open part to be mated.
Open the RoundCoverPl part. Tile
the windows so that both can be seen.
3 Smart mate concentric and
coincident.
Drag the circular edge of the
RoundCoverPl into the assembly and drop it on the circular edge of
the ModifiedHousing. The cursor appears as a “pin in hole” ,
indicating that two Concentric and one Coincident mates will be
44 Mating Shortcuts
created.
Use the Tab key to rotate the plate putting the lug at the bottom. Drop
the component to add the component and its mates to the assembly.
Mates Added Along with inserting the

component, three mates were
added using this method.
Two concentrics and one
coincident.
Mates can also be added face to face and vertex to vertex genetrating a
single mate. In the general case (without a hole pattern) pressing Tab
switches between Anti-aligned and Aligned conditions.
4 Add second component.
using the same method, add another
instance on the other side.
Close the RoundCoverPl.
SmartMates 45
SmartMates from The use of SmartMates extends to components that are already
within the resident in the assembly. By selecting the SmartMates tool, the
assembly
component and the mating faces, a Concentric or Coincident mate
can be added.
This method uses a double-click to identify the face, edge or vertex to
be smart mated.
Introducing: SmartMates can be used to automatically mate components that are
SmartMates Tool already in the assembly. Depending on the face selected, Concentric or
Coincident mates can be added.
Where to Find It Q From the assembly toolbar, click the SmartMates tool.
5 Insert Offset Shaft.
Insert the Offset Shaft component into
the assembly using Insert, Component
from file.
6 SmartMate tool.
Click the SmartMates tool on the Assembly
toolbar. This causes the PropertyManager to open
and the SmartMates check box to be checked. Note
that clicking Move Component and checking the box manually has the
same effect.
7 Component and face.
Double-click the cylindrical face of the
Offset Shaft component. This does two
things:
Q Identifies the component to be mated.
Q Identifies the face to which to mate.
The component becomes transparent in the
highlight color (green).
8 Mating face.
Select the mating inside face of the
hole using either:
Q A single-click on the face.
Q Drag and drop onto the face.
A single Concentric mate is added between the selected cylindrical
46 SmartMates
faces. The symbol is used for the cylindrical face to face mating.
Select Other As an alternative to double-clicking, smartmate selections can be made
using Select Other.
9 Face selections.
Click the SmartMate
tool and use Select
Other to choose the flat
circular face of the
Offset Shaft.
Click the flat circular
face of the
ModifiedHousing
to complete the mate.
Note that the previous
method of choosing a
circular edge would also
work in this situation.
Adding Mate Mate References are a method of automating the smartmating

References process. By selecting a face, edge or vertex on a part as the mate
reference, drag and drop from the Explorer or Feature Palette lets the
part be smartmated as it is added to assembly.
Introducing: Mate Mate Reference is a selected face, edge or vertex used for
Reference SmartMates.
Where to Find It Q From the Tools menu, choose Mate Reference...
10 Adding a Mate Reference.

Open the Shaft part and click
Tools, Mate Reference. Select
the circular edge and click OK.
Adding Mate References 47

11 Feature.
The MateReference feature is added to the
FeatureManager. Only one of these features can exist
in any part.
The part can be smartmated into an assembly from
Explorer but let’s go a step further.
Feature Palette The Feature Palette window is used as a library of parts and features
Parts that are easily accessible. Feature Palette parts can be dropped into
assemblies as component parts or into parts as derived or base parts.
12 Open the Feature Palette window.
Click Tools, Feature Palette to access the
palette. Double-click on the Parts folder.
Then double-click the Hardware folder.
Tip You can navigate through the various folders
using the two arrow buttons.
13 Drag and drop.

Drag and drop the top level
feature (part name) of the
Shaft into the Feature
Palette window. After it is
dropped, the Save As dialog
appears allowing you to name
the copy of the part.
48 Feature Palette Parts

14 Name.
You can rename the palette
part or keep the same name
by clicking Save.
15 Result.
The Shaft is copied to the Feature Palette
under the Hardware folder. It can now be
used, with the mate reference, in any
assembly.
Close the Shaft file.
16 Drag and drop.

Drag and drop
the Shaft icon
into the
assembly. Drop
the part onto the
circular edge of
the Shaft.
Feature Palette Parts 49

17 Configuration.
Because the part contains more than one
configuration, a list appears. Choose S-
102 from the list and OK.
18 Completed.
The Shaft is added with two mates, one
concentric and one coincident. It can still
turn.
50 Feature Palette Parts

SmartMate SmartMates and Mate References can’t be used for all the mates you
Limitations need, just concentric and coincident ones. For all the other mate types,
use Insert, Mate.
19 Face to face smartmate.
Open the Worm Gear part and tile the windows. Drag and drop the
face of the Worm Gear onto the face of the Shaft. A concentric
mate is added.
The Offset Shaft is hidden for clarity.

20 Plane to plane mate.
We have seen mates between
solid geometry but
Reference Planes are also
useful. Expand the
ModifiedHousing and
Worm Gear components.
Select the Front reference
plane of each.
21 Mate.
Add a coincident mate
between the reference
planes. This centers the
Worm Gear on the
ModifiedHousing.
SmartMate Limitations 51
Sum- There are several ways to insert components into an assembly. Mates
mary:Inserting can also be created in several different ways. Some mates can be
and Mating created as you insert the component, others only after the component
has been added. For reference purposes, the following tables
Components
summarize the ways that each operation can be done.
Inserting the First The first component added to any assembly is automatically fixed.
Component Components dropped onto the origin of the assembly in the graphics
window, whether they are the first one or not, are also fixed in space.
Method Description
Insert, Component, From Drop the component at a free location or drop it at the origin
File of the assembly.
Drag and drop the file from Drag the file from Explorer and drop it in the graphics window
Explorer of the assembly, either at a free location or at the origin.
Drag and drop from an open Drag top level icon of the part’s FeatureManager tree and
document drop it at either a free location at the origin of the assembly.
Inserting Once there is at least one instance of a component in the assembly,

Additional additional ones can be added without looking outside the assembly.
Components
Method Description
Drag and drop from within the Select a component’s graphics and hold down Ctrl and drag
graphics window and drop another instance of it.
Drag and drop from the Select a component’s icon in the FeatureManager design tree
FeatureManager design tree and hold down Ctrl and drag and drop another instance of it
into the graphics window.
Copy and paste the component Select a component’s icon in the FeatureManager design tree
from FeatureManager design and copy it to the clipboard. Click in the graphics area and
tree into the graphics window paste it. The component will be pasted at the assembly origin
although it will not be fixed.
Copy can be Ctrl+C, or Edit, Copy, or the tool.
Paste can be Ctrl+V, or Edit, Paste, or the tool.
Copy and paste component Select a component in the graphics area and copy it. Click in
graphics the graphics area and paste it. It will be pasted at the origin.
52 Summary:Inserting and Mating Components

Inserting and Inserting and mating a component at the same time. All of these options
Mating are limited to Concentric and Coincident mates.
Simultaneously
Method Description
SmartMates Drag a component from an open document by selecting a
face, edge or vertex and dropping it onto the appropriate face,
edge or vertex in the assembly.
Using a Mate Reference from Drag the top level component of an open document and drop
open document onto the appropriate face, edge or vertex of the assembly.
Using a Mate Reference from Drag the file from Explorer and drop onto the appropriate
Explorer face, edge or vertex in the assembly.
Using a Mate Reference from Drag the icon from the Feature Palette and drop the
Feature Palette component onto the appropriate face, edge or vertex in the
assembly.
Mating Existing Mating components that have already been inserted into the assembly.
Components
Method Description
Use the command Insert, Add mates between any pair of the following objects: faces,
Mates or the Mate tool edges, vertices, axes, temporary axes, planes, origins, sketch
lines or points. Any type of mate can be created.
Use the SmartMates tool Limited to Concentric and Coincident mate types.
Summary:Inserting and Mating Components 53

Configurations Just like parts, assem-

of an Assembly blies can also have con-
figurations that are
created manually or
through a design table.
While part configura-
tions focus on features,
assembly configura-
tions focus on compo-
nents, mates, or
assembly features.
Assembly configura- Version 1 Version 2
tions can be used to control:
Q Assembly Features
Q Component Parts and Sub-assemblies
Q Mates and Mate Dimensions
Terminology Some of the terms used when discussing and working with
Review configurations are reviewed below.
Suppress/ Suppress is used to temporarily remove a component. When a
Unsuppress component is suppressed, the system treats it as if it doesn’t exist. That
means other components and mates that are dependent on it will be
suppressed also. In addition, suppressed components are removed from
memory, freeing up system resources. Suppressed components can be
unsuppressed at any time.
Hide/Show Hide is used to remove a component’s graphics without removing the
component or its dependents. Mates associated with hidden
components are still evaluated. Hidden components remain in memory.
Hidden components can be shown at any time.
Design Tables Design Tables are another way to create configurations. They can be
used to control dimension values for distance and angle mates,
assembly features, the suppression state or visibility of components and
the configurations of components within the assembly. They are
discussed in detail later in this lesson.
Adding a New New configurations can be created by simply adding them in the
Assembly Configuration Manager. You can also copy and paste configurations. If
Configuration you create a design table for an assembly, it too will create
configurations.
Procedure In this example, we will revisit the universal joint assembly and work
with configurations. We will create a second version of the assembly
where the three-piece sub-assembly handle is replaced with a single
part.
54 Configurations of an Assembly
1 Open the assembly assy with configs.

The assembly is similar to the one created in Lesson 8: Bottom-Up
Assembly Modeling.
2 Configuration Manager.
Click the Configuration Manager tab. Only the configuration named
Default is listed.
3 Add a new configuration.
Position the cursor over the top
level icon. Choose Add
Configuration from the right
mouse menu and create the
configuration Version2. Click
OK to add the configuration and
make it the active one.
4 Active configuration.
The active configuration is
highlighted in yellow in the list. It
also appears in the Configuration
Manager and FeatureManager
design tree in parentheses.
Suppressing We will suppress some components and add others to define this new
Components configuration. In this example we will suppress the crank sub-assembly
and add a single part to replace it.
5 Suppressing the sub-assembly.
Right-click the sub-assembly
full_crank-assy and edit its
Component Properties. Click
Suppressed and OK.
The component is suppressed in this
configuration, but not in the one named
Default.
Note Editing a component’s properties is just
another way to suppress an object. You
could have also used Edit, Suppress,
picked the suppress tool on the
Features toolbar or right-click the component and select Suppress
from the shortcut menu.
Hide and Show Component can be used in place of suppress/
unsuppress to simply hide or show graphics.
Adding a New Assembly Configuration 55

6 Add replacement part.

Drag One Piece Crank into
the assembly from the Explorer.
This single part will be used in
place of the sub-assembly in this
version.
7 Mating One Piece Crank to the

yoke_male.
After adding a Concentric mate, select the two
flat faces for a Parallel mate.
Like the Distance mate, Parallel mates can have
multiple solutions. You should use Preview
before using Apply.
Question Why not use SmartMates to mate the One
Piece Crank to the yoke of the universal
joint?
Answer SmartMates could be used for the Concentric
mate. However, to fully mate the One Piece
Crank, Parallel and Distance mates are also
needed. These types of mates are not available
using SmartMates.
56 Adding a New Assembly Configuration

8 Preview the Parallel mate.

The faces are parallel but aligned
opposite the desired direction.
9 Using Anti-Aligned.
The mate direction is
reversed using the Anti-
Aligned option.
Preview again to confirm
the result. Press Apply
when it is correct.
Adding a New Assembly Configuration 57

10 Add a Distance mate of 1mm

This mate is created between the top face of the bracket and the
bottom face of the One Piece Crank.
11 Completed configuration.
The handle sub-assembly which
consisted of three separate parts has
been replaced with a single-piece
handle.
12 Rename the Default

configuration.
Access the Properties of the
Default configuration from
the right-mouse menu. Rename it
to Version1.
Click OK.
13 Switch configurations.
Switch to Version1.
58 Adding a New Assembly Configuration

Suppress the The new one-piece crank that was added to the Version2
Added Component configuration also appears in all other configurations. It must now be
suppressed in the Version1 configuration.
14 Suppress.
Select the component One Piece
Crank and suppress the component
in this configuration. Notice that
suppressing the One Piece Crank
also suppresses the three mates
associated with it.
15 Switch between configurations.
You can now toggle smoothly
between the two configurations of
the U-joint assembly.
Move Component by When using Move or Rotate Component, there is an option to have
Configuartion that movement stored by the active configuration only.
16 Move Component.
Switch to Version2 and click
Move Component. Click the This
configuration checkbox and drag the
Yoke_Male to the position shown.
17 Default.
Switch to the Default configuration. Use move
component with the This configuration setting to
rotate the handle into a similar position.
Assembly Design tables in assemblies can control part components, assembly

Design Tables features and mate dimensions. The state, visibility and configuration of
a part component can be set. The state of an assembly feature can be
Assembly Design Tables 59

controlled. Also, the value of a distance or angle mate can be set for
each configuration.
What They Can Do Design tables can be used to:
Q Set the suppression state of part components
Q Set the part components visibility
Q Choose a configuration of a part component
Q Control assembly features
Q Control parameter values for distance and angle mates
Q Add comments to the table
Consider a simple assembly that has various versions. The versions
differ by the size of some components and positioning of others. They
are support frames used for different heights and positions. Each
version can be considered a configuration of the assembly.
LONG-A SHORT-A LONG-B SHORT-B LONG-C SHORT-C DOUBLE
Controlling Part Part components are very versatile in design tables. They can have their
Components configuration, suppression state and visibility set through the design
table. It is important to note that part and configuration names are case
sensitive.
Specifying All design table functions that allow you to specify component names
Components support the following syntax. In this list, comp is the component name
and n and m are instance numbers.
comp<n> comp<*> comp<n-m> comp<n,m>
Affects only the Affects all Affects Affects

specific instances of instances of instances of
instance n of comp. comp within comp in the list
comp. the range n-m. n,m.
Configuration To control the configuration of a $CONFIGURATION@part<1>

part component. In the cells beneath: part configuration
names
60 Assembly Design Tables

State To control the suppression state of $STATE@Part_b<*>

a part component. In the cells beneath: suppressed,
resolved, u or r
Visibility To control the part component’s $SHOW@partC<3,4,7>
visibility. In the cells beneath: yes, no, y or
n
Controlling Assembly features can be suppressed or unsuppressed using the design

Assembly table. In addition, dimensions from the assembly feature can be
Features controlled by the design table.
State The suppression state of an $STATE@assy_feat1

assembly feature can be In the cells beneath: suppressed,
controlled. resolved, u or r
Dimension The value of a dimension in an D1@Sketch6
Values assembly feature can be In the cells beneath: numeric value
controlled.

Controlling Mates The state of a mate can be set through the design table. In addition, the
dimensions from the distance or angle mates can be set to different
values.
State Control the suppression state of a $STATE@Coincident4

mate. In the cells beneath: suppressed,
resolved, u or r
Dimension The value of a dimension in the D1@Distance1 (or)
Values assembly, either a distance or D1@Angle1
angle mate, can be set. In the cells beneath: numeric value
Comments and Several special column (and row) headers are used for comments and
Other Headers BOM settings. They are:
Comments Using the COMMENT header, you $COMMENT

can enter text into the cells of a In the cells beneath: text
column.
Part Number The PARTNUMBER header sets the $PARTNUMBER
name that appears in the BOM. In the cells beneath: text
User Notes The comment can be used as either $USER_NOTES
a column or row header. In the cells beneath or beside: text
BOM Control the display of sub- $NEVER_EXPAND_IN_BOM In the
Expansion assembly child components in the cells beneath: yes, no, y or n
bill of materials.
Insert New Design Design tables can be created using the same two methods used in parts.
Table Method They can be created on the fly with Insert, New Design Table or
created in Excel and added using Insert, Design Table.
The New Design Table method uses the familiar double-click to add
headers to the table.
Component comp<7> $STATE@comp<7>

Assembly Feature AF1 $STATE@AF1
Assembly Feature dimension D1@Cut2
D1@Cut2
Mate Concentric5 $STATE@Concentric5
Mate dimension D3@Distance5 D3@Distance5
Note that the other component headers (configuration, state and

visiblity) cannot be added by double-clicking. The comment headers

must be typed in as well.
1 Open the assembly.

Open the existing assembly SUBASSY
CONFIGS. It consists of four
components, two instances of the
ANGLE, and one each of the POST and ANGLE
BASE PLATE.
POST
BASE PLATE
Spreadsheet An Excel spreadsheet is used for the assembly design table. This is the
same as for part design tables.
2 Spreadsheet.
Open an Excel spreadsheet and set up the rows and columns as shown.
The information in each column is explained below the spreadsheet.
This spreadsheet exists as ASSY-DT-LAB.xls in the same folder as
the assemblies and parts.
Tip The Insert, New Design Table option is also available for assemblies.
In the assembly, if you double-click on a component in the graphics
window, the system automatically adds $STATE@Component<n> to
the column header and adds Resolved to the cell below it.

Q $CONFIGURATION@POST<1>
Four of the assembly configurations use
the part configuration LEN-26. The rest
use LEN-30. LEN-26 LEN30
Q $STATE@ANGLE<2>
The second instance of the ANGLE
component is suppressed in all
configurations except DOUBLE.
Q D1@EDGE_OFFSET
The value of the distance
mate is listed here. The value
3” centers the part and 0”
makes it flush on one side.
The 1” dimension is added
only as a place holder. It will
be suppressed by the next
column in certain
configurations.
Q $STATE@EDGE_OFFSET
Sets the state of the EDGE_OFFSET mate to suppressed for the 1”
place holder dimensions and unsuppressed to all others. The mate
is suppressed because a distance mate cannot accept the negative value
needed for proper positioning of the ANGLE<1> component. After the
design table is completed, a new mate will be added to those
configurations whose EDGE_OFFSET mate is suppressed.
Q D1@TOP_OFFSET
The distance mate at
the top has a value of
1” for all configura-
tions except DOUBLE.
For DOUBLE it is set to
0” making the ANGLE
components flush with
the top of the POST.

3 Insert the design table.

Insert the design table into the active assembly.
4 Configuration Manager.
Seven new configurations will be
added. The new configurations of
the assembly are listed when you
click the Configuration Manager.
Configuration The Configuration Properties

Properties can be used to control how new
assembly features, mates and
components are treated when
they are added to the assembly.
Since only one configuration can
be active at a time, it is important
to know how newly inserted
items will be handled in the
configurations that are not active.
Q Suppress features and mates

New mates and assembly features will be automatically suppressed in
this configuration unless it is the active configuration.
Q Hide component models
When this option is enabled, new components will be added to this
configuration in a hidden state unless this is the active configuration.
Q Suppress component models
Checking this option means new components will be added to this
configuration in a suppressed state unless this is the active
configuration.
In this example, it is important to make sure that the Suppress
features and mates option is enabled for all configurations. This will
ensure that any new mates that are added will affect only the active
configuration.
Changing Components can be mated differently in different configurations. This
Component is accomplished by suppressing some mates and adding other mates in
Mates the individual configurations.
Configuration Properties 65
5 Configuration LONG-C.
Switch to the LONG-C
configuration. This configuration
has the value of the mate
EDGE_OFFSET set to 1” and the
mate is suppressed.
The component ANGLE<1> is free

to slide.
6 New mate.
Add a new
Coincident mate
between the
angle<1> and the
post<1>
components.
This mate will be
suppressed in all
configurations but
this one.
66 Changing Component Mates

7 Repeat for SHORT-C.

Perform the same add operation for
the configuration SHORT-C. Notice
that the mate added in the previous
step appears in the FeatureManager
design tree, but it has been
automatically suppressed in this
configuration.
Completed The seven configurations of the assembly are complete. They are again
Configurations shown and labeled below.
LONG-A SHORT-A LONG-B SHORT-B LONG-C SHORT-C DOUBLE
Component Sub- Like part components, sub-assembly components can be set to a

assemblies in an specific configuration. The name in the FeatureManager contains the
Assembly configuration used by the sub-assembly.
The form is: subassy<n>[config].
Layout Sketches created in the assembly can be used to locate components
Sketches in the created using the bottom-up method. In this example, existing
Assembly component parts will be mated to sketch geometry.
8 Open the assembly

named main assy.
The assembly consists of a
sketch in the assembly and
five instances of the SUB-
ASSY CONFIGS compo-
nent.
Different configurations of the sub-assembly can be used in a single
assembly.
Layout Sketches in the Assembly 67

9 Changing con-
figurations.
Using Compo-
nent Properties,
you can change
any instance of
the sub-assembly
to a different con-
figuration.
10 Change configurations. Default

Using the Component
Properties dialog, change
three of the instances from
the Default configuration.
Long A Double
Adding Sub- Sub-assembly components can be added to the assembly using some of
assembly the same methods that were used for part components. There are,
Configurations however, some differences.
Drag From Open From an open
Document document, you
can drag the top
level component
into the assembly
and drop it. This
will insert an
instance of the
sub-assembly
with the active
configuration as
the Use named
configuration.
Like part components, you can also drag and drop the configuration
name into the assembly. This method adds the configuration of the
assembly that was dragged in, whether it is the active one or not.
68 Layout Sketches in the Assembly

From Explorer Dragging and dropping sub-assemblies

from Explorer works exactly the same as
it does for part components. When the
file is dropped, a dialog appears so you
can select which configuration should be
dropped.
From Insert Menu Using the Insert, Component, From File option will only allow you to
select a configuration if the Configure option is checked. The desired
configuration can then be selected from the named configuration list.
Additional Instance To create another instance of a component that already exists in the
assembly, Control-drag and drop a copy from the FeatureManager or
the graphics window. If you want to copy the configuration as well,
drag the configuration you want.
11 Insert sub-assemblies.
Insert another instance of the
SUBASSY CONFIGS sub-
assembly using the Control-
drag method. Drag the
existing double configuration
to create one of the same
configuration.
12 Mate instance.
Mate the new instance of
the SUBASSY CONFIGS
component to the assembly.
Use mates between the
planes of the component
and the assembly planes and
sketch geometry.
Layout Sketches in the Assembly 69

13 Change dimensions of
layout grid.
Double-click on
Sketch1, change the
dimensions, and rebuild.
The advantage of mating
the sub-assemblies to the
layout sketch is the ease
with which you can change the positions of the components.
Note Notice how easy it is to have an assemblies with one units (feet) and
components with different units (inches).
14 Drag sketch.
Click Move/Size
Features and drag the
under defined portion
of the sketch (angled
centerline). The
positions of the
components will
update immediately.
15 Exit and close all files.
70 Layout Sketches in the Assembly

Lightweight The component state Lightweight can be used to improve performance

Components of large assemblies. It does this by only loading selected information
about the component into memory.
The lightweight component can:
Q Speed up assembly work
Q Keep mates intact
Q Maintain placement
Q Keep orientation
Q Be moved and rotated
Lightweight components cannot:
Q Be edited
Q Have their edges, faces or vertices selected or mated to
Q Be displayed in hidden line or wireframe mode.
Q Show its features in the FeatureManager design tree
Q Have Mass Properties or Interference Detection performed on it
Q Be displayed in a drawing
Creating Assemblies can be loaded as
Lightweight Lightweight by changing a setting in
Components the Performance group of Tools,
Options, System Options tab. The
assembly must be saved in the shaded
view mode.
Components can be converted to lightweight after they are opened by
selection and the use of the Component Properties dialog.
Important! The option Automatically load parts lightweight must be set before
the assembly is opened.
1 Set to lightweight.
With no assemblies open, click Tools, Options, System Options,
Performance.
Select the option Automatically load parts lightweight.
Note The option Check out-of-date lightweight parts can be set to Don’t
check, Indicate or Always Resolve. This setting allows you to control
how lightweight parts are updated when changed.
2 Open an existing assembly.
Open the assembly xxxxxx. The assembly opens more quickly with
all the components set to lightweight status.
Lightweight Components 71
Indicators of When an assembly is loaded as lightweight,

Lightweight Status all part components, not sub-assembly
components, are listed with lightweight
status. All part components inside any sub-
assembly will be lightweight status.
Lightweight components are indicated with
a feather symbol over the component icon in
the FeatureManager design tree. The same
symbol will appear at the cursor as it floats
over the component on the screen.
Resolving A component can be in one of three states at any given moment. The
Lightweight states are:
Components Q Resolved
Q Suppressed
Q Lightweight.
There are several ways to change the status of a component.
Q Select the graphics
Selecting the graphics of a lightweight component will automatically
resolve it. Selecting the component in the FeatureManager design tree
will not resolve it.
Q Right-mouse menus.
Right-click an individual
component in the
FeatureManager design tree, and
select Set to Resolved.
Right-click the top-level
assembly component and picking
Set Lightweight to Resolved
will resolve all the lightweight
components in the assembly at
once.
72 Lightweight Components
Q Component
Properties
Editing the
Component
Properties of a
component gives
access to all
available options.
This is a way to
change a
component
directly from
Lightweight to
Suppressed.
3 Exit the assembly.

Exit the assembly without saving any changes.
4 Set lightweight off.
On the Performance tab, disable the
option Automatically load parts
lightweight.
Lightweight Components 73
74 Lightweight Components
Mating and Assembly Motion
Exercise 4: Create this assembly using the

Mating and component parts provided,
Assembly using the Mate References,
standard mates and
Motion
SmartMates. When it is
completed, drag a component
to show the assembly motion.
This lab uses the following
skills:
Q Adding components using
Mate References
Q Insert Mate and
SmartMates
Q Assembly Motion
Design Intent The components used in this assembly are shown exploded below:
CLAMP_PLUNGER CLAMP_ARM_R
nut
CLAMP_ARM_L
CLAMP_LINK
flange bolt
long
flange bolt short Baseplate
Procedure: Open a new assembly using the Assembly_IN template.

1 First component.
Insert the Baseplate component
using Insert, Component. Fix the
component by dropping it onto the
Origin.
Note Use whatever method of mating is
most efficient for the remaining
components. All components have
mate references as indicated.
75
2 The flange bolt short.

Insert and mate the flange bolt
short to the Baseplate. Create a
concentric mate. Using the mate
reference, you can drag and use
SmartMates to mate the component
from Explorer.
The Mate Reference (cylindrical face) for the

component is shown at the right.
3 The CLAMP_ARM_L.
Insert the CLAMP_ARM_L
component and mate it to the
flange bolt short with
concentric and coincident mates.
The Mate Reference (cylindrical face)

for the component is shown at the right.
Mate the CLAMP_ARM_L to the
Baseplate with a coincident mate.
76
4 CLAMP_ARM_R.
Insert the CLAMP_ARM_R into the
assembly and mate it to both the
Baseplate and the flange bolt
short.
The Mate Reference (cylindrical face) for

the component is shown at the right.
Add a mate between the two clamp arms so
that they move together.
5 The nut.
Add and mate one nut to the
assembly. It needs concentric and
coincident mates. Three instances of
the nut will be used in the
assembly.
The Mate Reference (circular edge)

for the component is shown at the right.
77
6 The flange bolt long.

The flange bolt long is similar
to the flange bolt short with
a longer shaft. Two of these are used
in the assembly. Mate the first one
with a concentric mate.

7 The CLAMP_LINK.
Add the CLAMP_LINK to the
assembly. This component will be
used twice.
Add concentric and coincident
mates between the CLAMP_LINK
and the flange bolt long.

Add a coincident mate between the
CLAMP_ARM_R and the CLAMP_LINK.
78
8 The clamp_link<2> and

nut.
Add a second instance of the
CLAMP_LINK to the assembly. Mate
it using concentric and coincident
mates. Add a mate between the two
instances of the CLAMP_LINK so that
they move together.
Add a second instance of the nut and
mate it.
9 Complete the assembly.

Complete the assembly by
adding CLAMP_PLUNGER
through the hole in the
Baseplate.
The Mate Reference (cylindrical

face) for the component is shown
at the right.
Add additional instances of the
flange bolt long and nut.
Mate these using coincident and
concentric mates.
10 Dynamic collision detection.
Turn on Dynamic collision
detection and use Move
Component to move the
linkage through its range of
motion. You should detect
interference between the
clamp_link and
baseplate.
79
Fix the Interference The interference could be corrected by:

Q Shortening the clamp_link
Q Lengthening the Baseplate
In this exercise, we will lengthen the Baseplate. Doing so will
require a couple of other design changes and an equation to capture the
design intent.
Design Intent The following design intent has to be captured when modifying the
Baseplate:
1. The overall length of the Baseplate increases to 4.5”
2. The position and number of holes across the width of the
Baseplate is not changed
3. The spacing between the holes in the pattern is equal
4. The first and last hole in the pattern are positioned equal distances
from the ends of the Baseplate — by default a distance of
0.625”
5. The number of holes in the pattern along the length of the
Baseplate varies from 2 to 4
11 Open the Baseplate.
Right-click the Baseplate component, and select
Open Baseplate.sldprt.
12 Feature dimensions.
The illustration at the right shows
the dimensions of the features that
are affected by the design
changes.
Note The 0.750” dimension is a
reference dimension illustrating
that currently, the first and last
hole are not positioned correctly
according to the design intent.
13 Equation.
Write an equation that captures the design intent described above.
Hints Q The distance between the first and last hole is equal to the overall
Baseplate length minus twice the distance between the first hole
and the end of the Baseplate.
Q The spacing between holes is equal to the distance between the first
and last hole divided by one less than the number of holes.
Q You can write one equation that incorporates all the required
information if you make proper use of parentheses.
80
14 Test the equation.

Test the equation using different
numbers of holes, different overall
lengths, and different values for the
distance between the end of the
Baseplate and the first hole.
Some examples are shown at the
right.
15 Return to the assembly.
Switch back to the assembly and
verify that changing the length of the
Baseplate fixed the interference
problem.
16 Save and close.
Save and close the assembly and any
associated parts.
81
Fill Pipe
Exercise 5: Create this assembly by using Smart Mates and

Fill Pipe Edit Subassembly.
This lab reinforces the following skills:
Q Bottom-Up assembly creation
Q Adding components to an assembly
Q Using Smart Mating and Insert Mate
Q Using Assembly Structure editing
Procedure Open an existing assembly named FILL PIPE.

1 Add components and mate.
Add and mate the components
section_200, elbow, tee
and end cap as shown. Use
Smart Mates as much as
possible to generate fully
constrained components
efficiently.
Don’t forget the end cap
mated to the tee component.
82
Fill Pipe
2 Add a sub-assembly.
Insert the sub-assembly EXTERNAL FILL to the
assembly. Note that sub-assemblies can not use the
Smart Mate technique. This assembly consists of
an elbow and section_100 component.
Sub-assemblies can only be smart mated after they
have been inserted into the assembly.
3 Mate.
Mate the sub-assembly EXTERNAL FILL to
the main assembly as shown. Use
Concentric and Coincident mates to fully
constrain the component.
83
Fill Pipe
4 Add another component.

Add an instance of the end cap to the sub-
assembly being edited. Mate it so that it can
rotate about one bolt hole.
Note that using Smart Mates can create up
to three mates, fully constraining the
component. Any of these mates can be
deleted.
5 Structure Editing.
Move the latest instance of the end cap into the
EXTERNAL FILL sub-assembly by dragging and
dropping.
The second instance of the end cap component
should be a component of the sub-assembly.
6 Open the sub-assembly.

Open the sub-assembly EXTERNAL FILL to see
that the component has been added to it.
7 Save and close all assemblies.
84
Configurations of an Assembly
Exercise 6: Using the assembly provided,

Configurations create assembly
of an Assembly configurations. This lab
reinforces the following
skills:
Q Creating configurations
of an assembly
Q Exploded views
Q Adding components to
configurations
1 Existing assembly.
Open the existing assembly named
ASSY CONFIGS. The assembly
represents components used to build
a trailer hitch. This configuration
contains all the components that can
be used.
2 Configuration Settings.
Create configurations according to
the table below.
The four names INST-1, INST-2, and so forth, in the left column are
configuration names. The top row lists the existing components in the
assembly. Suppress or unsuppress components according to the table.
L- SMALL SUB FACE CHAIN

DRAW BAR BALL BRACKET STRAP PLATE HANGER U BOLT
INST-1 R R R S S R R
INST-2 R R R R S R S
INST-3 R R S S R R S
INST-4 R R S R S R S
S = Suppressed, R = Resolved (Unsuppressed).
85
3 Configurations.
Create these four configurations:
INST-1 INST-2
INST-3 INST-4
4 New component.
Add the rust cover
component to the assembly. It
is added to all configurations
of the assembly.
5 Spherical mating.
Add a Concentric mate between the
spherical faces of the rust cover
and the ball. Also, add a Parallel
mate to prevent to the rust cover
from rotating.
86
6 Exploded views.
Optionally create exploded views for
each of the new configurations.
AutoExplode can be used to automate
the process.
7 Save and close the assembly.
87
Assembly Design Tables
Exercise 7: Using the assembly included,

Assembly create assembly configurations
Design Tables using a design table. This lab
reinforces the following skills:
Q Configurations of an assembly
Q Design tables in an assembly

Open the existing assembly named TOOL
POST ASSY. The assembly contains four
components and has assembly motion.
Moving the NUT component slides the
WEDGE.
2 Distance mate.
Add a distance mate between the
opposing faces of the WEDGE and the
TOOL POST BODY. Set the value to
1.5”. Rename the mate Opening.
88
Assembly Design Tables
3 Design Table.
Using a design table, create configurations of the assembly at different
values of the distance mate.
Config Name Mate Value
SET 1.0 1.0
SET 1.1 1.1
SET 1.2 1.2
SET 1.3 1.3
SET 1.4 1.4
SET 1.5 1.5
SET 1.6 1.6
SET 1.7 1.7
SET 1.8 1.8
Insert the design table into the assembly.

4 Check configurations.
Check the configurations for interferences. Delete any invalid
configurations from the assembly.
89
Layout Assembly
Exercise 8: Create this assembly using the existing

Layout parts and a sketch. Mate the existing
Assembly parts link_1 and link_2 to the
assembly sketch.
This lab uses the following skills:
Q Layout in assembly
Q Bottom up method
Q Assembly equations
1 Create a new assembly.
Create a new assembly in the folder LESSON18_LABS named
layout_assy. Use units of millimeters.
2 Create a
sketch.
Using the
Front
reference
plane of the
assembly,
create a sketch
with the
dimensions
shown.
3 Components.
link_1
Mate the components
link_1 and link_2 to
the frame provided by the
sketch. Use planes,
endpoints and temporary
axes.
link_2
4 Equations.
Write equations to keep the
lengths of the components
equal to the sketch lines they are attached to. Make the sketch
dimensions the independent ones.
Optionally, additional equations can be written to set other aspects of
the components equal to each other.
90
Lesson 3
Assembly Editing

Q Use the SolidWorks Explorer to Replace and Rename components.
Q Find and fix errors in the assembly.
Q Gather information about the assembly.
Q Create features that represent post-assembly machining operations.
Q Replace and modify components in an assembly.
91
Assembly Editing
92
Assembly Editing
Assembly Like part editing, assembly editing has specific tools to aid in repairing
Editing errors and problems. Some tools are common to both parts and
assemblies and were covered in Lesson 10: Editing Options. They are
not repeated here.
Key Topics Some of the key topics in this lesson are shown in the following list.
Each of these topics corresponds to a section in the lesson.
Q Rebuild Errors/What’s Wrong?
When errors occur, the What’s Wrong option can be used to
investigate and pinpoint the problem.
Q Component Name and Location Changes
When the name of a component or the directory it is stored in changes,
the assembly needs to re-establish that reference. For changing the
name of a component, some of the File, Save As options are useful.
Q Over Defined Components and Mates
Over defined components in an assembly are the 3D analogy of an over
defined sketch. Using the same notation, the plus sign (+), they indicate
that the component or mate has conflicting mates applied to it.
Q Editing Mates
Mates are treated as features in the FeatureManager design tree and are
edited using Edit Definition. Mates can have several problems. Chief
among them are missing references (faces, edges, planes) and over
defined status.
Q Assembly Features
Assembly features are unique to assemblies and are susceptible to any
of the problems that are common to all cut features. Or, a problem
might lie with the Feature Scope, the list that defines which
components to cut.
Q Part errors/problems
The component parts that make up the assembly or sub-assembly can
have errors or problems. These problems are repaired using the part
editing procedures that were discussed in Lesson 10.
Q View Dependencies
This command allows you to view the mates associated with a
component, rather than the features of that component.
Q Assembly Statistics
A listing that gives information about the number of components, their
suppression states, the number of top-level mates, and the maximum
depth of the assembly hierarchy can be displayed using Tools,
Assembly Statistics.
Q Parent/Child Relationships
Like parts, assembly components have Parent/Child Relationships
that can be listed.
Assembly Editing 93
Assembly Editing
Q List External References

Components that were created in context have information that can be
accessed using List External References.
Q Find References
If you are unsure where all the components used in your assembly
reside, Find References will locate them and provide an option for
copying them.
Q Reorder and Rollback
The Reorder and Rollback options are also available in the assembly,
but in a somewhat more limited scope than in parts.
Editing Activities Assembly editing covers a wide range of operations from repairing
errors to extracting information and making design changes. This
section will discuss how to perform each of these operations.
Finding and Finding and repairing problems in an assembly is a key skill in
Repairing SolidWorks. Problems can occur in mates, assembly features or in the
Problems component parts and sub-assemblies referenced by the assembly.
Common problems, such as an over defined component, can trigger
many more error messages and cause the assembly to stop solving the
mates. Several common errors and their solutions are presented here.
Information from Nondestructive testing of an assembly can yield many important
an Assembly insights as to how the assembly, and the components that comprise it,
were created. It is also important to find potential problems such as
interferences.
Design Changes Making design changes to an assembly can range from changing the
value of a distance mate to replacing one component with another. You
can modify the dimensions of individual components, model in-context
features, or you can create assembly features to represent post-
assembly machining operations.
Opening Errors The assembly checks for the files that make up the assembly when the
assembly is opened. When a file used within the assembly cannot be
found, the system will prompt you to search for and identify it. This file
can be either a part or sub-assembly component. This situation can
occur for a couple reasons:
Q Renamed
If the file has been renamed, the assembly will search for its last saved
name when opening. The system will provide you with a browser to
identify the missing file.
Q Moved
If the file has been moved to another directory, a browser will appear to
search for the new location.
Note The system will search below the current directory and any directories
listed in the search path of Tools, Options, System Options, External
94 Editing Activities
Assembly Editing
References. Only when it exhausts those locations will it ask you to

browse for the missing file.
SolidWorks This lesson explains how to use SolidWorks Explorer, a program that
Explorer is included with the SolidWorks software. It is used to modify
unopened part, assembly and drawing files through an interface that
resembles Microsoft® Outlook.
SolidWorks Explorer can be run as a stand-alone application or run
within the SolidWorks application. If SolidWorks Explorer is used
within SolidWorks, it is treated as a typical document and it can be tiled
or cascaded.
In this example, we will be making an engineering change to a part. As
a result, we want to identify where the part is used, rev the name of the
part and its associated drawing, as well as rev the subassembly and
main assembly in which the part is used. The changed part will appear
in the modified assembly only, leaving the original assembly intact.
Window Layout SolidWorks Explorer has several main features:
Operation Window Document Window Path
Main Window
Operation Window This window displays the icons that represent the file management
SolidWorks Explorer 95
Assembly Editing
tasks that you can perform with SolidWorks Explorer.

Document Window This window lists the active document and its parent or child
documents. Click on these document icons to select the documents that
you want to manage.
To change to another document, drag a different document from
Windows Explorer or browse to a different document in the Path.
Main Window This window displays the dialogs or graphics that are appropriate for
the operation that you select.
Path At the top of the SolidWorks Explorer window is a box that displays the
drive letter, path, and name of the active document. Initially this is
empty.
Q Click Browse to locate a document.
Q Or, drag a document from the Windows™ Explorer into the
Document window.
96 SolidWorks Explorer
Assembly Editing
Operations SolidWorks Explorer has several functions available from the

Operations tool bar. They are also available from the Tools pull-down
menu. These functions are:
Preview Displays an image of the selected part, assembly, or

drawing file in the main window.
Properties List and edit the summary information, custom
properties, or configuration specific properties of
files.
Show Lists the references of any part (including derived or
References mirrored parts, assembly, or drawing.
Where Used Lets you search for all the places where a specific part
or assembly is used, including any derived or
mirrored parts.
Property Search for files using criteria statements that
Search reference their properties.
Edit Edit the configurations of a file by renaming or
Configuration deleting them. You cannot edit the actual makeup of a
configuration by suppressing or unsuppressing
features/components.
Edit Allows you to list and edit any hyperlinks the files
Hyperlinks may have.
Options Allows you to change the default settings of
SolidWorks Explorer, including setting the search
paths for SolidWorks Explorer to use.
SolidWorks Explorer 97
Assembly Editing
File Management SolidWorks Explorer has several file management functions available
Options by right-clicking a filename. Some are also available from the Edit
pull-down menu. These functions are:
Open in Opens the part, assembly or drawing in SolidWorks.

SolidWorks If SolidWorks Explorer is running stand alone,
SolidWorks is started.
Replace Replaces the file with another of the same type. In an
assembly, all instances of the component are replaced.
Rename Renames the file. You should perform a Where Used
search before replacing or renaming a file.
Copy Copies the file to a new name. For components
modeled in the context of an assembly, the copy does
not update when the original is changed.
Export list to Exports the data in the current result columns into a
Excel new Excel spreadsheet.
Important! It is important to remember that SolidWorks Explorer does not provide

true revision control, in the same manner as a PDM (Product Data
Management) application. For example, SolidWorks Explorer does not
provide vaulting, check-out/check-in, or read/write control capabilities.
Using SolidWorks Explorer can be started from within a SolidWorks session
SolidWorks or executed as a standalone program. When it is opened inside
Explorer SolidWorks, it is treated like a standard file window and can be tiled or
cascaded.
Where to Find It Q From the SolidWorks Tools menu, select SolidWorks Explorer.
Q From the Windows Start menu, click Programs, SolidWorks
2001, SolidWorks Explorer.
Q Create a shortcut by dragging the SolidWorks
Explorer icon from the SolidWorks installation
directory onto your desktop.
Procedure We will begin by opening an existing assembly in the SolidWorks
Explorer.
98 Using SolidWorks Explorer

Assembly Editing
1 Open the assembly named MainAssy.

Click File, Open from the SolidWorks Explorer.
2 Component Listing.
The Document Window lists all the components included in the
assembly. Components that cannot be found, such as the Nut (2x)
components, are listed in red text. The file may have been moved,
deleted or just renamed. The (2x) indicates 2
instances.
Note If the assembly had been opened in SolidWorks, the following message
would have appeared.
Clicking Yes would provide a browser to search for the missing file.
Replace Using the SolidWorks Explorer, you can replace files that have been
moved, deleted or renamed. Replace is used to replace all instances of
that file in the assembly unless you specify otherwise.
Using SolidWorks Explorer 99

Assembly Editing
3 Replace.
Right-click either of the Nut(2x) components and choose Replace.
4 Search Rules.
Click Search rules and Browse for the directory. The search can be
set to look anywhere for the files being replaced. Click OK.
5 Replacement part.
Browse for the replacement part, HexNut. Click Find Now to see
where it will be used.

Assembly Editing
The checkboxes indicate where the references will be replaced.

Unchecking the boxes will keep those instances from being replaced.
Click Apply.
6 Result.
The nut component has been replaced with the
HexNut component in two places, each place
containing two instances.
The checked folders change to blue, indicating that
the replacement is complete.
7 Open the assembly in

SolidWorks.
Right-click the top level
component (MainAssy) and
choose Open file in
SolidWorks.
The SolidWorks Explorer
window remains open, hidden
behind the assembly window.
8 Close SolidWorks Explorer.
Close the SolidWorks
Explorer window.
9 Move Components.
Move the SubHolder sub-
assembly.
Try moving the SubBad sub-
assembly. Note that the
components cannot move.

Assembly Editing
10 Component
Properties.
Click on the
SubBad sub-
assembly to
highlight it.
Right-click the
SubBad sub-
assembly in the
FeatureManager
and choose
Component
Properties.
The Component
Properties
dialog controls
several aspects
of a component
instance. Unlike
many other tools,
only the selected
instance is
modified.
Q Model Document Path

Sets the part file that the instance uses.
Q Visibility
Hides or shows the component.
Q Suppression State
Suppresses or resolves the component.
Q Solve as
Makes the sub-assembly rigid or flexible.
Q Referenced Configuration
Determines which configuration of the component is being used.
Change the Solve as setting to Flexible and click OK.

Assembly Editing
11 Move individual sub-

assembly components.
The sub-assembly
components can be moved
individually in Flexible
solving. Move the
Knuckle<1> component
along the
LongHexBolt<1>.
Dissolving a Sub- A sub-assembly is treated like a single component in the main

assembly assembly. Individual components cannot be moved without moving the
entire sub-assembly. The Dissolve Sub-assembly command allows
you to use the components of the sub-assembly individually. In this
example, an unwanted sub-assembly is broken down into its individual
components.
Introducing: The Dissolve Sub-assembly option is used to bring components in
Dissolve Sub- the sub-assembly into the main assembly in place of the sub-assembly.
assembly
Where to Find It Q Right-click the sub-assembly icon, and select Dissolve Sub-
assembly.
Promoting and Components can be moved from the main assembly to a sub-assembly
Demoting by dragging and dropping them. They can also be moved between sub-
Components assemblies or from a sub-assembly to the top level assembly.
A couple of points to keep in mind when reorganizing components are:
Q Mates of the component end up in the mate group of the level of the
lowest common assembly.
Q Moving a fixed component from the top-level of the assembly
hierarchy into a sub-assembly can leave the main assembly free to
float in space.
Q Moving a fixed component from a sub-assembly to the top-level
assembly may overdefine the top-level assembly.
Q Features that have external references will be deleted if the
reference component moves. A message will appear to inform you
of this.
Q Component pattern instances cannot be moved.
The process of promoting demoting components is accomplished in
several ways. The commands Form new Sub-assembly here and
Dissolve Sub-assembly both force components to move. Drag and
drop can also be employed for this purpose.

Assembly Editing
12 Dissolve sub-assembly.
Right-click sub-assembly
SubBad, and select Dissolve
sub-assembly.
This sub-assembly contains
these components:
Q LongHexBolt<1>
Q Knuckle<1>
The sub-assembly is deleted
from the assembly, and the
components within it are moved
to the top-level of the assembly
hierarchy at the bottom of the
list.
An error marker appears after
the disslove because the
LongHexBolt<2> component is overdefined at the top-level
assembly. The Fixed state was brought to the top-level.
13 Float.
Right-click the LongHexBolt<2> component and select Float from
the menu. The errors dissappear from the listing.
Creating a New To gather components into a new sub-assembly that resides in the main
Sub-assembly assembly, you can use Form New Subassembly. The new sub-
with Components assembly exists in the main assembly and as a sub-assembly in its own
right. In this example, a new sub-assembly will be created using an
existing component.
To create a new empty sub-assembly in an assembly, you can use
Insert New Sub-assembly.
Introducing: Form Form New Subassembly Here creates a new assembly using
New Subassembly components in the current assembly.
Here
Where to Find It Q Right-click the component or components, and select Form New
Subassembly Here.
Q Select the component or components, and select Insert,
Component, Assembly from [Selected] Components...

Assembly Editing
Default Template Since this procedure creates a new assembly document, you have the
option of specifying a template or allowing the system to use the
default template. This choice is determined by means of Tools,
Options, System Options, Default Templates. For more information
about default templates, see Default Templates on page 426 in the
Volume 1 Appendix.
14 New sub-assembly.
Select the Shaft
component, and control-
click Knuckle<1> and
Knuckle<2>.
Right-click Form New
Assembly Here. If
prompted, choose the
assembly template you
want and click OK. Name
the new assembly
SubSlider and click
Save.
Note The name of the sub-assembly does not have to have a “Sub” prefix.
You can use any naming convention you wish. We simply used “Sub”
for convenience.
Tip You can hold down the Ctrl key or the Shift key and select multiple
components and combine all of them into the new sub-assembly in one
operation.
A new sub-assembly is formed containing the
components. The sub-assembly takes the component’s
place in the hierarchy of the FeatureManager design
tree.
16 Finished sub-assembly.
The finished sub-assembly has three components.
17 Base sub-assembly.
Select the MotorBase<1>component and insert a
new sub-assembly. Name the sub-assembly
SubBase.
18 Drag and drop.
One way to move components from one assembly to

Assembly Editing
another is to use the drag and drop technique. Drag the

MountingPlate<1> and MountingPlate<2> components and
drop them into the SubBase sub-assembly. The cursor will appear
with the marker as the components are placed inside the assembly.
19 Fix component.
Right-click and Fix the sub-assembly SubBase. The fixed component
in the assembly, MotorBase<1>, was moved from the top level into
the sub-assembly.
20 Drag and drop Bolt<1>.
Drag the Bolt<1> component
onto the SubBase sub-
assembly. This component is
used as the Seed component
for the
DerivedSketchpattern1
feature. The three pattern
instances will be deleted when
moved. Click Move.
21 Delete feature.
Delete the
DerivedSketchPattern1 feature.
Tip The same method used to drag and drop components into sub-
assemblies can be used to Reorder components. The order of the
components in the FeatureManager is used to generate the BOM in the
drawing.
Editing a Sub- Edit Sub-assembly provides access to a sub-assembly the same way
assembly Edit Part provides in-context access to a part.
In this example, Edit Sub-assembly will be used to re-create the
component pattern lost in moving components into a sub-assembly.
Introducing: Edit Edit Sub-assembly is used to make changes to a sub-assembly, within
Sub-assembly the context of an upper level assembly, without opening the sub-
assembly. You can:
Q Add or delete components
Q Add, delete or edit mates
Q Add, delete or edit assembly features
Where to Find It Q Right-click the sub-assembly, and select Edit Sub-assembly.

Assembly Editing
22 Edit sub-assembly.
Right-click SubBase, and
select Edit sub-assembly.
All the components of the
sub-assembly highlight in
pink.
Component A pattern in a component part can be used to pattern other components

Patterning in an assembly. In this example, the pattern that was used in the
mouse_cover to create the button holes will be used to pattern the
Button.
Introducing: Insert Component Pattern uses existing patterns from parts to pattern
Insert Component components in an assembly.
Pattern
Where to Find It Q From the menu choose: Insert, Component Pattern...
23 Pattern Type.
Click Insert, Component
Pattern. Click Use an existing
feature pattern (Derived) and
Next.
Component Patterning 107

Assembly Editing
24 Seed and Pattern.

Select Bolt<1> as the Seed
Component and any of the
remaining pattern holes as
the Pattern Feature. Click
Finish.
25 Pattern.
The components are
patterned into the locations
given by the pattern. Due to
Edit Sub-assembly, they
exist inside the sub-assembly
being edited.
26 Edit Assembly.
Click Edit Assembly from
the right-mouse menu to
return to the top level
assembly (MainAssy).
Opening sub- Some work can be done by editing the sub-assembly, but not all.
assemblies Changes to the properties of a component within the sub-assembly
generally need to be done at that level.
27 Open sub-assembly.
Any component can be opened
from the assembly it resides in.
Right-click the SubBase
component and choose Open
subbase.sldasm from the menu.
108 Component Patterning

Assembly Editing
Replacing and Components can be replaced in an open assembly in several ways. The
Modifying techniques include Save As, Reload/Replace and changing the
Components Component Properties.
Option Description
Save As If you are editing a part in the context of an
assembly, or if you have a part and the assembly it
is in open at the same time, using Save As to
rename the part will cause the new version to
replace the original in the assembly. If there are
multiple instances of that component, they will all
be replaced. The system will issue a warning
message alerting you that this will happen. If you
do not want to replace the component, click the
Save as copy option on the Save As dialog.
Replace Replace is used to replace all instances of a

selected component with a different component.
When you replace a component in an assembly,
the system will try to preserve the mates. If the
names of the entities referenced by the mate
remain the same, the mates will be preserved
when the component is replaced.
Component Component Properties are another way to
Properties replace a component. The difference between
using Component Properties and Reload/
Replace is that Reload/Replace acts upon all
instances of a component whereas Component
Properties acts upon only the selected instance.
The Component Properties dialog gives you
access to the Model Document Path. This is the
full path name of the component. The Browse
option is used to replace individual instances of
one component with another.
Reloading To update the assembly to reflect any changes other people have made
Components to the components, use Reload. When an assembly is opened, the latest
saved version of its components are displayed. Once the assembly is
open and you make changes to its components, you are asked whether
you want to rebuild the assembly whenever you switch back to the
assembly window. In order for other people to make changes to
components that are in an assembly you are working on, they would
have to have write access to those components while you would have to
have read-only access.
Replacing and Modifying Components 109

Assembly Editing
Right-click the component, either in the graphics window or the

FeatureManager design tree, and select Reload. This will update all
instances of that component in the active assembly. Reload can also be
used to change a component from write access to read-only access, and
vice versa.
Tip Right-click the component to access Reload/Replace. The command

File, Reload or the Reload/Replace tool on the Web toolbar
appears to perform the same function but those commands reload or
replace the assembly, not the selected component.
If you want to replace a component with a modified version of that
same component, follow these rules for best results:
Q Make a copy of the component, either in Explorer, or by using File,
Save As and if necessary, the Save as copy option.
Q Make the desired modifications to the part.
In the assembly, right-click the component, and select Reload. On the
Reload/Replace dialog, use Replace to substitute the modified
component for the original.
For best results in preserving the mates, the replacement component
should be similar in topology and shape to the one being replaced. You
should follow the rules given for using Replace which are listed earlier
in this lesson.
28 Component
Properties.
Right-click the
component
MountingPla
te<1>, and
select
Component
Properties.
29 Browse.
Browse the
Model
Document Path
for the part
named:ReplPl
ate.sldpart
and click Open.
110 Replacing and Modifying Components

Assembly Editing
Click Yes on the ID question.
The internal ID question arises because the system knows

ReplPlate is a different file. The part is similar in shape, but is not a
copy of the MountingPlate.
Replace could have been used in this situation to replace all instances
of the component, rather than just one.
30 Result.
Click OK on the main dialog and the component will be replaced.
Notice that only the selected component was replaced. Contrast this to
the results of Reload/Replace.
Although the component instance is replaced, there are mate errors.
The problem is that although the part is of similar shape and size, the
geometry is different. Other methods can be used to replace
components without causing mate errors.
Mate Errors Mate errors will appear within the
MateGroup of the assembly.
Errors can occur due to several
different conditions. When the
FeatureManager design tree is
expanded, you can see the
differences in the display of the
mates. Three types of potential
problems are described below.
Type Description Solution

Missing Reference The mate has an error marker and is also These problems are
grayed out. The error reads: usually repaired by
Coincident4: Warning: One of deleting the
the entities of this mate is invalid
suppressed, invalid, or no reference and
longer present. This could mean selecting a
that the referenced component has been replacement.
suppressed, deleted or changed enough
that the mate cannot be solved. This is
similar to a dangling dimension in a
sketch.
Mate Errors 111

Assembly Editing
Over Defined The mates have both the error marker and Delete or edit the
Mates the plus sign (+) prefix, meaning they are mate that caused
over defined. The error message reads: the problem. The
Distance1: Warning: This mate best practice is to
is over defining the assembly. take care of over
Consider deleting some of the defined mates when
over defining mates. they occur, not
later.
The over defined mates relate directly to
an over defined component which is also
marked with the plus sign.
Suppressed Mates Suppressed mates are not errors, but they Unsuppress the
can cause problems if they are forgotten. mate.
When a mate is suppressed, it appears
grayed out in the FeatureManager design
tree. Suppressed mates have no effect on
the assembly — they are not solved.
However, because the suppressed mate
has no effect, it is easy to add additional
mates which will over define the assembly
if the suppressed mate is unsuppressed.
View The FeatureManager design tree can be displayed two ways, by

Dependencies features (default setting) or by dependencies. The dependencies listing
shows mates (rather than features) when you expand the components.
This allows you to focus in on the mates associated with a particular
component. Further expansion of the individual mates displays the
components involved. Icons indicate whether the components are parts
or sub-assemblies.
Introducing: View View Dependencies displays in the FeatureManager design tree, the
Dependencies dependencies between components of the active assembly. When you
expand the component in the tree, these dependent items are listed with
each component:
Q The mates in which a component is involved
Q The component patterns of which the component is a member
Where to Find It Q Right-click the top-level component in the FeatureManager design

tree, and select View Dependencies.
112 Mate Errors

Assembly Editing
31 View Dependencies listing.

Right-click the top-level
component, and select View
Dependencies.
The listing will change to display
mates by component. Expand the
components with down arrows to
see the mates that have errors.
Note that several other compo-
nents are listed with errors in this
display. The reason is that mates
involve two components and each
is listed as an error here. There-
fore, every mate is listed twice —
once with each of its referenced
components.
Note Another way to view mates by components is to use View Mates.

Right-click any component and choose View Mates from the pull-
down menu to see all the mates for that component in the split window.
Visual Display of a The references used in a mate can be seen two ways:
Mate Q Single-click the mate. The references will highlight in the graphics
window.
Q Double-click the mate. Its listing in the FeatureManager tree will
expand listing its referenced components.
For mates that contain dimensions (distance and angle), double clicking
also displays the dimension so it can be edited.
Editing a mate As you would expect, editing a mate involves Edit Definition. The
same dialog used with Insert, Mate appears for use in editing.
Mate Errors 113

Assembly Editing
32 Edit definition.
Right-click the Coincident1 mate and Edit
Definition. One of the references is listed as
“Invalid”.
Select and delete this reference.
Tip The type of mate can also be changed. In the case of a mate between
planar faces the type could be changed from Coincident to Parallel,
Perpendicular, Distance or Angle.
33 Choose replacement.
Select the top face of the
ReplPlate<1> component as the
replacement. Click the Coincident
type and the check mark.
The error has been removed.
34 Additional repairs.
Repair the remaining mates using the
same method. The three face
indicated are used for the repairs.
Distance1
Distance2
Coincident3
Over Defined Finding the cause of an over defined assembly is not always easy,
Mates and because there can be two or more conflicting mates. All the over
Components defined mates will appear with error markers and the (+) prefix, which
will help in narrowing down the choices. When mates conflict, one
approach is to suppress the over defining mates one at a time, until the
assembly is no longer over defined. This can help you identify the
cause of the conflict. Once you have done this, you can either delete the
offending mates, or redefine them using different references.
Geometry is Underlying errors in the accuracy of the geometric models can also be a
Important cause of over defined mates. For example, consider what would happen
114 Mate Errors

Assembly Editing
if you mated the sides of a simple box to the three default reference
planes in an assembly. Three coincident mates should fully define the
component. However, if the sides of the box do not meet at 90° angles,
even if they were off by only a fraction of a degree, the assembly will
be over defined. Unless you check the accuracy of the under lying
geometry, you will have a difficult time solving the problem.
Finding an Over Finding the mate that is the cause of an over defined assembly can be
Defining Mate difficult in a large assembly with many mates. One way is to look at the
components listed in the mate. Another choice is to use View
Dependencies and look at the FeatureManager design tree from the
perspective of the mates rather than the features.
35 Overdefined mate.
To demonstrate how overdefined
mate occur and are repaired, let’s
create one.
Select the parallel faces and add a
Coincident mate.
36 Error message.
As soon as the
mate is added,
SolidWorks
displays an error
message. Click OK.
37 Error markers.
The MountingPlate<2>
component is now
overdefined, marked with the
(+) symbol.
Two mates also fail, the newly
added one Coincident5 as
well as Coincident2.
Because MateGroup listings
are order dependent, it is clear
which came first.
38 Delete mate.
Any of the conflicting mates
can be deleted. Delete the last
one, Coincident5, to
remove the error.
Mate Errors 115

Assembly Editing
Using Save As The save as option was mentioned earlier in the lesson as a method of
replacing components in the assembly. This method allows you to
create the replacement part as a modified version of an existing part.
39 Open part.
Open the MountingPlate<2> part. Use this part to create a similar
part under a different name.
40 Delete a feature.
Delete the chamfer feature.
41 Save As.
Click File, Save As. A message appears
warning you that the MountingPlate is
open and that using Save As will replace all
existing instances of the Mounting pad with the new file.
42 Save anyway.
Click OK to save the
modified part as
ModifiedMP.sldprt.
Return to the sub-assembly.
43 Replacement completed.
The modified part, ModifiedMP has
replaced the MountingPlate without
mate errors.
If we had checked Save as copy on the
Save As dialog box, the replacement would
not have occurred.
Return to the MainAssy.
116 Mate Errors

Assembly Editing
Information A wealth of information about an assembly can be gathered through

From an non-destructive testing of that assembly. An understanding of the
Assembly assembly helps when design changes are required. Several options exist
to perform this testing.
Multiple Under certain conditions, the system will create additional mategroups.
Mategroups These conditions are described below. As a user, you cannot add your
own mategroup. The mategroups are named sequentially
(MateGroup1, MateGroup2 and so on) but can be renamed like
other features.
Time Dependent If you mate a component to a time-dependent feature, an additional
Features mategroup is required. This is because the component can only be
positioned after the time-dependent feature has been updated.
Some time dependent features are:
Q Assembly features (a cut, hole or weld bead)
Q In-context features and parts
Q Assembly-dependent reference geometry (planes or axes)
Q Assembly-dependent sketch geometry
Q Component patterns
It is good practice to only reference time-dependent features for mating
when that is the only way you can achieve the design intent of the
assembly. You can edit the positions of the components with more
flexibility when time-dependent features are not involved because then
the order in which the mates are evaluated does not matter.
Parent/child Components, like features in a part, have Parent/Child relationships.
relationships The simplest bottom-up component will have only a mate group as a
child. Other components that are acted upon by assembly features may
have those features as children.
Assembly For statistics on the quantities of certain types of part components and
Statistics sub-assemblies, Assembly Statistics can be used.
44 Assembly statistics.
Click Tools, Assembly Statistics.
The report lists information about the
number and type of components, their
status, and the structure of the
assembly.
When you are finished reading the
report, click OK to close the dialog.
Information From an Assembly 117

Assembly Editing
Find References Find References can be used to extract the exact locations of
component part and assembly files. The listing provides a full path
name for each reference used. The Copy Files button can be used to
copy the files to another, common, directory.
45 Find References.
Click File,
References to
list the
references and
locations of the
assembly
components.
Click Close.
Reorder and You can reorder many features the assembly FeatureManager design
Rollback tree. Items such as assembly planes, axes, sketches, and mates within a
mate group, can be reordered. Default reference planes, the assembly
origin and the default mate group cannot be reordered. You can also
reorder components thereby controlling the order in which they appear
in the Bill of Materials in drawings.
Rollback can be used to move among time dependent features such as
assembly features, assembly-based features and mate groups. Note that
rolling back before a mate group suppresses the mate group and all
components controlled by it.
Assembly An Assembly Feature is a cut which exists only in the assembly. It is
Features intended to cut selected components after they are mated in the
assembly. Assembly features are often used to represent post-assembly
machining operations. They can also be used to create section-type
views of an assembly, by cutting away part or all of selected
components. Visibility of assembly features can be controlled using
configurations.
The sketch used by the assembly feature can be sketched on any plane
or planar face in the assembly. The sketches can contain multiple
closed profiles. The resulting assembly feature can be patterned.
Assembly features can also be holes created by the Hole Wizard.
46 Open the SubBase.

Open the SubBase assembly. Hide the Bolt<1> component for
clarity.
118 Assembly Features

Assembly Editing
47 Assembly Feature sketch.

Select the top face of the
ReplPlate<1> component and click
Insert Sketch. Sketches for assembly
features use the same tools and shapes
that any other sketch would.
48 Convert edge.
Convert a circular edge of the hole to
the sketch plane. This will ensure that
the hole’s diameter and placement are
used by the assembly feature.
Introducing: Assembly features exist only in the context of the assembly. They can
Assembly Feature be extruded or revolved cuts, or simple holes.
Where to Find It Q From the menu click Insert, Assembly Feature, Cut, Extrude...
49 Assembly feature.
Click Insert, Assembly Feature, Cut,
Extrude. Click Through All and OK.
The end conditions are limited to Blind,
Through All, and Mid Plane. Any end
conditions that reference geometry, such
as Up to Surface, are not available.
Assembly Features 119

Assembly Editing
The assembly feature cuts through everything in its

path. All components in the assembly are acted
upon.
The actual feature appears as the last feature in the
FeatureManager, as a cut-extrude type.
Assembly Feature Assembly features are cut features that exist at the assembly level and
Changes only act upon components in that assembly. Changes to the assembly
feature can fall into two categories: changes to the feature itself (its
sketch, for example) and changes to the Feature Scope.
Introducing: Feature The Feature Scope controls which components are acted upon by the
Scope assembly feature. You can set the feature scope before or after you
create the assembly feature.
Where to Find It Q From the menu click Edit, Feature Scope...

Q Or, right-click the assembly feature, and select Feature Scope.
50 Edit the Feature Scope.

The Feature Scope con-
trols which components are
cut. Right-click the assem-
bly feature, and select Fea-
ture Scope.
If you do not specify the
feature scope before you
create the assembly feature,
all components in the assembly are included in the scope.
51 Deselect some of the
components.
Remove all of the compo-
nents from the scope
except one. Click OK.
120 Assembly Features

Assembly Editing
52 Result.
The assembly feature
now cuts only the
selected component.
If the part is opened
alone, there is no hole.
Equations in an Algebraic equations can be used to control dimensions inside an

Assembly assembly. The equation dialog boxes and options are the same in an
assembly as in a part. Some examples of good uses of assembly
equations are:
Q Controlling dimensions of assembly features
Q Controlling mate values such as angle or distance mates
Note Link Values only works within a part. It does not work between parts
within an assembly. Therefore, if the required design intent cannot be
captured using in-context features, you will have to use an equation.
Dimension Names There is some difference between dimension names at the part level
in an Assembly and at the assembly level. The assembly level adds another piece of
information: the name of the part the dimension resides in.
Q Name within the part:
D1@Sketch5
Q Name within the assembly:
D1@Sketch5@MotorBase.Part
Adding Equations To add equations in an assembly, you must search through parts, then
the features within that part to find the dimension you want. As always,
it is good practice to change the default names into something
meaningful.
We are now going to add an equation that will locate the MotorBase
assembly on the ReplPlate and ModifiedMP components. This
equation will set two distance mates equal.
Assembly Features 121

Assembly Editing
53 New Equation dialog box.

Click Tools, Equations. On the Equations dialog box, click Add.
54 Driven distance mate.
Expand the MateGroup
and double-click the
Distance1 mate to
display its value. This is the
dimension value that will be driven by the equation. Click the distance
mate dimension so it will be stuffed into the equation dialog box.
55 Click =.
Click or type the equals (=) sign into the equation.
56 Driving distance mate.
Double-click the
Distance3 mate and
click the associated
dimension. Click OK.
57 Equation.
The equation is added to
the Equation folder in the
FeatureManager.
Click OK.
Joining Multiple part components can be combined into a single part using the
Components Join command. It is a useful method of creating weldments and parts
that represent assemblies in FEM.
In the BOM, a sub-assembly is either listed as the sub-assembly alone
or the sub-assembly with indented components. Join allows you to
show a single part in the BOM instead.
58 Insert a new part.

Click Insert, Component, New Part and name the new part
BaseWeldment. Select the Front reference plane of the assembly
to place the part. Exit the sketch.
The joined components will be combined inside this new part.
122 Joining Components

Assembly Editing
Default Template Since this procedure creates a new part document, you have the option
Appendix.
Introducing: Join The Join command is used to combine multiple components parts in
assembly into one part.
Where to Find It Q While editing the part that will contain the joined components, click
Insert, Features, Join.
59 Join.
Click Insert, Features,
Join and select all the
components except the part
being edited.
Make sure Hide input
components is checked.
Click OK.
60 Results.
The components you selected are hidden as a result of the Hide input
components check box.
The new part, which is a union of the selected components, appears in
the Edit Part color.
61 Open the weldment.
Right-click BaseWeldment,
and select Open. The
FeatureManager design tree
contains a single feature
named Join1 that has an
external reference that points
to the input components in the
context of the SubBase
assembly.
Joining Components 123

Assembly Editing
62 Save changes.
Save any changes to BaseWeldment and Close the file.
Switch back to the SubBase assembly.
63 Leave Edit Part mode.
Click Edit Part to switch back to Edit Assembly mode.
64 Hide the joined component.
Click to hide the BaseWeldment component and show the input
components again.
65 Close and Save all files.
Click Window, Close All and save the files.
Renaming You can use the SolidWorks Explorer to rename components in the
Components assembly. It is useful in changing a “generic” name to a true “part
name” at the assembly level.
The assembly must be closed when you rename.
66 SolidWorks Explorer.
Start the SolidWorks Explorer and Open the MainAssy.
67 Rename the Bolt.
Expand the sub-assemblies and right-click any of the Bolt
components. Select Rename.
68 New name.
Supply the new name RndHdBolt and click Find now to see where
124 Joining Components

Assembly Editing
the component is used.
Click Apply.
Note that Where used provides a comprehensive search, with criteria,
for a file.
69 Open in SolidWorks.
Open the assembly in SolidWorks using the right-click option. All
instances of Bolt have been replaced with RndHdBolt.
Close the SolidWorks Explorer window.
Mirroring Components and sub-assemblies can be mirrored to reverse their

Components direction and even generate “opposite hand” parts.
Introducing: Mirror Mirror Components allows you to generate an “opposite hand”
Components component or sub-assembly at the assembly level. Options allow for
simply reversing or mirroring components.
Where to Find It Q From the menu click Insert, Mirror Components...
70 Check sub-assembly.
Expand the sub-assembly SubHolder. It
contains two HexNut components that are
suppressed. Unsuppress these components so
that they will be mirrored.
Mirroring Components 125

Assembly Editing
71 Dialog.
Click Insert, Mirror
Components. The dialog is a
wizard that contains several
sequential pages.
Click Front as the Mirror
plane and SubHolder as the
Components to mirror.
72 Expand.
Expand the SubHolder-1
listing. Set the Bracket-1 to
This component has a “left-
hand” and “right-hand”
version( ). Set the rest to The
same part is used on both
sides of the assembly( ).
Click Next.
Note Each component name can be right-clicked for additional selections.
The menu has choices to mirror or copy related instances

or children of the component.
126 Mirroring Components

Assembly Editing
73 Name.
Select the name for the
mirrored sub-assembly. Use the
suffix Left.
Click Next.
74 Orientation.
This dialog allows
you to see and set the
orientation of those
components being
copied.
Click the
SubHolder-
1@PivotLeg-1
listing and to preview
it’s orientation.
Mirroring Components 127

Assembly Editing
75 Hexnuts.
Check the orientation
of the SubHolder-
1@HexNut-1 and
SubHolder-
1@HexNut-2
components, they are
reversed.
76 Reorient and set.
Click the and
buttons to see
other orientations of
the component and
find the best.
Do the same for the
SubHolder-
1@HexNut-2
component. The
others should be
properly oriented. Click Finish.
The new sub-assembly
SubHolderLeft has
been added.
78Mate the sub-assembly.

Add concentric and parallel mates to
connect the sub-assembly to the
main assembly.
128 Mirroring Components

Assembly Errors
Exercise 9: Repair and change this assembly.

Assembly This lab uses the following skills:
Errors
Q Editing the definition of
mates
Q Analyzing and repairing
errors
Q Deleting mates
Q Detecting interference
Q Replacing components
Design Intent The assembly you will open was saved with a number of errors. Repair
the assembly in such a way that you capture and maintain the following
design intent:
1. The Brace_New components are centered with respect to the hole
in the End Connect components.
2. The edges of the End Connect components are flush with the front
edge of the Rect Base.
Open the existing assembly
assy_errors_lab.
2 Mate errors.
Expand MateGroup1 to see
the errors. There are two
conflicting mates that over
define End Connect<2>
and Brace_New<2>.
Delete the correct mate to
rectify the over defined
condition and to properly capture the design intent.
3 Interference checking.
Select the entire assembly and check
for interferences. There should be
one interference.
129
Assembly Errors
4 Edit definition.
Edit the failed mate
(Coincident17) to both
repair it and eliminate the
interference. The assembly
should look like the illustration
at the right, in the top view
orientation, with no errors.
Tip When you edit the definition of
the mate, pay attention to the alignment condition; and preview the
mate before you apply it.
5 Find and edit mate.
Using View Dependencies, find
the mate that is responsible for
the Brace_New<1>
component being off center.
Edit the mate so that
Brace_New<1> is positioned
according to the design intent.
Tip In order to access component specific features such as reference planes,

you will have to switch to View Features mode before you edit the
mate. Also, once again, pay attention to the alignment condition of the
mate.
6 Replace components.
Replace both of the End
Connect components with
components named new_end.
Question Recalling the techniques covered
in class, how will you replace the
components? Reload/Replace,
or by editing Component
Properties?
130
Assembly Features
Exercise 10: Create a new configuration and an

Assembly assembly feature. This lab uses the
Features following skills:
Q Assembly Configurations
Q Assembly Features
Procedure Open an existing assembly named Assy Features.

1 Create a configuration.
Create a new assembly configuration named Section.
2 Assembly feature.
Sketch on the top face of the
Cover Plate component. Sketch
a rectangle with one endpoint at the
origin and the outside edges
Collinear with the ends of the
shafts. Create an Assembly
Feature that cuts through the entire
assembly.
3 Feature Scope.
Edit the Feature Scope so that
the components Worm Gear,
Worm Gear Shaft and Offset
Shaft are not affected by the cut.
4 Switch configurations.
Return to the Default
configuration. Make sure that the
assembly feature is suppressed in
this configuration.
131
Assembly Equations
Exercise 11: Create an equation for this existing assembly to

Assembly control the length of a component.
Equations This lab uses the following skills:
Q Hide and Show component
Q Interference Detection
Q Editing Mates
Q In-context features
Q Equations

Open the existing assembly assy_eq.
2 Hide components.
Hide all components except
those shown at the right.
3 Check for interference.
Check for interference
between the components
shown at the right.
4 Edit the Cross Bar.

Edit the definition of the
Cross Bar so that it is
modeled as an in-context
feature. The design intent
is such that there is exactly
0.005" of clearance
between the ends of the
Cross Bar and the inside 0.005" gap each end
of the UBracket.
5 Link Values.
Use Link Values to make sure the two clearance values are always
equal. Use the link name Clearance.
Add a reference dimension that shows the overall length of the part.
6 Rebuild the model.
Rebuild and return to Edit Assembly mode.
132
Assembly Equations
7 Test.
Test the in-context feature by
changing the width of the
UBracket to 3.5 inches.
No interference should exist
between the components and
the proper clearance should
be maintained.
8 Show all of the
components.
9 Edit Definition.
Edit the definition of the mate
Coincident6 changing it
from a coincident to a
Distance mate. Set the
distance under the washer at
0.25" and the name to
WasherGap.
10 Equation.
Write an equation that drives
the value of the distance
mate so that it is equal to the
clearance between the end of
the Cross Bar and the inside of the UBracket.
Rebuild the model. The gap between the Spindle Washer and the
UBracket should now be 0.005 inches.
11 Test.
Change the clearance
between the Cross Bar and
the UBracket to 0.010".
Rebuild the model. The
distance mate should update
accordingly.
12 Save and close the
assembly.
133
Mirror Component
Exercise 12: Mirror and edit a sub-assembly.

Mirror This lab uses the following skills:
Component
Q Mirror Component
Q Flexible Sub-assembly
Q Dissolve Sub-assembly
Q Symmetric Mate

Open the existing assembly FoldingPlatform.
2 Try Moving.
Try dragging a component of the LeftSideSub sub-assembly with
the Move tool. It is treated as a single, rigid component and individual
components cannot be moved.
3 Flexible Sub-assembly.
Access the Component Properties for the LeftSideSub and set
Solve As to Flexible.
4 Drag.
Individual components of the sub-assembly
can now be dragged. Drag the LeftBrace
component with the Move tool.
5 Mirror Component.
Make any adjustments to mates or
components. Click Insert, Mirror
Component.
6 Component settings.
Make the following settings:
Q On the Mirror Components dialog
choose the Right assembly plane as the Mirror plane.
Q Select the LeftSideSub sub-assembly as the Components.
Q Expand the listing and leave all the Rivet components at the
default setting.
Q The remaining components (LeftBrace, UpperLink,
LowerLink and LeftPlatformSupport) components are set to
Component has "left-hand" and "right-hand" version.
7 Naming.
In the next dialog, set the name of the new sub-assembly as
MirrorLeftSideSub.SLDASM.
134
Mirror Component
8 Orientation.
In the next dialog, use the controls
to make sure that all the Rivet
components are in the correct
orientations.
9 Mates.
Mate the new sub-assembly to the
Platform component.
Optional This section takes the assembly further by dissolving sub-assemblies

and adding symmetric mates.
10 Individual components.
Break the sub-assemblies down into individual components using
Dissolve Sub-assembly. Remove the errors by changing the
LeftPlatformSupport and MirrorLeftPlatformSupport
from Fix to Float.
11 Symmetric Mate.
The motion of the components can be tied
together using mates. Add a symmetric mate
between the indicated cylindrical faces (opposite
components) and the Right plane. This mate
keeps the faces positioned across a plane.
12 Close and Save.
135
Using SolidWorks Explorer
Exercise 13: Make repairs and changes

Using to an existing assembly
SolidWorks using SolidWorks
Explorer. This lab uses the
Explorer
following skills:
Q SolidWorks Explorer
options
Q Replace files
Q Copy files
Q Preview files
Q Find References
Q Rename files
Procedure
1 SolidWorks Explorer.
Start SolidWorks Explorer either from within SolidWorks or as a
standalone application.
2 Load the assembly.
Open an existing assembly named: \Training
Files\Lesson17_Labs\swExplorer\Launcher
136
3 Preview.
Turn off the Use full screen option and display all the components of
the assembly. Note that the Finger Grip has no preview.
4 Replace.
In the document window, the listing of the Finger
Grip appears in red, indicating that the file cannot
be found. Use Replace to choose a replacement
file, Gripper.
5 Show references.
Select the Arrow and click Show References. Both the part and the
assembly are listed as references because the part was created in-
context.
137
6 Revision.
Use Copy to create a copy of the Launcher assembly and its
associated files.
Use Copy children, the Suffix .2 and the new folder under the
swExplorer folder named R2.
Tip The folder can be created during the copying process. Add a new
directory name in the Folder field and you will be prompted to create a
new directory.
Clear the checkbox for the Gripper so that this file is not copied.
7 Explore Launcher.2 assembly.

Browse for the Launcher.2 assembly and open
it in SolidWorks Explorer.
138
8 Begin renaming operation.

Right-click the Gripper part, and select Rename.
9 Find where used.
Verify that the Find where used check box is selected. Click Find
now. The Gripper is used in both assemblies.
10 Rename the Gripper.
In the To: box, enter the name Holder, and click Apply. Both
assemblies, Launcher and Launcher.2 turn blue indicating that
the renaming operation was successful.
11 Confirm the renaming operation.
Return to exploring the Launcher assembly (the
original).
12 Open Launcher.2
assembly.
Open the assembly in
SolidWorks. The changes
applied in SolidWorks Explorer
are seen here.
13 Close and Save the assembly.
139
Working with Sub-assemblies
Exercise 14: Dissolve sub-assemblies and add new

Working with ones to change the structure of this
Sub-assemblies existing assembly.
Q Dissolve Sub-assembly
Q Insert New Sub-assembly
Q Reorganize Components
Q Edit Sub-assembly
Q Dynamic Interference Detection
Open the existing assembly
lab_pro_dem.
2 Dissolve Sub-assembly.
Dissolve the sub-assembly bad_sub. The
components of the sub-assembly are added to the
main assembly, the sub-assembly is removed.
3 New Sub-assembly SUB_body.

Create a new sub-assembly that contains the
following components:
Main Body<1>
Finger Grip<1>
Nozzle<1>
Nozzle<2>
140
4 New Sub-assembly SUB_trigger.

Return to the main assembly and create a new sub-assembly
that contains the following components:
Pull Ring<1>
Plunger<1>
End Cap<2>
5 Edit SUB_trigger.
Define the SUB_trigger assembly’s position in space by
adding Fix to the End Cap component.
Optional Reorder the components within the SUB_trigger assembly so that
the End Cap is listed first in the FeatureManager tree. Remember —
the order components are listed in the FeatureManager determines the
order they will be listed in a bill of materials.
6 Add mates.
Add a Concentric mate between the End Cap and the
Plunger. Add a Parallel mate between a plane of the
assembly and a plane of the Pull Ring to keep the Pull
Ring and Plunger from rotating.
7 Move component.
Move the component by dragging the Pull Ring upwards.
8 Test the behavior.
Use Dynamic Assembly Motion to test the behavior of the
trigger assembly. You should be able to drag the Pull Ring
in and out of the End Cap.
9 Switch.
Switch back to the main assembly, rebuilding the main
assembly as its window is brought to the front.
10 Delete components.
Delete the following components:
Pull Ring<2>
Plunger<2>
End Cap<1>
141
11 Add a second instance.

Add a second instance of the sub-
assembly SUB_trigger to the
assembly.
12 Mate sub-assembly.
Mate the second instance of the sub-
assembly SUB_trigger to the
main assembly.
13 Edit sub-assembly.
Right-click either instance of the SUB_trigger, and select Edit Sub-
assembly. The components of the sub-assembly change to the part
editing color.
14 Drag.
Select and drag the Pull Ring
of the sub-assembly being
edited. Both instances will move
together.
15 Edit assembly mode.
Turn Edit Sub-assembly off by
right-clicking in the graphics
window, and selecting Edit
Assembly: lab_pro_dem
from the shortcut menu.
16 Return to the sub-assembly.
Switch to document window that contains just the sub-assembly
SUB_trigger.
142
17 Dynamic Collision Detection.

Click the Move Component tool and
click Collision Detection.
Click Stop at collision. Under the
heading Find collision for:, click
Entire scope.
Make sure Highlight faces and
Sound are enabled.
Drag the Pull Ring to the limits of
its motion in both directions.
18 Save and close.
Save and close the assemblies.
143
144
Lesson 4
Core and Cavity

Q Use a scale to resize a part.
Q Create radiated and knit surfaces.
Q Create an extrusion that terminates at a selected surface.
Q Create an interim assembly of the engineered part and the mold or
die base.
Q Create the cavity by subtracting the engineered part from the base.
Q Apply shrink factors.
Q Derive component parts from within the assembly.
145
Core and Cavity
146
Core and Cavity
Creating a Mold Creating a mold or die cavity is a

or Die Cavity multi-step process. Given that you
already have created the engineered
part you wish to mold, cast or forge,
you will need to perform several
steps to create the cavity.
Stages in the The key stages we will go through in this lesson are shown in the
Process following list. Each of these topics comprises a section in the lesson.
Q Scale the engineered part.
The core and cavity will be created directly from the engineered part.
To allow for shrinkage, it is necessary to scale the engineered part
slightly larger before making the core and cavity.
Q Radiate surface.
A surface is radiated out from the parting line of the engineered part.
This surface divides the upper and lower halves of the mold.
Q In-context assembly modeling.
Working in the context of an assembly, one half of the mold is created
using surfaces that are copied from the engineered part.
Using Scale and The Scale command can be used in conjunction with Radiate and Knit
Surfaces Surfaces to generate the core and cavity of a part.
1 Open the part.

Open the part named CAVITY
PART.
Introducing: Scale The Scale command is used to scale the engineered part by a scaling
factor. The scaling can be Uniform or differ in the X, Y and Z
directions. In this example, the body will be scaled larger by 5%.
Where to Find It Q From the Insert menu, pick Features, Scale.

Q Or, click the tool on the Features toolbar.
Creating a Mold or Die Cavity 147

Core and Cavity
2 Scale the body.

Click the Scale tool and set the
Uniform Scaling Factor to 1.05 (5%
larger). The scaling type can be either
About: Centroid or About Origin. Click
OK to scale the part.
Note The scale changes the size of the part, but
it does not change the dimensions of preceding features. The scale
feature is listed in the FeatureManager design tree below the existing
features.
Creating a Radiate The Radiate Surface command is used to extend a surface out from
Surface the parting line of a part. The radiated surface is developed parallel to a
reference plane or planar face. Typically, the pull direction of the mold
is normal to this reference plane.
Where to Find It Q On the Insert menu, click Surface, Radiate.
3 Radiate surface.
Click Insert, Surface,
Radiate. Select the top,
planar face as the
Reference plane.
Click in the Edges to
radiate list. Select one of
the edges that make up
the parting line. Reference
plane
Click the option
Propagate to tangent
faces.
The propagate option
will make selecting the
edges easier.
Set the Radiate distance
to 30mm and check the Edges to
direction arrows. They radiate
should point away from the model.
Click OK.
148 Using Scale and Surfaces

Core and Cavity
4 Resulting surface.
The radiated surface is created,
attached to the selected edges.
Although it is a single surface,
the vertices, edges and
individual faces can be
selected.
In the FeatureManager design
tree, the radiate surface is represented by: .
5 Open a new assembly and save it.
Name the assembly cc_assy. The core and cavity parts will be
created in an assembly. Using the assembly allows you to create in-
context features and parts that will allow changes to the engineered part
to propagate to the parts that make up the core and cavity.
6 Insert the CAVITY PART.
An easy way to insert the CAVITY PART at the origin of the assembly
is to tile the windows and then drag and drop the part into the
FeatureManager of the assembly.
7 Insert a new component.
Insert a new component, naming it mold_upper. When complete, it
will represent the upper half of the mold cavity. Insert the new part on
the Top reference plane of the assembly.
Default Template Since this procedure creates a new part document, you have the option
Appendix
8 Exit the sketch
When you insert a new part into an assembly, you are automatically
active in a sketch. The next step in the procedure does not require a
sketch, so exit it. You should be in Edit Part mode, editing the
mold_upper.
Creating a Knit When knitting surfaces, radiated surfaces exhibit a special behavior.
Surface When selected in conjunction with a seed surface, they cause the
system to select and knit together all faces adjacent to it and the seed
surface. This eliminates the tedious task of selecting each and every
face that lies on one side of the parting line.
Using Scale and Surfaces 149

Core and Cavity
9 Knit surface.
Knit. The Faces and
surfaces selection list
should be active.
Select the Surface-
Radiate1 feature from
the FeatureManager
design tree.
Click in the Seed face
selection list and select
one face on the upper
portion of the part. This Seed face
is the seed face.
Selecting it in
conjunction with the
radiate surface will cause the system to select all the other model faces
up to the radiated surface. Click OK.
The knit surface is a single
composite surface that
includes all the propagated
surfaces on the top half of the
engineered plus the radiated
surface. The surface is
created in the mold_upper
part but has an external
reference to the CAVITY
PART.

Core and Cavity
Using the Surface Once the surface has been created, it can be used to form a solid that
represents one half of the mold. Using a sketch generated from the
edges of the surface, the solid is created using an Up To Surface end
condition.
11 Open part.
From the right-mouse menu, pick Open mold_upper.sldprt.
12 Offset plane.
Create a reference plane offset
10mm from the top face of the
knit surface.
13 Sketch.
Open a sketch on the new plane and
sketch a rectangle centered on the
Origin.
14 Extrude.
Using Up To Surface, extrude
the sketch up to the knit surface.
15 Resulting solid.
The resulting solid uses the surface and
sketch to create the extrusion.
16 Hide the knit surface.
Right-click knit surface, and select Hide
Surface Body.
Using Scale and Surfaces 151

Core and Cavity
17 Lower part.
Using the same techniques
that you followed in steps 7
through 16, add another new
component to the assembly,
create another knit surface,
and model the lower half of
the mold cavity.
18 Exploded view of finished assembly.

Core and Cavity
Using the The interim assembly will be constructed using the engineered part
Cavity Option (Forged Ratchet Body) and the die base (Diebase) shown in the
following two illustrations.
This technique works well in situations where:
Q The parting line is planar.
Q There are no holes in the part so a core is not required.
Stages in the The key stages we will go through in this lesson are shown in the
Process following list. Each of these topics comprises a section in the lesson.
Q Create the interim assembly
With the die base and cast part, an assembly is created where the cast
part is mated within the volume of the die base.
Q Subtract the engineered part from the base
Using the appropriate shrink factor, to create the cavity by subtracting
the volume of the engineered part, with scaling, from the base.
Q Create derived parts
Create two derived parts from the mold/die base. These will be the top
and bottom halves of the die.
Procedure Use the following procedure to create the interim assembly and the
derived parts for the top and bottom portions of the die.
1 Open the
assembly.
Open the assembly
named FORGING.
The Forged
Ratchet Body is
mated so that it is
centered within the
Diebase.
2 Edit the Diebase.
Right-click the Diebase, and select Edit Part from the menu. You
can also select and edit the Diebase from the FeatureManager design
tree.
Cavity The next step is to create a void inside the diebase by subtracting the
engineered part from the base. Since we have to allow for shrinkage,
the void, or cavity, should be larger than the engineered part.
Using the Cavity Option 153

Core and Cavity
Introducing:Insert The Insert Cavity command is used to subtract one or more parts from
Cavity another part in the context of an assembly. Because the resulting cavity
is an in-context feature, this operation creates external references
between the two parts through the context of the assembly.
Where to Find It Q From the menu, choose Insert, Features, Cavity...
3 Cavity.
Using the Insert,
Features, Cavity...
command, subtract the
volume of the Forged
Ratchet Body from
the volume of the
Diebase. Be sure the
Forged Ratchet
Body is listed in the Design Component selection list. Choose the
appropriate Scaling Factor and Type and click OK. The Type can be
about the Component Origins, the Mold Base Origin, or about a
Coordinate System. Scaling can be Uniform or with respect to the X,
Y, and Z axes.
Create Derived Derived parts are parts that use another part as their first feature. The
Parts derived parts create a new part using another as a reference.
Introducing: Derive Derive Component Part creates a new part based on the selected part.
Component Part Deriving a component part achieves exactly the same results as
inserting a Base Part.
Where to Find It Q From the menu choose: File, Derive Component Part.
Default Template Since this command creates a new part document, you have the option
Appendix.
4 Derive a part.
Select the Diebase in the FeatureManager design tree and choose
Derive Component Part... from the File menu. You will need to do
this twice: once to create what will become the top half of the die and
once for the bottom half. After you have created the two derived parts,
you can use the Save As command on the File menu to rename them.
154 Using the Cavity Option

Core and Cavity
5 Sketch the parting line.

Select the front face of the die base and open a sketch. Then select the
parting line and project it onto the sketch using Convert Entities.
Extend the projected parting line by dragging the ends of the line until
they are coincident with the edges of the Diebase. Split the part using
a cut.
6 Results of the cut.

With the upper half of the die removed, you can clearly see the cavity.
7 Save.
Save the part as MoldLower. Note that the
source part and assembly are listed in the
FeatureManager:
Diebase<1>@FORGING
The format is partname@assemblyname.

Core and Cavity
Using a Base Part A Base Part lets you use a previously created part as the base feature
for a new part.
Base Parts can be used to create the same effect as the Derived Part.
The difference is that the base part is created at the part level, the
derived part at the assembly level.
Introducing: Insert Base Part allows you to insert an existing part into a new part.
Insert Base Part The original part becomes a single feature in the new part. Changes to
the base part are transferred into the existing or derived part.
Where to Find It Q From the Insert menu choose: Base Part.
8 Open a new part.

Open a new part using units millimeters. Name it MoldUpper.
9 Inserting a Base Part.
Click Base Part... from the Insert menu.
Use the browser to locate and select the part Diebase that was
modified in the assembly.
Click Open.
10 The Base Part.
The base part is inserted
into the active part. The
FeatureManager design
tree lists it as a single
feature: Diebase->.
The arrow -> indicates
that the feature references
another source. The part
itself has the same arrow.

Core and Cavity
List External The external references of the part can be listeUse of a base or derived
References part is considered an external reference.
The list includes the Diebase feature as a Body, and the ability to
chose which configuration of the base part is to be used.
Click OK.
11 Cut.
Cut off the lower
portion of the part and
keep the upper.
Propogating Changes made to the components follow a path from the source in a
Changes single direction. Derived and base parts behave the same way.
For example, consider
MoldUpper
a change to the
Forged Ratchet
Body part. FORGING.sldasm
Q Change Forged
Ratchet Body Forged Ratchet Body Diebase
Q In the FORGING
assembly, the
change affects the
Diebase.
Q The change to the MoldLower

Core and Cavity
Diebase affects the MoldUpper.

Q The change to the Diebase affects the MoldLower.
Remember that changes to either of the main parts (Forged
Ratchet Body or Diebase) will have an effect on the derived
parts. Changes to the Diebase will affect the FORGING,
MoldUpper and MoldLower, but not the Forged Ratchet
Body.
Let’s try such a change to the Forged Ratchet Body.
12 Open the Forged Ratchet Body.

Open the Forged Ratchet
Body and change the length
dimensions of the handle and
transition features. Cut the
values in half and rebuild the model.
13 Results.
The change is propogated through the dependent parts in sequence.
Open the FORGING assembly first.
Q FORGING:
Click Yes to have the change shown. At the assembly level, the
changes are made to the Diebase part.
Q MoldLower:
The changes to the Diebase have been transferred to the

Core and Cavity
MoldLower.
Q MoldUpper:
The changes to the Diebase have been transferred to the
MoldUpper.
Note Note that opening the files out of sequence will not show the changes.
The changes must come through the sequence.

Core and Cavity

Mold Cavity
Exercise 15: Using the parts provided, create a

Mold Cavity configuration representing a rough forging.
Then create a 2-part forging die.
Q Configurations
Q Part in context
Q Radiate Surface
Q Knit Surface
Units: millimeters

1 Open the part Motor Bracket.
This part has one configuration. You
will add another for use in the
assembly.
2 Suppress the machined features.

Create a configuration named
As Forged.
3 Scale.
Use Insert, Features, Scale to
increase the size of the part. use 1.03
as the Scaling Factor. The scale will
be suppressed in the As Machined
configuration.
4 Add a radiated surface.
Using Insert, Surface, Radiate Reference
create a 10mm Radiate distance Plane
away from the model. Use the
reference plane and edges
displayed.
5 Open a new assembly.
Save it as Die Assembly. Insert Edges to
the Motor Bracket into the Radiate
assembly at the assembly origin.
6 Insert new part.
Insert a new part, naming it Upper Die. Place the new part on the
Top reference plane of the assembly. Exit the sketch.
161
Mold Cavity
7 Knit Surface.
Create a Knit Surface using
the radiated surface and model
faces. Preselect the
Surface-Radiate1
feature from the
FeatureManager of the Motor
Bracket component. Click
Insert, Surface, Knit.
Click in the Seed face list and
select a face on the upper
portion of the model. Click
OK.
Seed Face
A single surface, composed of the
radiated and seed faces, is created.
Hiding the Motor Bracket helps in
visualization of the result.
9 Sketch plane.
Use the surface
edges and faces to
create a solid.
First, create a plane, offset from the Front of the edited part. Offset
the plane 30mm.
10 Convert Entities.
Sketching on the new plane, select
the radiated surface and click
Convert Entities. The only outside
edges are converted.
162
Mold Cavity
11 Up To Surface.
Extrude the sketch in the direction of
the surface using Up To Surface.
Select the Surface-Knit feature
from the FeatureManager.
Click OK.
12 Lower Die.
Create the Lower Die in the same
fashion. Use a new component, knit
surface and up to surface end
condition.
163
Using Cavity and Surfaces
Exercise 16: Using the parts provided, determine the fluid volume contained in a
Using Cavity fuel tank.
and Surfaces This lab uses the following skills:
Q Cavity
Q Revolved Surfaces
Q Mass Properties
Q Offset Surfaces
1 Open the part Fuel Tank.
The part represents a small engine fuel
tank. Surfaces will be used to cut away
an interfering portion of the tank.
2 Revolved surface.
Using the sketch Sketch1,
create a revolved surface.
Revolve and create a 180°
revolved surface feature.
3 Offset surface.
Offset the revolved surface
using Insert, Surface,
Offset. Set the distance to
15mm, oriented to the
outside.
The resulting surface
interferes with the solid.
164
4 Cut with a surface.

Select the offset surface and
use it to cut the solid with
Insert, Cut, With Surface.
Orient the arrow that
represents cut direction
towards the inside of the
surface.
5 Fillets and shell.

Add fillets of 5mm and 3mm as
shown. Shell the solid to 2mm
leaving the top circular face
open.
R5mm
R3mm
6 New assembly.
Create a new assembly
named Volume, units
mm. Insert the existing
component Block into
it. Add the Block
component in at the
origin of the assembly.
The Block will be used
with the Fuel Tank to
create a solid that
represents in interior
volume of the tank.
7 Insert the Fuel Tank.
Insert the Fuel Tank component into the assembly. It will be mated to
the Block.
165
8 Fully define the

Fuel Tank.
Mate the Fuel
Tank centering it in
the Block. Use a
distance mate to
extend the filler neck
above the surface of
the Block by 5mm.
The tank is
considered full when
the fuel reaches a
level 5mm below the
top of the neck.
9 Edit Part.
Right-click on the Block and pick Edit Part from the menu. This part
will be edited to create the volume of fluid.
10 Cavity.
Click Insert,
Features, Cavity
and select the
Fuel Tank
component. Set the
Scaling Factor to
0% and click OK.
11 Ambiguity.
Since the cavity is a
cut command, the
system sees an
ambiguity as to
whether you retain
the portion inside
or outside of the
Fuel Tank.
Choose the result
that displays inside
graphics only.
Click OK.
166
12 Volume.
Open the Block part. This
represents the fluid volume
inside the Fuel Tank.
13 Mass Properties.
Determine the volume of
the part using Mass
Properties. The default
units are cubic millimeters.
The volume is just less
than 1 liter.
14 Options.
Using Options, set the
Length unit to Inches and
click OK.
Click Recalculate to see
the change in the results.
The conversion between
cubic inches and quarts is:
1 cu. in. = 0.017316 quarts
The resulting volume is
slightly less than one quart.
15 Save and close the
assembly.
167
Using Cavity
Exercise 17: Use an existing part and the Cavity

Using Cavity tool to create the mating joint for a
dovetail.
This lab reinforces the following skills:
Q Using Cavity
Q In-context parts
Procedure Open the existing assembly Dovetail. This contains the part
EndBoard.
1 Create mating side.
Insert a new in-context part
and name it SideBoard.
Sketch the base feature using
the existing edges of the
EndBoard.
2 Extrude.
Extrude the solid 3/8" into the
existing solid, causing an
interference.
3 Cavity.
With the new part still in Edit Part
mode, click the Cavity tool. Set the
Scaling factor in % to 0 and
remove the volume of the
EndBoard.
Edit the assembly.
168
Using Cavity
4 Completed cavity.
The in-context cavity feature removes
the overlapping material in the
EndBoard.
5 Save and close all the parts.
169
Using a Base Part
Exercise 18: Use an existing part

Using a Base and Base Parts to
Part create a group of
related parts.
This lab reinforces
the following skills:
Q Using Base
Parts
Procedure Open a new part using the Part_IN template.

1 Insert Base Part.
Insert the W5 as the base part.
2 Cut.
Cut off a portion of the solid to make the
overall length 5 feet.
3 Save.
Save the new part as W5X5.
4 Additional parts.
Create two more new parts using W5 as the base part.
W5ANGLE has an overall length of 6
feet and is cut off at an angle of 60
degrees.
170
Using a Base Part
W5FLANGE has an overall

length of 8 feet with a cutout
of the upper flange and web.
The cutout measures 4" x 1".
5 Base Part changes.

Changes to the base part will affect all parts
that use. Edit the sketch of the W5 part and
change the size to that of a W8X10. Close
the sketch.
6Changes.
Open the three new
parts to see the
changes.
7Save and close
the parts.
171
Base Parts and Splitting
Exercise 19: Use a Base Part to create two

Base Parts and halves of a single body, the
Splitting upper and lower parts that form
a mouse.
This lab reinforces the
following skills:
Q Using Base Parts
Q Split Lines
Q Draft against a parting line
Procedure Open a new part using the Part_MM template.

1 Insert Base Part.
Insert the MouseBP as the base
part. Name the part MouseTop.
2 Edit in context.
Right-click the MouseBP feature
and Edit In Context. This opens the
base part file.
3 Split Line.
Create a split line that divides the
faces on four sides into two smaller
faces.
172
4 Draft against a Parting Line.

Draft the top set of faces and the
bottom set of faces using the Draft
tool. Use the Parting Line option
and 6 degrees.
5 Return to MouseTop.
Switch back to the MouseTop part
to see the changes.
6 Cut.
Cut away the lower portion
(below the parting line) of
the solid.
7 Create bottom.
Create a new part and insert
the same base part. Name the
part MouseBottom.
Cut off the upper portion of
this part.
173
8 Return to the base part.

Return to the base part and add fillets. Use the order and sizes shown
below.
R5mm
R50mm
R6mm
9 Shell.
Shell the solid (no faces selected) to a thickness of 2mm, applied
inside.
10 Switch.
Return to the
MouseTop and
MouseBottom
parts. Repair any
errors that occur.
Notice the
changes that have
been forced upon
them through the
base part.
174
11 Assembly.
Create an assembly using the
MouseTop and MouseBottom
components. Drop both onto the
assembly Origin as fixed
components.
12 Changes.
Open the base part and
change the width of the part
from 60mm to 70mm.
Open the parts and then the
assembly to see the changes
propogate.
13 Save and close the parts.
175
176
SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual Index
Index
Symbols C E
-> 8 cavity 153 edit
->* 27 components assembly 5
->? 25 adding ??–48 feature scope 120
->x 27 adding new 11 in context 23
hide/show 7, 54 part 5
A joining 122–123 sub-assemblies 106
array, See patterns lightweight 71–73 end conditions
assemblies orienting 45, 57 offset from surface 14
adding components ??–48 over defined 114 up to next 7
adding new components 11 patterning in assemblies 20, 107 equations 121
adding sub-assemblies 68–69 properties 109 errors
assembly features 118–121 reload 109 assembly 94
component patterns 20, 107 replacing 109–111 repairing in parts 117
configurations 54–70 SmartMates 46 external references
dissolving a sub-assembly 103 suppress 54 breaking 24–32
edit assembly 5 unsuppress 54 edit in context 23
edit in context 23 configurations 54–70 list 26
edit part 5 adding 54 locking 27
editing sub-assemblies 106 changing (switching) 58–59 symbols 8, 25, 27
equations 121 hide/show 54 system options 4
errors 94 properties 65
external references 4, 8, 24–27 renaming 58 F
feature scope 120 sub-assemblies 68–69 families of parts, See design tables
form new sub-assembly 104 suppressing components 54–55 Feature Palette
hide/show component 7 terminology 54 palette parts 48
in-context features 3–11 unsuppress 54 feature scope 120
interrogating 117–118 Ctrl key FeatureManager design tree
layout sketches 67–70 switching documents (Ctrl+Tab) 16 symbols 8, 25, 27
lightweight 71–73 view dependencies 112
mate reference 47 D features
multiple mate groups 117 derive component part 154 assembly features 118–121
orienting components 45, 57 design tables 59–67 cavity 153
propagating changes 21 assembly features 61 disjoint 28
reorder 118 bill of materials 62 draft 18
replacing components 109–111 comments 62 in-context 3–11
rollback 118 configurations of components 60 move/size 70
SmartMates 46 controlling part components 60 time dependent 117
statistics 117 mates 62 file
suppressing components 55 part numbers 62 save as 109
time dependent features 117 specifying components 61 find
top-down design 3–11 suppression state of components 61 file references 26, 118
view dependencies 112 user notes 62
assembly features 118–121 visibility of components 61 H
feature scope 120 disjoint features 28 hide
assembly-centric design 3–11 draft component 7, 54
neutral plane 18
B drag and drop I
base part 156 reorganizing assembly hierarchy 103 inserting components, summary 52
SmartMates 46 interrogating an assembly 117–118
Advanced Assembly Modeling 177

Index SolidWorks 2001 Training Manual
J reorder
joining components 122–123 in assemblies 118
replacing components 109–111
K rollback
knit surface 149 in assemblies 118
L S
layout sketches 67–70 scaling a part 147
lightweight components 71–73 show
link values 121 component 7, 54
shrink, See scaling a part
M sketch
mate reference 47 layout 67–70
mates SmartMates 45–46, 56
aligned/anti-aligned 45, 57 SolidWorks Explorer 95
alignment condition 45, 57 operations 97
concentric 56 window layout 95
distance 58 suppress
inplace 13 component 54
mate reference 47 mates 112
missing reference 111 surfaces
multiple mate groups 117 knit 149
over defined 112 radiate 148
parallel 56
SmartMates 46, 56 T
suppressed 112 Tab key 45
mating components, summary 52 table driven design, See design tables
mirror time dependent features 117
part 26
mold cavity 147–158 U
move/size feature 70 unsuppress component 54
O V
offset versions, See configurations
from surface, extrude end view
condition 14 assembly by dependencies 112
P W
parent/child relationships 117 weldments, See joining components
parts
base 156
derived 154
editing within an assembly 5
repairing errors 117
patterns
component 20, 107
planes
edit definition 9
parallel to plane @ point 15
properties
component 55, 109
configurations 65
suppress 55
Q
querying an assembly 117–118
R
radiate surface 148
references
find file 26, 118
list external 26
relationships, parent/child 117
renaming configurations 58
178 Advanced Assembly Modeling

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VT Advanced Assembly Modeling.

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Advanced Assembly Modeling i

ii Advanced Assembly Modeling

Resolving Lightweight Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Advanced Assembly Modeling iii

Exercise 9: Assembly Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

iv Advanced Assembly Modeling

Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

Top-Down This section begins in an

Top-Down Assembly Modeling 3

referenced documents: has three settings. They are Prompt, Always,

Where to Find It Select the part you wish to edit. Then:

Use the Up To Next end

The FeatureManager design tree lists the new feature as

Changes Automatically propagating changes is one of the strongest qualities of

15 Edit the plane.

would propagate to the mouse_bottom, regardless of where it was used.

Design Intent: Button 11

23 Save As dialog box.

24 The face/plane cursor.

12 Adding a New Part into an Assembly

28 Edit the Button part.

Building Parts in an Assembly 13

14 Building Parts in an Assembly

Open the Button Part 15

and click Next.

The Plate The plate feature forms the bottom of

16 Open the Button Part

Open the Button Part 17

44 Add a fillet and shell.

This detail shows that the draft has

18 Open the Button Part

Now has draft

49 Offset around the pins.

Assembly A pattern in a component part can be used to pattern other components

Where to Find It Q From the menu choose: Insert, Component Pattern...

51 Pattern dialog box.

Propagating As previously mentioned, the power of in-context features and parts is

62 Change the Button

63 Open the Button.

66 Switch to the Button window.

68 Save a copy of the Button.

24 Breaking External References

Breaking External References 25

72 List External References.

External This dialog lists the following information:

26 Breaking External References

Q The assembly document for any part with in-context references.

The FeatureManager lists the broken references with an “->x” in place

The FeatureManager lists the locked references with “->*” symbols in

73 Break All External References.

Breaking External References 27

The part is no longer forced to change due to changes in the mouse

Editing the It is all well and good that we have

28 Breaking External References

features that are not in contact with each other.

76 Fully define the sketch.

Breaking External References 29

81 Exit the sketch.

30 Breaking External References

Breaking External References 31

91 Close all documents.

32 Breaking External References

Exercise 1: Create this part by using existing