When using SOLIDWORKS, you may need to export your models as STEP files. This is often done when sharing projects with someone running a different version of SOLIDWORKS or when transferring data to another CAD platform. The two main STEP file options available are STEP AP203 and STEP AP214. In this blog, we will look at the differences between the two options.
In SOLIDWORKS 2023 and older, while the value of a mass property can be calculated and updated, the unit notation is not. This blog describes a workaround for displaying and converting mass properties automatically, with appropriate units displayed. These behaviors will then be codified using SOLIDWORKS Equations into a document template so that it’s easy to use and deploy across multiple documents in the future. Arithmetic conversions of units are accomplished using Equations in the Equations Manager, as a custom property cannot evaluate an arithmetic expression with text at the end.
In SOLIDWORKS, using a multibody part instead of an assembly can be beneficial in specific circumstances, such as increased performance over assemblies, bulk configuration creation, and sheet metal/weldment work. Multibody parts are especially useful when you have a bill of materials but no moving parts. If there are no kinematics to evaluate, the “assembly” can remain a multibody part.
It is often asked how to convert 2D files to 3D SOLIDWORKS models. Whether legacy data from a previous CAD package or new customer data delivered in an inconvenient format, the need to convert it is the same. There are several ways to accomplish this conversion, but the 2D to 3D toolbar is purpose-built for the task. This article walks through how to use this often overlooked set of tools to import the model, transition and align the views, and then use that information to build a 3D model.
Your SOLIDWORKS installation comes with several pre-configured weldment profiles that adhere to the following standards: ANSI, ANSI Inch, AS, BSI, CISC, DIN, GB, iso, and JIS. But what if you wanted a custom weldment profile for your designs? You're in the right place! The world is your oyster, as far as possibilities are concerned.
When editing a note in a SOLIDWORKS drawing, a Formatting toolbar appears above the note that includes options to increase or decrease the indent and to toggle on bullet points or numbering. If you need more control over how your note looks, including spacing between lines and paragraphs, the size of indents, and numbering format, you can find it in the Paragraph Properties.
SOLIDWORKS Delivery Day 2025 FD03 introduces 15 exciting new enhancements, but a few feel especially groundbreaking because they mark the moment SOLIDWORKS integrates artificial intelligence. That’s right: SOLIDWORKS just got smarter.
Proper SOLIDWORKS training can transform your ability to design precise, professional models, whether you’re working on simple parts or intricate assemblies. In this article, we’ll provide insights and recommendations for effectively modeling basic parts, presenting foundational techniques and tools in SOLIDWORKS that you can start applying today.
It’s not uncommon for parts to have many holes of different sizes and positions. Getting all of the dimensions and callouts onto a drawing can quickly turn into a cluttered mess of confusing numbers and symbols. This is where Hole Tables come in handy. Inserting a Hole Table in SOLIDWORKS will organize all this information automatically, in a clean table-based format that is easy to read and understand.