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FeatureWorks is an integrated geometry recognition module that allows for files imported to SOLIDWORKS from other CAD systems (Inventor, Pro/Engineer, CATIA, etc.) to be given a rudimentary feature history where they otherwise would be left simply as an “imported” body. This also has applications when attempting to collaborate with other SOLIDWORKS users who operate on previous versions of SOLIDWORKS where newer version files are not able to be opened and edited within the past version of SOLIDWORKS.

In this SOLIDWORKS FAQ, we answer ten questions about SOLIDWORKS sweeps. Question: How can I improve the quality in the Sweep Cut feature with a solid body as a tool? Answer: The result is influenced by geometries, continuity, and their complexity. Create an Extrude solid as a Tool Body, it is better than a Revolved solid.

SOLIDWORKS is distributed under both commercial and educational licenses. Commercial are unlimited use licenses for use by companies and individuals in for-profit ventures. Educational licenses are limited use licenses available to academic institutions to facilitate engineering learning and cannot be used in for-profit ventures.

This article is a high-level look at considerations and recommendations for the well versed MAC user that wants to install SOLIDWORKS. Disclaimer: Dassault Systemes and SOLIDWORKS do not officially support installing SOLIDWORKS on MAC hardware.

SOLIDWORKS activation licensing can be described as a library-type system. Each license is represented by a book, each computer is representative of a person, and the library itself is represented as the centralized SOLIDWORKS Activation Server. In the same way that a book needs to be checked back into the library before being checked out by another person, the SOLIDWORKS activation license needs to be checked back into the SOLIDWORKS Activation Server before being checked out to a new computer.

The license scheme was changed starting with version 2010 so that, moving forward, the license software itself syncs with the SolidWorks Activation Server to directly check out the license pool for the floating network license. With this in mind, all that is needed is an installation disc (or downloaded data set) and the SolidWorks floating network serial number.

SOLIDWORKS provides a great file management tool for SOLIDWORKS files called SOLIDWORKS Explorer. One can use SOLIDWORKS Explorer to copy, rename, replace and move SOLIDWORKS parts, assemblies, and drawings while maintaining file references.

SOLIDWORKS Drawing templates contain all the document specific information that is found in the Tools > Options > Document Properties dialog (i.e. units, standard, fonts, arrow sizes, etc.). SOLIDWORKS Sheet formats contain the Title block information as well as the information from the Sheet Properties dialog.