GoEngineer Blog

The SOLIDWORKS 'Move/Copy Body' command is an efficient way to get a model reoriented properly for a variety of downstream uses. When working with imported STEP, IGES, or Parasolid imported geometry, there might be a need to reorient the model. Unlike a native SOLIDWORKS model, your choices for modifying the orientation of the imported model are limited.

The Bill of Materials (BOM) will not directly associate a specific component feature dimension to a BOM cell. However, when we associate a Custom Property to a dimension, we can use that in the BOM. For reference, I have a simple assembly with a base block, three dowel pins, and three sliders. Each of the sliders has the same physical length, but we want to have the slot length for each slider displayed in the BOM.

Have you needed to find a certain function while working on a SOLIDWORKS model but couldn't remember its location? Save time by finding the function's location in the search bar. The search bar is located on the top left of the interface. If you do not see the search option, select the drop-down next to the magnifying glass and select from there.

Have you ever wanted to use a font in SOLIDWORKS that isn't appearing in the font list? Or have you received a file from an outside source but get this warning when opening the file? Installing the font you want or that is used in a particular file is a fairly simple process. This article will go over tips for how to install and troubleshoot fonts in SOLIDWORKS.

Virtual components are fully functional with one exception: you can’t make a drawing from them. To create a drawing of a component, it must be a real part, meaning it needs to have a physical file condition on the network/drive. Virtual components reside in the assembly file itself and don’t physically exist. Other than this, there are no restrictions! Here are a couple of examples in which I have used virtual components.

The SOLIDWORKS Property Tab Builder is a stand-alone utility to create a customized interface for adding properties to SOLIDWORKS Parts, Drawings, and Assemblies. From the Start menu find the SOLIDWORKS menu item (Traditionally “SOLIDWORKS ‘Version Number’, for this exercise I have “SOLIDWORKS 2014”. Then locate the sub-menu “SOLIDWORKS Tools”, there you will find the Property Tab Builder application.

As a SOLIDWORKS instructor, I am often asked, “Can I show cut list item information in an assembly BOM?” The answer is yes, but with a little work. Weldments and multi-body sheet metal parts utilize a cut list to call out individual component material and other pertinent information. Here is an assembly that contains a welded table and purchased components that are mounted before shipping.

If you have ever created custom annotations by changing various properties in the Property Manager and would like to quickly reuse those again, SOLIDWORKS allows us to save these as Styles. In this article, we will review the steps to save Styles for reuse on any document. In the example below, I have an all-around 1/8th inch weld symbol with TYP (typical) in the tail. I would like to use this weld symbol in my drawing multiple times without having to fill out the property manager again.

Did you just create a Hole Wizard feature in your SOLIDWORKS part and still aren’t seeing the cosmetic threads? Or are you seeing the cosmetic thread in the part/assembly level but not in the drawing? This article covers all the possibilities of why you might encounter missing cosmetic threads in SOLIDWORKS, why they're hidden, and how to fix them.