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Each year SOLIDWORKS maintains the included software guides and the majority of these guides are available online or from inside the software located under the Help pull-down menu. However, there is a little-known guide that is deep inside the installation folders that few users even know existed. This hidden guide can be extremely beneficial for new SOLIDWORKS PDM users who could use some reference material as they get started with PDM.
In SOLIDWORKS, a circular reference can occur when two or more assembly components share an external reference. For example, a rebuild of component1 requires the rebuilding of component2, but component2 then requires a rebuild of component1, and so on.
SOLIDWORKS can use API (Application Programming Interface), which is a COM programming interface for SOLIDWORKS software. API is used to access SOLIDWORKS files without opening them, automate redundant and time-consuming tasks, and create engineering applications that can run in and outside of SOLIDWORKS. To use this tool, you must have a Document Manager API Key.
Companies often have SOLIDWORKS installed and set up long before they implement PDM. This article walks through modifying your SOLIDWORKS installation to add PDM Client. To modify your SOLIDWORKS installation, open the Control panel, and navigate to Programs > Programs and features.
In 2026, Canadian manufacturers face tighter margins, higher quality expectations, and ongoing labour shortages, but also a rare opportunity. Quality inspection is becoming a competitive advantage, not just a compliance function, and recent changes to the SR&ED program mean advanced inspection and metrology investments may now qualify for significant government support. Manufacturers that modernize their inspection processes with digital workflows and 3D scanning will be better positioned to reduce risk, move faster, and protect their margins.
Personalizing your 3DEXPERIENCE tenant can make the environment feel more connected to your company and help users feel “at home” in the platform. Two of the quickest ways to do this are by updating or changing the Platform Name and the Organization Title. Here is how to customize both.
The SOLIDWORKS PDM error message "No database is connected to this view” occurs when a PDM user tries to access a vault view, but the software can’t locate the necessary vault information in the registry. This is often due to missing or corrupted information in the registry, which results in PDM being unable to access the database and prevents the vault view from opening.
Broaching is a unique machining process that involves removing material using a toothed tool called a broach and straight linear motion. Think of it as a specialized and efficient way to create precise shapes in a piece of metal or other material. This process is particularly useful for producing complex forms such as splines, keyways, or gears.
SOLIDWORKS users often need to customize their drawings to comply with company and industry standards, sometimes requiring different sheet formats for each drawing sheet. For example, a common practice is to include certain information on the first sheet only, which isn't needed on the others, such as the revision number or other custom properties. To do this, you need to create two sheet formats and specify which sheet format to use for the initial and subsequent sheets.