Learn SOLIDWORKS E-Book

Tayseer Almattar

• Herausgeber: Packt Publishing
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 466

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

SOLIDWORKS is the leading choice for 3D engineering and product design applications across industries such as aviation, automobile, and consumer product design. This book helps you to get up and running with SOLIDWORKS and understand each new concept and tool with the help of easy-to-follow exercises.
You'll begin with the basics, exploring the software interface and finding out how to work with drawing files. The book then guides you through topics such as sketching, building complex 3D models, generating dynamic and static assemblies, and generating 2D engineering drawings to prepare you to take on any design project. You'll also work with practical exercises to get hands-on experience with creating sketches, 3D part models, assemblies, and drawings. To reinforce your understanding of SOLIDWORKS, the book is supplemented by downloadable files that will help you to understand the concepts and exercises more easily. Finally, you'll also work on projects for 3D modeling objects inspired by everyday life.
By the end of this SOLIDWORKS book, you'll have gained the skills you need to create professional 3D mechanical models using SOLIDWORKS and be able to prepare effectively for the Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) and Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) exams.

Leseprobe

Learn SOLIDWORKS

Second Edition

Get up to speed with key concepts and tools to become an accomplished SOLIDWORKS Associate and Professional

Tayseer Sadiq J Almattar

BIRMINGHAM—MUMBAI

Learn SOLIDWORKS Second Edition

Copyright © 2022 Packt Publishing

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews.

Every effort has been made in the preparation of this book to ensure the accuracy of the information presented. However, the information contained in this book is sold without warranty, either express or implied. Neither the author, nor Packt Publishing or its dealers and distributors, will be held liable for any damages caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this book.

Packt Publishing has endeavored to provide trademark information about all of the companies and products mentioned in this book by the appropriate use of capitals. However, Packt Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Group Product Manager: Rohit Rajkumar

Business Development Executive: Chayan Majumdar

Senior Editor: Hayden Edwards

Content Development Editor: Aamir Ahmed

Technical Editor: Simran Udasi

Copy Editor: Safis Editing

Project Coordinator: Rashika BA

Proofreader: Safis Editing

Indexer: Subalakshi Govindhan

Production Designer: Alishon Mendonca

Marketing Coordinator: Elizabeth Varghese

First published: November 2019

Second edition: January 2022

Production reference: 2140222

Published by Packt Publishing Ltd.

Livery Place

35 Livery Street

Birmingham

B3 2PB, UK.

ISBN 978-1-80107-309-7

www.packt.com


To my parents and siblings for their unbounded love, support, and care…

– Tayseer Almattar

Contributors

About the author

Tayseer Almattar holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Design (MDes) degree in international design and business management. He is a believer in the power of design in enabling sustainable business innovation. He is also the founder of TforDesign.  

SOLIDWORKS is Tayseer's software choice in generating 3D designs. He has been a SOLIDWORKS user for over a decade and has published multiple related online learning programs attracting thousands of learners from across the globe. With this book, Tayseer has brought together his design and training experience to produce a unique and practical SOLIDWORKS learning experience in writing.

I want to thank the people who made this book possible, the amazing reviewers, and the Packt team.

About the reviewers

Deepak Gupta graduated in 2000 from Indo Swiss Training Centre (Chandigarh, India). With over 20 years of rich experience working in various industries, he has worked in different roles with different product lines. His main areas of experience and interest are design and manufacturing processes along with team and project management.

He is working as technical director at Vishnu Design Services, an engineering outsourcing service provider based in Chandigarh, India, offering a wide range of CAD design, drafting, and design automation engineering services. A certified SOLIDWORKS Expert, SOLIDWORKS Champion, and user for the last 15 years, he is passionate about working with SOLIDWORKS. Besides working for Vishnu Design Services, he enjoys writing his own blog, Boxer's SOLIDWORKS Blog, where he writes tips, tricks, and tutorials and provides news about SOLIDWORKS. In addition to that, he has participated in various SOLIDWORKS world conferences as a press member.

An important aspect of his life is family – his parents, his wife, his son, and other family members. He loves to travel and make friends.

I would like to thank my wife, Swati Gupta, for the love, kindness, and support she has shown during the past few weeks it has taken me to review this book. Furthermore, I would also like to thank my parents for their endless love and support. Last but not least, I would like to thank Packt Publishing and its team for choosing me as one of the reviewers of this book and helping me to complete the review of this book.

Mohsina Zafar holds a bachelor's degree in mechatronics and control engineering (UET Lahore, Pakistan) and is currently doing a master's with a focus on deep learning. Her journey with SOLIDWORKS started 6 years ago when she utilized the software as her main design tool for different projects. Today, she provides CAD design services and writes blogs related to the software. She also provides technical support to thousands of SOLIDWORKS students around the world.

Mohsina believes in learning at all ages and is keen to spread the knowledge she has attained. When not working, she loves to go for a walk and spend time with family.

I would like to thank my mother and my husband for their unwavering support and belief in me.

Table of Contents

Preface

Section 1 – Getting Started

Chapter 1: Introduction to SOLIDWORKS

Introducing SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS applications

Core mechanical design

Sample SOLIDWORKS 3D Models

Understanding parametric modelling

Exploring SOLIDWORKS certifications

Associate certifications

Professional certifications

Professional advanced certifications

Expert certifications

Summary

Questions

Further Reading

Chapter 2: Interface and Navigation

Technical requirements

Starting a new part, assembly, or drawing file

What are parts, assemblies, and drawings?

Opening a part, assembly, or drawing file

Main components of the SOLIDWORKS interface

The Command Bar

The Feature Manager Design Tree

The Canvas/Graphics Area

The Task Pane

The document's measurement system

Different measurement systems

Adjusting the document's measurement system

Summary

Questions

Section 2 – 2D Sketching

Chapter 3: SOLIDWORKS 2D Sketching Basics

Technical requirements

Introducing SOLIDWORKS sketching

The position of SOLIDWORKS sketches

Simple sketches versus complex sketches

Sketch planes

Getting started with SOLIDWORKS sketching

Getting into the sketching mode

Defining sketches

Geometrical relations

Sketching lines, rectangles, circles, arcs, and ellipses

The origin

Sketching lines

Sketching rectangles and squares

Sketching circles and arcs

Sketching ellipses and using construction lines

Fillets and chamfers

Under defined, fully defined, and over defined sketches

Under defined sketches

Fully defined sketches

Over defined sketches

Summary

Questions

Chapter 4: Special Sketching Commands

Technical requirements

Mirroring and offsetting sketches

Mirroring a sketch

Offsetting a sketch

Creating sketch patterns

Defining patterns

Linear sketch patterns

Circular sketch patterns

Trimming in SOLIDWORKS sketching

Understanding trimming

Using power trimming

Summary

Questions

Section 3 – Basic Mechanical Core Features – Associate Level

Chapter 5: Basic Primary One-Sketch Features

Technical requirements

Understanding features in SOLIDWORKS

Understanding SOLIDWORKS features and their role in 3D modeling

Simple models versus complex models

Sketching planes for features

Understanding and applying extruded boss and cut

What are extruded boss and extruded cut?

Applying extruded boss

Applying extruded cut and building on existing features

Modifying and deleting extruded boss and extruded cut

Understanding and applying fillets and chamfers

Understanding fillets and chamfers

Applying fillets

Applying chamfers

Modifying fillets and chamfers

Applying partial fillets and chamfers

Understanding and applying revolved boss and revolved cut

What are revolved boss and revolved cut?

Applying revolved boss

Applying revolved cut

Modifying revolved boss and revolved cut

Summary

Questions

Chapter 6: Basic Secondary Multi-Sketch Features

Technical requirements

Reference geometries – additional planes

Understanding planes, reference geometries, and why we need them

Defining planes in geometry

Defining a new plane in SOLIDWORKS

Understanding and applying swept boss and swept cut

What are swept boss and swept cut?

Applying swept boss

Applying swept cut

Modifying swept boss and swept cut

Understanding and applying lofted boss and lofted cut

What are lofted boss and lofted cut?

Applying lofted boss

Applying lofted cut

Modifying lofted boss and cut

Guide curves

Summary

Questions

Section 4 – Basic Evaluations and Assemblies – Associate Level

Chapter 7: Materials and Mass Properties

Technical requirements

Reference geometries – defining a new coordinate system

What is a reference coordinate system and why are new ones needed?

How to create a new coordinate system

Assigning materials and evaluating and overriding mass properties

Assigning materials to parts

Viewing the mass properties of parts

Overriding mass properties

Summary

Questions

Chapter 8: Standard Assembly Mates

Technical requirements

Opening assemblies and adding parts

Defining SOLIDWORKS assemblies

Starting a SOLIDWORKS assembly file and adding parts to it

Understanding mates

Understanding and applying non-value-oriented standard mates

Defining the non-value-oriented standard mates

Applying the coincident and perpendicular mates

Applying the parallel, tangent, concentric, and lock mates

Under defining, fully defining, and over defining an assembly

Viewing and adjusting active mates

Understanding and applying value-driven standard mates

Defining value-driven standard mates

Applying the distance and angle mates

Utilizing materials and mass properties for assemblies

Setting a new coordinate system for an assembly

Material edits in assemblies

Evaluating mass properties for assemblies

Summary

Questions

Section 5 – 2D Engineering Drawings Foundation

Chapter 9: Introduction to Engineering Drawings

Understanding engineering drawings

Interpreting engineering drawings

Interpreting lines

Interpreting views

Axonometric projections

Summary

Questions

Further Reading

Project 1: 3D-Modeling a Pair of Glasses

Technical requirements

Understanding the project

3D-modeling the individual parts

Creating the individual parts

Creating a mirrored part

Creating the assembly

Summary

Chapter 10: Basic SOLIDWORKS Drawing Layout and Annotations

Technical requirements

Opening a SOLIDWORKS drawing file

Exploring and Generating orthographic and isometric views

Selecting a model to plot

Generating orthographic and isometric views

Adjusting the drawing scale and the display

Communicating dimensions and design

Using the Smart Dimension tool

Centerlines, center marks, notes, and hole callout annotations

Utilizing the drawing sheet's information block

Editing the information block

Adding new information to the information block

Exporting the drawing as a PDF or image

Exporting a drawing as a PDF file

Exporting the drawing as an image

Summary

Questions

Chapter 11: Bill of Materials

Technical requirements

Understanding BOMs

Understanding a BOM

Generating a standard BOM

Inserting an assembly into a drawing sheet

Creating a standard BOM

Adjusting information in the BOMs

Adjusting listed information in the BOM

Sorting information in our BOMs

Adding new columns

Utilizing equations with BOMs

What are equations in SOLIDWORKS drawings?

Inputting equations in a table

Utilizing parts callouts

Manual Balloon command

Summary

Questions

Section 6 – Advanced Mechanical Core Features – Professional Level

Chapter 12: Advanced SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Core Features

Technical requirements

Understanding and applying the draft feature

What are drafts?

Applying drafts

Understanding and applying the shell feature

What is a shell?

Applying a shell

Understanding and utilizing the Hole Wizard

What is the Hole Wizard and why use it?

Utilizing the Hole Wizard

Understanding and applying features mirroring

What is mirroring for features?

Utilizing the Mirror command to mirror features

Understanding and applying the rib feature

Understanding ribs

Applying the Rib command

Understanding and utilizing multi-body parts

Defining multi-body parts and their advantages

Generating and dealing with a multi-body part

Separating different bodies into different parts

Understanding and applying linear, circular, and fill feature patterns

Understanding feature patterns

Applying a linear pattern

Applying a circular pattern

Applying a fill pattern

Summary

Questions

Chapter 13: Equations, Configurations, and Design Tables

Technical requirements

Understanding and applying equations in parts

Understanding equations

Applying equations in parts

Modifying dimensions with equations

Understanding and utilizing configurations

What are configurations?

Applying configurations

Understanding and utilizing design tables

What are design tables?

Setting up a design table

Editing a design table

Summary

Questions

Section 7 – Advanced Assemblies – Professional Level

Chapter 14: SOLIDWORKS Assemblies and Advanced Mates

Technical requirements

Understanding and using the profile center mate

Defining the profile center advanced mate

Applying the profile center mate

Understanding and using the width and symmetric mates

Defining the width advanced mate

Applying the width advanced mate

Defining the symmetric advanced mate

Applying the symmetric advanced mate

Understanding and using the distance range and angle range mates

Defining the distance range and angle range

Applying the distance range mate

Applying the angle range mate

Understanding and using the path mate and linear/linear coupler mates

Defining the path mate

Applying the path mate

Defining the linear/linear coupler

Applying the linear/linear coupler

Summary

Questions

Chapter 15: Advanced SOLIDWORKS Assemblies Competencies

Technical requirements

Understanding and utilizing the Interference Detection and Collision Detection tools

Interference Detection

Collision detection

Understanding and applying assembly features

Understanding assembly features

Applying assembly features

Understanding and utilizing configurations and design tables for assemblies

Using manual configurations

Design tables

Summary

Questions

Project 2: 3D-Modeling an RC Helicopter Model

Technical requirements

Understanding the project

3D-modeling the individual parts

Exploring the individual parts

Creating the assembly

Summary

Why subscribe?

Other Books You May Enjoy

Preface

SOLIDWORKS is one of the most used pieces of software for 3D engineering and product design applications. These applications cover areas such as aviation, automobiles, consumer product design, and more. This book takes a practical approach to mastering the software at a professional level. The book starts with the very basics, such as exploring the software interface and opening new files. However, step by step, it progresses through different topics, from sketching and building complex 3D models to generating dynamic and static assemblies. 

This book takes a hands-on approach when it comes to covering different tools in SOLIDWORKS. Whenever a new tool is introduced, we will go through a practical exercise of using it to create sketches, 3D part models, assemblies, or drawings. When required, we will provide you with supporting files that you can download to follow up on the concepts and exercises in your own time. In addition, it includes two comprehensive projects linking the different parts of the book together through practical applications. If you are a complete beginner in SOLIDWORKS, it will be best to follow the book from start to finish, like a story. However, you can also jump between chapters.

Who this book is for

This book targets individuals who would like to get started with SOLIDWORKS and feel comfortable using the software. They could be aspiring engineers, designers, makers, drafting technicians, or hobbyists. This book is also designed for individuals interested in becoming Certified SOLIDWORKS Associates (CSWAs) or Certified SOLIDWORKS Professionals (CSWPs). 

The book does not require a specific background to follow it, as it starts from the basics of what SOLIDWORKS is and how to use it. However, basic theoretical background knowledge of what 3D modeling is would be helpful.

What this book covers

Chapter 1, Introduction to SOLIDWORKS, covers what SOLIDWORKS is and the applications that utilize the software. It also explores the professional certifications that SOLIDWORKS offers. 

Chapter 2, Interface and Navigation, teaches you how to navigate around the SOLIDWORKS interface.  

Chapter 3, SOLIDWORKS 2D Sketching Basics, covers what sketching is in SOLIDWORKS. It also covers how you can sketch basic entities such as lines, circles, rectangles, arcs, and ellipses. 

Chapter 4, Special Sketching Commands, covers commands that enable us to sketch more efficiently. These include the mirror, offset, trip, and pattern commands. 

Chapter 5, Basic Primary One-Sketch Features, explores the most basic features used for generating 3D models from sketches. Each of these features requires you to have one sketch to apply it. The features include extruded boss and cut, revolved boss and cut, fillets, and chamfers. 

Chapter 6, Basic Secondary Multi-Sketch Features, explores another set of basic features that require more than one sketch to apply. They include swept boss and swept cut and lofted boss and lofted cut. It also explores reference geometries and how to generate new planes. 

Chapter 7, Materials and Mass Properties, explores structural materials for your 3D parts. It also teaches you how to calculate mass properties such as mass, volume, and the center of gravity. 

Chapter 8, Standard Assembly Mates, explores what assemblies are in SOLIDWORKS. You will learn how to generate simple assemblies using the standard mates: coincident, parallel, perpendicular, tangent, concentric, lock and set distance, and angle. 

Chapter 9, Introduction to Engineering Drawing, explores what engineering drawings are and how to interpret them according to commonly recognized international standards. 

Project 1, 3D - Modeling a Pair of Glasses, presents a comprehensive practical exercise linking the topics in chapters 2 to 9 to 3D model a pair of glasses.

Chapter 10, Basic SOLIDWORKS Drawing Layout and Annotations, teaches you how to generate basic engineering drawings using SOLIDWORKS drawing tools. 

Chapter 11, Bills of Materials, explores what bills of materials are and how to generate and adjust bills of materials with SOLIDWORKS drawing tools. 

Chapter 12, Advanced SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Core Features, covers the advanced features used to generate more complex 3D models. These include the draft feature, shell feature, Hole Wizard, feature mirroring, rib features, multi-body parts, and feature patterns. 

Chapter 13, Equations, Configurations, and Design Tables, explains applying equations to link different dimensions within the model. You will also learn how to utilize configurations and design tables to generate multiple variations of a single part within one SOLIDWORKS file. 

Chapter 14, SOLIDWORKS Assemblies and Advanced Mates, covers using advanced mates to generate more dynamic assemblies. These include the profile center, symmetric, width, distance and angle range, path, and linear/linear coupler mates. 

Chapter 15, Advanced SOLIDWORKS Assemblies Competencies, explores additional assembly features to better evaluate and generate more sound and flexible assemblies. These include the interference and collision detection tools, assembly features, configurations, and design tables for assemblies. 

Project 2, 3D - Modeling an RC Helicopter, presents a comprehensive practical exercise covering topics from across the book to 3D model a remote-control helicopter.

To get the most out of this book

You will need to have access to the SOLIDWORKS software for most of the chapters. Some chapters will also require you to have access to Microsoft Excel on the same machine.

You should practically follow all the steps and examples in this book in SOLIDWORKS as you are reading the book. This is because the book was designed to give you hands-on practical experience. 

You require no previous knowledge or skills to follow this book. However, having a basic, theoretical understanding of what 3D modeling is would be helpful. 

Download the example code files

You can download the example code files for this book from GitHub at https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Learn-SOLIDWORKS-Second-Edition. If there's an update to the code, it will be updated in the GitHub repository.

We also have other code bundles from our rich catalog of books and videos available at https://github.com/PacktPublishing/. Check them out!

Code in Action

The Code in Action videos for this book can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3IUs7eO.

Download the color images

We also provide a PDF file that has color images of the screenshots and diagrams used in this book. You can download it here: https://static.packt-cdn.com/downloads/9781801073097_Colorimages.pdf.

Conventions used

There are a number of text conventions used throughout this book.

Code in text: Indicates code words in text, database table names, folder names, filenames, file extensions, pathnames, dummy URLs, user input, and Twitter handles. Here is an example: "To recall the part configurations, we can use the title format $configuration@partName<instance>."

Bold: Indicates a new term, an important word, or words that you see onscreen. For instance, words in menus or dialog boxes appear in bold. Here is an example: "Once we have the parts at the colliding position, we can use the Smart Dimension command to get the exact collision angle or distance measurements."

Tips or important notes

Appear like this.

Get in touch

Feedback from our readers is always welcome.

General feedback: If you have questions about any aspect of this book, email us at [email protected] and mention the book title in the subject of your message.

Errata: Although we have taken every care to ensure the accuracy of our content, mistakes do happen. If you have found a mistake in this book, we would be grateful if you would report this to us. Please visit www.packtpub.com/support/errata and fill in the form.

Piracy: If you come across any illegal copies of our works in any form on the internet, we would be grateful if you would provide us with the location address or website name. Please contact us at [email protected] with a link to the material.

If you are interested in becoming an author: If there is a topic that you have expertise in and you are interested in either writing or contributing to a book, please visit authors.packtpub.com.

Share Your Thoughts

Once you've read Learn SOLIDWORKS Second Edition, we'd love to hear your thoughts! Please click here to go straight to the Amazon review page for this book and share your feedback.

Your review is important to us and the tech community and will help us make sure we're delivering excellent quality content.

Section 1 – Getting Started

This section introduces you to all the foundations and background you will need to start your SOLIDWORKS journey. This includes the foundation of parametric modeling, what SOLIDWORKS and its certifications are, and how to navigate around the SOLIDWORKS interface.

This section comprises the following chapters:

Chapter 1, Introduction to SOLIDWORKSChapter 2, Interface and Navigation

Chapter 1: Introduction to SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS is a Three-Dimensional (3D) design application. This is a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software that runs on Windows computer systems. It was launched in 1995 and has grown to be one of the most common pieces of software used globally regarding engineering design.

This book covers the fundamental skills for using SOLIDWORKS. It will take you from knowing nothing about the software to acquiring all the basic skills expected of a Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP). En route, we will also cover all the skills needed for the more basic Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) level. In addition to knowing what the tools are, you will also need to develop software fluency, which you will gain gradually as you practice using the software for different applications. Both the tools and the fluency are essential to acquiring any official SOLIDWORKS certifications. If you are new to SOLIDWORKS, we recommend that you follow the book like a story, from Chapter 1, Introduction to SOLIDWORKS, onward. If you are already familiar with SOLIDWORKS, feel free to jump between chapters.

This chapter will provide you with a brief introduction to what SOLIDWORKS is and the fields it can support. Equipped with this knowledge, we will learn about all the features and capabilities of SOLIDWORKS and will have a clearer idea of what types of certifications or fields you can strive for. Learning about applicable certifications will enable you to plan your personal SOLIDWORKS development.

The chapter will also explain the governing principle with which SOLIDWORKS functions: parametric modeling. Equipped with a knowledge of SOLIDWORKS' operating principles, we will be able to deepen our understanding of how the software works and what to expect from it. Understanding the software's operating principles will help us manage the different software commands that are used when building 3D models.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

Introducing SOLIDWORKS Understanding parametric modelingExploring SOLIDWORKS certifications

Introducing SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS is a 3D design software that's officially capitalized to SOLIDWORKS. It is one of the leading pieces of engineering 3D design software globally. Today, more than 2 million organizations use SOLIDWORKS to bring in products and innovations, which represent a large proportion of over 6 million SOLIDWORKS users in total. In this section, we will explore the different applications that SOLIDWORKS supports.

SOLIDWORKS applications

SOLIDWORKS mainly targets engineers and product designers. It is used in a variety of applications and industries. Some of these industries are as follows:

Consumer products Aerospace constructionHigh-tech electronics MedicineOil and gas Packaging Machinery Engineering services Furniture design EnergyAutomobiles

Each of these industries utilizes SOLIDWORKS for its design applications to some extent. Within SOLIDWORKS, several disciplines correspond to different design and analysis approaches. They are as follows:

Core mechanical designTwo-dimensional (2D) drawingsSurface designSheet metalSustainability Motion analysis Weldments Simulations Mold making Electrical

Even though the preceding list highlights some possible domains where SOLIDWORKS can be applied, it is not necessary for a single individual to master them all. However, they do demonstrate the capabilities enabled by the software and the fields it can serve. This book will focus on addressing applications within the core mechanical design disciplines. These disciplines will cover the most common usage scenarios for SOLIDWORKS.

Core mechanical design

Core mechanical design skills are the most commonly used foundational design application for SOLIDWORKS users. This includes the fundamental 3D modeling features that are essential for modeling mechanical components; this book will focus on this type of design application. Mastering this will enable you, as a learner, to draft complex parts and assemblies. These can include engines, furniture, and everyday consumer products such as phones and laptops.

We will cover all the knowledge and skills needed to achieve the two major SOLIDWORKS certifications under the core mechanical design discipline. These are the Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) and Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) levels. Also, mastering core mechanical design concepts can be considered as a prerequisite to learning most other specialized modeling disciplines, such as sheet metal and mold making. Because of that, we will only cover a common foundation for mechanical core design in this book. Later in this chapter, we will discuss all the certifications and levels in more detail in the Exploring SOLIDWORKS Certifications section.

Now that we know what SOLIDWORKS is and the different applications and disciplines it covers, we will cover the principle under which the software operates: parametric modeling.

Sample SOLIDWORKS 3D Models

As SOLIDWORKS caters to a variety of fields, it is possible to create 3D models with varying complexity using the software. Here, you can find samples of 3D models from different fields that have been made using SOLIDWORKS:

Figure 1.1 – A 3D Model of "Gallon." Image courtesy of TforDesign

Figure 1.2 – Gears assembly for a pump. Image courtesy of TforDesign

Figure 1.3 – A turbine rotor. Image courtesy of TforDesign

Figure 1.4 – Geometric bookshelf design. Image courtesy of TforDesign

Figure 1.5 – A mechanical seal. Image courtesy of TforDesign

These models are selections from different fields that can show the flexibility and the range of possible applications. In reality, SOLIDWORKS is a tool, and it will remain up to you as to what you will use it for.

Understanding parametric modelling

Parametric modeling is the core principle that SOLIDWORKS operates on. It governs how SOLIDWORKS constructs 3D models and how a user should think when dealing with SOLIDWORKS.

In parametric modeling, the model is created based on relationships and a set of logical arrangements that are set by the designer or draftsman. In the SOLIDWORKS software environment, they are represented by dimensions, geometric relationships, and features that link different parts of a model to each other. Each of these logical features is called a parameter.

For example, a simple cube with a side length of 1 mm would contain the following parameters:

Four lines in one plane with the following relationships listed and noted in the following diagram in writing:All two-line endpoints are merged at the same point. This is presented with the merged parameter in the following diagram.Two opposite angles are right angles (90 degrees). Two adjacent lines are equal to each other in length. The length of one line is 1 mm, as follows:

Figure 1.6 – Four lines in one plane

A Vertical Extrusion that is perpendicular to the square defined in the first set of parameters. This extrusion is by an amount equal to the length of the square's side (1 mm). This vertical extrusion will result in the shape shown in the following diagram:

Figure 1.7 – Extruding four base lines upward to make a cube

The parameters listed here show how software such as SOLIDWORKS interprets and constructs 3D models. Another term that is commonly used to refer to those parameters is design intent. The user of the software should specify all those parameters to create a cube or any other 3D model. Creating 3D models based on parameters/design settings has many notable advantages. One major advantage is the ease of applying design updates. Let's go back to our cube to see how this works.

Notice that in the preceding cube, we have specified the length of only one side in the base square; the other specifications are all relationships that fix and highlight the fact that the model is a cube (equal, parallel, and perpendicular sides). Those parameters make all the parts of our cube inter-connected based on what we decide is important. Thus, updating the length of the side of the cube will not sabotage the cube's structure. Rather, the whole cube will be updated while keeping the parameters intact.

To clarify this, we can revisit the cube we just made to update it. In the same model, let's change the dimension we identified earlier from 1 mm to 5 mm:

Figure 1.8 – Adjusting the elements in a parametric design propagated to the different parts

With that single step, the cube is fully modified, with all the sides changing to 5 mm in length. Again, this is because our cube parameters must have equal perpendicular and parallel sides. Given that we have defined our intended parameters/design settings for the software, all of those will be retained, resulting in the whole cube model being updated with one single adjustment.

This can be contrasted with pure direct modeling methods. In pure direct modeling, the user creates the cube more abstractly by drawing each line separately and constructing a cube of a certain size. Even though creating the initial cube might be faster, updating it would require updating all of the elements separately as they don't relate to each other with any intent or logical features. This would result in considerably more time and effort being invested in creating variations, which is an essential requirement for industrial applications.

Other advantages of parametric modeling are as follows:

The ease of modifying and adjusting models throughout the design and production cycles.The ease of creating families of parts that have similar parameters.The ease of communicating the design to manufacturing establishments for manufacturing.

All the advantages of parametric modeling make it a popular modeling method for technical applications relating to engineering or product design. On the other hand, direct modeling can perform better in more abstract applications, such as modeling more artistic objects used in gaming or architecture. Understanding parametric modeling will enable us to use the software more easily as we are aware of its limitations, as well as how the software interprets the commands we apply. As we go through this book, we will expand our understanding of parametric modeling as we tackle more advanced functions, such as design tables and other features.

Now that we know more about SOLIDWORKS and parametric modeling, we will discuss the certifications offered by SOLIDWORKS.

Exploring SOLIDWORKS certifications

SOLIDWORKS provides certifications that cover different aspects of its functionality. As a user, you don't need to gain any of those certifications to use the software; however, they can prove your SOLIDWORKS skills. SOLIDWORKS certifications are a good way of showing employers or clients that you have mastery over a certain aspect of the software that would be required for a specific project.

Certifications can be classified under four levels: associate, professional, professional advanced, and expert. Associate certifications represent the entry level, expert certifications represent the highest level, and professional and professional advanced represent the middle levels, respectively. The following subsections list the certification levels provided by SOLIDWORKS. Note that SOLIDWORKS adds or removes certifications over time.

You can check the SOLIDWORKS certification program for more information. You can find the link to the program in the Further Reading section.

Associate certifications

Associate certifications are the most basic ones offered by SOLIDWORKS. Some of those certifications require hands-on testing, while others require the student to have theoretical knowledge related to the certification topic. Brief details pertaining to each certification are as follows:

CSWA: This is the most popular SOLIDWORKS certification. It covers the basic modeling principles involved in using the software. This certification allows the user to prove their familiarity with the basic 3D modeling environment in SOLIDWORKS. It touches on creating parts, assemblies, and drawings. The test for this certification is hands-on, so the student will need to have SOLIDWORKS installed before attempting the test.Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate – Electrical (CSWA-E): This covers the general basics of electrical theory, as well as aspects of the electrical functionality of SOLIDWORKS. This certification test does not involve practical work, so the student will not need to have SOLIDWORKS installed.Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate – Sustainability (CSWA-Sustainability): This covers theoretical principles of product-sustainable design, such as cradle to cradle. To take this certification, SOLIDWORKS software is not required.Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate – Simulation (CSWA-Simulation): This covers basic simulation principles based on the Finite Elements Method (FEM). This mainly includes stress analysis and the effect of different materials and forces on solid bodies. This is a hands-on test, so the student is required to have SOLIDWORKS installed.Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate – Additive Manufacturing (CSWA-AM): This is one of the newer certifications offered by SOLIDWORKS, due to the emergence of the common use of additive manufacturing methods such as 3D printing. This certification covers basic knowledge regarding the 3D printing market. This is not a hands-on test, so the student does not need to have the SOLIDWORKS software installed.

Professional certifications

Professional certifications demonstrate a higher mastery of SOLIDWORKS functions beyond the basic knowledge of the certified associate. All the certifications in this category involve hands-on demonstrations. Thus, the student is required to have access to SOLIDWORKS before attempting any of the tests. Brief details pertaining to each certification are as follows:

CSWP: This level is a direct sequence of the CSWA level. It demonstrates the user's mastery over advanced SOLIDWORKS 3D modeling functions. This level upgrade focuses more on modeling more complex parts and assemblies.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional – Model-Based Definition (CSWP- MBD): MBD is one of the newer SOLIDWORKS functionalities. This certification demonstrates the user's mastery of MBD functions, which enable the communication of models in a 3D environment rather than in a 2D drawing.Certified PDM Professional Administrator (CPPA): PDM stands for Product Data Management. This certification focuses on managing projects with a wide variety of files and configurations. Also, it facilitates collaboration in teams working on the same design project.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional – Simulation (CSWP-Simulation): This is an advanced sequence of the CSWA-Simulation certificate. It demonstrates a more advanced mastery of the simulation tools provided by SOLIDWORKS, as well as the ability to evaluate and interpret more diverse simulation scenarios.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional – Flow Simulation (CSWP-Flow): This is another advanced sequence of the CSWA-Simulation certificate. However, it focuses on the ability to set up and run different fluid flow simulation scenarios. Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional API (CSWP-API): API stands for application programming interface. This certificate addresses the user's skill in programming and automating functions within the SOLIDWORKS software. Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional CAM (CSWP-CAM): CAM stands for computer-aided manufacturing. SOLIDWORKS provides a suite of CAM tools that can facilitate the manufacturing of parts by enabling the user to simulate and plan different manufacturing processes. The CSWP-CAM certificate assesses your ability to use those tools in SOLIDWORKS.

Professional advanced certifications

Professional advanced certifications address very specific functions within SOLIDWORKS. Often, these certifications apply to more specific industries compared to the CSWP certificate. All these certificates are advanced specializations of the CSWP certificate.

The advanced certificates offered by SOLIDWORKS are as follows:

Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Advanced – Sheet Metal (CSWPA-SM): This focuses on applications related to sheet metal. This includes bending sheet metal into different shapes, as well as conducting different related analyses.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Advanced – Weldments (CSWPA-WD): This focuses on applications related to welding. This includes welding both sheet metals and different formations such as frames.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Advanced – Surfacing (CSWPA-SU): This focuses on modeling surfaces of irregular shapes, such as car bodies and computer mice.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Advanced – Mold Making (CSWPA- MM): This focuses on making molds for productions. This includes molds for both metal and plastic parts.Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Advanced – Advanced Drawing Tools (CSWPA-ADT): This focuses more on generating 2D engineering drawings to help communicate models to different parties. These can include internal quality teams or external manufacturers.

Expert certifications

Expert certifications are the highest level of certification offered by SOLIDWORKS. Obtaining an expert certificate indicates your mastery of a large array of functions in the software. Also, expert certificates are the only ones with required prerequisites. Two expert certificates are offered, as follows:

Certified SOLIDWORKS Expert (CSWE): This demonstrates mastery over all SOLIDWORKS modeling and design functions. To qualify for this exam, the user must have the CSWP certificate, in addition to four CSWPA certificates.Certified SOLIDWORKS Expert in Simulation (CSWE-S): This demonstrates mastery over all the areas of the SOLIDWORKS Simulation software. To qualify for this exam, the user must have the CSWP, CSWA – Simulations, and CSWP – Simulations certificates.

A SOLIDWORKS user doesn't need to obtain all these certifications. It is rare to find one person with all these certificates. This is because each certification level can address very different needs and serve different industries and/or positions. Also, some certification levels are more in demand than others as they are more essential and, hence, used in more industries. Sequentially, the certifications can be viewed as follows:

Figure 1.9 – A map of the different SOLIDWORKS certifications

This book covers the two most essential, sequential certification levels: Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) and Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP). These two certifications cover the common usage scenarios within SOLIDWORKS.

Summary

In this chapter, we learned about what SOLIDWORKS is, how parametric modeling works, and the different certifications offered by SOLIDWORKS. This will help us set our expectations and create our future development roadmap concerning SOLIDWORKS. It will also help us to understand the capabilities of the software and its vast scope.

In the next chapter, we will cover the SOLIDWORKS interface and its navigation. This will enable us to navigate the software and identify the different components that exist in its interface.

Questions

Answer the following questions to test your knowledge of this chapter:

What is SOLIDWORKS?Name some industries that utilize SOLIDWORKS.How is parametric modeling defined?What are the major advantages of parametric modeling?What is the difference between parametric modeling and direct modeling?What are the SOLIDWORKS certifications and why are they important?What are the main categories of certification levels offered by SOLIDWORKS?

Important Note

The answers to the preceding questions can be found at the end of this book.

Further Reading

More information about the certifications offered by SOLIDWORKS can be found here: https://www.solidworks.com/solidworks-certification-program.

Chapter 2: Interface and Navigation

In this chapter, we will look at SOLIDWORKS and its software interface, as well as its main components. In addition, we will cover how to navigate through the software interface so that you will be able to easily find your way around the software in the upcoming chapters. We will also talk about the document's measurement system in terms of the different standard units it uses globally, such as feet, inches, centimeters, and millimeters for measurements of length. Interacting and setting up an interface with the software and setting up our measurement system will be the first two actions we will perform in any new project.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

Starting a new part, assembly, or drawing fileMain components of the SOLIDWORKS interface The document's measurement system

Technical requirements

In this chapter, you will need to have access to SOLIDWORKS.

The project files for this chapter can be found in this book's GitHub repository: https://github.com/PacktPublishing/Learn-SOLIDWORKS-Second-Edition/tree/main/Chapter02.

Check out the following video to see the code in action: https://bit.ly/3EVROJv

Starting a new part, assembly, or drawing file

This section addresses the three types of SOLIDWORKS files: parts, assemblies, and drawings. Here, we'll briefly cover what each file is for and how we can use each of them; however, more about each type of file will be covered throughout this book.

What are parts, assemblies, and drawings?

As we just mentioned, SOLIDWORKS files fall into three distinctive categories: parts, assemblies, and drawings. Each file type corresponds to a certain deliverable when we're making a product. By deliverable, we mean whether we need to deliver a three-dimensional (3D) part file, a 3D assembly file, or a two-dimensional (2D) engineering drawing. To illustrate these three file types, let's break down the simple cylindrical box shown in the following diagram:

Figure 2.1 – A cylindrical box assembly consisting of two parts

We can induce three distinctive categories from the preceding cylindrical box diagram: parts, assemblies, and drawings. Let's take a look at each of these here:

Parts: Parts are the smallest elements that make up an artifact. They are the first step in building any product in SOLIDWORKS. Since SOLIDWORKS is used to create 3D software, all of its parts are 3D. Also, each part can be assigned to one type of material. Our cylindrical box contains two parts: a main cylindrical container and a cap, as shown in the following diagram:

Figure 2.2 – Separating the parts comprising the cylindrical box assembly

After creating the two parts separately in two different part files, they can be put together into an assembly file.

Assemblies: SOLIDWORKS assemblies are where you will be able to join more than one part together to make an assembly. Most of the artifacts we use in our everyday life contain more than one part, linked together. Some examples include cars, phones, water bottles, tables, and more. In our cylindrical box example, the assembly will look like this:

Figure 2.3 – A closed cylindrical box assembly

The main purpose of SOLIDWORKS assemblies is to check how different parts—which are often created separately—interact with each other. This will help us evaluate whether or not the parts fit together correctly. It also helps the design and engineering teams evaluate the look of the product as a whole. In addition, through SOLIDWORKS assemblies, we can simulate the movements of mechanical products.

Drawings: SOLIDWORKS drawings allow you to create 2D engineering drawings out of your parts or assemblies. Engineering drawings are the most common way to communicate designs on paper. They often show dimensions, tolerances, materials, costs, parts identifiers (IDs), and so on. Engineering drawings are often required when designs need to be reviewed by certain parties. Also, they are often required if you wish to talk about your designs with clients or manufacturing/prototyping establishments. For our cylindrical box, an engineering drawing might look like this:

Figure 2.4 – A 2D engineering drawing communicating the design of the cylindrical box

All three types of files—parts, assemblies, and drawings—are essential to SOLIDWORKS users. This is because they are all necessary for the creation of products.

Now that we understand what parts, assemblies, and drawings are, let's look at how we can open them in SOLIDWORKS.

Opening a part, assembly, or drawing file

Now that we know the difference between parts, assemblies, and drawings, we will explore how to start each type of file. Once you open SOLIDWORKS 2022, a Welcomewindow will appear, along with some shortcuts. One of those options is starting a new Part, Assembly, or Drawing file. These options are highlighted in the following screenshot. Once you click on any of these options, that type of file will be opened:

Figure 2.5 – Default Welcome window once SOLIDWORKS is launched

If the Welcome message does not appear, there is another way to open a new file, as follows:

Click on File in the top-left corner of SOLIDWORKS.Select New..., as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.6 – Opening a new file in SOLIDWORKS

After selecting New..., you will be able to pick one of the three options—that is, to either start a new Part, Assembly, or Drawing file, as shown in the following screenshot. You can select the type of file you want to work with and click OK. Alternatively, you can double-click on the file type you would like to start with.

Figure 2.7 – The different options for a new SOLIDWORKS document

In this book, first, we will focus on creating parts, then assemblies, and—finally—drawings. Being able to distinguish between the different types of files is very important as everything we do afterward will be built on top of the file type we choose. Now that we understand how to open parts, assemblies, and drawings in SOLIDWORKS, let's look at how to use the software's interface further.

Main components of the SOLIDWORKS interface

In this section, we will discuss the main components of the SOLIDWORKS interface. These main components are the Command Bar, the Task Pane, the Canvas/Graphics Area, and the FeatureManager Design Tree.

Being familiar with these components is essential if we wish to use the software to a good extent. For a practical follow-up, you can download the SOLIDWORKS part linked with this chapter, which will be used to explain the main components of the SOLIDWORKS interface.

In this chapter, we will be focusing on the interface that's used when we need to deal with parts, instead of assemblies and drawings. However, the main components of the interface are the same when we deal with each file type.

When opening a part in SOLIDWORKS, regardless of whether it is new or existing, you will be faced with the view shown in the following screenshot. We will cover the four main categories of this screen: the Command Bar, the FeatureManager Design Tree, the Task Pane, and the Canvas/Graphics Area. These are the main sections of SOLIDWORKS that we'll be interacting with and referring to throughout this book.

Figure 2.8 – A breakdown of the SOLIDWORKS interface

We will look at the Command Bar, the FeatureManager Design Tree, the Canvas/Graphics Area, and the Task Pane in more detail in the following sections.

The Command Bar

The Command Bar is located at the top of the screen. It contains all the SOLIDWORKS commands that are used for building models. It contains different categories of commands, and each category contains a set of different commands. A close-up of the Command Bar is shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.9 – A breakdown of the Command Bar

Different categories (tabs) of commands correspond to different functions. For example, in the Sketch category/tab, you will find all the commands that we will need in the sketching phase. In the Features category/tab, you will find all the commands that we will need in order to go from the sketching phase and start creating a 3D model. The categories that are shown in the preceding screenshot are not the only ones SOLIDWORKS provides, but they are the most common ones we will use. To show the hidden Commands categories, we can do the following:

Right-click on any of the Commands categories, and then expand the Tabs menu. You will get the view shown in Figure 2.9, which contains more Commands categories, such as Surfaces, Weldments, and Mold Tools.Select the categories you want to be shown. By doing this, these categories will be added to the Command Bar, as illustrated in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.10 – List of command categories that can be added to the Command Bar

This concludes our overview of the Command Bar, which contains the different commands we will use as we build 3D models. Now, we will look at the FeatureManager Design Tree.

The Feature Manager Design Tree

The FeatureManager Design Tree details everything that goes into creating your parts. The following screenshot shows the FeatureManager Design Tree for the part we explored in this chapter. We can simplify the FeatureManager Design Tree by splitting it into four parts, as illustrated in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.11 – A breakdown of the FeatureManager Design Tree

The four parts of the FeatureManager Design Tree are listed here:

Commands/Features: These are the commands that are used to build the model. This includes sketches, features, and any other supporting commands that were added during the modeling phase (since we are building a 3D model). In the preceding screenshot, two features were used to create the model, as indicated by Commands. The first is Boss-Extrude1 and the second is Cut-Extrude1. Note that these commands are listed in the order of when they were applied.Default Reference Geometries: The SOLIDWORKS canvas can be understood as endless space. These Default Reference Geometries are what can fix our model to a specific point or plane. Without these, our model will be floating in an endless space without any fixtures. Throughout this book, we will start our models from these default references. There are three planes (Front Plane, Right Plane, and Top Plane), in addition to the origin.Materials: Realistically, all of the artifacts we have around us are made of a certain material. Some examples of materials include plastic, iron, steel, and rubber. SOLIDWORKS allows us to assign which structural material the part will be made of. In the preceding screenshot, the Material feature is classed as <not specified>.Others: This section includes other aspects of our model's creation, such as History, Sensors, Annotations, and Solid Bodies. We will explore them later in this book.

Note

Through the book, we will use the term design tree as a shortcut to FeatureManager Design Tree.

The design tree helps us to easily identify how the model was built and in which sequence. This makes it easier for us to modify existing models. Now, let's look at the canvas.

The Canvas/Graphics Area

The canvas provides a visual representation of the model we have at hand. It contains three main components, as illustrated in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.12 – A breakdown of the Canvas/Graphics Area

Let's break down the components, as follows:

Coordinate System: This shows the orientation of the model in relation to the default coordinate system in terms of the x, y, and z axes. They are interactive and can be used to position the viewing angle of the model. By clicking on the various axes, you can arrive at that viewing orientation.The part's current status: This shows the current status of the part at work. This is updated with every construction command that's used to build the model.Additional viewing commands: These provide alternative views of the model, such as the wireframe view and section view. It also provides shortcuts that we can use to modify the scene, the appearance of the model, and hide/show various properties.

When controlling the model in the canvas, using a mouse with a scroll wheel is recommended due to the functionalities the scroll wheel has. Here are two ways the scroll helps model control:

When the cursor is within the canvas, rolling the scroll wheel will allow us to zoom in and out of the cursor's location.When the cursor is within the canvas, pressing on the scroll wheel and moving the mouse will rotate the model in a certain direction. For example, if we move the mouse to the right, the model will pivot to the right.

Note

We will use the term canvas throughout the book. However, many would use the term graphics area.

Now that we have covered the canvas, let's talk about the Task Pane.

The Task Pane

The Task Pane shows to the right of our interface by default. It contains shortcuts for the different tools we will be using in order to enhance the efficiency of our work. This includes access to common online resources and forums, as well as different tools, such as appearance adjustments and the View Palette (mainly for drawing files). In this book, however, we won't be using linked resources while making parts or assemblies. We will use the View Palette in Chapter 10, Basic SOLIDWORKS Drawing Layout and Annotations.

Now that we know about the major components of the SOLIDWORKS interface, we will learn how to adjust the measurement system of our open document.

The document's measurement system

Since SOLIDWORKS is an engineering software, all of the models are constructed in relation to user-provided (user-input) measurements. To facilitate communication, SOLIDWORKS uses standard systems that are currently used in the industry, including the International System of Units (SI), the imperial system, and variations of each.

Different measurement systems

When modeling with SOLIDWORKS, the user must take note of the measurement system that is set in the document. A measurement system is a set of common agreed-upon units that facilitate how we communicate quantities in terms of length, mass, volume, and so on. Some examples of such units are meters and inches, which are measurements of length.

These often correspond with internationally recognized systems such as the SI and the imperial system. The SI system is also commonly known as the metric system. Currently, it is used in most countries around the world. Another common system is the imperial system, which is mostly used in the United States (US).

The following table compares the major units that are used in the SI and imperial systems:

Figure 2.13 – A comparison between the imperial and SI unit systems

Before we start modeling anything in SOLIDWORKS, we must decide on which system to use. The unit system we use often depends on the standards that have been adopted by the organization we work for or by the requirements of our clients.

Adjusting the document's measurement system

Now that you have decided which system to use, you must set it up on the software. You can adjust the unit of measurement by following these steps:

Open a new part file.In the bottom-right corner, you will find the current/default measurement system in an abbreviated form. Click on the displayed measurement system, as shown in the following screenshot:

Figure 2.14 – The set and default options for unit systems

Choose from the default settings.

You can create your own measurement system by selecting Edit Document Units…. This will open the following window, where you can select custom options and customize and implement your own custom units:

Figure 2.15 – Customizing the unit system

Note that you can change the set units at any time during the modeling process. This will convert all the units that were already set in the file. For example, let's assume that the document's length measurement was set to IPS (inch, pound, second) and a line was drawn to measure 2 inches. If we change the measurement system later to MMGS (millimeter, grams, second), the length of the line will be automatically converted into 50.8 millimeters. This is because 1 inch is equal to 25.4 millimeters.

Note

The same procedure on adjusting the measurement system applies to the part, assembly, and drawing file types.

Knowing how to deal with measurement systems is essential, as our design aim will be to produce a tangible object for production or prototyping. If we don't follow the required settings from the start, our final 3D model may not have a tangible value.

Summary

In this chapter, we learned how to start the different types of SOLIDWORKS files—that is, parts, assemblies, and drawings. We also learned about the main components of the SOLIDWORKS interface, as well as the different measurement systems that are available and how to adjust them. These are the first steps we need to follow when we plan to use the software to make a project and its foundations.

In the next chapter, we will start working with SOLIDWORKS sketching. Sketching is foundational to building any 3D model.

Questions

The following questions will help to emphasize the main points we have learned in this chapter:

What are the three types of files a SOLIDWORKS user can create?