I cannot help but feel a little melancholy when I realize that I will not be meeting all the wonderful users of SOLIDWORKS again until next year. This year was the first year that 3DEXPERIENCE World returned to the “original” form with everything in person, and no virtual sessions. Except for a few sessions, like the keynotes (see them here), everything was in person.

In other words, you had to be there.

I was worried that this might make for a smaller event, but it still attracted more than 4,000 people. Hopefully, this number will increase in time. While the virtual version of the event has been great, and the hybrid version worked to ease back into the “new normal,” it is now a good time to return to past glory.

 (Photo: Lennart Tinndahl.)

Getting there

Before I go into my impression of the event, I want to say a few words on how I got there.

With CO₂ emissions coming under scrutiny, I tried a new approach this year: First I took a plane to Boston, and from there I took a train to Chicago and on to Dallas. This 44-hour train ride saved one ton of CO₂, the amount of CO₂ used to produce electricity for two standard houses for a year.

It also gave me a chance to write my “Tips from the Train.” During the ride I created ten “Tinndahl’s Transatlantic Tips” and video journals on the way.

While it was fun to do, this was significantly more expensive than a plane ride. But if you like adventure, I highly recommend it.

The general sessions

Once again, the charming Manish Kumar, Gian Paolo Bassi, Bernard Charlès and Suchit Jain guided us through the general sessions.

When Bassi enters the stage in an electric sports car, the crowd goes wild. You cannot help getting caught up in the moment. What an entrance!

(Image: screenshot from SOLIDWORKS Live.)

SOLIDWORKS CEO Manish Kumar said in the first general session, “In my simplistic view, SOLIDWORKS only has two flavors of today: we come with the platform or we come on the platform.”

(Image: screenshot from SOLIDWORKS Live.)

This means that you can use your SOLIDWORKS with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform no matter what version you have, standard or connected, and take advantage of the many possibilities. On the platform are the cloud-based possibilities that you have: xShape, xDesign etc., where you can use SOLIDWORKS in your browser.

You may fear that the “with the platform” is temporary but Kumar assured us that “both these flavors are here to stay,” and ended with “we are moving forward with SOLIDWORKS,” which, of course, earned him great applause as this has been a great concern for many users.

For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the first general session was a sneak peek at the work with AI. We already have AI in SOLIDWORKS to some extent; for instance, with the Selection helper. But more is on the way: Image to sketch, command prediction and automatic drawing creation.

(Image: screenshot from SOLIDWORKS Live.)

As far as I could tell, these AI initiatives are meant for the products on the platform, as this was what they showed pictures from, but we will see.

My personal favorite of the general sessions is the skits that show what is new in the upcoming version of SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE.

The tradition of introducing upcoming features goes back to 2005. It is much more fun than just listing the new features.

As always, it is clear that a lot has gone into the skit. This year’s skit was called “Splines Out,” a fun spoof of the movie “Knives Out,” featuring a mystery woven into the use of SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE, complete with a detective with a southern accent.

(Image: screenshot from SOLIDWORKS Live.)

All the actors—and actors they were, not SOLIDWORKS users or Dassault Systèmes employees—on stage were wonderful. They ensured that you as a user would be looking forward to the next release.
I will not dive into the different upcoming news, as I have not tested the new features yet, but I am most excited about these:

• Option to use the round tool on multiple bodies in the same command.
• Using rollup in assembly visualization to isolate components.
• Copy cutlist properties to all configurations.
• Reload drawings (something that has been only for parts and assemblies so far).
• The ability to assign colors in an assembly visualization.

These features are, of course, not final and can be removed at any point in the development process.

Previously when releasing a new version of SOLIDWORKS, all the features were added, and service packs were issued to fix errors not caught by the development team. But ever since SOLIDWORKS 2024, new enhancements will be added to the different service packs. For instance, in 2024 SP1 a new import filter was added that allowed you to select which part of the files you want imported.

Of course, during the last session, we were all excited to find out where next year’s event will be held. And here it is:

Next year’s 3DEXPERIENCE World will be in Houston, Texas, from February 24 to 26, 2025.

The breakout sessions

After the general sessions came a myriad of breakout sessions to select from. Over 300 sessions took place over three days. Each of them with some unique input on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, SOLIDWORKS, PDM, Simulation, MBD etc.

Many of the presenters were well-known faces in regard to 3DEXPERIENCE World, and once again they did not disappoint, delivering top-notch information presented with their own special twist.

You could be sure to find a session of interest. If you want some great tips and tricks, there was “Jazzy Tips and Tricks” with Betty Baker, John Matrishon and Joe Lance, or “Tank’s Top Tips and Tricks” with Brad ‘Tank’ Meador. If you wanted to know something about importing geometry, Danute Nikolova-Petrova finished off nicely with her “SOLIDWORKS Mastery: Importing and Proficiently Working with STL files,” a great tutorial on how to work with imported files.

For a complete overview of my preferred sessions, see this article. All sessions will be made available on the platform on March 4^th.

The Playground

The Playground, AKA the exhibit floor, is the best places to spend your time between sessions. Start with Model Mania and check out the latest trends in hardware and software. You will not be disappointed. Everywhere you go, there is something to do or see. You will have to go back to be sure that you didn’t miss anything.

The Playground seemed a bit smaller this year, no doubt a result of people still getting back to the “in-person” participation. I hope to see a lot more people there next year.

Final impressions

This 25^th anniversary was, to me, a great success and I have high hopes for the next 25 years.

For me, the mission is to meet with old friends and maybe even make a few new ones. Again, the event fulfilled my mission.

But of course, the work-related part of the event is also important. I gained a lot of new knowledge as well as connected with people who can help me in the future. All there is left to say is: Houston? Not a problem.

The annual event attracts SOLIDWORKS users from around the world.

Last year’s 3DEXPERIENCE World was a hybrid event, which had both virtual sessions as well as live sessions. The year before, 3DEXPERIENCE World 2022, was initially planned as a hybrid event but eventually became an all-virtual event because of COVID.

This year it seems as if Dassault Systèmes has returned to form, making it an all-in-person event, which means that none of the sessions will be broadcast live. However, they will be recorded and available on demand later.

But what should you see while there? In this article, I will share some of the sessions that I am looking forward to seeing at 3DEXPERIENCE World 2024.

Currently there are 365+ sessions to choose from, and it can be very overwhelming to know where to start. This is especially true if this is your first time attending.

Monday, February 12^th

Most of the sessions that I am looking forward to are on Monday, the first day.

The best way to kick off 3DEXPERIENCE World is in the company of Joe Lance. Joe will give his tips on how you can have a great experience at this event.

Joe is a well-known face in the community and if you need some help in any way, he is your go-to guy.

At the time of this writing, space was still available to see Andrew Bonica and Umar Ahmed’s hands-on session “Hands-On Experience Personalizing Your 3D Dashboard for Maximum Productivity”—but you had better move fast!

I have been fortunate enough to be on some of Andrew’s sessions. They are always worth the time.

After lunch, I really don’t have any options. I have my own session, “3DEXPERIENCE Made Simple.”

It is not about how you use the platform but a different take on the concepts of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

And while I would love to see as many people as possible, it is very hard to compete with Betty Baker, Joe Lance and John Matrishon, who have joined forces in what can only be a truly epic tips and tricks session. I’ll be sure to catch it in reruns.

Do not miss Kevin McCleery’s session “Off-Label Weldment” if you are working with weldments. Knowing Kevin, I’m sure you will learn a lot from his session.

After my own session, I am hopping over to sit in on Daniel Deoreo’s and Sarah Idemoto’s hands-on session “SOLIDWORKS Connected and xShape Interoperability,” as this subject is something that I am very interested in.

If you are not into the platform, my recommendation is to attend Alin Vargatu’s session “Healing Imported Geometry Errors - The Ultimate Guide 2024 Edition.” Alin is well known to EngineersRule.com readers.

Alin is a legend when it comes to handling large assemblies and imported geometry. Take notes. I guarantee you will learn something from him.

For those curious about the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, I highly recommend “Beyond Data Management – What Can you Do with the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform” with Andy Rammer.

Andy has done a lot of presentations previously and you can always be sure to learn something from him.

And after all these sessions, be sure to take the rest of the day off enjoy what Dallas has to offer.

Tuesday, February 13^th

The second day of the event will be a day to learn and relax—my first presentation is over, and I don’t have another until Wednesday.

After the General session, I will be joining the session “101 Things Your Mother Never Told You About Mates.”

This sounds like an awesome opportunity to get under the hood with mates.

If you are more interested in the platform, there is still room at Jody Stiles’ “Lofty Aspirations: Hands-on with Loft in xDesign,” which will give you an introduction to loft in the xApps.

Jody’s experience will make for a very exciting presentation, I’m sure.

After lunch, I am very much looking forward to Brad ’Tank’ Meador’s “Tank’s Top Tips and Tricks.” He is a legend in the SOLIDWORKS community.

But if you’re into PDM—or curious about it—you will want to attend Jeremiah Davis’ “SOLIDWORKS PDM Tips and Tricks” instead.

Jeremiah has been training some of the best PDM people I know, so it will be exciting to see what he will be sharing.

And afterwards, I am really looking forward to spending some time in the company of Eric Beatty and his “Taming that Other Guy’s Model” which will show you capabilities of FeatureWorks that are not in the documentation.

I have attended this one before and I highly recommend it. You will learn how to repair a model using FeatureWorks—among other things.

The best way to finish off Tuesday will be to drop in on Alin Vargatu’s “Ultimate Import Geometry Optimization for Large Assemblies.”

Wednesday, February 14^th

The last day of the conference is always bittersweet. You’re so full of information, but you still don’t want the event to end because it will be a whole year before you see all these people again.

Better make the best of it.

For the first session, I am going to recommend Artem Taturevych’s session on custom properties.

Artem is very experienced and has a good understanding of the different custom properties.

Then it’s time for my second session, “Tinndahl’s Troubleshooting Techniques.”

I will give an overview of some of the techniques I use when I troubleshoot, as well as show some of the tools you can use when contacting support.

If you want to join a meetup session instead, I recommend joining Danute Petrova-Nikolova’s “Freelance - A World Without Borders for Design and Innovation.”

I have been in contact with Danute for the past three years and not only is she a very talented SOLIDWORKS and xApp user, she also has a lot of insight on how to become a successful freelancer.

Besides missing Danute’s session, I will also be missing Brad Meador’s “Motorcycle Mayhem.”

This session sounds like a good way to finetune your SOLIDWORKS workflow.

After lunch, it is time for the third general session. Tradition has it that they will announce where next year’s 3DEXPERIENCE World will be located.

After the general session, I will be hard pressed to make a decision. On one hand, I really want to go see Danute’s presentation on “SOLIDWORKS Mastery: Importing and Proficiently Working with STL Files.” She really knows her stuff.

On the other hand, there is John Matrishon presenting “Getting a GRIP on Surfacing,” which ought to be a real treat for those doing surfacing on SOLIDWORKS.

Oh, well. I can’t be two places at once. Thankfully, the sessions will be available on demand.

I hope that this article has provided some useful guidance. But no matter what, I am sure that you will be spending these three days learning new stuff, meeting new people and having a blast.

See you in Dallas!

In this article and the next, I will go over how you can best set up your SOLIDWORKS templates, for both models and drawings. The first article is all about setting up your model template, with a focus on the part template.

What is a Template File?

A template is a file that is set up to meet your company’s set of rules for documentation. If everyone uses the same template, the documentation will be uniform.

When setting up your template, you need to consider a few different things:

• Do you have any custom properties that you want filled out automatically?
• Do you want to use a drafting standard (ANSI, ISO, DIN, etc.) or do you want to deviate from that?
• Do you want multiple templates, for instance with different drafting standards, different measurements, etc.?

I usually divide model templates into two categories:

1. Document Properties
2. Custom Properties

Document Properties

To open and modify the document properties, you need to have a document open that is the same type of template you want to make.

With the part open, go to Tools > Options.

Here you will find the Document Properties tab.

These properties can be divided into two categories: “Drafting standard” and for the lack of better words, “Non-drafting standard.”

In the image below, you can see where it separates.

The Drafting standard is the document rule set that covers font type, size, arrow sizes, etc. While it has no effect on the drawing, you may want to give it a look to ensure that your coworkers always use the same font. Using these rules will guarantee that you comply with the international drawing standards for ISO, DIN, ANSI etc.

If you modify these standards, a new drafting standard will be created called “<last used standard>-MODIFIED.”

Once the drafting standard is done, the file can be saved (1, in picture below) and used in some of your old files if you want to (2).

Next, we have the “Non-drafting standard.”

These are properties that are not affected by international standards for drawings. The most important ones here, if you ask me, are the Units and Image Quality.

Units

This section determines what units you are using in your model. Setting it incorrectly can create problems in the model. For instance, you think you have set a length to 3 inches, but it is set to mm.

These values do not transfer to the drawing. If your drawing is set to mm and your model is set to inches, then you will get the result in mm on the drawing.

Image Quality

Setting your image quality correctly can be very prudent for your future assemblies.

Image quality is used to set the level of detail in your model. The higher the detail, the longer the rebuild time. Rebuild time is transferred to any assembly in which the part is inserted, even if you set the assembly image quality to low.

In the below image you can see the difference between a model with the highest quality and the lowest quality. This is why I usually set this to 10-20% percent of the maximum.

On your drawing, the quality of your model is of no consequence.

With the document properties set, you can save it as a template but you can also set up your “Custom Properties.”

Custom Properties

Custom properties are values created on the model that can be transferred to your drawing, BOM, PDM and even to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

When setting up properties, you can either make it a property that is general for the entire model, or meant for the configuration only. The easiest way to differentiate the two in the custom properties tab.

Why is that important? If you have a property that you know will always be the same for every configuration, you can add this as a custom property.

If you have a property that changes in each configuration, the Configuration Properties will need to be reconfigured.

One note on custom properties and configuration specific properties, is that your drawing will always attempt to read the Configuration tab first, and then the Custom Properties tab.

But there will be more on drawings in the next article on setting up drawing templates.

You have a few different options when setting up your properties in SOLIDWORKS. For now, let’s go over two options.

The first way is by using File > Custom Properties or the shortcut.

This is by far the most commonly used and the simplest solution.

Open the Custom property tab and write the custom properties that you need.
In this case, I have created these five custom properties and two configuration specific properties.

As you can see above, I have set some of the values to be filled out automatically and some properties with the value to “To be filled out.” This is done to ensure that I do not use an old value by mistake.

Another method is to use the Property tab builder.

The property is a program that is installed with your SOLIDWORKS that allows you create a custom property box that is quickly available within SOLIDWORKS.

We won’t get into details here but suffice it to say that this is quite a useful program. It allows you to save predefined property tabs for parts, assemblies and drawings.

To create a new property file quickly, click “Custom Properties” in the right side of the screen and select “Create now”.

This will open the program and you can determine the type of boxes you want and if you want to have some of them filled out with predefined values.

Once you are satisfied with it, save it as a custom property part template (.prtprp) or the equivalent template that you are working on.

Once it is saved, it is available on the right side of your screen and you can quickly access and fill out your custom properties.

Once the Custom Properties is prepared, it will be saved as a template by going to File > Save As.

Then, select the part template extension.

Afterwards, repeat the process for the assembly template and save it as an assembly template.

3DEXPERIENCE

Saving your template on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is a little bit different since it is saved online to ensure that everyone has access to it.

To do this, you press File > Save As once your part (or assembly) template is ready to be saved.

This will bring up a pop-up box, where you can give the template a title and a description.

When saving the template, you can determine if you want to keep on developing on it by saving it in a draft state or make it available for everyone by setting it in released state.

Creating your model template is the first step to ensuring that your documentation will be uniform and thus reduce the number of potential problems down the road.

I have been fortunate enough to get my hands on the prerelease of next year’s version, and had a chance to look at some of the features that I’ve been hearing about.

Over the course of three articles, this one being the last, I review some of the new features of SOLIDWORKS 2024. For this final article, I will focus on the new drawing features.

Each feature will get a small description of how to use it, as well as a final review. Each feature will receive a rating of 1 to 5 “Trains.”

Reattach Dangling Dimensions

Every SOLIDWORKS user has been in a situation where the 3D model has changed and as a result your dimension becomes dangling, which means it can no longer find its original attached location.

What does it do?

While it was possible to reattach the dimension by dragging it into place, it may be troublesome to do so. In SOLIDWORKS 2024, it has become much easier to reattach dangling dimensions. You can do it with just two clicks.

How to use it?

When you have a dimension that is dangling, as seen above, simply right click on it and select reattach.

After the reattach command is activated, you can see the “unattached points” marked with red.

The point you are currently working in has a little red X.

As you can see in the animation below, once you have attached the first dimension, the other attachment point becomes active and you can attach that one, as well.

Do we need it?

This can be a huge time-saver, because we no longer must drag the dimension into place. It is simple and intuitive to use, which is why I am giving it 5 trains.

Keep Link Property Dialog Box Open

When creating a custom property link from model to Drawing in SOLIDWORKS, a surefire way to get the correct properties is by selecting them with the property Dialog box.

What does it do?

In previous versions, the dialog box closed whenever you had created one property link, and you had to reopen it to add another value to the annotation.

For instance, if you wanted to add the value “description” and “number” to a certain note, you first had to add description and press OK and then open the dialog box again and select the number.

However, in SOLIDWORKS 2024 the dialog box stays open until you decide to close it.

How to use it?

With a text annotation activated, press the “Link to property” button. Select the first property you want to add and press “Add.”

Select the other property you want to add and either press Add if you want to add more, or just click OK if you only want to add that property.

The end result is a dynamic textbox that updates as you change the custom properties.

Do we need it?

Working with support, I know many companies who use multiple properties in their description. While you can do this within a single line on the model, it’s a very good solution when setting up your link to properties in a text.

This will get 4 out of 5 trains.

Overridden Dimensions

In SOLIDWORKS, you might find it useful to overwrite a dimension manually on a drawing. However, when opening the drawing after a couple of months, it can be difficult to see which dimension has been changed.

In SOLIDWORKS 2024 it has become a lot easier to find your changed dimension.

What does it do?

This new feature gives your changed dimension a specific color which makes it stand out compared to the other dimensions.

How to use it?

It is already active by default. To test it simply select a dimension and press “override dimension.” Change it and you can see the dimension has changed.

You can, of course, set the color yourself. Simply go to Options > System Options > Colors.

Within the color scheme, you can find the line “Drawing, overridden dimensions.”
If you want this rule to apply to drawings pre-SOLIDWORKS 2024, you have to reload your drafting standard.

Pro Tip: If you decide to use the original value again, simply right click on the dimension and press “Restore Original Value.”

Do we need it?

This feature has its merits, especially with older drawings, as it makes it a lot easier to find dimensions that have been changed manually. In my previous employment, I would often find myself searching for old dimensions that had been changed.

Out of sheer nostalgia, I am giving this 5 out of 5 trains.

Highlight Referenced Elements

This turned out to be a favorite of mine once I got to know it. When selecting a dimension, you can see where it is referenced. This means that you can see if it is a point-to-point selection.

How to use it?

This is a document setting, which means that you want to add it to your template.

Go to Tools > Options > Document Properties > Detailing.

In this pane, you will find a checkmark for “Highlight associated elements on reference dimension selection.”

With that checkmark set, you can see the first measurement selected is the bottom line for my measurement.

And in the second measurement, I selected the two vertical lines.

And then, with the third dimension I selected two points.

Do we need it?

As I wrote earlier, I really like this feature as it can help you find out how you have dimensioned your model.

This feature is also rated 5 out of 5 trains.

Keeping Chain Dimensions Colinear

A lot of users have requested this one, as most users of the chain dimensions prefer their arrows to be colinear.

What does it do?

This is a purely cosmetic change but a great addition nonetheless.  It ensures that your chain dimension is colinear at all times, no matter how small the space is.

How to use it?

This is a document setting. Go to Options > Document Properties > Dimension > Linear > Chain Dimensions

You actually have two options. To avoid having the text and the arrowheads overlap, you can put a check mark in “offset text automatically when space is limited.” If you are using the ANSI or ISO drafting standard, this checkmark is added automatically in your options. However, if you want to ensure that the arrowheads do not overlap, you can make a decision on what should be done.

Under “When Arrowheads overlap substitute arrowhead termination automatically with” you can select either Points or Oblique Strokes.

If you are using the ISO drafting standard, this checkmark is added automatically in your options.

The result is as you can see below.

Do we need it?

It is a great addition to the options for the chain dimensions and I know quite a few people who will be very pleased with it. You still have the option to use the chain dimension as you want to, and you are not chained down (see what I did there?) to only one option.

This is why I am giving this new feature 5 out of 5 trains.

I really like all these additions to the drawing and sketching environment. There is no absolute favorite. They are all good ways to create drawings, spot errors and troubleshoot.

Each feature will get a small description on how to use it, as well as a final rating of 1 to 5 “Trains.”

Rip Tool

In SOLIDWORKS 2024, you can use the rip tool to create rips in hollowed out cylindrical bodies and convert it to sheet metal.

What does it do?

In previous releases of SOLIDWORKS, converting a conical or cylindrical body to sheet metal would require you to insert a cut before converting it.

How to use it?

To use this tool, you need a hollowed out solid body that is not a sheet metal component.

For this test, I am going to create a point on one of the end faces. If you use a point that is not on the face, it will be projected to the face.

Select the Rip tool and then select one of the edges of the model.

A menu will appear. First select the starting point of the rip (1). Afterwards, you can use the menu to fine tune the placement and size of the rip. (2)

After pressing OK, you can see the rip in the body.

After that you can use Insert Bend.

Then select an edge and convert it to a sheet metal object.

Do we need it?

This is something that users have been wishing for and I like how Dassault Systèmes has approached it and created an easy-to-use solution.

5 out of 5 trains from me.

Stamp Tool

SOLIDWORKS 2024 has made it a lot easier to create stamps.

What does it do?

In previous versions, you had to save a file with the .SLDFTP extension in order to use the Stamp tool, but now you can just use a sketch.

How to use it?

After creating a sheet metal component, you can either sketch your stamp or insert a saved block.

With the sketch (or sketch block) selected, press the Stamp tool.

Modify your stamp as needed.

Press OK and a stamp is created.

Do we need it?

This is some of the best news about this year’s version of SOLIDWORKS. It makes creating stamps very simple and can really improve your workflow.

Because of its simplicity and great interface, this feature receives 5 out of 5 trains.

Repairing References in Patterns

In SOLIDWORKS 2024 you have the option to repair the reference for a linear or circular pattern.

What does it do?

Depending on the type of pattern, SOLIDWORKS can do one of two things:

With a linear pattern, SOLIDWORKS will attempt to replace the reference by selecting a reference on the component that has the same orientation or type, as well as the reference which is located closest to the original reference.

With circular patterns, SOLIDWORKS will attempt to select a reference which is coaxial to the original reference.

How to use it?

After opening your model with the problematic pattern, right click and press Auto Repair.

You might find yourself in a situation where an auto repair is not possible due to the complexity of the model. In that case you will have to do a manual repair.

It is also worth noting that the Auto Repair feature is not available when the assembly is in large assembly mode.

Do we need it?

While writing this article, I came up with quite a few scenarios where the auto repair could be helpful – and in each case, it worked very well.

5 out of 5 trains from me.

Specify Default Prefix or Suffix for Components

Now you can specify a prefix or suffix for your hand mirrored components.

What does it do?

In previous versions, you had to decide your prefix or suffix every time you wanted to create an opposite-hand mirrored component. With SOLIDWORKS 2024, you can specify a default prefix or suffix for your mirrored components as well as for your internal files.

How to use it?

Open your options (Tools > Options, or via the cogwheel) and within the system options find the assembly pane.

In the bottom of the assembly pane, you can select whether you want a default prefix or suffix for your hand mirrored components. You also can set a prefix for internal files created from external references.

If you have an assembly, and you select to create an opposite hand version, you have the option to save it. You will get a predefined prefix (if that’s what you selected).

If you want to save a file as an internal reference, the prefix is added by default.

Do we need it?

Hand mirrored versions have been very popular for quite some time, and I know quite a few people who will be happy about this addition.

While it is not revolutionary, it will definitely help in the workflow for some users, which is why I give this feature 4 out of 5 trains.

Defeature Rule Sets

Defeature has been around for 12 years now and has always been a popular feature to use when improving the performance of your model.

With this year’s version, you can define your own set of rules within defeature.

What does it do?

When using the Silhouette defeature method, you will be given the option to create a set of rules to help you automate the simplification of your model.

This will enable you to set up a rule for many different variables.

How to use it?

With your SOLIDWORKS assembly open, start the defeature tool.

First you need to select the defeature method. If you want to set up your rules, you must select the Silhouette defeature method.

After pressing next, you will get the option to load a previously saved rule set or create a new set of rules.

Start by selecting Edit Rules.

If you are well-versed in Advanced Search, then this might seem very familiar to you. If not, allow me to give you a few pointers.

Start by naming your first rule. In this case, I will call it Remove Pins.

Next you should give a selection criterion. in this case, we select all files that are named “pin.”

Next you should select the defeature type. I will not go into the different defeature types, but you’ll find mention of it in a previous article.

For now, I will select the bounding box which will also give me the option to include all components with the name “pin,” in one bounding box or in one bounding box per part.

With the next selection you can select the orientation of the defeature.

And finally, you can select if you want to include the appearance of your part, which is also a new feature of SOLIDWORKS 2024.

When the rule has been set up, press Save to save the rule set to be used later.

Once the rule is loaded into the system, click Apply and the rule is applied to your model.

Afterwards, you can continue to use defeature as you see fit.

Do we need it?

This is a great addition to the defeature tool. The selection criteria can really help you narrow it down.

And I can certainly see how this will save a lot of time for users.

Another 5 out of 5 trains from me.

Those are all the features we will cover in this article. Stay tuned for the next one. The train is just around the corner.

This year I’ve had the good fortune to get my hands on the pre-release of next year’s version of SOLIDWORKS. It has given me a chance to look at some of the features that will be offered—and select favorites.

 I have more favorites than can fit in a single article, so this will be the first of a series in which I give new features a rating of 1 to 5 “Trains.”

Backward Compatibility

This one is very exciting: it is finally possible to save a SOLIDWORKS 2024 file as a 2022 or 2023 compatibility version – to some degree.

What does it do?

When saving the file, you now have the option to save it as a SOLIDWORKS 2022 or 2023 compatible file.

How to use it?

After saving your file as a 2024 version, you can use File > Save As.

With the Save As window open, you can select if you want to save it as a 2022 or 2023 SOLIDWORKS file.

Once saved, you can open the file in that particular version.

However, if you are using one of the new features of SOLIDWORKS 2024, a popup screen will warn you that you cannot save your file before you remove that particular feature.

Once the feature is deleted, you will be able to save your file.

Note that you need to be on subscription in order to use this feature.

Do we need it?

All users have been waiting a long time for this and I really like what they have done with the option.

It makes sense, in my book, that it is not possible to save 2024 features in an older version. However, I am missing two things:

1. An option to delete the features that will not let you save to a previous version from within the Save dialog box itself. That would make the process a lot easier.
2. I can imagine that a lot of people will be using this, which means that it would be great if there was the option to set up a shortcut for saving in either 2022 or 2023 compatibility mode.

This is why I am giving the “Backward Compatibility” feature 4 Trains.

Sketch Dimension Preview

You now have the option to preview a sketch dimension before you create it.

What does it do?

Selecting a sketch entry now gives you a preview of the dimension, and clicking on it will give you a preview of the dimension.

How to use it?

After creating a sketch, click on one of the sketch entries and you will get a preview of the dimension.

Clicking on the dimension changes your tool to the dimension tool, and you can change the dimension you want.

Once this is done, you can either create a new dimension or press escape to exit the dimension tool.

By holding down CTRL and selecting two lines, you can get a preview of the angle between the two lines. And as before, you can change the dimension as you see fit.

Do we need it?

I really like this new way of dimensioning as it feels more organic and can really help you speed the up your sketch creation.

It gets 5 out of 5 Trains from me.

Within the models and features, there are two things that I want to emphasize on:

Convert Assembly to Multibody Part

At a first glance, this seems like “save assembly as part” in another wrapping, but it is quite the upgrade.

What does it do?

In SOLIDWORKS 2024, it is possible to create a multibody part from an assembly much like you would make a stock part.

How to use it

With the assembly open, go to tools and press “Make Multibody Part.”

This opens a new menu which gives you the option to decide what configuration you want to export to the new file, including covert surface bodies, axes, planes, coordinate systems and material. Solid bodies are always transferred.

You also get the option to break the link to the original file, as well as keep the visual properties from the original file.

Press OK and the file is created.

If you have selected to keep the link to the original file, the file will update if you add components to the assembly.

With previous versions, it was possible to save your assembly as a multibody part file. However, this part had no link to the original file and any updates were lost, and you had to create a new file. With this feature, it is possible to always have the latest file of the assembly on a part.

Do we need it?

I really like the possibilities with this new feature. By suppressing components in a configuration, you can easily decide what you want included in the exported part. This is also one of those things we did not know that we needed, but which has been provided.

Once again 5 out of 5 trains from me.

Hide and Show

If you select multiple instances, i.e. sketches, bodies or planes with different visibility, in SOLIDWORKS 2024 you will get an option to either hide all or show all.

What does it do?

In previous versions, when you selected instances where some are hidden and some are visible, your option was limited after selecting them.

In SOLIDWORKS 2024, you get the option to either hide them all or show them all.

How to use it?

Select either multiple bodies, sketches or planes by hold down CTRL while you select the different objects. Or select them by using the selection tool.

A selection menu will appear allowing you to hide all instances or show all instances.

Do we need it?

You can achieve the same effect with a right click after selecting the components, meaning that you save a mouse click. I was a bit skeptical at first, but after playing around with it, I can see its potential.

This is why I am giving this feature 4 Trains.

Use an Existing Sketch in Hole Wizard

This one is one that I remember missing, while working in my previous job.

What does it do?

In previous versions, you had to select the points individually if you wanted to use an existing sketch.

Now you can use an existing sketch as a hole location.

How to use it?

You can start by selecting the sketch and start the hole wizard and select the hole size.

Or you can select the hole wizard, select the sketch and when you need to place the holes, you select the sketch from the flyout tree.

For both cases, the location of the holes will be determined by the placement of the points. This means that if you have a rectangle, the holes will be placed in the corners.

You can plan your hole location using different sketches, and if you add a hole in the sketch, a hole will be added to the model.

The sketch menu will also give you the option to skip instances of points in the sketch.

Do we need it?

This addition can be a real time saver, as well as a great way to edit your Hole Wizard locations.

I am feeling generous and will give this 5 out of 5 Trains.

That’s all for now, but stay tuned for the next article in the series.

Let’s go over some troubleshooting techniques for your everyday work with SOLIDWORKS to help make this less of a problem.

The Source Folder is Not Versioned Properly

This error is usually seen when you want to modify your SOLIDWORKS installation.

Scenario

You have removed or added some features in your SOLIDWORKS installation and when you press “Modify” this message appears:

What is wrong?

This error usually appears because you have deleted the original installation set and the system cannot find the source file.

What to do?

The easiest solution is to recreate the file yourself.  Start by opening the Notepad program.

In the notepad, type “SOLIDWORKS 20XX SP0Y” without exclamation marks.

XX is the version number (19, 20, 21 etc.) and Y is the service pack (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). If the service pack has a revised number, you should separate them using a period.

If you wanted to modify the version number with service pack 5, then it would say “SOLIDWORKS 2022 SP05”.

Once this is modified, you should save the file in the folder specified in the error message and call it “swdata99”.

Close Notepad and browse to the location where you just saved the file. Rename the file to “swdata99.id” and press yes to change the extension.

You should now be able to run the modification.

“A Newer Version of this Application is Already Installed”

This issue first started to appear after SOLIDWORKS 2021 was released, and it only applies if you want to install SOLIDWORKS 2020 or older.

Scenario:

After filling out your serial number and deciding where to install SOLIDWORKS, you press “Install” and after a few seconds this error appears.

What is wrong?

In 2021, a newer version of VBA was released. This meant that the prerequisite VBA was obsolete. However, the software thinks this version is necessary and cannot skip it. The new VBA could be installed with a newer version of SOLIDWORKS or even with a Windows update.

What to do?

You have a couple of different options. You can start by using the original installation file set. Open it and go to prerequisites, find the VBA folder, locate the VBA then right click on it and press uninstall.

After installing your SOLIDWORKS, you can reinstall the VBA.

The other option applies if you have 3DEXPERIENCE products installed. Within your control panel, find the application: “Dassault Systèmes – VBA 7.1” and uninstall it.

You will be able to install SOLIDWORKS.

The final option applies if neither of the two above solutions are possible, such as if you no longer have the original install file set or if you do not have 3DEXPERIENCE installed.

If you contact your reseller, you can ask for the hotfix for S-078838. This is a text file called “S-078838_uninstall_vba.txt”. Rename this to “S-078838_uninstall_vba.bat”.

Right click on the file, and press “Run as administrator.”

This will remove the VBA installation, and you are ready to install SOLIDWORKS.

“Journal File Could Not Be Created”

This error appears when you start SOLIDWORKS. While it does not influence your ability to work on the software, it is still an annoying message that you want to be without.

Scenario

When starting SOLIDWORKS, you get the message “Could not create journal file.” You press OK, and the software starts.

What is wrong?

This error can occur because of multiple things. The first is the most obvious: you already have an instance of SOLIDWORKS running and therefore a new journal file cannot be created.

A few other options could be an invalid file path to the journal file, or the fact that you do not have write access to the file for some reason.

What to do?

There are two solutions.

When the error involves an invalid file path, I usually see this when the user has copied the settings from a colleague and the file path is “C:\Users\<Username>\...” then links to a user that does not exist on the computer, and which cannot be created as it is on another Windows user.

Another reason could be that the user does not have write access to the folder in question.

In both cases, I recommend the same test: Open your regedit as an administrator.

Pro Tip: Be careful when editing the registry, as incorrect information can cause serious damage to your system. If you are in doubt, contact your IT department and they can assist you.

Go to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > SolidWorks > SolidWorks 20xx > ExtReferences”, with XX being the SOLIDWORKS version that you are using. For instance, in the screenshot I am using SOLIDWORKS 2023.

Within this you should look for a key called “SolidWorks Journal Folders.”

Change this to a folder that you know you have read access to, for instance C:\SW_Journal file\.

Close the registry editor and try and start SOLIDWORKS.

If the file error still occurs, it is easier to determine the cause, which can be one of two things:

1) No rights to write to the folder.

In Windows Explorer, find the folder that is referred to (in the example, “C:\SW_Journal file”) and right click on the folder. Go to Properties.

Ensure that you have the necessary rights to write to the folder.

2) Damaged log file.

The log file can be damaged due to improper shut down. To solve this, locate the log file, which is called “swxJRNL.swj” and delete it.

“Could Not Obtain License for SOLIDWORKS CAM”

This error can occur when you start up SOLIDWORKS and while this does have any effect on SOLIDWORKS, it can be annoying.

Scenario

This error can appear out of nowhere and without the knowledge in this article, it can seem like it appears for no reason.

What is wrong?

 This issue is related to the CAM add-in. The CAM add-in is a part of your “standard” SOLIDWORKS installation, not a part of the SOLIDWORKS connected installation.

The license for CAM standard is part of your subscription. This means that the activation is only valid for your subscription period, which typically is one year.

What to do?

You have 3 different options:

1) Reactivate your CAM license. This, of course, requires subscription.

To reactivate your CAM license, open SOLIDWORKS, go to Help > License and press “Activate.” This will open the activation window.

Here you can select your CAM license and activate it by selecting SOLIDWORKS.

Press Next and then your CAM is reactivated, and the error disappears.

2) The quick and dirty solution.

This solution is used by people who do not use the CAM add-in and who either just want to get on with their work or don’t have time/permissions for solution 3.

Go to add-ins and find the CAM add-in, remove the checkmark in the “Start Up” box. This will ensure that a license is not needed.

3) Remove the CAM Program

The final option is to change your SOLIDWORKS installation. Of course, this is not an option if your company utilizes image installation. In this case, you need to speak to your CAD administrator to get them to remove it from the image installation.

However, if you have a standard installation, go to your control panel > Add/Remove Programs and find your SOLIDWORKS installation. Press “Change.”

The installation window will open. Press next until you get to the product selection and remove the checkmark for the CAM program.

Modify the installation and the error will no longer appear.

The License Will Expire in X Days

This is an error that has recently surfaced, due to new policies in the way license activations are handled within Dassault.

Scenario

You start up SOLIDWORKS and this error appears, counting down each day. Once the countdown reaches zero, you cannot start SOLIDWORKS.

What is wrong?

It can be because you have a temporary license which has not been renewed, and then you cannot activate it. However, in 2022 it was decided that licenses did not need to be activated each year. This was done mainly done to ensure that licenses are not stuck on old machines that were not deactivated, and the machines reformatted with the license still active.

What to do?

The solution is actually quite simple. All you have to do is to reactivate your license before it expires.

Go to Help > License > Activate, select the SOLIDWORKS tab and press activate.

Select SOLIDWORKS and press “Next.”

You should be good to go.

All of these troubleshooting tips are specific solutions for well-known issues. I hope they will be of use.

In my first article, I discussed how you can customize your user experience, to help you achieve just that. Within the next article, I started the creation of a box for a visual representation of a chess clock, using many of my favorite tips and tricks for sketching.

In this article, I am going to modify the layout, as well as insert it into an assembly to finish the representation.

Changing the Design

Most of us have been here: The design is finished, and the model is finished. However, the engineer has just a few changes. “You don’t mind, do you?”

In this case, the engineer wants to change the design of the top of the case and sends you his two suggestions.

If I make the original line a construction line and the arched line a “normal line,” I get an error on my fillets.

Which is why I am going to use the Replace Entities command.

To start, select the original line. For the replacement, select the arched line. Make sure that the original line is not deleted, but rather made into a construction line, and that you have checked off “make contour.” Then, press “OK.”

The fillets work again as intended.

However, if the designer has created a line with more segments, then the “Replace entity” is not supported.

I could, of course, use the segment as I demonstrated in the last article. However, for this I am going to use split entities instead, for the purpose of demonstrating how they can be used.

With the sketch active, go to Tools > Sketch tools.

In here you will find the Split Entities tool. Select it and click on two places on the sketch line, then right click and select “OK.”

After this, you can use the “Replace Entity” tool. One thing to keep in mind is that you have to press OK after each replacement and activate the tool again.

Instead of selecting the tool again, I want to repeat the last command. By using the default keyboard shortcut Enter, I can quickly use the Replace Entity tool on the last two segments.

One often overlooked use of the Replace Entity tool is with the Text tool. When creating text within a sketch, the best way to place this is by using a construction line and making this the base for the text. Then you can measure the construction line as needed.

If you use Replace Entities within the text sketch, you can quickly move the sketch from one construction line to another.

Going back to the model, press OK and the model has changed. Since new faces have been created, the fillets are no longer valid.

If I hold down CTRL and drag the fillet to one of the edges or faces, a new fillet is created with the settings from the original fillet.

If CTRL is not held down, the fillet will simply be moved from one part of the model to another.

Time Me, Please

In this section, the clock will be assembled. As stated earlier, the clock is merely a visual representation, but that does not mean we should not play around a bit.

There are switches in a clock that turn the timer on and off. By using Section View, I can look within the model and select the components I want.

First, create two mates that link the top of the left switch to the top of the plate and the bottom of the switch to the bottom of the top plate.

 However, I am going to make sure that there is a checkmark in the “for positioning only” box which is found within the options, in order to ensure that the mate is not created and I still can move the components freely.

On the first switch, I am going to select the circular edge of the switch and the circular edge of the left hole while holding down the CTRL key.

When it comes to mates, I am going to select the circular option and ensure there is a checkmark in the “lock rotation” box.  

Another option when mating two circular entities is to turn on the “View temporary axis.” Go to View > Hide/Show and select “Temporary Axis” or select it in the HUD display.

Hold CTRL and select the two axes you want to mate.

Now select the coincident mate.

You can use these two methods to mate circular entities and both of them are usable. However, you can only lock the rotation with the concentric mate.

Now I want to limit the movement of one of the switches. I start of by selecting “mate” and “advanced mates.” Next, I select the width mate.

The width mate gives me the option to set a minimum and maximum distance. I am going to set the minimum distance to be 0 mm and the maximum distance to be 20 mm.

If I decide to move the switch, it can only move within this range.

As you may or may not know, when you turn off one timer on a chess clock, the other one begins. I want to show this by having the two switches moving according to each other.

To do this, I first create a section view again in order to ensure that I get can get to the faces I want to reach. Press “Mates” and “Advanced Mates,” then select the cylindrical face of the two switches and select “Linear/Linear Coupler.”

The “Linear Coupler” mate ensures that the two components’ movements are linked. In this case, I want the move ratio to be 1:1, but it is possible to change this.

The arrows show the direction that the components move.

Then I press OK, and when I move one of the switches, the other moves in the opposite direction.

Next, I want the hands on the clock to move just like a real clock: If the second hand moves 60 turns, the minute hand moves one complete turn (1 hour) and the hour hand also follows the movement of the minute hand.

To do this, I have to make sure that the hands are attached to the clock face.

I press “Mates” and “Mechanical Mates” and press the “Gear mate.”

I start by selecting the minute hand and then the second hand and set the exchange rate to 1:60. This means that whenever the minute hand moves one unit, the second hand moves 60 units, and vice versa.

Using the mechanical mate again, I repeat the process. This time I select the minute hand and the hour hand, and set the scale to 1:12.

You should now be able to create the movement of the clock.

Making it All Work

Now that the clock is all together, let’s look at the chess board and add the pieces.

Each of my chess pieces has been created with two different materials: maple and oak. Looking at it, I can see that all the maple pieces have been placed and now I want to place the oak pieces.

To begin, select all the pieces, hold down CTRL and drag them into the workspace.

Next, I am going to select all of the newly inserted components, hold down SHIFT and right click on one of the components to change the configuration.

Finally, I will press the mates button and press the “Multiple Mates mode” button.

Next, I select the chess board in the first entities to mate.

Then I select the bottom of each chess piece.

Press OK.

Once this is done, I have all my pieces placed on the board and I can start to put them in the proper location.

Another, much faster way to to do this is to use the Mirror Components function.

Here are the steps to do so:

1. Select the plane you want to use.
2. Select the pieces.
3. Press the green arrow.

In the next screen, you get the option to orient the components individually. You will get a preview of their orientation.

You also have the option to create a mirrored version of the component and save that as a separate file.

After the mirror has been created, you can select all the new pieces and change the configuration.

In my previous article, Tinndahl’s Tips for SOLIDWORKS Customization, I went through how you can customize your user experience. In this and the next article, I am going to look into some tips and tricks of the usage of SOLIDWORKS.

Before the First Sketch

There are a few settings I want to ensure are present before I start on a sketch. These settings are done within the system options, so you do not need to do this every time.

Please note that these are my preferences and, as with all customizations, you might find that you do not agree with them. Feel free to customize my customizations and make them your own.

Sketch Options

Let’s start with the sketch options listed in the System Options.

In this pane there is one checkmark that I always make sure is set, and a few optional checkmarks.

I always want a checkmark in “Auto-rotate view normal sketch plane on sketch creation and sketch edit” (1) as this will ensure that my view rotates to be directly in front of me when I create a new sketch or edit an existing sketch.

Next, you might want to consider checking off “enable on screen numeric input on entry creation” (2), as this allows you to create dimensions automatically when you do a sketch.

As a rule of thumb, I also set a checkmark in “Create Dimension only when a value is entered” (3). With this set, I can decide when I want to add a dimension.

The final checkmark is only a recommended setting—not a required one—if you are in the habit of not fully defining your sketches. I follow the “fully define every time” rule.

The checkmark I am referring to is “Always use fully defined sketches” (4) which will make sure that you cannot exit a sketch unless it is fully defined (all black).

Selecting with Care

While SOLIDOWORKS has a wide range of selection tools, I will just touch on two different methods: Lasso Selection and Box Selection.

To activate these selection tools, right click on your work screen and select “Selection tool,” then select your weapon of choice.

The lasso tool gives you the option to create an organically-shaped selection field, while the Box Selection provides only a rectangle-shaped field.

With either one, you will notice a color overlay that shows where the selection is made. And you will also notice that the color differs depending on which way you move your mouse. Move the mouse from right to left and the color is green. Move from the left to right, and the color is blue.

The blue color (left to right) indicates that only sketch segments completely within the selection box will be selected.

When green (right to left), anything that the selection field touches and is inside the selection field is selected.

Shortcuts to Success

SOLIDWORKS has a wide range of predefined shortcuts, which you might find useful.

These shortcuts can be changed (for more information on that, see my previous article), but for now I will give you my favorite default shortcuts.

After starting a sketch, you can use the “L” key to start a line. Whenever you start any sketch, you can see a number of options in the left-hand side of the screen. If you hold down the “ALT” button on your keyboard, you will notice that one letter in each command is underlined.

If you continue to hold down “ALT” and press one of these letters, the corresponding command will be activated for this sketch segment. For instance, “ALT” plus “C” will ensure that the sketch segment is created as a construction line.

The commands may differ in the different sketch segments; for instance, a circle does not have the horizontal option.

Some of these commands are also available after the sketch has been created. All you need to do is select one or more segments.

Of course, SOLIDWORKS has commands in the toolbar to move or copy your sketch segments, but there are also shortcuts that can help you with this.

By selecting one or more sketch segments and holding down “SHIFT” you can move your sketch. However, keep in mind that all relations still apply: If a sketch point is anchored to one point, it will stay anchored and your sketch will change according to the new circumstances.

If you hold down “CTRL” while dragging the selected sketch segments, the selection will be copied to the new location.

The “Power trim” tool is very popular. While selected, can you quickly trim your line to the closest sketch segment. However, by selecting the power trim and holding down the SHIFT key, the tool becomes the “Power extend,” which extends the line to the nearest line.

What’s in the Box

For this article, I will create a visual, not functional, representation of a chess clock.

As I want to be able to control my box with equations, I start off by opening the equation dialog box by right clicking on it in the feature tree and choosing “manage equations.” Or, go to Tools > Equations.

I start off by creating three global variables called “Length,” “Height” and “Depth” and assigning values.

By using variables, I can easily change the size of the model.

Within my sketch, I create a rectangular segment and set the length to the “Length” equation by starting with an equal sign (=).

This allows me to select between global variables, properties and a set of predefined functions.

The other dimension is given the height value, and the box is dimensioned.

For reasons that will be revealed later, I am going to make sure that the center of the box is in the origin of the model. This also means that I want to extrude it by the same amount in each direction.

Normally this would require that I use the Midplane Extrude. However, I want to use the thin feature and create a hollow enclosed box.

If I select the midplane, it is not possible to select the “cap” ends which would close off the box.

Instead, I am going to extrude it into each direction.

In the value field, I am going to add “=” and select the depth equation, and add a “/2” to divide by 2.

Before pressing “OK” ensure that there is a checkmark in thin feature and endcaps Again, I add the “=” and the right thickness.

In the equation list, the new equations have been added under “equations.”

For this next part I want to create two holes for the switches and two holes for the clock faces.

To start, I create a sketch on the top plane (located in the middle of the model) and create a line that is coincident on both sides of the model, placing it 60 mm from the front edge of the box.

The line is now fully defined (notice the relations and the one dimension).

This line will be used as the base for my holes in both the top of the box (the switches) and the front of the clock (the clock face). But I want to make sure that I have reference points for these cutouts, which is why I am going to use the “Segment” feature.

With the sketch still active, I go to Tools > Sketch Tools > Segment.

This feature allows me to either split the line into multiple segments, or to insert a number of points with equal distance. In this case, I will insert three sketch points.

With this, I am ready to create the cutouts for my clockfaces.

Within a new sketch on the front of the clock, I create two circles and give one of them a radius of 100 mm. Then I select the center point, hold down CTRL key and select one of my sketch segments in the previous sketch and select “coincident.”

I have to do the same with the other circle. Finally, I create an equal relation between the two circles.

Next, I create an “Extrude Cut,” and ensure it is up to next, in case I want to change the thickness later.

Since I know I am going to change the shape of the top of the clock in the next article, I will do the holes for the switch on the top plane.

This time, I only create one circle, attach it to the sketch segment as previous and give it a dimension. With the sketch still active, I create a mirror feature, select the circle to ensure that there is a checkmark in “Copy” and in “Mirror about,” then select the right plane.

This creates a mirrored version of the circular sketch that updates with the original sketch.

Afterwards, I create an extrude cut and with added material the box for my clock is ready.

In the next article, I will be modifying the top of the clock, adding fillets and a bottom, and creating an assembly with clock hands that move according to each other.

In this article I will show how you can customize your work experience and make it easier for you to work smarter, not harder.

Customizing Your Layout

When it comes to your workspace, there are many different options and no right answers. Everyone has their own preferences. As a SOLIDWORKS technical specialist, I have seen many different layouts. Here are two extremes.

First, a work screen with all toolbars and shortcuts visible. This layout does make the actual workspace much smaller, but all the buttons are within your view.

Second, here is a workspace that relies entirely on shortcuts. Of course, this view takes some getting used to. It is all a matter of taste.

I am sure that there are different opinions on what is best and how you get the most efficient workflow. Who am I to judge?

Here’s how to customize your workspace and what tools you have at your disposal.

To access the tools, you need to have a file open. Then right click on the toolbar and press “Customize…” or go to “Tools” and “Customize.”

Or you can use the shortcut as shown below:

Either way, you get a series of tabs that you can access to customize your work experience.

Toolbars

The main function of this tab is to turn your different toolbars on and off (A) but you can also (to a certain degree) determine the look of the toolbar (B) and (C).

If you are just starting out in SOLIDWORKS, or if you are a little rusty, you can turn on the tool tips (D).

If you hover over a feature, you will get a small explanation on how to use the feature. This can be quite helpful if you are a new user.

The context toolbar (E) is a toolbar that appears whenever you click somewhere in your workspace. This toolbar is populated by the most common commands and actions for your selection. These commands vary depending on what you have selected.

For instance, if you select a face, the menu looks different than when you select an edge.

Finally, you can also select the location of the quick access tools (F).

The quick access tools are your “New,” “Open,” “Save” etc. You can either have them shown on the menu bar…

…or within the command manager.

Once you are satisfied with your toolbars, you can lock the toolbars to prevent further editing (G). Locking will prevent you from accidently moving the toolbars.

Shortcut Bars

The shortcut key (S) is your best friend when it comes to customizing your workflow.

This tab lets you customize it to your needs.

There are different menus in the S key depending on if you are using parts, assemblies, drawings or sketches.

If you want to add a specific shortcut to, for instance, your sketch toolbar, select it (1) and search for the shortcut. Then drag it to the menu.

Another way of adding shortcuts to the S-key is by simply pressing “S” and in the bottom of the menu there will be a search bar.

Search for a specific menu item and when you find it, you can add it by pressing the plus sign. To remove it, open the customization menu.

Commands

The “Commands” pane is used to customize your toolbars.

Find the command that you want to use either by searching for it (1) or locating it using the menu (2).

Once you have found the command you want, hold down the left mouse button and drag it to one of the standard toolbars or to your own customized toolbar.

If you want to remove a command from the toolbar you can hold down the left mouse button and drag it out of the toolbar. It will be deleted from the toolbar.

Menus

The “Menus” tab is where you can put your own special touch on the top menu of SOLIDWORKS.

You can move the commands (and rename them) as you wish.  It is also possible to create your own commands and move the existing commands to different sub-commands. For example, if you wanted to change the location of the fillet command, you can find it in Insert > Features > Fillet/round.

After you select the menu, you get a few options:

You can decide which menu it is to appear in…

 …and where in the menu it is to appear.

If I want to rename the menu, I can also do it here.

Keyboard Tab

The keyboard tab is probably the most used tab. Its function is mostly self-explanatory: search for a specific command (1) and set up a keyboard shortcut (2).

If you need to print the list (3), you can copy it to your clipboard (4) and insert it into a Word document.

It is not possible to attach the same keyboard shortcut to two commands.

Mouse Gestures

Mouse gestures are very powerful shortcuts that put 12 more shortcuts on your right mouse button.

In order to get started with mouse gestures, you need to enable them, which can be done within this Tab (1). Mouse gestures are enabled by default.

Next, select the number of gestures you want available (2). You can select 2 vertical, 2 horizontal, 4 (default), 8 and 12.

After enabling mouse gestures and deciding on the number, you can customize them to suit your workflow.

You can search for a specific command. For example, take Fillet and drag it to the “Part” gesture guide.

You can only drag a command to a guide that is relevant for that command. For example, you cannot drag “Fillet” to the “Drawing” Gesture guide.

To use the mouse gestures, hold down the right mouse button and make the gesture that corresponds to the command you assigned. For example, if you assigned the Fillet command to a the top gesture, make that motion with your mouse while holding down the right mouse button.

The Fillet command should then appear, allowing you to adjust the parameters and execute the command.

Lennart is a Software Specialist, with 17 years of experience with SOLIDWORKS. He has given presentations at 3DEXPERIENCE World, written articles for the SOLIDWORKS tech blog and is a regular contributor at the 3DEXPERIENCE EDU forum. In 2023, he became an Elite Application Engineer and is constantly working to improve his Knowledge of SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE. He is also the creator of the LinkedIn series, “Tinndahl's Tip from the Train” as well as “3DEXPERIENCE Made Simple.” Currently he works at PLMgroup in Denmark, helping SOLIDWORKS Users “Work Smarter, Not Harder.”