SolidWorks Essentials

Length: 3 Days

Prerequisites: Mechanical design experience; experience with the Windows™ operating system.

Description: SolidWorks Essentials teaches you how to use the SolidWorks mechanical design automation software to build parametric models of parts and assemblies, and how to make drawings of those parts and assemblies.

The topics covered in this course are:

Lesson 1: Introduction

• About This Course
• Windows XP
• Use of Color
• What is the SolidWorks Software?
• Design Intent
• File References
• Opening Files
• The SolidWorks User Interface

Lesson 2: Introduction to Sketching

• 2D Sketching
• Stages in the Process
• Saving Files
• What are We Going to Sketch?
• Sketching
• Sketch Entities
• Basic Sketching
• Rules That Govern Sketches
• Design Intent
• Sketch Relations
• Dimensions
• Sketch Fillets
• Extrude

Lesson 3: Basic Part Modeling

• Basic Modeling
• Terminology
• Choosing the Best Profile
• Choosing the Sketch Plane
• Details of the Part
• Boss Feature
• Sketching on a Planar Face
• Using the Hole Wizard
• Cut Feature
• Using the Hole Wizard
• View Options
• Filleting
• Detailing Basics
• Drawing Views
• Center Marks
• Model Dimensions
• Changing Parameters

Lesson 4: Modeling a Casting or Forging

• Case Study: Ratchet
• Design Intent
• Boss Feature with Draft
• Symmetry in the Sketch
• Sketching Inside the Model
• View Options
• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Using Model Edges in a Sketch
• Creating Trimmed Sketch Geometry
• Using Copy and Paste
• Editing Features

Lesson 5: Patterning

• Why Use Patterns?
• Reference Geometry
• Linear Pattern
• Circular Patterns
• Mirror Patterns
• Using Pattern Seed Only
• Sketch Driven Patterns

Lesson 6: Revolved Features

• Case Study: Handwheel
• Design Intent
• Revolved Features
• Building the Rim
• Building the Spoke
• Edit Material
• Mass Properties
• File Properties
• COSMOSXpress
• Using the Wizard

Lesson 7: Shelling and Ribs

• Shelling and Ribs
• Analyzing and Adding Draft
• Other Options for Draft
• Shelling
• Ribs
• Full Round Fillets
• Thin Features

Lesson 8: Editing, Repairs

• Part Editing
• Editing Topics
• Check Sketch for Feature
• FilletXpert
• DraftXpert

Lesson 9: Editing, Design Changes

• Part Editing
• Design Changes
• Information From a Model
• Rebuilding Tools
• Sketch Contours

Lesson 10: Configurations of Parts

• Configurations
• Using Configurations
• Modify Configurations
• Editing Parts that Have Configurations
• Design Library

Lesson 11: Design Tables and Equations

• Design Tables
• Link Values
• Equations
• Design Tables
• Existing Design Tables
• Modeling Strategies for Configurations
• More About Making Drawings
• In the Advanced Course...

Lesson 12: Bottom-Up Assembly Modeling

• Case Study: Universal Joint
• Bottom-Up Assembly
• Creating a New Assembly
• Position of the First Component
• FeatureManager Design Tree and Symbols
• Adding Components
• Using Part Configurations in Assemblies
• Creating Copies of Instances
• Component Hiding and Transparency
• Component Properties
• Sub-assemblies
• Smart Mates
• Inserting Sub-assemblies
• Pack and Go

Lesson 13: Using Assemblies

• Using Assemblies
• Analyzing the Assembly
• Changing the Values of Dimensions
• Exploded Assemblies
• Explode Line Sketch
• Assembly Drawings
• In the Drawings Course...

Lesson 14: Using DimXpert and TolAnalyst

• DimXpert
• Tolerance Types and Features
• DimXpert Selections
• Prismatic and Turned Parts
• Settings for DimXpert
• Auto Dimension Scheme
• Using Plus and Minus
• DimXpert Annotations and Drawings
• TolAnalyst

Appendix

• Options Settings
• Document Templates