DISQUS

SolidSmack: SolidWorks Dimensioning Tips

  • Hung Le · 2 years ago
    Could you explain more about "to center a line"? (under Make relations and dimensions work together)

    Best Regards,

    Hung Le
  • Josh · 2 years ago
    Yeah sure. Say you have a line that you would like centered on a point. Select the line, then the point and give them a Midpoint relation. Then, with the dimension tool, select the line and locate the dimension. When you change the dimension, it will stay centered on that point.

    You can also do this with the Symetric relationship. If you have a construction line (centerline) and two other entities, like circles on each side of the construction line. IF you select all three, a Symetric relation will show up in the property manager to the left. This is one of the most useful relations by far.

    Let me know if that answers your question!
  • Kyle Mason · 2 years ago
    midpoint is great for rectangles, many times the first sketch of any part starts with a square, or rectangle. Draw your rectangle anywhere, then draw a construction line diagonally from corner to corner. Select the origin, hld ctrl and select the construction line, then tell click on the midpoint button to make that relation (or set up your sketch constraints to your num-pad like I do, 5 is midpoint)
    Now your base sketch is centered in both x and y directions. Makes things much easier when you have to change the size of your part and still keep other features relative
  • Josh · 2 years ago
    Right on Kyle. that is a handy little trick. guess what too, in SW 2008 there's a centered rectangle command. After all these years!!
  • Steve · 2 years ago
    I was watching the new videos on SW '08 and that centered rectangle tool looks like it will make things even easier. On another note, I started using cross-part equations as an experiment on some of my parts. One thing I've noticed about referencing other parts or assemblies is sometimes the equations fail and can't find a solution. Before you go and delete all your hard work, check and see if the referenced part is loaded lightweight. And if it is still set to resolved, edit the part in place and just give it a quick rebuild. That usually gives SW a chance to figure out what's going on.
  • Josh · 2 years ago
    Hi Steve, the centered rectangle tool is definitely a much need addition. On the equation part, you may be using a driven dimension in your equation that is causing you to have to rebuild twice or open and rebuild. An example of this would be if you had a pattern instance based on the length of something. You can try to do this through just using relations and the geometry, but sometimes, depending on the situation, it can not be avoided.
  • TIM · 1 year ago
    Hey my company is going from Solidworks 2007 to 2008 and we are having some issues. The auto dimension feature is placing ordinate zeros wherever it wants... Not where you want to place them. Any help would be nice. Also is there a way to get a autodim button on the tool bars? still havent figured that out either... thank you
  • Josh · 1 year ago
    HI Tim, I'm running SP 2.0 EV and am not having problems locating the ordinate. what SP are you on? The command for the auto-dim, is called Fully Define Sketch and is located in the Dimension/Relations section on the toolbars. You can get the button from there.
  • TIM · 1 year ago
    I know about the fully define sketch when working on the part. Im talking when making a drawing of the part. Thanks though... As far as the service pack we are runnning the early verion currently... (1.1) So I dont really know... The one thing I do kow is i like this program more the UG i hate it lol
  • Josh · 1 year ago
    Hey Tim, sorry, misunderstood there. I checked out AutoDimension and it worked fine on everything I had. There's no toolbar command for it though. I imagine that's because it's part of the Dimension command. The closest you'll get is setting up a keyboard shortcut for a Smart Dimension and then switching to the autodimension tab. sounds like an enhancement request.
  • TIM · 1 year ago
    Ahhh To tell you the truth I never really thought of that... Thank you for the help!!!
  • Dorillian Blue · 1 year ago
    I find using the filter when dimensioning useful (e.g. select Edge, and Vertices and Dimension only)

    This way you select circle edges as opposed to center marks - which often dangle.

    You can also be confident (without having to keep zooming in to the pick point) that you are selecting just what you want and not hidden sketches etc or center lines which you may be oblivious you are picking unless - again - zooming right in.
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    I'm trying to re-attach the arrow (which calls out a hole size) to another same size hole in the same view but can't get it to work. Anyone?
  • Rich · 1 year ago
    oh... never mind. Figured it out. duh on me.