SolidWorks 2022: Modifying Parts

Name: SolidWorks 2022: Modifying Parts
Author: Will Tenney

Learn how to modify the features that create 3D volumes as well as how to express or suppress those features in different design studies within a single part file

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Course: On-Demand

Hello, my name is Will Tenney, and in this lesson we learn about suppressing and unsuppressing features. So right now we have this ladder model that we've built. All the features that we've used to build this model are being shown. We've got the poles here, we've got all the rungs expressed as a linear pattern and as the mirror of the other half, we've got the combine feature which makes all these separate body features into one single body. We've also got the sketch that we used to help establish some of the parameters of our linear pattern. Every feature we've done here is being expressed in this final result. What we can do is we can also choose to suppress one or more of these features and therefore unexpress it or deactivate it, if you will. So let's do that now. What I'm gonna do is I'm gonna go here to the left, to the feature manager. I'm going to right click on the feature I wish to suppress. I'm gonna go here to this button here, which is suppress. And as you can see, that mirror feature that we suppress is now gone or at least it's not being expressed in the final result that we have here. All we've done is deactivate it. We haven't deleted it. All that information, and all the parameters that we set for that design for the mirror feature, are still in the mirror feature. We could go back and unsuppress the mirror feature and all that information would come back and if we were to modify the mirror feature all the same parameters would be there as well. We haven't done anything to the feature itself. Let's see here, we'll unsuppress this. Now, one thing to keep in mind is if we suppress a feature in the feature manager the program is forced to also suppress any of the features that come after it that are dependent upon that feature. Those features can't be shown without the other feature being expressed to allow them to be shown. Let's give that a shot. If I were to suppress, say, actually this linear pattern, there we go. Not only did the linear pattern go away, but so did the mirror that was created from it, as well as the combine feature used to bring all those bodies into a single body. We could uncompress the linear pattern, but we'd still have to go through one by one and unsuppress each of these pieces. If we try to unsuppress something that's past a suppressed item in the feature tree, it'll be forced to unsuppress that feature as well. Another thing we could do is instead of unsuppressing these one by one, we can hold down shift control or command to group select all three items and unsupress 'em all in one go. There is another way to suppress and unsuppress features, and that's with this blue bar here. If we hover over it, the cursor becomes a hand and we can drag that higher or lower in our feature tree suppressing all the features that are listed below it. It's kinda like going back in time in our modeling process. If we wanted to, we could bring this to a certain point and add new sketches or features that are going to be placed between say, the linear pattern and the mirror which is where we have it now. If we bring the blue bar all the way to the bottom, it unsuppresses everything and our model is fully expressed as we built it. Thanks for listening. In the next lesson, we learn about modifying basic features in the feature tree.

Beginner Provider : Will Tenney 4 Lessons · 25m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

Solidworks is an active 3D modeling tool whose modeling features are capable of being modified after they have been created. Unlike other modeling software, in Solidworks every action applied to the working model can be edited, updated, expanded upon, or undone. This module teaches the ways in which those edits can be applied so that, if a design concept changes, there is no need to destroy and rebuild the part from scratch. All the changes can be made retroactively to the existing set of commands that built the part in the first place.

In addition, you will learn how to express different commands (what the program refers to as “features”) within different concepts or directions of the same design within the same part file. In other words, you will explore ways of showing different versions of the same product without having to start a new file for each version. These versions are organized into “configurations” which control the suppression or expression of each of the commands you previously used to create your part. This is how different design concepts can be illustrated in one part file and still relate to one another through shared features or sketches.

Editing, updating, and expressing multiple concepts allows the designer to explore different ideas as well as prepare those ideas for the next step (manufacturing, presentation, further brainstorming, etc.). And as Solidworks is a tool for expressing different design ideas, it is also a tool for organizing those ideas in a clean and intuitive way. That is also covered in this final module.

What You'll Learn

Edit 3D features retroactively without rebuilding the part from scratch
Recognize and repair broken 3D features in the feature tree
Suppress and unsuppress features without deleting them
Create design configurations to show multiple versions of the same part
Organize and edit configurations to update several design concepts at once
Modify basic features within the feature tree

Key Takeaways

In SolidWorks, every action applied to the working model can be edited, updated, expanded upon, or undone.
When a design concept changes, edits can be made retroactively to the existing set of commands rather than destroying and rebuilding the part.
Configurations control the suppression or expression of the commands used to create a part, allowing multiple versions to live in one part file.
Different design concepts can be illustrated in one part file and still relate to one another through shared features or sketches.
SolidWorks is a tool both for expressing different design ideas and for organizing those ideas in a clean and intuitive way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this SolidWorks 2022 module cover?

It teaches how edits can be applied to a model so that, if a design concept changes, there is no need to destroy and rebuild the part from scratch. It covers retroactively editing 3D features, recognizing and repairing broken features, suppressing and unsuppressing features without deleting them, and creating and organizing configurations to show multiple versions of the same part.

What are configurations in SolidWorks?

Configurations are organized versions of the same product that control the suppression or expression of each command used to create your part, letting you show different design concepts in one part file while they still relate to one another through shared features or sketches.

What lessons are included in this course?

The lessons are Suppressing and Unsuppressing Features, Modifying Basic Features in Feature Tree, How to Fix a Broken Feature, and Configurations.

What skills does this course build?

It builds skills in 3D Modeling, 3D Modeling Software, Design Modification, SketchUp (3D Modeling Software), Solid Modeling, and SolidWorks (CAD).

Why edit parts instead of rebuilding them?

Editing, updating, and expressing multiple concepts allows the designer to explore different ideas and to prepare those ideas for the next step, such as manufacturing, presentation, or further brainstorming, without starting a new file for each version.