Advanced Part Modeling

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Solidworks Chapter 4

Learning Objectives
• Dimension the sketch using the Autodimension sketch tool.
• Dimension the true length of arc.
• Measure Distances and View Section Properties.
• Create solid base extruded features.
• Create thin base extruded features.
• Create solid base revolved features.
• Create thin base revolved features.
• Dynamically rotate the view to display the model from all directions.
• Modify the orientation of the view.
• Change the display modes of the solid model.
• Apply material and textures to the models.

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Advance Dimensioning Techniques

With this release of SolidWorks, you are able to apply all the possible
dimensions to a sketch using a single option. This option is known as
Autodimension Sketch. The advanced dimensioning techniques are
• Autodimension the Sketches
The Autodimension tool is used to automatically apply
the dimensions to the sketch. To apply autodimensions to
a sketch, create the sketch using standard sketching tools
and then apply the required relations to the sketch. Now,
choose the Autodimension button from the
Dimension/Relations CommandManager. The
Autodimension PropertyManager is displayed as shown
in Figure A.

Figure A The Autodimension

PropertyManager

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Solidworks Chapter 4

The various options available in the Autodimension PropertyManager

are.
• Entities to Dimension
The Entities to Dimension rollout is used to specify the entities on which
the dimension has to be applied.
• Horizontal Dimensions
The Horizontal Dimensions rollout is used to specify the type of horizontal
dimension, reference for the horizontal dimension, and the dimension
placement. The various options available in the Horizontal Dimensions
rollout are:
• Scheme
The various types of dimensioning schemes available in the Horizontal
Dimensioning Scheme drop-down list are:
• Chain • Ordinate
• Baseline

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Solidworks Chapter 4

• Dimension placement
The Dimension Placement area of the Horizontal Dimensions rollout
is used to define the position where the generated dimensions will be
placed.
• Vertical Dimensions
The Vertical Dimensions rollout is used to specify the type of vertical
dimension, reference for the vertical dimension, and the dimension
placement. The options available in the Vertical Dimensions are same as
Horizontal Dimensions rollout the remaining options are:
• Dimension placement
The Dimension Placement area of the Vertical Dimensions rollout is
used to define the position where the generated dimensions will be
placed. The Left of the Sketch radio button is selected to place the
dimensions on the left of the sketch. The Right of the Sketch radio
button is selected to place the dimensions on the right of the sketch. The
Right of the Sketch radio button is selected by default.

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Solidworks Chapter 4

After specifying all the parameters in the Autodimension PropertyManager, choose the
OK button. The dimension will be created with the selected dimension scheme. Figure A
shows the autodimension created using the Baseline scheme. Figure B shows the
autodimension created using the Ordinate scheme.

Figure A Baseline scheme Figure B Ordinate scheme

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• Dimensioning of the True Length of an Arc

To create the dimension of the true length, invoke
the Smart Dimension tool and select the arc using
the dimension cursor. A radial dimension is
attached to the cursor. Move the cursor to any of
the endpoints of the arc. When the cursor snaps
the endpoint, use the left mouse button to specify
the first endpoint of the arc. A linear dimension is
attached to the cursor; move the cursor to the
second endpoint of the arc and when the cursor
snaps the endpoint, select it. A dimension is
attached to the cursor. Move the cursor to an
appropriate place to place the dimension. The Figure A Dimensioning the
dimension of the true length of the arc is shown in true length of an arc
Figure A.

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Measuring Distances And Viewing Section Properties

Tools require to measure the distance of the entities and also to view the section
properties are:
• Measuring Distances
The Measure tool is used to measure perimeter,
angle, radius, and distance between lines, points,
surfaces, and planes in sketches, 3D models,
assemblies, or drawings. Choose the Measure
button, the Measure dialog box is displayed. The
Measure dialog box is displayed in Figure A.
The various options in the Measure dialog box are:
• Output coordinate system drop-down list
• Selected items Area • Projection on Figure A Measure dialog box

• Show output coordinate system in corner of window

• Measurements Area • Options

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Solidworks Chapter 4

The Options button is used to invoke the Measurement Options

dialog box. In this dialog box you can specify the units for linear
measurement, units for angular measurement, material
properties, and the accuracy level. The Measurement Options
dialog box is shown in Figure B. The options in the
Measurement Options dialog box are:
• Units Area
• Length unit Area • Angular unit Area

• Mass Properties
• View measurement settings • View global settings
• View system defaults

• Material Properties Area

• Accuracy level
Figure B Measurement
Options dialog box

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Solidworks Chapter 4

• Determining Section Properties of Closed Sketches

The Section Properties tool enables you
to determine the section properties of the
sketch in the sketching environment or of
selected planar face in the Part mode and
Assembly mode. The section properties
of only the closed sketches with
nonintersecting closed loops can be
determined. To calculate the section
properties, create the sketch and then
choose the Section Properties button
from the Tools CommandManager. The
Section Properties dialog box is
displayed as shown in Figure A. Figure A Section Properties dialog
box

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Creating Base Features By Extruding The Sketches

The sketches that you have drawn until now can be converted into base features
by extruding using the Extruded Boss/Base tool. After drawing the sketch,
choose the Features button from the CommandManager to display the
Features CommandManager. From the Features CommandManager, choose
the Extruded Boss/Base tool.
• Creating Solid Extruded Features
Choose the Extruded
Boss/Base button from the
Features CommandManager.
You will notice that the view is
automatically changed to
trimetric view and the Extrude
PropertyManager is displayed
as shown in Figure A. Figure B Figure B Preview
shows the preview of the sketch Figure A Extrude of feature
being extruded. PropertyManager

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Solidworks Chapter 4

The various options available in the Extrude PropertyManager are:

• Direction 1
The Direction 1 rollout is used to specify the end condition for extruding
the sketch in one direction from the sketch plane. The various options
available in the Direction 1 drop-down list are:
• End Condition
• Blind • Mid Plane • Draft ON/Off

Outward draft Inward draft

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Solidworks Chapter 4

• Direction 2
The Direction 2 check box is
selected to invoke the Direction 2
rollout. This rollout is used to
extrude the sketch with different
values in the second direction of the
sketching plane. Using the various
options available in the Direction 2
rollout one can specify the
termination condition for extrusion in
the second direction. Figure A
shows a feature created in both
directions with different values.
Figure A Feature created in both
directions with different values

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Solidworks Chapter 4

• Creating Thin Extruded Features

Thin extruded features can be created using a closed or an open sketch. If the
sketch is closed, it will be offsetted inside or outside to create a cavity inside
the feature as shown in Figure A. If the sketch is open, as shown in Figure B,
the resultant feature will be as shown in Figure C.

Figure A Thin feature Figure B Open loop to be Figure C Resultant thin

using a closed sketch converted into thin feature feature created with fillets at
sharp corners

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Solidworks Chapter 4

To convert a closed sketch into a thin feature,

choose the Thin Feature checkbox to invoke
the Thin Feature rollout. The Thin Feature
rollout, shown in Figure D. The options under
the Thin Feature rollout of the Extrude Figure D Thin Feature rollout
PropertyManager are:
• Type
• One-Direction • Two-Direction
• Mid Plane

• Cap Ends

• Auto-fillet corners
Figure E shows a draft angle applied in the
front direction and the Auto Fillet option is
selected while creating the thin feature. Figure E Thin feature created
in both the directions

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Creating Base Features By Revolving The Sketches

The sketches that you have drawn until now can also be converted into base
features by revolving using the Revolved Boss/Base tool. This tool is
available in the Features CommandManager. In the previous releases of
SolidWorks, the revolved features could be created using only a centerline.
However, in this release, you do not need a centerline to revolve the sketch.
You can use an edge of the sketch as the revolution axis to create the
revolved feature.
If the sketch is closed, it can be converted into a solid
feature or a thin feature. However, if the sketch is
open, it can be converted into a thin feature only.
• Creating Solid Revolved Features
Choose the Revolve Boss/Base button from the
Features toolbar. Revolve PropertyManager will
be displayed, see Figure A. Figure A Revolve PropertyManager

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The various options available in the Revolve Parameters rollout of Revolve PropertyManager
are:
• Revolve Type
The Revolve Type drop-down list provides the options to define the termination of the revolved
feature. The options that are available in this drop-down list to terminate the revolved feature
are:
• One-Direction
Figure B shows the sketch and the
centerline used to revolve the sketch.
Figure C shows the piston created by
revolving the sketch through an angle of
360°. Figure D shows a piston created by
revolving the sketch through an angle of
270°.
• Mid-Plane • Two-Direction Figure B Figure C Figure D

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Solidworks Chapter 4

• Creating Thin Revolved Features

Thin revolved features can be created using a closed or an open sketch. If the
sketch is closed, it will be offsetted inside or outside to create a cavity inside the
feature as shown in Figure A. If the sketch is open, as shown in Figure B, the
resultant feature will be as shown in Figure C.

Figure A Thin feature created Figure C Thin feature created

by revolving the sketch by revolving the open sketch
through an angle of 180° through an angle of 180°
Figure B An open sketch

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Solidworks Chapter 4

To convert a closed sketch into a thin feature, select the Thin Feature check
box from Revolve PropertyManager to invoke the Thin Feature rollout. The
options under the Thin Feature rollout of the Revolve PropertyManager,
shown in Figure D are:

Figure D Thin Feature rollout

• Type
• One-Direction
• Mid Plane
• Two-Direction

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Dynamically Rotating The View Of The Model

SolidWorks allows dynamically rotation of the view in the 3D space so that the solid
models in the current file can be viewed from all directions. This allows you to visually
maneuver around the model so that all the features in the model can be clearly
viewed. This tool can be invoked even when any other tool is active. The methods of
rotating the model are:

• Rotating the View Freely in 3D Space

To rotate the view freely in 3D space, choose the Rotate View button from
the View toolbar. Invoke this tool, note that the cursor will be replaced by the
rotate view cursor. Now, press the left mouse button and drag the cursor to
rotate the view.

• Rotating the View Around a Selected Vertex, Edge, or Face

Invoke the Rotate tool. Move the rotate view cursor close to the vertex, edge, or
the face around which the view is to be rotated. Select it using the left mouse
button. Next, drag the cursor to rotate the view.

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Modifying The View Orientation

SolidWorks allows you to manually change the view orientation
using some predefined standard views or user-defined views. To
invoke these standard views, choose the Standard Views button
from the View toolbar. A flyout is displayed, as shown in Figure A.
You can also invoke these standard views using the
Orientation dialog box. This dialog box is invoked
by choosing the View Orientation option from the
shortcut menu. This dialog box can also be invoked Figure A Standard
by pressing the SPACEBAR from the keyboard. The View flyout
Orientation dialog box is shown in Figure B.

Figure B Orientation
dialog box

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Solidworks Chapter 4

You can invoke the view from the Orientation dialog box by double-clicking on it. You
will notice that in addition to the standard views, two more additional views are
displayed. The buttons that are available on top of this dialog box are:

• Push-Pin • Update Standard Views

• New View • Reset Standard Views

► Restoring Previous View

You can restore the previous view using the Previous View button in the
View toolbar. This tool saves ten previous views of the model.

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Display Modes Of The Model

SolidWorks provides various predefined modes to display the model. These display
modes are available in the View toolbar. Some of the modes has to be customize
using Customize dialog box. The various display modes are:

• Wireframe • Shaded with Edges

• Hidden Lines Visible • Perspective

• Hidden Lines Removed • Shaded

• Shadows in Shaded Mode

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Solidworks Chapter 4

► Assigning Material and Texture to the Models

One of the latest enhancements of SolidWorks 2004 is its ability to
let you assign material and texture to the models. The method of
assigning material and textures is:

• Assigning Material to a Model

Whenever you assign a material to a model, all the
physical properties of the selected material are also
assigned to the model. As a result, when you calculate
the mass properties of the model, they will be based on
the physical properties of the material. To apply material
to a model, choose the Edit Material button from the
Standard toolbar. The Materials Editor
PropertyManager is displayed, as shown in Figure A.
Figure A Partial display
of Materials Editor
PropertyManager

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Solidworks Chapter 4

• Assigning Textures to a Model

SolidWorks 2004 allows you to assign a texture to a
model, feature, or a selected face. This can be done
using the Texture PropertyManager that is displayed
when you invoke the Edit Texture tool. Figure A shows
this PropertyManager.
The various textures families that you can select are
available in the Texture Tree area of the Texture
Selection rollout. Figure B shows a model with Gravel
type of stone applied to its top face.

Figure A Partial
Figure B Texture display of the Texture
applied to the top face PropertyManager
of a model

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Solidworks Chapter 4

J... Tutorial 1
In this tutorial you will open the sketch drawn in Tutorial 2 of
Chapter 3. You will then convert this sketch into an extruded
model by extruding it in two directions as shown in Figure
A. The parameters for extruding the sketch are given next.
Direction 1: Depth = 10mm, Draft angle = 35°
Direction 2: Depth = 15mm, Draft angle = 0°

After creating the model, rotate the view using the Rotate
View tool and then modify the standard views such that the
front view of the model becomes the top view. Save the
model with the current settings. (Expected time: 30 min) Figure A Solid model for
Tutorial 1

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1. Start SolidWorks by choosing Start > Programs > SolidWorks 2004 > SolidWorks
2004. Close the Tip of the Day dialog box. Choose the Open Document option from
the Welcome to SolidWorks 2004 window.

2. Select /My Documents/SolidWorks/c03/

c03-tut02.sldprt. The sketch will open in the
sketcher environment, see Figure B.

3. Choose the File > Save As to display the Save As

dialog box. Choose Up One Level. Then create
c04 folder inside the SolidWorks folder. In this
folder save the document with the name c04-
tut01.sldprt. The path for restoring this document Figure B Sketch that will be opened
at a later stage is in the drawing area
/My Documents/SolidWorks/c04/c04-tut01.sldprt.

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4. Invoke the Extrude Boss/Base tool. Extrude the sketch by entering the parameters in
the Extrude PropertyManager, see Figure C. Refer to the tutorial description for
parameters. Figure D shows the isometric view of the model after entering the
parameters.

Figure D
Figure C Extrude Isometric view
PropertyManager

5. Rotate the view using the Rotate View tool to view the model from all the directions.

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6. Modify the standard views such that the front view of the model becomes the top view.
This is done using the Orientation dialog box.

7. After modifying the standard views the changed

isometric view of the model is shown in Figure E.

8. Choose the Save button from the Standard toolbar.

Save the document. Close the file by choosing
File > Close from the menu bar.

Figure E Modified isometric view

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Solidworks Chapter 4

J... Tutorial 2
In this tutorial, you will open the sketch drawn in Exercise 1 of Chapter 3. You will then
create a thin feature by revolving the sketch through an angle of 270-degree, as shown
in Figure 4-44. You will offset the sketch outwards while creating the thin feature. After
creating the model, you will turn on the option to display the shadows and also apply
Copper material to the model. (Expected time: 30 min)

Figure A Solid model for

Tutorial 2

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1. As the document that you require is saved in the \My Documents\SolidWorks\c03 folder,
you will have to select this folder and then open the c03-exr1.sldprt document.
2. Choose the File > Save As to display the Save As dialog
box. Choose Up One Level. Then create c04 folder inside
the SolidWorks folder. In this folder save the document with
the name c04-tut02.sldprt. The path for restoring this
document at a later stage is
/My Documents/SolidWorks/c04/c04-tut02.sldprt.
3. Enter the name of the document in the File name edit box as
c04-tut02.sldprt. Choose the Save button to save the
document. The sketch that will be displayed in the drawing
area is shown in Figure 4-45.

Figure B Sketch for the

revolved model

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4. To revolve the sketches that have more than one centerlines,

first select the centerline and then invoke the Revolve
Boss/Base tool. Select the Thin Feature check box from the
Revolve PropertyManager to invoke the Thin Feature rollout
as shown in Figure C. Figure C Thin Feature rollout

5. The revolved feature is shown in 6. Choose the Shadows In

Figure D. Shaded Mode button from
the View toolbar. The
shadow of the model is
displayed below the model,
see Figure E.

Figure E Model displayed

in Hidden Lines Removal
mode
Figure D Model created by
revolving the sketch

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7. Assign material to the model using the Materials Editor

PropertyManager, which is displayed by choosing the
Edit Material button. Click on the + sign located on the
left of the Copper and its Alloys option from the list box
available in the Materials rollout. Select the Copper
option and choose OK from the Materials Editor
PropertyManager. The model after assigning the
material is shown in Figure F.
8. Choose the Save button from the Standard toolbar. Save
the document. The model will be saved with a name \My
Figure F Model after
Documents\SolidWorks\c04\c04-tut02.sldprt. Close the assigning the material
file by choosing File > Close from the menu bar.

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Solidworks Chapter 4

J... Tutorial 3
In this tutorial, you will create the model shown in Figure A. The dimensions of the model
are shown in Figure B. The extrusion depth of the model is 20 mm. After creating the
model, rotate the view and then change the view back to isometric view before saving the
model. (Expected time: 45 min)

Figure A Solid model for Figure B Sketch of the model

Tutorial 3

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1. Start SolidWorks and start a new part document. Invoke the sketcher environment by
selecting the Front plane as the sketching plane.
2. Create the sketch and trim the unwanted entities, see Figure C. Figure D shows the
outer loop of the sketch.

Figure C Sketch after trimming Figure D Outer loop of the sketch

unwanted entities

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3. Draw the sketch using basic sketching 4. Create circular pattern for the inner
tools for the inner cavity, see Figure E. cavity as shown in Figure F.

Figure E Sketch after drawing Figure F Sketch after creating

inner cavity circular pattern

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5. Draw the sketch for the holes. Draw one of the circles and then
add dimension to it. Then create a circular pattern of the circle,
see Figure G.

6. The next step after drawing the sketch is to extrude it using the
parameters given in the tutorial description. The sketch will be
extruded using the Extrude Boss/Base tool.

7. Choose the Rotate View button from the View toolbar to rotate Figure G Final sketch
the model. Figure H shows the final model.

8. Choose the Save button from the Standard toolbar to display the
Save As dialog box. Save the document as /My
Documents/SolidWorks/c04/c04-tut03.sldprt. Close the file by
choosing File > Close from the menu bar.

Figure H Final model

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♦ Exercise 1
Create the model shown in Figure A. The sketch of the model is shown in Figure B.
Create the sketch and dimension the sketch using the autodimension option. The
extrusion depth of the model is 15mm. Then, rotate the view. (Expected time: 30 min)

Figure A Solid Model for Figure B Sketch of the model

Exercise 1

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♦ Exercise 2
Create the model shown in Figure A. The sketch of the model is shown in Figure B.
Create the sketch and dimension the sketch using the autodimension tool. The extrusion
depth of the model is 25mm. Modify the standard current front view of the model as the
top view. (Expected time: 30 min)

Figure A Solid Model for Figure B Sketch of the model

Exercise 2

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