SolidWorks Tutorial 4

Candlestick

Preparatory Vocational Training

and Advanced Vocational Training

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

In this tutorial you will make a simple container and a candlestick out of sheet metal. You
will learn about working with sheet metal in SolidWorks. We will show you a couple of
ways to create products out of sheet metal and we will show you how to make a drawing
in 2D.

Box

Work Plan

First, we will make a container. Look at the drawing below.

We will execute the following steps:

1 First, we will create the base. For this we will use an outside dimension of 230 x 130.

2 After that, we will add four sides with a height of 30.

3 Finally, we will look at the 2D drawing of the design.

SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial 1

Tutorial 4: Candlestick

1 Start SolidWorks and open a new part.

2 Set the units for the part as MMGS at the bottom right of the SolidWorks screen.

3 Be sure that the buttons you

need to work with Sheet Metal
are visible. The easiest way to
access these tools is to add
them to the
CommandManager.
1 Click on a tab in the
CommandManager with
1
the right mouse button.
2 Click on Sheet Metal in the
2
menu that appears.

4 Select Top Plane in the

FeatureManager.
We will use this plane to
create a sketch.

5 Create the sketch like in the

illustration on the right. Draw a
rectangle with one corner above the
origin. Set the dimension of the height
to 130 and the width to 230.
Do you still remember how to start a
sketch? If not, look at steps 3 and 6 of
Tutorial # 3.

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

6 Next, click on the Sheet Metal tab in

the CommandManager and then
next on Base Flange/Tab.

7 Set the thickness at 2

mm in the
PropertyManager. 2
Click on OK.
1

8 To create the edges of

the container, click on Edge
Flange in the
CommandManager.

9 Click on the first edge of the

base and move the mouse upwards.
Set the first rim with a random
height.

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Tutorial 4: Candlestick

10 Create the Edge Flange.

1-3Click on the other edges. Their
heights will automatically 9
adjust to the first one.
Change a few settings in the
PropertyManager as is shown in
the illustration at the right:
1
4 Set the gap between the walls
at 1 mm.
4
5 The walls are at a 90° angle to
the base. 5
6 The height of the walls is 30
mm. 3 2
7 This height is measured from
the outside of the base.
6
8 The walls are placed within the
outside edge from the base and 7
on top of the base.
9 When the settings are correct,
click on OK. 8
11 The container is ready now.
Next, we will make a 2D
drawing.
The last feature in the
FeatureManager is
FlatPattern1. Normally this 2
feature is suppressed (gray-
colored in the
FeatureManager), and we 1
have a normal view of the
model.
By setting this feature to unsuppressed, we will get a 2D drawing of the model.
1 Expand the last folder in the FeatureManager and click on the feature within it.
2 Select Unsuppress in the menu.

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

12 At this point, a 2D drawing of

the container is visible.
If you want to return to the
normal view in 3D, click on the
last feature again and select
Suppress.
13 Save the model as: 2
box.SLDPRT

Base
1
Work Plan

We are going to create a candlestick. It consists of three parts. First, we will create the base
in accordance with the drawing below.

We will handle this product differently than we handled the others. We draw a 2D drawing
and bring in some bending lines. The hardest part of this model is to make the first sketch.

SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial 5

Tutorial 4: Candlestick

14 Open a new part.

15 Select the Top Plane to
make a sketch on it.
Click on Polygon in the
CommandManager.
2

16 Click the origin for the

first dot of the hexagon and at a
point straight above the origin at a
random distance from the first
one.

17 Be sure that in the

PropertyManager:
1 The number of sides is set to 6. 3
2 The dimension of the inner
circle is set.
3 Click on OK.
1
2

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

18 Set the dimension of the inner circle to 90 mm with Smart

Dimension.

19 To set the direction of the

hexagon you do as
described below:
1 Select ONE of the
vertical sides of the
hexagon.
2 Click on Vertical in the
PropertyManager.

20 Offset lines from the

hexagon.
1 Click on Offset
Entities in the
CommandManager.
1
2 Set the distance in 4
the 7
PropertyManager to
10 mm.
2
3 Copy the other
settings of the
PropertyManager 3
from the image at the
right. Be sure the 6 5
option Select Chain
is NOT selected.
4-6Select the sides of the hexagon as shown at the right.

Pay Attention: when the lines are offset to the inside, check the option Reverse in the
PropertyManager.
7 Click on OK.

SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial 7

Tutorial 4: Candlestick

21 Click on Trim Entities in the

CommandManager.
Select the option Corner in the
PropertyManager.
Click in the sketch on two lines 1
that form a corner. 4

3
2

22 Click two lines again and again so you see the

drawing as shown at the right.

23 Finally, we will transform the

three inner lines into construction
lines. This will create the bending 5
lines we will use later on. 1
1-3Select the three lines (using the
<Ctrl> button on your
keyboard).
4 Check the option For 2
construction in the 3
PropertyManager.
4
5 Click in OK.

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

24 Next, create the base.

1 Click on Sheet Metal in the
CommandManager. 2
2 Click on Base-Flange/Tab.
1

25 Set the thickness of the

material to 0.8 mm in the
PropertyManager. 3
Be sure that the option
Reverse direction is
unchecked to add the material 1
at the bottom of the base
material. Do you have a good 2
view at the material? If not,
zoom in!
Click on OK.
26 In the sketch we have just
created, the bending lines
have already been drawn. We
are going to use them now,
but for this purpose, the
sketch must be visible.
Click on the + sign in front
1
1 3
of Base-Flange1 in the
FeatureManager.
2 Now, click on the sketch
that is visible (usually this
2
is: Sketch1).
3 Click on Show in the menu that appears.
The sketch is now gray-colored in the model.
27 Start a new sketch at the top
plane:
1 Select the top plane of the
item you have just
created.
2 Click on Sketch in the
CommandManager to
show the right buttons.
3 Click on the Sketch
command to open the
sketch.
Tip: In earlier exercises, we
opened a sketch by

SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial 9

Tutorial 4: Candlestick

selecting a plane and drawing a rectangle (example). SolidWorks ‘understands’ that

in such a case you want to open a sketch and does so automatically.
Before you can use the command for the next step, a sketch must be open already;
otherwise the command will not be visible. For this reason, we must open the sketch
ourselves and that is exactly what we have done in the last step.
28 Convert sketch entities from
the previous sketch.
1 Click somewhere beside
the model to unselect the
plane. 5
2-4Select the three bending
lines from the last sketch.
Use the <Ctrl> button.
5 Click on Convert Entities 2 3
in the 4
CommandManager.

Tip: For a lot of features in SolidWorks, you must first make a sketch. So you cannot use
an edge or an existing line to use them in a new feature.
But you CAN do what we have just done here: make a copy of an existing element
and paste it in a new sketch. This can be a line from an old sketch but it can also be
an edge of a model or even a face. In this way, you can make a new sketch that is
derived from the existing model.
When an element is not exactly in the plane of the sketch, it will be projected on it.
29 Click on Sheet Metal in the
CommandManager.
Click on Sketched Bend.

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

30 Unfortunately, this
function has no preview.
You have to set a number 5
of elements without
seeing the exact results. 1
1 Click at a position in 2
the middle of the base
to confirm which part 4
of the base is fixed.
We will bend the other
3
parts later on.
2 Select the option
Material outside: this is related to the way in which the dimensions are in the
drawing.
3 With the Reverse direction button you determine in which direction the material is
bent (up or down), and the arrow gives you the direction and can be changed by
clicking on this button. Make sure the arrow points downwards.
Set the corner at 90°.
4

5 Click on OK.

31 Finally, we will hide the

sketch we have revealed
earlier.
Click on the sketch, and
select Hide.

1
32 The model is ready now.
Save this as
base.SLDPRT.

SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial 11

Tutorial 4: Candlestick

Holder

Work plan

The second part of the candlestick is the ‘tube’ to put the candle in. This is shaped from a
piece of sheet metal as shown in the drawing below.

To make this part, we only have to make one sketch.

33 Open a new part and select Top Plane to create a sketch.
34 First, we will draw one half of a
circle.
1 Click on Centerpoint Arc in the
CommandManager.
2 Click on the origin for the first
point. 1 3
3 Click directly above the origin to
get a second point.
4 To finish this half, click on a third
point, directly below the origin.

4 2

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

35 Next, we will draw the second part of

the circle.
1 Click on Tangent Arc in the
CommandManager.
2 Click on the bottom point of the arc
3
you just drew first.
3 Click on a point as shown in the
1
illustration. 2
4 Stop the command by pushing the
<Esc> button.
36 Zoom in on the
origin of the circle
with the center of the
second circle also
visible. The last one
is marked with a little
blue + mark.
To zoom in, use the
scroll wheel of the
mouse OR click in
Zoom to Area in the
View Toolbar.
37 Select both points and click on Vertical in the
PropertyManager.

38 Next, set the dimension of 0.5 mm between both

points.

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Tutorial 4: Candlestick

39 Next, click on Zoom to fit in the

View Toolbar to show the entire
sketch.

40 Add two more dimensions to the

sketch with the Smart Dimension
command:
1 A radius of 35 for the right arc.

2 A length of 10 mm for the overlap

between the first circle and the second
one. Pay attention: use the real
distance between the ends of the
circles and NOT the horizontal
distance. This is determined when you
set the dimension.

41 Click on the Sheet

Metal tab in the
CommandManager 3
and next on Base
Flange/Tab.
Set the following
2
features in the
PropertyManager.
1 Thickness of the
material 0.8 mm. 1
2 Height to 25 mm.
3 Click on OK.

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

42 The cylinder is now

ready. Save the file as
holder.SLDPRT.

Handle

Work plan

Finally, we have to mate the ‘ear’ of the candlestick. This is done using the same method
we used for the last part. Again, the most important step is making a sketch.
43 Open a new part and start drawing a sketch at the Front
Plane.
Draw a line from the origin up.
Use the Tangent Arc command to draw a part of a circle (an
arc) as is shown in the illustration.

44 Add three dimensions with Smart Dimension as in

the illustration on the right.

SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial 15

Tutorial 4: Candlestick

45 Use the Base Flange/Tab

command to set the thickness of
the material to 0.8 mm and a 3
height of 10 mm.

46 Save the file as handle.SLDPRT.

Candlestick Assembly
At the end of this tutorial we will make an assembly. We have done this before. Would you
be able to join the three parts together in an assembly? Try it yourself first, before you
continue with this tutorial!
47 Open a new assembly.

Use the Insert Components

command to place the base
in the assembly. This will be
Fixed.
After that, put the two other
parts at a random position in
the drawing field.
Can you remember how this
is done? If not, check
Tutorial 3 steps 48-52.

16 SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial

 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

48 We have to mate the parts

together. Click on Mate in
the CommandManager. 4
1 Select the top plane of
the base.
2 Select the bottom edge
of the holder.
3 The mate type 3 1
Coincident is selected
automatically.
4 Click on OK.
2

Tip: When your first Mate is finished, click on OK. The Mate command will remain
active. You can immediately select two other elements to mate.
When you click OK twice, the Mate command with end.
SolidWorks assumes that you want to stay within the Mate command. If you click
twice on Ok by accident, click on the Mate command in the CommandManager to
start a new Mate.
49 Be sure the Mate
command is
active (read the tip
4
above).
1 Select the
origin of the
base in the 3
Feature tree.
2 Also select the
origin of the
1
holder.
3 The mate type
Coincident is
again selected
automatically.
4 Click on OK. 2

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Tutorial 4: Candlestick

50 Be sure the ‘ear’ is placed in the

area where is has to be at the end.
Look at the illustration at the right.
When this part is placed somewhere
else, you can drag it to its correct
position.

Tip: We are using illustrations of the model in which the model is rotated in such a way
that either edges or points that are needed to create a mate remain visible at the same
time. This is the most convenient approach, because there will be no need to rotate
the model during mating.
If this does not work, you will have to rotate the model during the mating command
like this:
1 Select the first element.

2 Rotate the model so you can get a good view at the second element.

3 Select the second element.

4 Create the mate.

During this process, be sure not to close the mate command by accident.
51 Rotate the model so that you
can see the bottom of the
handle and the bottom of the 4
base. Zoom in so you get a
good view of the thickness of
the sheet metal.
Make sure the Mate 1
command is still active.
Select the two edges as
shown in the illustration. 3
The function mate 2
Coincident is selected
automatically.
Click on OK.

52 Now, try to drag the handle. You will notice that you can just shift it along the edges
you have just selected and you can also rotate is around this edge.

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 Tutorial 4: Candlestick

Tip: Notice that there is a difference between rotating a part of the assembly and rotating
the model itself.
To rotate/shift a part you must drag it. You can also use the buttons Move
Component and Rotate Component. You can shift a part in relation to the other parts
of the assembly. The model changes.

If you rotate the model, the parts remain at the same position in relation to each
other, but you will be looking at the model from another angle. The model does
NOT change. To do so, you can use the scroll wheel of the mouse (push it and
rotate).
53 We are going to join the center
points of the edges together.
Be sure the Mate command is 4
active.
Select both center points. When
you move the cursor on top of an
edge, the center point will appear
and you can select it. 2
The mate type Coincident is
3
selected automatically.
Click on OK.
54 Now, try to shift the handle again.
Notice that you can only rotate it
around the edge but it is fixed in 1
the middle.
55 We will add the last mate to fix
the handle completely. Rotate the
2
model so you have a clear view 4
on both planes as in the
illustration and select both of
them.
The mate type Coincident is
selected automatically.
Click on OK.
56 Click on Ok again to close the
3
Mate command.
1

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Tutorial 4: Candlestick

57 The candlestick is ready

now. Save it as
Candlestick.SLDASM.

What are the main features you have learned in this tutorial?

In this exercise, you have learned several ways to create parts from sheet metal.
 You have seen that a Base-Flange is always the first step. In this step you determine
the thickness of the material.
 On a Base-Flange, you can use the Edge Flange command.
 With a sketched bend you can create bending lines in the straight plane.
 You have also seen that you can easily make a 2D drawing out of the 3D model by
unsuppressing the last feature.
Also you have used some new commands in creating sketches:
 Centerpoint Arc and Tangent Arc to draw parts of a circle.
 Convert to use an existing part in a sketch again.
Finally, you have made a few tricky mates in the assembly.
Slowly you are getting to know SolidWorks better and better, because Sheet Metal is an
important part of SolidWorks software.

20 SolidWorks Vocational/Technical Tutorial