Parameters vs. Good Dimensions in SOLIDWORKS Sketches

One of many greatest advantages of taking licensed, instructor-led SOLIDWORKS coaching is the information shared by our crew to assist keep away from widespread pitfalls or committing a SOLIDWORKS rookie mistake. Whereas making an attempt to study by yourself has the potential to go easily, it typically results in gaps in basic information that would make you a extra environment friendly SOLIDWORKS consumer.

In case you are new to sketching in SOLIDWORKS, you’ll have discovered your self utilizing the Parameters property window to outline the size of a line or the diameter of a circle. Whereas this isn’t unsuitable, it’s usually really useful to make use of the Good Dimensions software to outline your geometry as an alternative. There are just a few key variations between the instruments that we’ll focus on!

Parameters within the Property Supervisor

After you’ve created a sketch entity like a line or an arc, you’ll be able to choose it and think about the Property Supervisor on the left aspect of the interface. Within the picture under, the chosen line’s properties are proven, together with its size and angle Parameters.

From right here, it’s potential to vary the road size by modifying the worth within the size parameter field. Nonetheless, that is merely a one-time change and doesn’t present any everlasting constraint on the geometry. Whereas utilizing this parameter field could seem intuitive, it should possible result in points as the road size is just not constrained, that means that adjustments to surrounding entities or dragging the road endpoints can nonetheless manipulate the road’s size.

Utilizing the Good Dimension Command

It is very important management your design with Good Dimensions as a result of they’re everlasting constraints that assist to totally outline the geometry. When an entity is “Totally Outlined”, it implies that a mix of dimensions and relations has been added to the entity to constrain its dimension, place, and relations to different geometry within the sketch.

Totally outlined sketches get rid of any ambiguity or interpretation of the design by totally speaking the design intent. Preserving this in thoughts, the Good Dimension command is the best choice for locking in your design intent, supporting future edits, and protecting downstream options steady. It may be discovered in the direction of the left finish of the Sketch tab, as proven within the picture under.

Accessing the Good Dimension command

Within the picture under, a number of Good Dimensions have been added to constrain the sketch. We’ve additionally added relations to the sketch within the type of horizontal, vertical, tangent, and parallel relationships as denoted by the inexperienced icons. The mix of dimensions and relations has offered sufficient data in order that the sketch is totally outlined.

Totally outlined SOLIDWORKS sketch

Taking your SOLIDWORKS expertise from novice to professional means studying when to make use of which instruments for which duties. The Parameters property field should still be helpful for one-time changes, however with regards to totally defining your sketch geometry, Good Dimensions are the way in which to go.

Making SOLIDWORKS rookie errors is an integral a part of the journey to changing into a SOLIDWORKS skilled, however studying tips on how to keep away from them is how one can rapidly go from novice to professional. Minimizing mouse actions and growing modeling is the best strategy to set your self aside from different customers. Whereas studying SOLIDWORKS can take many kinds, one of the best ways to take action is by getting data straight from the TriMech Group crew. Our years of expertise can assist reply all of your SOLIDWORKS-related questions and make you the SOLIDWORKS consumer you had been meant to be.

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