SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part VII: Working with Specialized Functionality

Using Plastic Features

The plastic features available in SolidWorks are the Mounting Boss, Snap Hook, Snap Groove,

Vent, and Lip/Groove. These features offer standardized but flexible geometry to help you make

more consistent models more quickly, and with less tiresome repetition. In this chapter I also con-

sider the various functions of the Draft feature in SolidWorks. Other features such as Shell and

Indent are frequently used in plastic parts, but I cover them in Chapter 7. You can find all the fea-

tures in this section on the Fastening Features toolbar.

Some of these features have applications beyond just injection molded plastic parts. Many mold-

ing, casting, or “net shape” processes exist in plastic materials, as well as metals, ceramics, and

composites.

Using the Mounting Boss

The Mounting Boss feature enables you to place a boss with fins and either a hole or a pin on the
end. It does not enable you to place a counterbored hole or a through hole to facilitate screw
bosses. It is aimed primarily at press pins.

Figure 32.1 shows the Mounting Boss PropertyManager along with the preview of the boss in

progress. The part used in this figure is on the CD-ROM in the data for Chapter 32, and is called

Chapter 32 – right frame.sldprt.

The workflow for the Mounting Boss feature is as follows:

1. Select a spot on the part that represents where the boss will attach to the part. This
   can be either a flat or curved face. In the example in Figure 32.1, because I selected a
   curved face, it is necessary to also supply a direction of pull. If you select a flat face, the
   direction selection box in the next step is not available.


2. Select a plane, planar face, edge, or axis to establish the axis of the boss. This is usu-
   ally the direction of draw. Notice in the part shown in Figure 32.1 that an axis estab-
   lished early in the part is named as the Direction of Draw. In early 2009 releases, the
   Change Direction arrows do nothing. This step is optional. The default is the direction
   normal to the face selected in Step 1.


3. Select an existing circular edge to align the boss. The new boss will be concentric with
   the circular edge. This step is also optional. You can choose to use dimensions to locate
   the boss after the feature is created. If you use dimensions, you cannot locate the boss
   while the PropertyManager is active.


4. The Boss panel of the Mounting Boss PropertyManager is used to establish the
   height and other dimensions of the central boss. Diameter and draft dimensions are
   obvious. You can establish height by a dimension or by an “up to” face using the Select
   mating face option. There is no option for an “offset from face” end condition.