SolidWorks 2010 Bible

CHAPTERCHAPTER

Selecting Features

IN THIS CHAPTER

Recognizing the right tool

for the job

Defining and creating curves

in SolidWorks

Filleting types

Choosing an occasional

specialty feature

Bracket casting tutorial

Creating a wire-formed

part tutorial

T

he most frustrating part of a complex modeling job is to be able to
envision a result, but not be able to create it because you do not have
the tools to get it done. Worse yet is to actually have the tools but
either not understand how to use them or not even realize that you have
them. Getting the job done is so much more satisfying when you use the
right tools and get the job done right — not just so that it looks right, but so
that it really is right.

SolidWorks offers so many tools that it is sometimes difficult to select the
best one, especially if it is for a function that you do not use frequently.

This chapter helps you identify which features to use in which situations,
and in some cases, which features to avoid. It also helps you evaluate which
feature is best to use for a particular job. With some features, it is clear when
to use them, but for others, it is not. This chapter guides you through the
decision-making process.

Identifying When to

Use Which Tool

I am always trying to think of alternate ways of doing things. It is important

to have a backup plan, or sometimes multiple backup plans, in case a feature

doesn’t perform exactly the way you want it to. As you progress into more

complex features, you may find that the more complex features are not as

well behaved as the simple features. You may be able to get away with only

doing blind extrudes and cuts with simple chamfers and fillets for the rest of

your career. In addition, even if you could, would you want to?