SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 14: Assembly Configurations and Display States

When you hide a part, its parametric features are still calculated by the CPU; however, because the

part is hidden, it creates no load on the GPU. If you have a good main processor and a questionable

video card, then you will achieve a greater benefit from removing graphics load from your display.

Lightweight parts

On the other hand, if you want to still show a part but not calculate any of its parametric relations,

you should use Lightweight parts. You can find Lightweight default settings by choosing

Tools ➪ Options on both the Assemblies and Performance pages. You can make parts lightweight

through the RMB menu. The opposite of lightweight is resolved. Resolved means that the part is

fully loaded, its parametrics are loaded and calculated by the CPU, and its graphics display data is

calculated and shown by the GPU.

SpeedPak

There is some confusion about where SpeedPak falls into this scheme of things. With SpeedPak,

the parametrics are not loaded, but the graphics are. Also, some of the geometry is selectable, as if

it were imported geometry (actual geometry but without rebuildable parametrics). But SpeedPak

applies only to subassemblies, where the need for improvement is a lot higher.

To summarize this section, there is a five-way relationship between the Resolved, Lightweight,

Hidden, and Suppressed states, as shown in Figure 14.8.

FIGURE 14.8

The relationship between the Resolved, SpeedPak, Lightweight, Hidden, and Suppressed states

Resolved Slower

All parametrics and

display data fully loaded

SpeedPak

No parametrics

Graphics loaded

Some selectable geometry

Hidden

All parametrics

No graphics

Lightweight

No parametrics

Graphics loaded

Suppressed

No parametrics

No graphics

Faster