Chapter 19: Using Smart Components
When you look at this table, you begin to understand why creating auto-sizing Smart Components
is much more involved than the first example in this chapter. The configurations of the Smart
Component are listed to the left, and the individual part configs can be selected in each cell from a
drop-down list of all available configs for that part. There is no way to set configs for multiple com-
ponents at once, nor is there a copy-and-paste function. These shortcomings combine to make this
format somewhat less user-friendly than an Excel-based design table.Most notable are the Minimum and Maximum Diameter columns to the right. These columns sup-
ply the parameters that make the auto-size function work. While the range of sizes used here is
too large for real-world design (+/– .050 inches), it serves to convey the idea. More important,
SolidWorks understands that mating sizes are not always exactly equal, and the ability to use a
range rather than exact values accommodates this very nicely, although it can be tedious to set up.Another aspect of the setup shown here is that it uses Toolbox parts. If you want to use the auto-
size functionality, then you need to be using configurations for Toolbox parts. You should prebuild
all the needed configurations and ensure that they are always available.Making Smart Components
The most important point to remember about Smart Component setup is that you need to do it
only once for each Smart Component. The second most important point is that the first setup is
the most difficult. After that, subsequent setups become much easier to create. Adding components
to the Smart Component is not so time-consuming unless the additional components are also con-
figured and also auto-sized.Smart Components must contain at least one associated component and one in-context feature, or
have the configurator table filled out and functional. If you try to create a Smart Component from a
stand-alone part, then nothing happens; the Smart Component interface simply closes because there
is nothing for it to do. You may combine all three elements (associated component, in-context fea-
ture, and auto-size), but you must have at least one element.Getting started with a simple Smart Component
Because I have already used the electrical connector shown in Figure 19.1 to demonstrate the
insertion of a Smart Component, I will use it here to demonstrate how to create one.All that you need to make a Smart Component with an associated Smart Feature (in this case, a cut-
out and mounting holes) and mounting hardware (in this case, two stand-off screws) is the part itself.
The part can even be an imported part (a Smart Component made from dumb geometry).From the CD-ROM for Chapter 19, open the file named Chapter 19 – Connector Start.
sldprt. This part is shown in Figure 19.7.