SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 19: Using Smart Components

Note
If the configurator table were to ever be as easy to use as, for example, an Excel design table, then Smart
Component complexity could increase significantly. The configurator table could even ideally be created from
an assembly design table. Instead of a single component with its associated hardware and mounting features,
think of larger-scale subassembly attachments. This sort of work is possible now, but it is difficult to do more
than a handful of parts. n

15. Click OK. You are now done creating the auto-sizing Smart Component!

Managing file with Smart Components

You may expect that with the training assembly, there is an extra burden of file management with

Smart Components. This may seem counterintuitive, but in fact, the only file that you need to

worry about is the Smart Component itself.

This is not explained very well in any of the documentation, but the Help and every reseller dem-

onstration that I have seen on the topic all recommend that you simply delete the training assembly

once you are done with it because it is not needed any more. This seems like saying that you

should delete all the mates in an assembly or the sketch relations in a part. How do you edit the

Smart Component if you delete the assembly in which it is created?

It turns out that all the information to re-create the training assembly is stored in the Smart

Component. This includes the in-context feature (which is stored as a library feature) and the loca-

tions of any associated components, as well as the configurator table. Figure 19.15 shows a part of

the FeatureManager of a Smart Component. As you can see, the in-context feature, the associated

components, and the face references are all listed there.

FIGURE 19.15

Part of the FeatureManager of a Smart Component