SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part VI: Using Advanced Techniques

Applying the Feature Scope to bodies

The Feature Scope used for multi-bodies is not the same as the Feature Scope used for assembly

features, but it does function in a similar way. In assemblies, the Feature Scope identifies which

parts are affected by the current assembly feature. In parts, it only applies to bodies and can be

used for features that add material as well as features that remove material (assembly features can

only remove material).

The Feature Scope is a way to make the Merge result option more selective. The Merge result

option by default does not discriminate; it causes the feature to merge with any other solid body

that it touches. However, the Feature Scope enables the user to select which bodies to merge with

or otherwise affect. Feature Scope also applies to additional feature types such as cuts. The Feature

Scope becomes available in the PropertyManager whenever there are multiple bodies in the part

and an eligible feature is used. The Feature Scope panel is shown in Figure 26.16.

FIGURE 26.16

The Feature Scope panel

The default setting for the Feature Scope is to use the Selected bodies option with the Auto-select

option. The All bodies option is essentially the same as using the Merge result option. When the

Selected bodies option is selected and Auto-select is unselected, as is shown in Figure 26.16, you

must select bodies for the current feature to affect them. New bodies that are added to the model

are not automatically added to the list; you need to manually edit the feature and add additional

bodies to the list as appropriate.

Rib feature

The Rib feature is hypersensitive to changes to the number of bodies. A rib only automatically
merges with a body if it is the only body in the part. If a rib is created in a single body part and
then the model is rolled back and an additional body is created before the rib, then the Rib feature
will fail when the tree is unrolled. The error that this causes reads, “The rib is not bounded prop-
erly. The extension of the rib does not intersect the part model.” Technically speaking, this is true,
but like other SolidWorks error messages, that does not make it helpful. The cause of the error is
that suddenly the body that the rib is supposed to merge with is no longer identified. The Rib fea-
ture does not have an Auto-select option. You can fix this problem by going to the Feature Scope
in the Rib PropertyManager to select a body for it to merge with. The Rib feature does not use the