Introduction to SolidWorks

Lesson 3 – Modeling the Skateboard Deck Using Extruded Boss/Base
Section II – Modeling Simple Parts 3.2 Introduction

 Red lines mean that you have to use Smart Dimensions and/or Add Relation

commands to fully define and constrain the sketch.

 The sequence or order of your commands is important. Sometimes, as you

define dimensions and relationships, the sketch will change into something that

does not resemble what you want. Step back by using EditUndo on the Main

Menu and try a different sequence of commands. In most situations, going back

one step is enough.

Modeling 4 – Use one or more command(s) from the Features toolbar to create a solid.

 The Features toolbar has commands that can be used to transform 2D sketches

into 3D solids. The commands can be additive (Extruded Boss/Base and

Revolved) or subtractive (Extruded Cut and Revolved Cut).

 SolidWorks calls the 3D solids created with this toolbar Features, and they are

listed in the FeaturesManager in the same the order in which they are created.

 Complex 3D solids and parts are created by repeating Modeling Steps1 to 4.

 The default option is to combine Features automatically, but it is possible to

switch-off this option in the PropertyManager to create multi-bodies.

Modeling 5 – Document your design intent for future reference.

 Models, assemblies and drawings are created to communicate ideas.

Documenting important information such as materials, requirements, references

and sources of information, and renaming the features to make them easy to

recognize is important. Never skip this step.

The first four steps can be remembered as PSDF: Plane, Sketch, Dimension, Feature.

Constraining Sketches

SolidWorks will allow the creation of features, parts and assemblies with sketches that are not

fully defined, but it is very likely that the model will fail when making changes. It is best to fully

define the dimensions and relations to get a fully constrained sketch before proceeding to

create a solid.

Occasionally, after we add all the information we think is necessary, the sketch is still blue.

This means that it is not completely defined. To find what information is missing, we must ask

the following two questions: Did I specify the sizes of all the lines, circles, etc.? Did I specify

how far from the origin they are located? Another way of finding what is missing is by clicking

and dragging the geometry. If it moves up-down, for example, it means that it is not fixed in that

direction and it needs a vertical distance to the origin.

Overdefined Sketch

Sometimes we provide more information than is necessary to define a sketch and the color of

the lines changes to red. To correct, either undo the last step or delete one or more

Dimensions or Relations.

The order in which Dimensions and Relations are specified is important.