SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Chapter 26: Modeling Multi-bodies

Adding bodies using the Insert Part feature

The Insert Part button can be found on the Features toolbar, or you can access this feature by
choosing Insert ➪ Part from the menus.

Insert Part enables you to insert one part into another part. When inserting the part, you have the

option to insert solid bodies, axes, planes, cosmetic threads, surface bodies, and several other types

of entities, including sketches and features. The PropertyManager interface for the Insert Part fea-

ture is shown in Figure 26.19.

FIGURE 26.19

The Insert Part PropertyManager

This feature has two major functions: inserting a body as the starting point for a new part, and

inserting a body to be used as a tool to modify an existing part. Notice that the basket part

shown in Figure 26.11 and Figure 26.12 also uses Insert Part to put together bodies to form a

finished part.

When you use Insert Part, there is no Insert Part feature that becomes part of the tree. Instead, a

part icon is shown with the name of the part being inserted as a feature.

Also notice in Figure 26.19 that the Launch move dialog option appears near the bottom, and is

selected by default. This option launches the Move dialog box after you insert the part. This Move

feature is the same as the Move/Copy Bodies feature, with the same options (translate or rotate by

distance or angles, or use assembly-like mates to position bodies).