SOLIDWORKS Tips and Tricks

In our work, we communicate a lot with customers, and as a result, we have collected a whole pool of frequently asked questions about the SOLIDWORKS line. Then we decided to record a series of short videos with answers. New questions came, the number of videos grew … As a result, we decided to organize our own YouTube channel SOLIDWORKS Schoolso that users can quickly get the information they are interested in.

In this post, we will answer some of the most pressing questions. Minimum water, maximum benefit. So, we begin our short educational program.

1. How to install an existing material library

Files with the .sldmat extension contain information about the mechanical and physical properties of materials. If you downloaded the library from the site i-tools.info, the following 5 steps will guide you through installing it. To add a library, you need to open any part in SOLIDWORKS:

1. In the FeatureManager design tree, right-click Material

2. Select an item Edit material

3. In the left field of the window that opens, click anywhere with the right mouse button and select Open library

4. Select the directory where the .sldmat file is located, or copy it to the folder with custom SOLIDWORKS materials. You can specify the default folder in the section User SettingsFile locationShow folders for Material databases

5. Select the file with the .sldmat extension and press the button Open

The library is installed! If it is not displayed in the window, you must close and reopen the material editing window.

2. Can I work on any computer with SOLIDWORKS installed using only my license?

YES! This is called SOLIDWORKS Online Licensing. All you need is a computer with Internet access and SOLIDWORKS higher than the 2018 version.

This feature is useful for users who are experiencing SOLIDWORKS license activation errors or who need to use one SOLIDWORKS license on multiple computers.

You can say this is a SOLIDWORKS license, which is located “In the cloud”

3. What is the difference between SOLIDWORKS Simulation Standard and the Simulation Standard package included in SOLIDWORKS CAD Premium?

a) IN SOLIDWORKS CAD Premium you cannot build a diagram of fatigue, fatigue stresses and get the number of cycles to failure.

b) IN SOLIDWORKS Simulation Standard trend analysis is available, that is, plotting dependencies in the results of various repetitions of a static study. For example, by changing the load, you can track stress, displacement, etc.

4. How do you show the major planes of components in an assembly?

To do this, you need to enable Viewing planes:

And then – select the icon Hide / Show basic planes:

5. How do I select hidden faces without using the Hide Part function?

For example, you need to select a face to create fillets. The easiest way is to hover the mouse cursor over the hidden face and press the key Alt (the part that covers the face you want will become transparent), and if the part is hidden deeper, press Alt again.

6. How can I view a part from an assembly without opening the part separately?

Right-click on the part of interest to us and select the function Component preview window

A separate window opens with the selected part, where you can select faces to mate with other parts from the assembly. In addition, using the function Synchronize view orientations of both graphics windows we can rotate the assembly and the part synchronized, which will help with the selection of mates.

Want to know more? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and learn SOLIDWORKS on your own. Need training with professionals? Go over link and choose a course.

Author: Maxim Salimov, technical specialist CSoft Group, solidworks@csoft.ru

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