SOLIDWORKS 2014 Essential Training

Start creating manufacturing-ready parts and assemblies, as well as detailed drawings and bills of materials with SOLIDWORKS 2014.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Using the exercise files

1. Touring the Interface

• Launching SOLIDWORKS for the first time
• Accessing and customizing the Ribbon
• Touring the shortcut bar and identifying essential keys
• Saving, renaming, and managing files
• Working with the new view cube, or View Selector
• New features in SOLIDWORKS 2013 and 2014

2. Getting Started with 3D

• Understanding the 3D world
• Creating your first part
• The virtual, parametric prototyping environment
• The FeatureManager and feature-based modeling
• History-based modeling and the rollback bar

3. Basic Solid Modeling

• Starting a new sketch
• The six steps used in almost all modeling features
• The Line and Centerline tools
• Using the Circle tool
• Adding and removing relationships and dimensions
• Understanding relationship types
• System options, units, and templates

4. More Drawing Tools

• Drawing rectangles
• Creating arcs in a sketch
• Drawing splines in a sketch
• Sketching polygons

5. Sketch Editing Tools

• Trimming and extending portions of a sketch
• Creating offset geometry
• Moving, copying, rotating, and scaling elements
• Erasing, undoing, and redoing actions
• Using the mirror tools
• Creating repeating patterns in a sketch
• Using construction lines to build robust sketches
• Applying fillets and chamfers to a sketch
• Working with slots
• Adding text to parts
• Using the Convert Entities command

6. Reference Geometry

• Working with planes
• Placing and using axes
• Placing a coordinate system

7. Building 3D Geometry

• Extruding a sketch into a 3D object
• Using Revolve to create 3D parts
• Using Loft to create complex shapes
• Refining a loft shape with guide curves
• Using the sweep to create wire and pipe shapes

8. Removing Material

• Modifying parts using the Extruded Cut tool
• Working with the Revolved Cut tool
• Using the Lofted Cut tool
• Cutting holes and grooves with the Swept Cut tool

9. Refining Geometry

• Using fillets and chamfers to smooth corners
• Creating repeating rectangular patterns
• Creating a circular pattern
• Mirroring objects
• Using the Shell and Draft tools
• Scaling parts

10. Blocks

• Working with reusable sketches and blocks
• Creating blocks
• Designing with blocks

11. Assembly: Putting It All Together

• Understanding the tools for beginning a new assembly
• The basic steps in creating an assembly
• Mating parts together in an assembly
• Working with subassemblies
• Linear and circular assembly patterns
• Downloading premade parts from the Internet
• Using Toolbox

12. Advanced Mates

• Mating parts with coincident, parallel, and distance mates
• Mating parts with width mates
• Mating parts with path mates
• Mating parts by aligning planes

13. Hole Wizard

• Getting started with the Hole Wizard
• Positioning holes in layout sketches

14. In-Context Modeling

• Linking sketches to other parts
• Linking to layout sketches
• Using the Hole Wizard in context

15. Creating Threads on Parts

• Understanding threading concepts
• Using a helix and Swept Path to create a thread
• Understanding internal threads

16. Equations and Design Tables

• Using equations to drive a sketch
• Working with complex calculations
• Integrating Microsoft Excel to manage design tables
• Building assemblies using part configurations

17. Part Drawings

• Working with drawing templates
• Setting up drawing options and sheet properties
• Choosing the correct projection angle
• Adding model views to a drawing

18. Dimensioning

• Creating general dimension notations
• Creating ordinate and running dimensions
• Dimensioning holes and curved features
• Using the autodimension tools

19. Adding General Annotations

• Creating holes and callouts
• Adding center marks and centerlines to a drawing
• Adding item notes
• Making drawing revisions

20. Assembly Drawings

• Adding assemblies to drawings
• Including a bill of materials
• Adding balloons to specify parts on an assembly drawing
• Adding a title block and sheet properties
• Building an exploded view for an assembly drawing

Conclusion

• Next steps