Brackets Tutorial 1: Solidworks From Zero: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
Solidworks basic tutorial by Jim Bredt 20240606 | Solidworks basic tutorial by Jim Bredt 20240606 | ||
=Loading Solidworks= | |||
'''This tutorial assumes no prior experience with Solidworks.''' It will take you through the basic steps for designing a brick with a hole. After this, you will know enough to begin experimenting with the sketch and feature tools, and to move on to the next tutorial. | '''This tutorial assumes no prior experience with Solidworks.''' It will take you through the basic steps for designing a brick with a hole. After this, you will know enough to begin experimenting with the sketch and feature tools, and to move on to the next tutorial. | ||
| Line 7: | Line 9: | ||
Click on the "Solidworks Connected" icon and you should see the Solidwork splash screen appear. Sometimes you will be asked to supply a username and password. These are on a printed paper taped to the lower left of the computer monitor. | Click on the "Solidworks Connected" icon and you should see the Solidwork splash screen appear. Sometimes you will be asked to supply a username and password. These are on a printed paper taped to the lower left of the computer monitor. | ||
[[File:SW_fromzero_splash.png|385px|left|splash 1]] | |||
[[File:SW_fromzero_splash2.png|404px|right|slpash 2]] | |||
[[File:SW_gear_icon_tiny.png|11px|center|thin strip]] | |||
=Creating a Brick= | |||
Select "Part" to create a new design for a part. | Select "Part" to create a new design for a part. | ||
| Line 14: | Line 20: | ||
==Features Tab== | |||
The first operation is to create a brick. In the "Features" tab, select "Extruded Boss/Base." | The first operation is to create a brick. In the "Features" tab, select "Extruded Boss/Base." There are other tools under the Features tab including operations such as cutting and revolving, but the simple extrusion operation is what is needed here. | ||
[[File:SW_fromzero_2_extrusion.png|700px|center|extrusion]] | [[File:SW_fromzero_2_extrusion.png|700px|center|extrusion]] | ||
Openinng the Extruded Boss/Base tool will open a view to select a plane for making a 2-D sketch. It doesn't matter which plane you select at this point. | |||
[[File:SW_fromzero_3_sketch_plane.png|700px|center|sketch plane]] | [[File:SW_fromzero_3_sketch_plane.png|700px|center|sketch plane]] | ||
==Sketching== | |||
The "Sketch" tab will automatically open and the program will go into a 2-D viewing mode. | The "Sketch" tab will automatically open and the program will go into a 2-D viewing mode. | ||
| Line 46: | Line 52: | ||
==Smart Dimension== | |||
Select the "Smart Dimension" tool from the tool bar. | Select the "Smart Dimension" tool from the tool bar. | ||
| Line 60: | Line 67: | ||
Add dimensions for both the length and width of the rectangle as shown below. | Add dimensions for both the length and width of the rectangle as shown below. | ||
==Exit the Sketch== | |||
Click on "Exit Sketch." | Click on "Exit Sketch." | ||
| Line 66: | Line 76: | ||
The program will automatically open the "Extruded Boss/Base" feature tool. The brick thickness will have some default value. Select the edit box and change its value. Click the check mark to accept the values. | The program will automatically re-open the "Extruded Boss/Base" feature tool. The brick thickness will have some default value. Select the edit box and change its value. Click the check mark to accept the values. | ||
[[File:SW_fromzero_10_extrusion_finish.png|700px|center|extrusion fin]] | [[File:SW_fromzero_10_extrusion_finish.png|700px|center|extrusion fin]] | ||
| Line 72: | Line 82: | ||
The computer should now | =Cutting a Hole in the Brick= | ||
The computer should now display a 3-D rendering of the brick. The features tree will show an entity called "Extrude1". You can select the name and change it if you like. | |||
[[File:SW_fromzero_11_brick.png|700px|center|brick]] | [[File:SW_fromzero_11_brick.png|700px|center|brick]] | ||
==Sketching on the Face of the Brick== | |||
Next we will add a hole to the part design. Click the cursor on one face of the brick to select it. Click on the "Sketch" tool to open a new sketch. | Next we will add a hole to the part design. Click the cursor on one face of the brick to select it. Click on the "Sketch" tool to open a new sketch. | ||
| Line 89: | Line 102: | ||
==Sketching a Construction Line== | |||
Select the "Insert Line" tool from the tool bar. | Select the "Insert Line" tool from the tool bar. | ||
| Line 101: | Line 115: | ||
==Sketching a Circle== | |||
Select the "Circle" tool from the tool bar. Move the cursor near to the midpoint of the diagonal line. Once it is close enough, a small tag should appear that represents the midpoint of the line. Click there and drag the cursor away from the point. Click on "Smart Dimension" and then click on the circle. Drag some dimension lines out to a convenient location and set the value of the circle diameter (or radius) to a desired value. | |||
Click on the green check mark to accept. Hit "Exit Sketch." | Click on the green check mark to accept. Hit "Exit Sketch." | ||
| Line 108: | Line 123: | ||
==The Extruded Cut Tool== | |||
A sketch entity with the default name "Sketch2" should appear at the bottom of the features tree on the left. Click on the name to select this feature and then select the "Features" tab and select "Extruded Cut." | A sketch entity with the default name "Sketch2" should appear at the bottom of the features tree on the left. Click on the name to select this feature and then select the "Features" tab and select "Extruded Cut." | ||
| Line 128: | Line 144: | ||
=Saving Files= | |||
Next we save the file. Click on the small arrowhead next to the Solidworks logo right at the top of the window. This will open up a conventional menu bar. Select "File" and the "Save to This PC." | Next we save the file. Click on the small arrowhead next to the Solidworks logo right at the top of the window. This will open up a conventional menu bar. Select "File" and the "Save to This PC." | ||
| Line 139: | Line 157: | ||
[[File:SW_fromzero_21_save_2.png|700px|center|save 2]] | [[File:SW_fromzero_21_save_2.png|700px|center|save 2]] | ||
Save the part as a "SLDPRT" which is the Solidworks native format. You may also wish to export the file in some other more portable format, such as "DXF". | |||
This concludes the first tutorial. | This concludes the first tutorial. | ||
Revision as of 14:40, 9 June 2024
Link to: Bracketage Main Page
Solidworks basic tutorial by Jim Bredt 20240606
Loading Solidworks
This tutorial assumes no prior experience with Solidworks. It will take you through the basic steps for designing a brick with a hole. After this, you will know enough to begin experimenting with the sketch and feature tools, and to move on to the next tutorial.
Click on the "Solidworks Connected" icon and you should see the Solidwork splash screen appear. Sometimes you will be asked to supply a username and password. These are on a printed paper taped to the lower left of the computer monitor.
Creating a Brick
Select "Part" to create a new design for a part.
Features Tab
The first operation is to create a brick. In the "Features" tab, select "Extruded Boss/Base." There are other tools under the Features tab including operations such as cutting and revolving, but the simple extrusion operation is what is needed here.
Openinng the Extruded Boss/Base tool will open a view to select a plane for making a 2-D sketch. It doesn't matter which plane you select at this point.
Sketching
The "Sketch" tab will automatically open and the program will go into a 2-D viewing mode.
Various sketching tools are available. In this tutorial we will cover two of them, starting with the Rectangle tool.
Select the Rectangle Tool from the tool bar.
Click and drag the cursor diagonally to sketch a rectangle. Don't worry about how big it is. Click the check mark to accept it.
Smart Dimension
Select the "Smart Dimension" tool from the tool bar.
Click the cursor on a side of the rectangle and drag it away from the part. A set of dimensioning lines should appear, along with a dialog box with an edit window. Change the value in the edit box and click the check mark.
Add dimensions for both the length and width of the rectangle as shown below.
Exit the Sketch
Click on "Exit Sketch."
The program will automatically re-open the "Extruded Boss/Base" feature tool. The brick thickness will have some default value. Select the edit box and change its value. Click the check mark to accept the values.
Cutting a Hole in the Brick
The computer should now display a 3-D rendering of the brick. The features tree will show an entity called "Extrude1". You can select the name and change it if you like.
Sketching on the Face of the Brick
Next we will add a hole to the part design. Click the cursor on one face of the brick to select it. Click on the "Sketch" tool to open a new sketch.
The view will switch to a 2-D view for sketching on the selected plane.
Sketching a Construction Line
Select the "Insert Line" tool from the tool bar.
Hover the cursor near to one of the corners of the rectangle. The system should make the cursor "snap" to the corner. Click there and release. A line will appear between the corner and the location of the cursor. Move diagonally down to the opposite corner and click. Move the cursor over and check the box labeled "For Construction." Hit the green check mark to accept.
Sketching a Circle
Select the "Circle" tool from the tool bar. Move the cursor near to the midpoint of the diagonal line. Once it is close enough, a small tag should appear that represents the midpoint of the line. Click there and drag the cursor away from the point. Click on "Smart Dimension" and then click on the circle. Drag some dimension lines out to a convenient location and set the value of the circle diameter (or radius) to a desired value. Click on the green check mark to accept. Hit "Exit Sketch."
The Extruded Cut Tool
A sketch entity with the default name "Sketch2" should appear at the bottom of the features tree on the left. Click on the name to select this feature and then select the "Features" tab and select "Extruded Cut."
The tool should be able to automatically find the right parameters to cut the hole through the brick. If you wished the hole to only go part way through the brick, you can change the depth dimension for the cut as long as it is in "Blind" cutting mode.
Click on the green check box to accept.
A new feature will appear on the "Features" tree, called "Cut-Extrude1" which represents the cut.
Saving Files
Next we save the file. Click on the small arrowhead next to the Solidworks logo right at the top of the window. This will open up a conventional menu bar. Select "File" and the "Save to This PC."
A conventional File::Save dialog will open. Name the part and save it to an appropriate location. It is recommended that you save it to a portable thumb drive so you can carry your work from computer to computer.
Save the part as a "SLDPRT" which is the Solidworks native format. You may also wish to export the file in some other more portable format, such as "DXF".
This concludes the first tutorial.
