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SOLIDWORKS has tons of different commands scattered around the interface. This makes shortcuts very valuable as they enable you to build models faster with less frustration. In this article, I will be exploring some of the key shortcuts that I found most useful during my SOLIDWORKS journey, from starting to learn the software till I became a certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP). Thus, if you are starting to learn SOLIDWORKS, the following seven shortcuts will give you the most value for your bucks. The short-cuts listed here are enabled by default in the software. However, you can adjust them as well if needed. 1. The “S” key for a little commands pop-up The “S-Key” is my favorite shortcut in SOLIDWORKS. By pressing the “S” key, you launch a customizable shortcut bar that brings a set of commands right to your mouse cursor. With this, you can quickly access dozens of commands. These shortcut commands vary depending on the modeling context – sketch, part, assembly, or drawing. With them at hand, you will not now move your mouse to the Commands Bar to search for commands. Instead, the commands will pop up right where your cursor is. This will save the mouse travel time and keep you focusing on your design. The following screenshot shows the little commands pop-up. 2. The "A" key for quick type switchSometimes, you want to sketch a specific form, but you mistakenly chose another form. By pressing the "A” key, you will switch through the types. For example, you want to draw a Center Circle but accidentally selected the Perimeter Circle. With the “A” Key shortcut, you can quickly switch between those types and get the circle type you want. This works for all sketching commands with different types like rectangles, arcs, and slots 3. The "F" key to focus your modelThe “F” key will bring your model to focus. Often when being in the Part modeling or Assembly Modes, your part can get lost in the endless canvas. By pressing the “F” key, your model will get into focus again. The alternative would be to zoom in and out to find your model, which will take much valuable time. 4. The "Enter" key to repeat commandsBy pressing the “Enter” key, you will repeat the last command. For example, if you are drawing a line and want to draw another Line, you don’t need to go to the Line command again. Just press the "Enter” key, and you can repeat the Line command. 5. Mouse gestures for customized commands
Press the right mouse button and move the mouse a little towards any direction to get a custom circular menu with different commands. By default, you will have four different commands. However, you can increase and customize them up to 12. The screenshot below shows how the basic four commands while working in a sketch. To add and customize the mouse gesture commands, go to Tools -> Customize -> Mouse gestures as shown in the screenshot below. They are context-oriented. Thus, you can have a different set of commands appearing if you work in a different mode, like in a sketch, part, assembly, or drawing. 6. The search commands tool The search commands Bar is a quick way to launch a command. While during an exam or under stress, you often forget the place of a commend and start searching for it, losing some valuable time and increase your frustration. Alternatively, you can type its name at the search and launch it from the list of commands. You can find the search commands box on the top-right of the SOLIDWORKS interface. You can also use the shortcut “W” to access it instantly. 7. Ctrl and drag to create a new plane If you are creating a complex model in SOLIDWORKS, you will most likely need to generate additional reference planes to aid your design. Instead of looking up the reference plane command, you can select an existing plane, click and hold “Ctrl,” then drag the mouse. This will generate a parallel plane to the one you had selected. You can then add in further adjustments to the new plane from the reference plane property manager. TakeawayIn this article, I talked about seven shortcuts that I find most helpful. It can seem difficult to deal with initially, but after getting used to it, one can’t renounce it. Shortcuts are easy, time-saving, make you more efficient, and are available for you. So, try to use them. If you are looking for comprehensive online SOLIDWORKS courses, make sure to check out the different offers at the TforDesign School.  By Ahmed Ben Lamine Ghouma, TforDesign Community MemberAhmed holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and aims to learn and improve constantly.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmed-ben-lamine-ghouma/
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The functionality to change the color of SOLIDWORKS icons and background rolled back in 2016. When SOLIDWORKS introduced the new icon colors scheme to be more modern and more friendly for colorblind individuals. But this significant enhancement was met with criticism upon its launch from the fans of the classic icons. However, the software allows the users to choose the interface according to their liking satisfying the different tastes. This post will explore the different interface options available in both icon color schemes and background modes. SOLIDWORKS Icon Color SchemesStarting with SOLIDWORKS icons, we can select either the old classic icons (green-yellow) or the new default ones (blue-white). Although both icon types are sleek, the classic scheme reminds us of the “classic” SOLIDWORKS era, whereas the default scheme has a more modern touch. The default scheme is also a great addition as it assists colorblind people in differentiating the icons. The following gif shows the difference between the classic and default icons.  SOLIDWORKS Background ModesMoving on to SOLIDWORKS background. The dark mode is a huge relief for the eyes as it turns down screen intensity, and you do not feel like staring into a light bulb. In SOLIDWORKS, there are four shades of grey which change the entire interface except for the graphics area. The following gif can give you an idea of how the different backgrounds look like.  Choosing the InterfaceBoth the icon colors and background can be chosen by going to Tools > Options > System Options tab > Colors. The following gif highlights how you can adjust the icons and background.  What is your favorite combination of icon and background styles? Let us know in the comment. If you are looking to learn SOLIDWORKS with a bundle of learning support services, make sure to check out the TforDesign school online SOLIDWORKS courses.  By Mohsina Zafar, Technical Lead at TforDesignMohsina is a Mechatronics engineer who is passionate about 3D design and artificial intelligence. She specializes in SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD and loves to help students solve their SOLIDWORKS problems.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohsina-zafar/ What is Design Intent in 3D Modeling and Why it is critical?One of the most critical elements in designing intelligently in parametric modeling is considering Design Intent. So, what is Design Intent, and why is it important. We will talk about all that here in this post. In a nutshell, Design Intent is what you want your design to do. Maintaining your Design intent through the design means telling the software what you want the design to do or how it should behave. Another term often used for this is 'Modeling Intent'. Let us look at a simple example. We were given a 100 x 50 mm rectangular disk and asked to make a 25 mm diameter hole through it.  Here are four different ways to position the center of the hole.
 Even though the result is the same, each of the instructions asks the design to behave differently. This will show when trying to modify the design. Let us assume that we were requested to change the rectangle's longer side from 100 mm to 200 mm and the smaller side from 50 to 100 mm. Let us make this change and see the result have we followed each of the given instructions. The figure below shows the result. From the results, the difference is quite notable. Note that that none of the designs are wrong. It is just that each has behaved differently according to what we told the software what is important to us. In other words, the design acted according to our Design Intent. Considering and applying your design intent in your 3D modeling procedure takes more time and effort at the beginning. However, it saves lots of time at later stages when applying modifications to your design. Mostly talking, you will be continuously modifying your designs throughout the development cycle, making considering and impeding the Design Intent in your 3D models essential. Where does Design Intent Apply when 3D Modeling?The simple example explored earlier was in a sketch and an overall simple part. However, the same applies to applying features, making assemblies, and generating drawings. The more complex your designs are, the more critical it is to maintain your design intent throughout. 3D Modeling tools like SOLIDWORKS and others have many different tools to help you maintain your design intents. Major ones include Equations, In-context Features, and multi-body modeling approach. Other than Saving Time, Why Implement Design Intent?Maintaining Design Intents makes it easier for more than a person to work on the same design. This is because all involved persons would have a clear idea of what the design should do. Thus, when one person modifies another's design, they would know how the design should behave and continue to maintain that desired behavior. Let us summarize the key points in design intent:
If you are looking to learn SOLIDWORKS from experienced users, you can check out the TforDesign online school for professional courses with learner support. By Tayseer Almattar, TforDesign Founder Tayseer is the founder of TforDesign. He has a passion for learning design and making all learning digestible and exciting.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsjmattar/ 8 Tips for Taking Official SOLIDWORKS Certification ExamsIn a previous blog post, we have talked about if an official SOLIDWORKS certification worth the investment. Assuming you decided to invest the money and took the time to learn and practice, and you are ready to take one of the official SOLIDWORKS certification exams. Here are some tips and notes that you have to keep in mind when sitting for the exam.  An Official SOLIDWORKS Sheet Metal Certification
If you are looking for steamed online courses in SOLIDWORKS and some practice exams, you can check out the TforDesign School.  By Tayseer Almattar, TforDesign FounderTayseer is the founder of TforDesign. He has a passion for learning design and making all learning digestible and exciting. Additive Manufacturing (aka 3D Printing) and Product DesignIf I am to guess, you have most defiantly heard the term 3D Printing before. So, let us dig deeper into it. 3D Printing falls under the broader term Additive Manufacturing (AM). More specifically, the term 3D Printing is more commonly used to describe entry-level technologies that are low in cost and accessible to the average consumer. Hence, the term became more known to people outside that specific technical sphere. However, for our purposes, we can consider them interchangeable. The term Additive Manufacturing only makes sense when contrasted with its more traditional counterpart Subtractive Manufacturing. In Subtractive Manufacturing, you start with lots of material; then, you remove from it until you reach your final product. For example, you can start with an aluminum block, then use a CNC machine to remove material to get a laptop chassis. Or you can start with sheet metal, then cut and form it to end up with a support bracket. In contrast, in Additive Manufacturing (AM), you would start from an empty canvas, then start adding materials to end up with your final product. For example, you would start from a blank canvas, then add layers to end up with a laptop chassis or a support bracket, or a turbine blade. About the TechAdditive manufacturing has reached a good level of maturity with a wide variety of technologies. However, most of the technologies are more common for industrial use due to the machines' high cost and the required space, maintenance, and expertise to operate them. However, they mostly work using the same concept by adding layers of materials and solidifying them to a final shape. Materials can range from plastics, metals, paper, wax, sand, and composites. The following picture shows a 3D printed metal impeller.  3D printed metal impeller The technologies that made it to consumer levels are:
The rest have mostly remained confined to industrial use. The following figure highlights the different 3D printing technologies currently available. Pictures and red rectangles are for technologies that are more available at the consumer level.  Map of the current AM technologies Why use Additive Manufacturing (AM) in Product DesignAs of now, Product Design applications represent the most prominent usage of Additive Manufacturing. This both in the Product Development Stage as well as the Product Production Stage. Let us talk briefly about those two stages.
Product Development Stage:The advantages AM brings for the product development cycle are more known and utilized than the Production Stage. In the Product Development stage, AM has two main advantages. Custom ProductsAM enables you to produce unique, custom products on a small scale. For plastic-based applications, Injection Molding is the traditional counterpart for Additive Manufacturing. Both methods can produce plastic products, but the cost models are very different. The figure below highlights the difference in cost between Additive Manufacturing and Injection Molding. Additive manufacturing has a fixed cost per unit, while injection molding has a variant one that decreases the more you produce a product. This makes additive manufacturing great to create custom products on a smaller scale.  Cost for traditional injection molding vs AM Complex GeometriesAM enables you to produce products that are not possible traditional methods. This can be especially the case with metal products where the traditional counterpart is Subtractive Manufacturing. Due to its nature, AM technologies can enable the creation of internal structures that are otherwise impossible to make with traditional methods. The figure highlights a part structure that is only possible with Additive Manufacturing.  AM enable the production of complex geometries The scope of AM is much wider than what is described in this article. Besides the direct product design applications, AM can bring lots of unique advantages to other technical areas like supply chain and tooling. So, regardless of which area you are work in, you should keep an eye on AM and ways it can support your business. Have you ever used AM/3D Printing before? What did you use it for? Share your experience with us in the comments. Also, what else would you like to know about the world of Additive Manufacturing? If you enjoyed this article, do not forget to share it with your networks. *If you are looking to learn 3D modeling for 3D Printing, check out the TforDesign school, which offers a range of online 3D modeling courses on SOLIDWORKS,portfolio building, and sustainability.  by Tayseer Almattar, TforDesign FounderTayseer is the founder of TforDesign. He has a passion for learning design and making all learning digestible and exciting.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tsjmattar/ What are multibody parts in SOLIDWORKS? How and why use them?Multibody parts are solid bodies that can be manipulated in the same ways as a single solid body part. In essence, a multibody part is a part that utilizes a past file format (SLDPRT), but has more than one separate body.  You can modify and add different features or change the names, materials, and appearances for each separate body. You can also hide and show different bodies, and believe it or not, mates can be used in a multibody part as well! However, multibody parts should not replace the proper use of assemblies. So…why even bother to use multibody parts? What are the advantages of this feature?
If in your part document are more than one separate body, you will find them under Solid Bodies folder on the upper part of the design tree. This will give you more freedom in organizing and managing: How to apply multibody parts? Technically, multibody parts are applied by default every time you have two bodies that are not touching. Here is a video demo of how multibody parts work. What else is great about Multibody Parts? You can apply mates!!! Angle, Parallel, Coincident, Perpendicular, Concentric, Tangent, and Distance are supported. This gives you flexibility since multiple sets of mates can be applied to the same body, similar to assemblies. With multibody parts, those mates or movements come under the Move/Copy Bodies command. What is the main difference between Multibody Parts and Assemblies?The multiple solids that compose a multibody part are not dynamic. If you have to use tools like Collision Detection, Dynamic Clearance, or Move Component, you have to use an assembly because these tools are only available within Assembly. The great thing is that you can save an Assembly (or subassembly) as a Multibody Part! When you have to communicate complex assemblies, you may consider saving them as a Multibody Part because:
Next time when you deliver a simplified representation of your work, give this feature a try! There are other reasons for using multibody parts? If you are looking for comprehensive SOLIDWORKS online training, you can check out the TforDesign School SOLIDWORKS courses.  by Tirdea Alina, TforDesign Community Member Alina is a highly detail-oriented person who is striving to get the best outcome of any situation or task. She likes to put accent on quality over quantity while being aware of the work volume. Nevertheless, she is very methodical organized, respecting tasks and deadlines. Why should you have a work portfolio as a SOLIDWORKS user? SOLIDWORKS currently has more than 3.2 million users at the moment, which is a large number. With such a large number of people, it is becoming less significant just to list SOLIDWORKS in our resumes. Instead, it is becoming more important to show what we can do with it and what we have done with it in addition to all the other skills you have. What is the best way to show all that? One great way to show one’s skills is through a work portfolio. So, what is a work portfolio, why have one, and what can you include in it? Let us explore those. What is a work portfolio?A work portfolio is a selection of work cases that you put together to prove your expertise. Why have a portfolio?The main reason to have one is it asks as solid proof of your capabilities. Without one, you will only be telling your audience about your skills without any proof. The power of a work portfolio is supplemented by a new push to emphasize skills on hiring procedures over only degrees. We made a video on The Case for Skills – Do University Degrees Matter. What can you include in your SOLIDWORKS Portfolio?If SOLIDWORKS is a major skill you would like to prove, then there are elements that you can include in your portfolio:
Different SOLIDWORKS models:Since SOLIDWORKS is a 3D modeling software, then a major expectation of having actual 3D models you created. Those could be ones you made for a job, an internship, university, or a side fun models. Those can tell your audience that you know how to use the software. The more complex your models are, the higher is your competency level.  Additional engineering and design skillsKeep in mind that SOLIDWORKS is a tool that supplements and can be supplemented by other different skills and attributes. You will need to identify those and include them in your portfolio. For example, if you are looking to work in areas of structural engineering, then the application of FEA analysis can be a good addition to your portfolio. If you are a product designer, then sketches and different design processes can be valuable. To identify those additions, you must first understand your audience and find what skills would be helpful to them. If you are looking to have a comprehensive course to teach you all about building portfolios, you can check our new Complete Work Portfolio Building Course. If you pre-enroll in the course before Oct 6th, you can get a 70% discount on the course's fee. Don't miss the chance.  by Tayseer Almattar, TforDesign FounderTayseer is the founder of TforDesign. He has a passion for learning design and making all learning digestible and exciting. Learn SOLIDWORKS by 3D modeling Project X – ContestOne way to learn SOLIDWORKS is not just about modeling machines and projects but is also about using the tool to generate creative models to push your thinking and modeling ability further in unique ways. So, here is one opportunity for you to learn SOLIDWORKS by 3D modeling Project X – contest. The Call: Calling all 3D modeling enthusiasts, this is Project X, a collection of ideas of modeling applying 3D skills, all while encouraging you to use your most inestimable tool, your own imagination, and sense of competition.  What is Project X?Project X is an open contest for 3D modeling enthusiasts to model their unique version of X. It is also a step by step booklet which guides you to build your own special character ‘X’. All works are shared publicly on Instagram. When does the contest starts and ends?The contest is open for everyone to join starting August 17th till September 6th 2020. Who is ‘X’? |
