SOLIDWORKS is used by millions of designers and engineers at hundreds of thousands of companies. It’s one of the most popular design and engineering software on the market. Known for its range of features and high functionality, SOLIDWORKS is used across multiple professions and industries around the world.  SOLIDWORKS uses parametric design, which is why it’s such an effective tool for designers and engineers. This means that the designer can see how changes will affect its neighboring components, or even the overall solution. For example, if the size of a single component is increased, this would affect the joint or hole it’s attached to. This allows designers to spot and correct issues quickly and easily 

Building the Fillet Features Sample Part

In this lesson, you learn how to build the sample part used in the Fillet Features tutorial. You can capture the symmetry of a knob in the design intent of the part. You build one half of the sample part in this lesson, then in the Fillet Features lesson, you mirror the model to create the other half. Any changes you make to the original half are reflected in the other half.

The steps include:

Using relations in sketches

Adding draft angles to extruded features

Revolve and Sweep Features

In this lesson, you create the candlestick shown below. This lesson demonstrates:

Creating a revolve feature

Creating a sweep feature

Creating an extruded cut feature with a draft angle

How to create a linear pattern and a circular pattern. A linear pattern is a one- or two-dimensional array of features. A circular pattern is a circular array of features.

The steps include:

Creating an oblong cut

Creating a linear pattern

Creating a circular pattern

Using an equation to drive the circular pattern

Loft Features

A loft is a base, boss, or cut created by connecting multiple cross sections, or profiles.

This lesson demonstrates the following:

Creating planes

Sketching, copying, and pasting the profiles

Creating a solid by connecting the profiles (lofting)

Adding a flex feature to bend the model

Challenge Objective - 3D model a roller chain link of your own design and print a series of five links without print supports.  When completed, the link should move as a roller-type chain. 

Criteria

• Must be designed in SolidWorks

• Prepared in a slicer for additive manufacturing

• 3D printed in PLA filament

• An individual link cannot take up more space than 20mm²

• Test prints (no more than two links) are required before full prints (no more than 5 links)

• No slicer-generated supports allowed