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7.1: Introduction to Assembly Models

  • Page ID
    53608

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    Assembly models are just another type of SolidWorks file. You can start a new assembly file when you start SolidWorks from the Welcome Dialog box, or start a new assembly from an open part, just as it is with SolidWorks drawings, by going to the New drop-down on the standard toolbar or menu bar and selecting “Start New Assembly from Part.”

    Software dialog box with the title "Welcome - SOLIDWORKS 2018" above tabs labeled Home, Recent, Learn, and Alerts. Home is selected. Below that, a heading of New appears above 3 options: Part, Assembly, and Drawing. Next to that is a button labeled "Advanced..." and to the right of this button is an Open button with an icon of an open file with an arrow over it. Below the New area is an area titled Recent Documents with 5 options to select, each with a file name above a thumbnail of a design. The files are titled 213PQ05_SweepP..., 2130008.SLDDRW, 2130008.SLDPRT, CAE1008.SLDDRW, and CAE1000.SLDASM. To the top right of these thumbnails is a "View all" link in blue.  Below this area, it is split into two areas: Recent folders, with 4 folders listed below the heading, each with file locations spelled out beneath the file name. The files are Recent Folders S2019 C:\Users\USER\OneDrive ... Textbook Files C:\Users\USER\OneDrive ... ICAs C:\Users\USER\OneDrive ... Downloads C:\Users\USER\Downloads .... The area to the right is titled Resources and features six links: What's New, MySolidWorks, and SOLIDWORKS Forum on the left, and on the right Customer  Portal, User Groups, and Get Support.  At the very bottom, a hint is displayed regarding keyboard shortcuts for model manipulation: "Arrow keys rotate the model. Ctrl + Arrow Keys pan the model. Alt + Arrow Keys rotate the model clockwise and counterclockwise.""
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Starting a New Assembly from the Welcome Dialog Box
    Side-by-side screenshots of SOLIDWORKS menus, with "Make Assembly from Part/Assembly" highlighted in brown. The left image is headed with a page icon, and the downward menu includes three options, each with an accompanying icon to the left of the text: New, Make Drawing from Part/Assembly, and Make Assembly from Part/Assembly. The right image is headed by the text File, and the dropdown options include File, New... Ctrl+N, Open... Ctrl+O, Open Recent, Open Drawing, Close, Make Drawing from Part, and Make Assembly from Part.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Starting an Assembly from Existing Part

    There are a couple things to note about the User Interface that are different in SolidWorks assembly files. You still have the CommandManager, FeatureManager, and Property Manager. They all work the same as they do in parts. However, there are different tabs and commands in the CommandManager that are more relevant to assemblies. In the FeatureManager Design Tree, you will see a list of the parts in your assembly, and all their feature manager design trees, as well as a Matesfolder showing all of the mates in the assembly.


    This page titled 7.1: Introduction to Assembly Models is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Melvin Hortman via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.