Changing sheet properties in SolidWorks is an important aspect of creating professional and organized technical drawings. Whether you want to modify the sheet size, orientation, or add title blocks and notes, understanding how to change sheet properties is essential. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of changing sheet properties in SolidWorks.
Step 1: Opening the Drawing
To change sheet properties, you first need to open the drawing file in SolidWorks. Go to File > Open and browse for your desired drawing file. Once you have located it, click on Open.
Step 2: Accessing Sheet Properties
After opening the drawing file, navigate to the SolidWorks FeatureManager Design Tree. Here, locate the Sheet Format folder and expand it by clicking on the plus (+) sign next to it.
Note: If the Sheet Format folder is not visible in your Design Tree, right-click on any existing folder and enable it by checking the “Sheet Format” option.
Inside the Sheet Format folder, you will find a sub-folder called Drawing Sheet1. Right-click on this sub-folder and select Edit Sheet Format, as shown below:
Step 3: Modifying Sheet Properties
A new window will pop up, displaying your drawing sheet. Here, you can modify various sheet properties such as size, orientation, title block placement, and notes.
Changing Sheet Size and Orientation:
- To change the sheet size, go to Sheet Properties in the PropertyManager on the left side of the window. Here, you can select predefined sheet sizes from the drop-down menu or create a custom size by entering specific dimensions.
- To modify the sheet orientation, click on the Orientation option in the PropertyManager. You can choose between portrait and landscape orientations, depending on your drawing requirements.
Note: The changes made in this window will be applied to all sheets within your drawing file.
Adding Title Blocks and Notes:
If you wish to add a title block or notes to your drawing sheet, you can do so by using the available tools in SolidWorks. These tools include:
- Text Box: Click on the Text Box tool in the toolbar and draw a box where you want to insert text. You can then type in your desired text and customize its font, size, and alignment using the options provided.
- Note: To insert dynamic information such as part or assembly properties into your title block or notes, use the Balloon Note tool instead of a regular Text Box. This will ensure that any changes made to those properties will be automatically updated in your drawing.
- Title Block: SolidWorks provides pre-designed title blocks that you can insert into your drawing sheet. To access them, go to Insert > Annotations > Title Block.
Select the desired template from the list and place it on your sheet. You can then fill in relevant information such as part number, revision number, and date.
- Custom Blocks: If you have a specific title block or note format that you frequently use, you can create a custom block. To do this, design your block in a separate drawing file and save it as a .sldblk file. Then, in the Edit Sheet Format window, go to Insert > Annotations > Custom Border/Title Block, and select your custom block from the list.
Note: Remember to save your changes by clicking on the X button in the upper right corner of the window before closing it.
Step 4: Applying Changes
Once you have made all the necessary modifications to your sheet properties, click on File > Save to apply the changes and update your drawing file. You can now close the Edit Sheet Format window and continue working on your technical drawing.
Congratulations! You have successfully changed sheet properties in SolidWorks. By following these steps, you can create professional-looking drawings with customized sheet sizes, orientations, and title blocks to suit your specific needs.
Note: The process of changing sheet properties may slightly vary depending on the version of SolidWorks you are using. However, the basic principles remain the same across different versions.
We hope this tutorial has been helpful in guiding you through the process of changing sheet properties in SolidWorks. Happy designing!