How Do You Add Equations in SolidWorks Assembly?

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In this tutorial, we will learn how to add equations in SolidWorks assembly. Equations are a powerful tool that allows you to define mathematical relationships between different dimensions and variables in your assembly. By using equations, you can easily control and manipulate the values of dimensions, making it easier to design and modify your assembly.

Step 1: Opening the Equations Dialog Box

To add equations to your SolidWorks assembly, start by opening the Equations dialog box. You can do this by following these steps:

  • Click on the “Tools” menu at the top of the screen.
  • Select “Equations” from the drop-down menu.

Note: Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + G” to open the Equations dialog box.

Step 2: Adding an Equation

Once you have opened the Equations dialog box, you can start adding equations to your assembly. To add an equation, follow these steps:

  1. Select the dimension or variable that you want to associate with an equation.
  2. Click on the “Add” button in the Equations dialog box.
  3. Type in your equation in the text box provided.

Note: The equation should be written using standard mathematical notation. You can use basic arithmetic operations such as addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), and division (/) in your equations. You can also use parentheses () to group calculations and functions like sin(), cos(), sqrt(), etc.

Step 3: Editing an Equation

If you need to edit an existing equation in your assembly, you can do so by following these steps:

  1. Select the equation that you want to edit from the Equations dialog box.
  2. Make the necessary changes to the equation in the text box provided.
  3. Click on the “OK” button to save your changes.

Tip: You can also use the “Delete” button in the Equations dialog box to remove equations that you no longer need.

Step 4: Using Equations in Designing

Once you have added equations to your assembly, you can use them in designing and modifying your assembly. By using equations, you can easily control and manipulate dimensions without manually changing each value individually. This makes it easier to make design iterations and modifications.

Note: Equations are not limited to dimensions only; you can also use them with variables and other mathematical expressions within your assembly.

Example:

To demonstrate how equations work, let’s consider an example where we have a rectangular plate with four holes. We want to maintain a constant distance between each hole and the edges of the plate.

To achieve this, we can add an equation that defines this distance as a variable. By changing the value of this variable, all four holes will automatically adjust their position accordingly.

Note: You can experiment with different equations and variables to create more complex relationships within your assembly.

Conclusion

In conclusion, adding equations in SolidWorks assembly allows you to define mathematical relationships between different dimensions and variables. By using equations, you can easily control and manipulate values, making it easier to design and modify your assembly.

Equations are a powerful tool that enhances your design flexibility and efficiency. So, start using equations in your SolidWorks assembly and take your design capabilities to the next level!