How Do You Create a Cutlist in SolidWorks?

by

Creating a Cutlist in SolidWorks: A Step-by-Step Guide

When working with SolidWorks, creating a cutlist can be incredibly useful for organizing and managing your projects. A cutlist provides a detailed breakdown of all the components needed to construct an assembly, making it easier to plan and execute your designs. In this article, we will explore the steps involved in creating a cutlist in SolidWorks.

Step 1: Defining Your Assembly

Before we dive into creating a cutlist, it’s crucial to have a well-defined assembly structure in place. This involves designing and assembling all the components that make up your project. Each part should be properly named and organized within the assembly hierarchy.

Tips:

  • Use descriptive names: Naming each component accurately will help you easily identify them later in the cutlist.
  • Create subassemblies: If your project consists of multiple parts, consider grouping related components into subassemblies for better organization.
  • Add custom properties: Adding custom properties to each component will enable SolidWorks to automatically populate the cutlist with relevant information.

Step 2: Accessing the Cut List Feature

Once you have your assembly structure defined, it’s time to access the Cut List feature in SolidWorks. Follow these steps:

  1. Select the top-level assembly from the feature tree.
  2. Navigate to the “Insert” menu and choose “Tables” > “Cut List.”

Tips:

  • Selecting the top-level assembly: It is important to select the highest level of your assembly hierarchy as this will generate a comprehensive cutlist for all components.

Step 3: Configuring the Cut List Options

After accessing the Cut List feature, a dialog box will appear with various options to configure. Here’s what you need to do:

  1. Select the desired cutlist template from the available options.
  2. Choose whether to include weldment features in the cutlist.
  3. Specify if you want to include custom properties in the cutlist.

Tips:

  • Selecting a suitable template: SolidWorks offers several pre-defined templates for your cutlist. Choose one that aligns with your project requirements and preferences.
  • Including custom properties: Enabling this option will automatically populate your cutlist with custom properties, saving you time and effort.

Step 4: Generating and Reviewing the Cut List

With all the necessary configurations in place, it’s time to generate and review your cutlist. Here’s how:

  1. Click “OK” in the Cut List Property Manager dialog box.
  2. The generated cutlist will appear as a new table in your SolidWorks workspace.
  3. Carefully review each column of the cutlist to ensure all necessary information is included and accurate.

Tips:

  • Analyzing component details: The generated cutlist provides crucial information such as part names, quantities, lengths, materials, etc. Take some time to verify these details against your project specifications for accuracy.

Congratulations! You have successfully created a cutlist in SolidWorks.

This comprehensive breakdown of components will prove invaluable during fabrication, assembly, and documentation stages of your project. Remember to update the cutlist as you make any changes to your assembly structure or components.

By following these steps and utilizing the powerful features of SolidWorks, you can effectively manage and organize your projects, saving time and improving overall productivity.