How Do You Add Corner Relief in SolidWorks?

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Adding corner relief in SolidWorks can be a useful technique to enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your designs. Corner relief refers to the process of creating rounded or chamfered corners on sharp edges, providing a smoother transition and reducing stress concentration. In this tutorial, we will explore two common methods to add corner relief in SolidWorks – using the Fillet feature and the Chamfer feature.

Fillet Feature:

The Fillet feature in SolidWorks allows you to create rounded corners on selected edges. To use this feature, follow these steps:

  1. Select the edges where you want to add the corner relief. You can select multiple edges by holding down the Ctrl key while clicking on each edge.

  2. Go to the Features tab in the command manager and click on the Fillet icon.

  3. In the Fillet PropertyManager dialog box that appears, enter the desired fillet radius value.

    This value determines how large or small the rounded corner will be. You can also choose whether you want a constant radius or variable radius fillet.

  4. Click on OK to apply the fillet and add corner relief to your selected edges.

Tips:

  • You can edit an existing fillet by double-clicking on it in the Feature Manager Design Tree or by right-clicking and selecting Edit Feature.

  • To remove a fillet, select it in the Feature Manager Design Tree, right-click, and choose Delete.

Chamfer Feature:

If you prefer chamfered corners instead of rounded corners, you can use the Chamfer feature in SolidWorks. Here’s how:

  1. Select the edges where you want to add corner relief.

  2. Click on the Chamfer icon in the Features tab of the command manager.

  3. In the Chamfer PropertyManager dialog box, specify the desired chamfer distance and angle. The distance determines how far the chamfer extends, while the angle determines its slope.

  4. Click on OK to apply the chamfer and add corner relief to your selected edges.

Tips:

  • You can edit an existing chamfer by double-clicking on it in the Feature Manager Design Tree or by right-clicking and selecting Edit Feature.

  • To remove a chamfer, select it in the Feature Manager Design Tree, right-click, and choose Delete.

Adding corner relief using either the Fillet or Chamfer feature can greatly improve your SolidWorks designs. By incorporating these techniques into your workflow, you can create visually appealing and functional models that are sure to impress. So go ahead and experiment with adding corner relief to take your designs to the next level!