Creating a design table in SolidWorks can greatly enhance your workflow and efficiency. With a design table, you can easily make changes to multiple dimensions or features of your model by simply editing a spreadsheet. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of creating a design table step by step.
Step 1: Creating the Design Table
In SolidWorks, go to the Insert menu and select Tables, then choose Design Table. A dialog box will appear, allowing you to specify the settings for your design table.
Step 1.1: Specify Parameters
In the Specify Parameters section of the dialog box, you need to select the dimensions or features that you want to control using the design table. To do this, click on the Add Parameter button and choose the desired dimension or feature from the list. You can add as many parameters as needed.2: Specify Options
In the Specify Options section, you can choose how SolidWorks handles configurations that are not specified in the design table. By default, SolidWorks will create new configurations for any missing combinations of parameters.
Step 2: Editing the Design Table
After creating the design table, SolidWorks will generate a spreadsheet containing all the parameters and their corresponding values. You can open this spreadsheet by double-clicking on it in your feature manager tree.
Step 2.1: Adding Dimensions/Features
To add dimensions or features to your design table, simply type their names in separate columns of the spreadsheet. You can also use formulas or link cells to other spreadsheets to drive the values of your parameters.2: Specifying Values
In the cells below each dimension or feature, you can specify the desired values. You can directly type in the values or use formulas to link them to other cells within the spreadsheet. SolidWorks will update your model accordingly based on these values.
Step 3: Updating the Model
Once you have finished editing the design table, you can update your model to reflect the changes. To do this, simply click on the Update Model button located at the top of the design table spreadsheet.
Note: Make sure that all dimensions and features in your design table are properly defined and have valid values. Otherwise, SolidWorks may encounter errors when updating the model.
Step 4: Working with Configurations
If you have multiple configurations in your SolidWorks model, you can easily switch between them using the design table. Simply edit the values in the design table for each configuration, and SolidWorks will update your model accordingly.
Step 4.1: Adding Configurations
To add configurations to your design table, click on the Add Configuration button in the spreadsheet. This will create a new row where you can specify different parameter values for each configuration.2: Switching Configurations
To switch between configurations, simply select a different row in your design table spreadsheet. SolidWorks will update your model based on the parameter values specified for that configuration.
Conclusion
In conclusion, creating a design table in SolidWorks is a powerful tool that allows you to easily make changes to multiple dimensions or features of your model. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can create and edit design tables with ease, enhancing your productivity and workflow.