In this tutorial, we will learn how to hide cosmetic threads in SolidWorks drawings. Cosmetic threads are used to represent threaded features on a part or assembly without creating actual geometry. They are often used for visual representation and do not affect the function or manufacturing of the part.
Why hide cosmetic threads?
There can be various reasons why you might want to hide cosmetic threads in SolidWorks drawings. Here are a few common scenarios:
- Cluttered drawings: When a drawing contains multiple threaded features, the cosmetic thread representations can make the drawing appear cluttered and difficult to read.
- Simplified representation: In some cases, you may want to simplify the drawing by hiding cosmetic threads and focusing on other critical dimensions and annotations.
- Specific manufacturing instructions: If you have specific manufacturing instructions that do not require showing cosmetic threads, hiding them can make the drawing more concise.
Hiding Cosmetic Threads in SolidWorks Drawings
To hide cosmetic threads in SolidWorks drawings, follow these steps:
- Navigate to the desired view: Open your SolidWorks drawing and navigate to the view where you want to hide the cosmetic thread.
- Select the view: Click on the view to select it. The selected view will be highlighted.
- Access the ‘View Properties’ dialog box: Right-click on the selected view and choose ‘Properties’ from the context menu.
This will open the ‘View Properties’ dialog box.
- Navigate to ‘Model Display’ options: In the ‘View Properties’ dialog box, navigate to the ‘Model Display’ tab. This tab contains settings related to the display of model elements in the drawing view.
- Hide the cosmetic thread: In the ‘Model Display’ tab, uncheck the ‘Show cosmetic threads’ option. This will hide all cosmetic threads in the selected view.
- Apply changes: Click ‘OK’ to apply the changes and close the ‘View Properties’ dialog box.
Additional Tips
Here are a few additional tips to enhance your experience with hiding cosmetic threads in SolidWorks drawings:
- Selective hiding: If you want to hide cosmetic threads only for specific features or parts, you can use configurations or display states to control their visibility.
- Drawing templates: If you frequently need to hide cosmetic threads in your drawings, consider creating custom drawing templates with pre-defined settings to save time and ensure consistency.
- Show/hide shortcut: You can quickly toggle the visibility of cosmetic threads using the keyboard shortcut ‘Ctrl + Q’. This can be handy when you want to switch between showing and hiding them without accessing the ‘View Properties’ dialog box every time.
In conclusion, hiding cosmetic threads in SolidWorks drawings is a useful technique to improve clarity and simplify the visual representation of threaded features. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily control the visibility of cosmetic threads in your drawings and create more organized and focused documentation.
I hope you found this tutorial helpful! Stay tuned for more SolidWorks tips and tricks!