How Do You Rotate a 90 Degree Piece in SolidWorks?

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Are you looking to rotate a 90-degree piece in SolidWorks? In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process step by step. By following these instructions, you’ll be able to rotate your piece easily and efficiently.

Step 1: Opening the Assembly

To begin, open the SolidWorks assembly that contains the piece you want to rotate. Make sure you have the necessary permissions to modify the assembly.

Step 2: Selecting the Piece

Once your assembly is open, identify the specific piece you want to rotate. Use either the Select or Select Components tool from the toolbar to choose it.

Step 3: Activating Rotate Mode

To activate Rotate mode, go to the Assembly tab in the main menu and click on Mate. A sub-menu will appear; select Mate Rotation.

Step 4: Defining Reference Planes

In this step, you need to define reference planes for rotation. Select two flat surfaces that are perpendicular to each other on your chosen piece. These surfaces will serve as reference points for rotation.

Note:

If your chosen piece doesn’t have suitable reference planes, consider creating them using SolidWorks’ tools like Reference Geometry.

Step 5: Applying Mate Rotation

In this phase, it’s time to apply mate rotation. Follow these steps:

  1. Select one of the reference planes as a fixed entity.
  2. Select another reference plane as a rotating entity.
  3. Specify the desired rotation angle. In this case, enter 90 degrees.
  4. Click on Apply.

You’ll notice that the selected piece has now been rotated by 90 degrees based on the defined reference planes.

Step 6: Verifying Rotation

To verify that your piece has been rotated correctly, you can use SolidWorks’ visualization tools like Rotate About Scene Floor or Rotate Component. These will allow you to view your assembly from different angles and ensure the rotation is accurate.

Congratulations! You have successfully rotated a 90-degree piece in SolidWorks. By following these steps, you can easily manipulate your assembly to suit your design requirements.

Note: Remember to save your work regularly to avoid losing any changes you’ve made to your assembly.

I hope this tutorial was helpful! Feel free to explore more SolidWorks features and functionalities to enhance your design experience.