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: 3DS_Document_2012

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CAD Instructor Guide
Lesson 8

Teacher’s Name
School’s Name

Date
 Families of Parts
Many times parts come in a variety of sizes.
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This is called a family of parts.

It is not efficient to build each version
individually.
Design tables simplify making families of
parts.

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 Design Table Overview
Design tables are used to create different configurations of a part.
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What is a Configuration?
A configuration is a way to create a family of similar parts within one file.
Each configuration represents one version of the part.
Design tables automatically change the dimensions and features of an existing
part to create multiple configurations. The configurations control the size and
shape of a part.

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 Design Table Overview
Design tables can control the state of a feature.
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The state of a feature can be suppressed or

unsuppressed (also called resolved). A suppressed
feature is not rebuilt or displayed.
Design tables requires Microsoft Excel application.

Center hole suppressed

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 Design Tables Require
Dimension and/or Feature names
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or special keywords

Configuration Values

Tip: Rename features and dimensions before creating a design table.

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 Rename Features and Dimensions
Feature and Dimension names used
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in a design table should be renamed

to better describe their function.
Which is easier to understand?
D1@Cut-Extrude1
Width@Oval_Slot

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 To Rename a Feature
Click-pause-click on Extrude1 in the FeatureManager
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design tree (do not double-click).

Tip: Instead of the click-pause-click technique, you can
select the feature, and then press the function key F2.
The feature name is highlighted in blue, ready to be
edited.
Type the new name, Box, and press Enter.

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 Rename the Other Features Used in the
Design Table
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Rename Extrude2 to Knob.

Rename Cut-Extrude1 to Hole_in_knob.
Rename Fillet1 to Outside_corners.

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 To Display Feature Dimensions
Right-click the Annotations folder, and select
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Show Feature Dimensions from the shortcut

menu.

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 To Hide All the Feature Dimensions for a Selected
Feature
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Right-click the feature in the FeatureManager

design tree, and select Hide All Dimensions from
the shortcut menu.

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 3DS.COM/SOLIDWORKS © Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | 08/13/23 | ref.: 3DS_Document_2012

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menu.
select Hide from the shortcut
Right-click the dimension, and
To Hide Individual Dimensions
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1.
Names.
Click View, Dimension
To Display Dimension Names
 To Rename a Dimension
1. Display the dimension.
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 Either double-click the feature to display its dimensions.

 Or, right-click the Annotations folder, and select Show
Feature Dimensions.
2. Click the 70mm diameter dimension, and in the
PropertyManager, rename the dimension to
knob_dia, then click OK.
Note: “@Sketch2” is automatically added to the
dimension name.

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 Rename these Dimensions
Height of the box to box_height.
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Width of the box to box_width.

Diameter of the hole in the knob to
hole_dia.
Radius of outside corners to
fillet_radius.

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 Design Intent
The depth of the Knob should always be
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equal to the depth of the Box (the base

feature).
The Knob should always be centered on
the Box.
Dimensions alone are not always the
best way to capture design intent.

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 Linking Values
The Link Values command relates dimensions to each other through shared
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variable names.
If the value of one linked dimension is modified, then all of the linked dimensions
are modified.
Link Values is excellent for making feature dimensions equal to each other.
This is an important tool for capturing design intent.

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 Examples of Uses for Link Values
The thickness of the square and
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the two tabs is always equal.

The width of both slots is always

equal.

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 Link the Depth of the Box to the Depth of the Knob
1. Display the dimensions.
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2. Right-click on the depth

dimension for the Box, and select
Link Values from the shortcut
menu.

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 Linking the Box to the Knob
3. Type Depth in the Name text box
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and then click OK.

4. Right-click on the depth
dimension for the Knob, and
select Link Values from the
shortcut menu.

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 Linking the Box to the Knob
5. Select Depth from the list, and click OK.
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6. Both dimensions have the same name and

value.
7. Rebuild the part to update the geometry.

Tip: Use the CTRL key to select several

dimensions at the same time and link them
in one step.

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 Geometric Relations
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Relate geometry through physical relationships such as:

Concentric
Coradial
Midpoint
Equal
Collinear
Coincident

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 Examples of Geometric Relations
The Sketch Fillet tool automatically creates one radial
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dimension and 3 Equal relations.

Changing the dimension changes all 4 fillets.
This technique is better than having 4 radial
dimensions.

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 Examples of Geometric Relations
Two features.
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Making the circle for the boss

Coradial with the edge of the
base ensures that the boss will
always be the correct size
regardless of how the base
changes.

Or

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 To Center the Knob on the Box
1. Right-click the Knob feature, and select Edit
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Sketch from the shortcut menu.

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 Centering the Knob on the Box
2. Delete the linear dimensions.
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3. Notice the circle is blue, indicating it is

under defined.
4. Drag the circle to one side. Without
dimensions to locate it, it is free to move.
5. Click Centerline , and sketch a diagonal
Centerline.

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 Centering the Knob on the Box
6. Click Sketch > Display/Delete Relations > Add
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Relation .
7. Select the centerline and the point at the center of
the circle.
 Note: If the centerline is still highlighted when Add Relations
opens, the line automatically appears in the Selected Entities
list and you do not have to select it again.
 If you select the wrong entity, right-click in the graphics area,
and select Clear Selections.

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 Centering the Knob on the Box
8. Click Midpoint, and then click
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OK.
9. The circle will now stay
centered on the Box feature.

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 3DS.COM/SOLIDWORKS © Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | 08/13/23 | ref.: 3DS_Document_2012

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rebuild the part.
10. Click Rebuild to exit the sketch and
Centering the Knob on the Box
 To Insert a New Design Table
1. Position the part in the lower right hand corner of the
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graphics area.
2. Click Insert, Tables, Design Table.

The PropertyManager appears.

3. Select the Auto-create option to create a new design
table automatically.

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 3DS.COM/SOLIDWORKS © Dassault Systèmes | Confidential Information | 08/13/23 | ref.: 3DS_Document_2012

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Inserting a New Design Table
 Inserting a New Design Table
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An Excel worksheet is displayed in the part document window.

Excel toolbars replace the SolidWorks toolbars.
By default, the first configuration is named Default. You can (and should) change
this to something more meaningful.

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 Review of a Design Table’s Format
Dimension and/or Feature names
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or special keywords go in this row.

Configuration names Values go here.

go in this column.

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 Inserting a New Design Table
If starting from a blank design table or adding new
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dimensions:
1.Click in Cell B2
2.Click the box_width dimension.

The full dimension name is inserted into cell B2. The

dimension value is inserted into cell B3.
The next cell, C2, is automatically selected.

2.Click the box_height dimension.

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 Inserting a New Design Table
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3. Repeat this process for knob_dia, hole_dia, fillet_radius, and Depth.

 Note: Since the depth dimensions of the Knob and the Box are linked together, you only need
one of them in the design table.

Excel tip: Dimension names tend to be very long. Use the Excel command
Format, Cells, and click Wrap Text on the Alignment tab.

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 Inserting a New Design Table
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1. Enter new configuration names in column A:

 Replace Default with blk1.
 Fill cells A4 through A6 with blk2, blk3, and blk4.
2. Fill in the dimension values as shown below.

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 To Close the Excel Worksheet
1. Click in the graphics area outside the worksheet.
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2. The system builds

the configurations.
3. Click OK.
The design table is
embedded and
stored in the part document.
The design table icon appears in the FeatureManager.
4. Save the part document.

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 To View Part Configurations
1. Click the Configuration
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Manager tab at the

top of the FeatureManager
window. The list of
configurations is displayed.
2. Double-click each
configuration.

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 Viewing Part Configurations
3. The part is automatically rebuilt using the dimension values from the design
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table.

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