2015 SolidWorks - Weldments

2015 SolidWorks - Weldments

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Weldments Weldments functionality enables you to design a weldment structure as a single multibody part. You use 2D and 3D sketches to define the basic framework. Then you create structural members containing gro ups of sketch segments. You can also add items such as gussets and end c aps using tools on the Weldments Weldments toolbar. toolbar.

For more information about weldments, see SOLIDWORKS Tutorials : Weldments by clicking Help > SOLIDWORKS Tutorials . When you create the first structural member in a part, a weldment feature feature is created and added to the the FeatureManager design tree. The software also creates two default co nfigurations in the ConfigurationManager: a parent configuration Default[As Machined] and a derived configuration Default[As Welded] . On a per document basis, you can suppress the automatic creation of the [As Welded] configuration. Before adding weldments to a new document, click Options (Standard toolbar). On the Weldments page of Document Properties, clear Create derived configuration . You can also configure multiple weldment profi les of structural members as library features. You can add di fferent configurations of a structural member and save them as one profile in a library feature. For example, instead of having 50 separate library feature files for square tubing sizes, you can have one library feature file with 50 configurations that you can control by a design table. When creating or editing structural members, you can select the configured library features in the Structural Member PropertyManager.

C Groups

A group is a collection of related segments in a structural member. member. Profiles and Cut Lists Cut Lists

A cut list is an i tem in the FeatureManager design tree that grou ps the same entities of a p art together. together. It is available in parts that have weldment or sheet metal features. Adding Structural Members Adding Groups Weldments Toolbar Weldment Feature

The weldment feature is not a feature in the same sense as a fillet or an extrude. Instead, it sets up a design functionality environment. The weldment feature designates the part as a weldment and enables the weldment environment.



Weldments - Default Configurations

When a weldment feature is added to a part, the software creates two default configurations: a parent configuration, Default , and a derived configuration, Default . Disabling Automatic Creation of Derived Weldment Configurations

You can disable the automatic creation of derived configu rations if you do not use these configurations. Structural Member PropertyManager Weldments - Creating a Custom Profile

You can create your own weldment profiles to use when creating weldment structural members. You create the profile as a library feature part, then file it in a defined location so it is available for selection. Weldments - Pierce Points

The pierce point defines the location of the profile, relative to the sketch segment used to create the structural member. Weldments - Trim and Extend

You can use segments and other solid bodies to trim segments so they butt up correctly in the weldment part. Weldments - Gussets

Gussets reinforce the area between two intersecting structural mem bers with planar faces. Weldments - End Caps

To close off open structural members, you can add end caps, including internal end caps. Weld Beads

You can add weld beads to weldment parts and assemblies, and multibody parts. Sub-weldments

You create sub-weldments to segment complex weldment models into more manageable entities. Custom Properties in Weldments

In a weldment part, the custom properties for the weldments feature and for the cut list represent a different list from the custom properties that are stored at the document level. Weldment Drawings

All configurations reference the same cut list for creating balloons. Balloon numbers remain associative to the cut list, even if they are created i n another view. Weldment Cut List Tables

You can use a weldment cut list table to add a BOM-like table for cut, welded structural shapes.

Groups A group is a collection of related segments in a structural member. You configure a group to affect all its segments without affecting other segments o r groups in the structural member. Types of groups are:



Contiguous A continuous contour of segments joined end-to-end. You can control

how the segments join to e ach other. The end point of the group can optionally connect to its beginning point.

Parallel A discontinuous collection of parallel segments. Segments in the group

cannot touch each other.

You can define a group in a single plane or in multiple planes. A group can contain one or more segments. A structural member can contain one or more groups. After you define a group, you can operate on it as a single unit. Use the Structural Member PropertyManager to: Specify the corner treatment for the segments in the group. Create weld gaps between segments to allow space for weld beads. Mirror the profile of a single group. Align, rotate, or translate the pro file of a group without affecting other grou ps in the structural member.

Profiles and Cut Lists All structural members include the following attributes: Structural members use profiles, for example, an angle iron. Profiles are identified by Standard , Type, and Size. You can: Create your own profiles and add them to the existing library of weldment profiles. Specify the orientation and pierce point of the profile relative to the sketch segment. Weldment profiles are located in: install_dir\lang\ lang \weldment profiles . You can add or change locations for weldment profiles in Tools > Options > System Options > File Locations . All groups in a single structural member must use the same profile. Structural members appear in the FeatureManager design tree as Structural Member1 , Structural Member2, and so on. Bodies created by the structural members appear under Cut list

in the

FeatureManager design tree. You can assign materials to structural members.

Cut Lists A cut list is an item in the FeatureManager design tree that g roups the same entities of a part together. It is available in parts that have weldment or sheet metal features.

C Changing the Order of Cut List Item Folders

You can reorder Cut-List-Item folders. Because the order of the Cut-List-Item folders drives the cut list entries, you can apply a customized order to the cut list. The reordering propagates to the cut lists in the part



and drawing. Excluding Folders from Cut Lists

You can customize a cut list by excluding cut list fo lders from cut lists. Excluding Features from Cut Lists Updating Cut Lists

You can update cut lists m anually or automatically. Naming Cut List Folders Automatically

You can have the software automatically name cut list folders in a weldment part using the value of the cut list DESCRIPTION property. Cut-List Properties Dialog Box

The Cut-List Properties dialog box lets you manage, edit, and view all cut list item properties. Materials in Weldment Cut Lists

Weldment cut lists recognize materials when determining whether bod ies are identical. Configurations in Weldment Cut Lists Bounding Boxes in Weldments

You can create a bounding box for any cut list item in a cut list, independent of the type of solid bodies in the cut list item. Propagating Cut List Properties

You can use the Insert Into New Part command to copy cut list properties to the file level or the cut list level.

Adding Structural Members 1. Create a sketch.

Using linear or curved sketch entities, you can create multiple 2D sketches with pl anes, create a 3D sketch, or combine 2D and 3D sketches.

2. Click Structural Member

(Weldments toolbar) or Insert > Weldments > Structural Member .

3. Make selections in the PropertyManager to define t he profile for the structural member. 4. In the graphics area, select sketch segments to define the pat h for the structural member. 5. Click

.



Adding Groups 1. Create a sketch. 2. Click Structural Member

(Weldments toolbar) or Insert > Weldments > Structural Member .

3. Make selections in the PropertyManager to define t he profile for the structural member. 4. To create the first group, select a series of segments on the sketch.

The second segment you select determines the type of group you are creating. To create a contiguous group, select a segment adjoining the first seg ment. To create a parallel group, select a segment parallel to the first segment.

Group1 appears in Groups. Under Settings , the identifiers of the paths you selected appear under Path segments. 5. To create the next group, right-click in the graphics area and select Create New Group or under Selections, click New Group. 6. Select the second set of segments.

7. Select a group in Groups and change its attributes under Settings . 8. Click

and create additional structural members as needed.



Weldments Toolbar Weldment

Weld Bead

Structural Member

Fillet Bead

Gusset

Trim/Extend

End Cap

Weldment Feature The weldment feature is not a feature in the same sense as a fillet or an extrude. Instead, it sets up a design functionality environment. The weldment feature designates the part as a weldment and enables the weldment environment. The weldment feature: Activates the multibody environment by clearing the Merge result check box in the PropertyManagers of features that add material. Acts as a placeholder for common custom properties that are inherited by all cut list items.

Weldments - Default Configurations When a weldment feature is added to a part, the software creates two default configurations: a parent configuration, Default , and a derived configuration, Default . You create the model in the configuration, and include all machined features. Then, if you want to show the part as it appears before the machining operations are performed, you use the configuration and suppress the machined features. For example, for the following part: 1. In the configuration, you create the structural members, extrude the plate, add weld

beads, and add the holes in the plate and structural members.

2. Then, in the configuration, you suppress the hole features.



On a per document basis, you can suppress the automatic creation of the [As Welded] configuration. Before adding weldments to a new document, click Options (Standard toolbar). On the Weldments page of Document Properties, clear Create derived configuration .

Disabling Automatic Creation of Derived Weldment Configurations You can disable the automatic creation of derived configurations if you do not use these configurations. Previously, the software automatically created derived configurations when you selected Weldments or created a structural member. This is still the default behavior. However, many users do not want derived configurations an d choose to delete them.

To disable the automatic creation of derived weldment configurations and configuration description strings: 1. In a new part, before inserting a weldment, click Options

(Standard toolbar) or Tools > Options.

2. On the Document Properties tab, click Weldments . 3. Do one of the following:

To disable automatic creation of derived weldment configurations and configuration description strings, clear Create derived configuration . Assign configuration Description strings is cleared.

To disable only the assignment of configuration description strings, clear Assign configuration Description strings . 4. Click OK.

Structural Member PropertyManager To open the Structural Member PropertyManager: Add or edit a structural member in a weldment part. You can set the default color for Structural Member features in Model Display Options.

Selections Specify the profile of the structural member by selecting a standard, type, and size.



Standard

Select iso, ansi inch , or a custom standard that you previously defined.

Type

Select a Profile Type , such as angle iron or square tube . Sample profile types:

Size

angle iron

rectangular tube

pipe

c channel

Select a Profile, such as 20 x 20 x 3 . Additional weldment profiles are available on the Design Library tab . Under SOLIDWORKS Content , in the Weldments folder, Ctrl + click items to download .zip files.

Merge arc segment bodies

(For curved entities only.) Select to merge arc segment bodies with ad jacent bodies in the structural member. Clear to create a separate body for each curved entity. The arc segment and adjacent bodies must be tangent in order to merge.

Selected

Cleared

One structural member, one solid body. One structural member, five solid bodies. Groups

Select a group to configure under Settings . The SOLIDWORKS software shows the group you select in a different col or. In the graphics area, when you pause the pointer over a group member, a tooltip identifies the group.



Settings Configure the selected group: Path segments

Lists the segments in the group.

Apply corner treatment

(Available for contiguous groups only.) Defines how to trim segments of the group when they intersect at corners. You can clear Apply corner treatment and specify a corner treatment later (for example, when you trim the structural members). You can also modify the corner treatment, allowing you to specify multiple corner treatments per group.

End Miter Merge miter trimmed bodies

End Butt1

End Butt2

(Available when you select Apply corner treatment and click .) Combines weld member bodies so that the length of the resulting weld member body in the weldment cut list is equal to the sum of the maximum lengths of the uncut weld member bodies. End Miter

Gap between Connected Segments in Same Group

(Available for contiguous groups only.) Specify the weld gap at the corners of segments in the same group.

Gap between Different Group Segments

Specify the weld gap where the ends of this group's segments abut segments in another group. Specifying a weld gap shortens segment lengths, as reflected in the cut list, and retains the overall extent of each segment.

Allow protrusion

Allows the structural member to extend the length of the sketch. This is helpful when one structural member (A) is used to trim another member (B), but A does not fully cut B. It allows the portion of B that is not cut by A to extend to the length of the sketch.

Mirror Profile

Flips the profile of the group about its Horizontal Axis or Vertical Axis .

Alignment

Aligns an axis of the group profile to any selected vector (edge, construction line, etc.). Select which axis of the profile to align: Horizontal axis Vertical axis

Rotation Angle

Rotates the structural member by a set number of degrees.

Locate Profile

Zooms to the profile so you can change its pierce point relative to the sketch segment. The default pierce point is the sketch origin.

Configurations



Select the configurations to apply to the structural member: This configuration All configurations Specify configurations

C Example of Two Bodies Sharing a Point Changing Corner Treatments

Within a structural member, you can override the corner treatment within a group or between adjacent groups. You can also merge an arc body with an adjacent body and specify weld gaps and trim order. Examples of Trim Order Structural Member Visual Grouping

To make it easier to create and edit structural members with multiple groups, when you select a group it highlights in the preview.

Weldments - Creating a Custom Profile You can create your own weldment profiles to u se when creating weldment structural members. You create the profile as a library feature part, then file it in a defined location so it is available for selection. Additional weldment profiles are available on the Design Library tab

. Under SOLIDWORKS Content

, in the Weldments folder, Ctrl + click items to download .zip files.

To create a weldment profile: 1. Open a new part. 2. Sketch a profile. Keep in mind that when you create a weldment structural memb er using the profile:

The origin of the sketch becomes the default pierce point. You can select any vertex or sketch point in the sketch as an a lternate pierce point. 3. Close the sketch. 4. In the FeatureManager design tree, select Sketch1 . 5. Click File > Save As. 6. In the dialog box: a. In Save in , browse to install_dir \ lang\ language \weldment profiles and select or create appropriate and subfolders. See Weldments - File Location for Custom Profiles. b. In Save as type , select Lib Feat Part (*.sldlfp) . c. Type a name for Filename . d. Click Save.

The name that you give to the library feature part appears in the Size list in the Structural Member PropertyManager when you create a weldm ent structural member. For example, if you name the profile 1x1x.125.sldlfp , then 1x1x.125 appears in Size. If you name the part big.sldlfp, then big appears in Size.

C



Weldments - File Location for Custom Profiles

The default location for weldment profiles is install_dir \lang\ language \weldment profiles . Storing Custom Profiles in the Existing Folder Structure

You can file your custom profile in t he folder structure that SOLIDWORKS prov ides, or you can create a separate folder structure. Storing Custom Profiles in a Separate Folder Structure

If you want to store your profiles in a separate location, yo u can create a separate folder structure, and then specify it as a weldment profile file location.

Weldments - Pierce Points The pierce point defines the loc ation of the profile, relative to the sketch segment used to create the structural member. The default pierce point is the sketch origin in the profile library feature part. Any vertex or sketch point specified in the profile can also be used as a pierce point. Example: Same profile, with three different pierce points selected.



Changing Pierce Points To change a pierce point: 1. Right-click a structural member and select Edit Feature . 2. In the PropertyManager, under Settings , click Locate Profile .

The display zooms to the pr ofile of the structural member. 3. Select any of the vertices or sketch points on the profile.

The profile shifts to align the new pierce point with the structural member sketch segment. 4. Click

.

Weldments - Trim and Extend You can use segments and other solid bodies to trim segments so they butt up correctly in the weldment part. With Trim/Extend , you can trim or extend: Two segments at a corner where they meet. One or more segments against another solid body. Both ends of a segment at once. You should trim all corners in a w eldment model to assure that l engths of segments are calculated accurately. Example of corner types:

Not trimmed.

End Trim

End Miter



End Butt1

End Butt2

C Trimming Segments Trim/Extend PropertyManager

Weldments - Gussets Gussets reinforce the area between two intersecting structural members with planar faces. There are two types of gussets:

Triangular Profile

Polygonal Profile

In addition to options to create gussets for structural members with planar faces, the Gusset PropertyManager includes geometric selection conditions for creating gussets. You can create gussets between: Disjointed planar surface bodies separated by a structural member, body radius, or gap Rectangular/planar surface bodies and cylindrical/round surface bod ies Cylindrical to cylindrical (tube to tube) faces

Plate to rectangular tube

Disjointed faces that intersect but do not touch


Rectangular tube to cylinder To access these features, click Gusset


Cylinder to cylinder (Weldments toolbar) or Insert > Weldments > Gusset.

For cylindrical to cylindrical g ussets, in the Gusset PropertyManager, you can use planes, sketch lines, and linear edges to define a vector direction. You can also flip the vector direction to the op posite side of the cylinder. If you provide valid inputs for the selected geometry, a preview of the gusset app ears in the graphics area. You can set the default color for Gusset features in Model Display Options.

C Adding Gussets Creating a Cylinder-to-Cylinder Gusset

You can add gussets to provide center-to-center reinforcement of cylinders. Gusset PropertyManager

Weldments - End Caps To close off open structural members, you can add end caps, includ ing internal end caps.

To apply fillets or chamfers to all end caps, under Corner Treatment , select Fillet or Chamfer . You can offset an end cap from the inside face of a structural member by specifying a decimal Offset value in addition to the Thickness ratio . You can set Outward and Inward end caps to be larger than the structural member's outside dimension for base plate or mounting pad applications. You can set the Thickness ratio to be larger than 1 for these applications. You can add end caps only to pro files with linear edges.

C



Adding End Caps End Cap PropertyManager

Weld Beads You can add weld beads to weldment parts and assemblies, and multibody parts. Key features of weld beads: Compatibility with all types of geometry, including bodies with gaps Inclusion of weld bead properties in drawings using weld tables Automatically created weld symbols Association of weld symbols with the weld beads In the FeatureManager design tree, a separate Weld Bead

folder that contains the weld beads

Weld beads use a simplified display. They are displayed as graphical representations in models. No geometry is created. The weld beads are lightweight and do not affect performance.

For information about weld beads in assemblies, see Weld Beads in Assemblies. For information about weld tables in drawings, see Weld Tables.

C Creating Weld Beads Smart Weld Selection Tool

Use the Smart Weld Selection Tool to select faces to which you want to apply weld beads. The tool is available in the Weld Bead PropertyManager. Creating Single Body Weld Beads

You can create a weld bead on a single bo dy using Weld Geometry . Creating Weld Beads on Multibody Parts Changing the Type and Size of Weld Beads

You can edit weld beads as you would any feature by right-clicking a weld bead in the FeatureManager design



tree and clicking Edit Feature . However, you can also drag weld beads within the Weld Folder change the type and size of the weld bead in the weld symbol.

to

Weld Bead PropertyManager

The Weld Bead PropertyManager lets you insert and defi ne weld beads. Weld Bead Properties Dialog Box

Use the Weld Bead Properties dialog box to set weld bead properties that appear in weld tables in drawings. Weldments - Fillet Weld Beads

You can add full length, intermittent, or staggered fillet weld beads b etween any intersecting weldment entities such as structural members, plate weldments, or g ussets.

Sub-weldments You create sub-weldments to segment complex weldment models into more manageable entities. Sub-weldments can include any entity listed in the Cut list folder

, including structural members, end caps,

gussets, weld fillet beads, and structural members trimmed with the Trim/Extend

tool.

When you create subweldments, or when you save weldment bodies to new parts, the cut list properties from the parents propagate to the subweldments or new parts. In the Cut-List Properties dialog box, the Value / Text Expression of the properties appear as Linked to Parent Part - parent .sldprt . You cannot edit the cut list properties unless you break the reference to the parent part.

Creating Sub-weldments To create a sub-weldment: 1. In the FeatureManager design tree of the weldment model, expand the Cut list folder

.

2. Select the entities to include in the sub-weldment, using Shift or Ctrl to group-select.

The selected entities highlight in the g raphics area. 3. Right-click and select Create sub-weldment .

A sub-weldment folder

containing the selected entities appears under the Cut list folder

4. Right-click the sub-weldment folder

.

and select Insert into New Part .

The sub-weldment model opens in a new SOLIDWORKS window, and the Save As dialog box appears. 5. Accept or edit the name for File name , and click Save.

Changes made in the weldment model propagate to the sub-weldment model.

Custom Properties in Weldments In a weldment part, the custom properties for the weldments feature and for the cut list represent a different list from the custom properties that are stored at the document level. The default location for the Weldment Property File is: C:\Documents and S ettings\All Users\Application Data\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version \lang \ language \weldments\weldmentproperties.txt



There is no Application Data folder in the Microsoft ® Windows ® 7 operating system. You can change the location of the list in File Location Options. The profile library parts may carry any commonly used custom properties. For example, profiles supplied with the SOLIDWORKS application include the custom property Description . In case of naming conflicts between the weldment feature and the weldment profile, the profile name takes precedence. You can use Property Tab Builder to create custom tabs for weldments.

C Custom Properties in Weldment Cut Lists

Weldment cut lists include the item number ( ITEM NO.) and quantity (QTY. ) and cut list custom properties. Assigning Custom Properties Custom Property Values Adding Custom Properties Example: Using Length and Angle Custom Properties

Weldment Drawings Drawings of weldments support: Views of entire weldment parts Views of single bodies of weldment parts (Relative Views) Weldment cut lists Balloons AutoBalloons Alternating crosshatch for section views Example of weldment cut list:



Balloons in Weldment Drawings All configurations reference the same cut list for creating balloons. Balloon numbers remain associative to the cut list, even if they are created i n another view. A balloon attached to a body in a drawing view of the entire weldment and a balloon attached to the same body in a drawing view showing on ly the body have the same item number. If you insert AutoBalloons into a drawing view of a weldment and the drawing does not contain a cut list, you are prompted whether you want to create a cut list. If you delete a cut list, all balloons related to the cut list change their Item Number to 1.

Weldment Cut List Tables You can use a weldment cut list table to add a BOM-like table for cut, welded structural shapes. When the first weldment feature is inserted in a part, the Solid Bodies indicate the items to include in the cut list. The icon indicates that the cut list is up-to-date.

folder is renamed to Cut list

to

indicates that the cut list needs to be updated. The icon

Items that appear in the cut list must appear in the Cut list

folder at the part level.



The option to automatically organize all of the weldment entities in the cut list is on by default in new weldment parts. To turn it o ff, right-click Cut list

and clear Create Cut Lists Automatically .

Although the cut list is generated automatically, you manually specify when t o update it in a weldment part document. This enables you to m ake many changes, then update the cut list once.

C Inserting Weldment Cut List Tables in Drawings Weldment Cut List PropertyManager

Specify properties for weldment cut lists. Weldment Cut List Column PropertyManager

Use this PropertyManager to change the content of a column in a weldment cut list. Sorting Columns in Weldment Cut List Tables Sorting Weldment Cut List Tables By Item Numbers

2015 SolidWorks - Weldments

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