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FIGURE 2.16

Comparing the Offset Entities interface to the Mate interface

Here is the workflow for the Offset Entities PropertyManager without using the Push Pin feature:

1. Within a sketch, preselect an edge (you can also select the edge after Step 2).

2. Click the Offset Entities toolbar button.

3. Set the options.

4. Click the green check mark icon.

When you click the green check mark icon, the PropertyManager closes.

Now here is the workflow for the Offset Entities PropertyManager using the Push Pin feature, which allows you to perform multiple offset operations:

1. Within a sketch, preselect an edge (you can also select the edge after Step 2).

2. Click the Offset Entities toolbar button.

3. Click the pushpin.

4. Set the options.

5. Click the green check mark icon.

6. Make another selection set.

7. Change the options.

8. Click the green check mark icon.

9. Repeat Steps 6, 7, and 8 until you are done.

10. Click the green check mark icon again.

The Mate interface, shown in Figure 2.17, has a pushpin for the PropertyManager, but not for the Mate function; to close the Mate function, you need to click the green check mark icon twice (and make the second click when there is nothing selected in the interface), or click the red X. So the Mate feature works like Offset Entities if the Offset Entities pushpin were always pushed in. This is why the Mate workflow is not standard — because it assumes that you want to use the pushpin, without giving you the option.

Looking at the rest of the Mate interface

In all fairness, there is more to the story about the Mate interface than just a little interface inconsistency. Some tools exist that help you get through the mates quickly.

RMB OK

Possibly the single biggest time-saver in the Mate interface is the RMB OK feature, which allows you to simply click the RMB to apply the mate and move on to the next selection. It's fast, and once you get used to it, you will wish the rest of the interface had this little gem. Some other features have it and some don't.

Multiple Mate mode

The icon for Multiple Mate mode is in the Mate Selections panel, shown in Figure 2.18. With Multiple Mate mode, you select one entity that you want to mate several parts to, such as a center plane that all the parts in an assembly use to line themselves up.

FIGURE 2.17

The Mate function does not have its own pushpin — it behaves as if the pushpin is always pushed in.

The workflow for this tool is as follows:

1. Initiate the Multiple Mate tool.

2. Click the Multiple Mate Mode icon.

3. Click the common entity that you want to mate other parts to.

4. Click each entity that you want to mate to the common entity.

5. Use the RMB OK feature to continue, or click the green check mark icon twice to exit the feature.

FIGURE 2.18

Using Multiple Mate mode

Mate shortcut bar

The Mate shortcut bar, shown in Figure 2.19, brings most of the options from the Mate PropertyManager out to where your cursor is. This shortcut bar makes it easy to change mate types, enter a distance or angle value for a mate, or flip the direction of the mate.

FIGURE 2.19

Selecting options with the Mate shortcut bar

Summary

SolidWorks assemblies have a lot of functionality and settings that are not found in other document types. The interface remembers settings for different document types, which saves you time when switching between parts and assemblies. The features mentioned in this chapter are described in more detail throughout this book.

Chapter 3: Visualizing Assemblies

In This Chapter

Customizing the view

Controlling part visual properties

Using Display States in parts and assemblies

Using the Apply Edge setting to create boundaries

Sorting or displaying in an assembly

Using assembly visualization tutorial

With assemblies, even more than with parts, the ability to visualize the geometry is highly important to the success of a modeling project. Between manipulating the view and manipulating the model, you have to be able to see