Solidworks measurement function in assemblies

[Brad82]

I am new and self-taught on Solidworks 2001. I am used to Mechanical Desktop. I am trying to use the measurement icon in Solidwork's assemblies to measure center to center distance on thru holes. When I pick two thru holes, solidworks always measures from edge to edge. How can I make it select the center of a hole?

 

[SBaugh]

Since your in SW01 - Show the sketches that made the circles and pick the center points of those arcs. if you don't see them it's because that option is turned off in your Tools Options.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Brad82]

Scott - I believe that I understand what you are saying, but I am trying to measure between holes within an assembly and the two holes belong to two different parts. I checked my tools options and display arc centers is turned on.

 

[ctopher]

In the feature tree, scroll down to each hole feature in each part. Go to the sketches and RMB, "show" sketch. You will now have the centers of the holes to measure to.

 

[Brad82]

Thanks ctopher. That gives me exactly what I need. You would think that Solidworks could have made it easier on us though, a lot of extra clicks just to get a meaurement.

 

[testy]

You could also measure form axes to axes if you have them turned on.
To turn them on go to the view menu and select Temporary Axes

Ray Havermahl
Independent Engineering Labs

http://www.ielinc.com

 

[SBaugh]

Your in SW01 - In SW04 when you measure 2 circles it tells you the distance in the measure tool.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

I agree with Scott.
Brad82, you should look into upgrading to 2004, 2005 will be out this summer. There are alot of great new features from 2001.

 

[Brad82]

Yes, I would love to upgrade, but I had to beg and plead for this version. It was a hand-me-down from a site that was closed down a couple of years ago. If you think using Solidworks 2001 is bad. Our tool design department is still using Autocad 13, which came out circa 1993. Some touring high school students even laughed at that one. Thanks for the help. The tempory axes also work.

 

[ctopher]

Autocad 13??!! yuk!

 

[aamoroso]

I think I have a copy of ACAD 14 under the short leg of a table on my back patio, if you guys are that needy maybe we can swing a deal. LOL sorry I couldn't resist!!

 

[SBaugh]

You think that's bad I have a copy of AutoCAD12 somewhere here. I never used AutoCAD much (VERY LITTLE) but I still have the copy. You guys need that?



Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[MadMango]

The cool thing about AutoCAD 13, it's small and up to the task of doing a good job in 2D. I think I have a copy that I can run directly from a 50mb Zip disk... I used that many times at Kinko's. I haven't touched AutoCAD since I laid my hands on SW96+.

And that is a bit of a shame, as sometimes there are things that AutoCAD is good for, like wiring diagrams and schematics (if you already have your blocks). Heck, I can't even Plot from the newest version of AutoCAD.

Ray Reynolds
"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."
Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949
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[ctopher]

I loaded Acad 2000 on my pc at home, removed it after week. Do not like it.
Brad82, too bad you can't upgrade. Our tool dept uses SolidWorks. The tool is designed around the SW model and checked into PDMW. That way the parts/assys stay with the tool. Works well. We have one engineer that thinks Acad is god! He designs in it, then xfers to us to redo in SW. Don't know how long mngmt will take to catch on and force a change.

 

[Bouke]

I have acad R14 and 2002 on my system, r14 to be able to open electrics drawings and 2002 to use with a program I've gotten from a customer to generate whole transport systems at once. But I can't get used to the place-the-line-at-the right-place-on-screen-immediately kinda way of designing.

Greetz, Bouke