SmartMates in Solidworks

In Solidworks, you can simplify the interfacing of components. Press and hold "Alt" to move the mouse pointer to the desired surface, press the left mouse button and drag to the second surface for the auto-conjugation. A pane will appear with the default interface already selected for these surfaces. Those. if the surface is flat, then the automatic interface is a coincidence, if the surface is cylindrical, then the automatic interface is concentric. There are other options for automatic pairing

(SmartMates Procedures)

Desired Mate Action	What to Do
Mate two components already in the assembly.	Press Alt and drag one component onto another.
Mate a new component while adding it to the assembly.	Drag a part from another window onto another part in the assembly. From a part file: Select an entity and drag. From an assembly file: Hold down Shift, then select an entity and drag.
Fully mate a commonly-used component while inserting it in the assembly.	Drag a part with mate references from Windows Explorer or the Design Library into the assembly. This method can fully mate a new component, but you must set up mate references beforehand.

Types of SmartMates

The mates added by the SolidWorks application depend on the situation.

In most cases, the application creates one mate. The type of SmartMate created depends on the geometry used to drag the component, and the type of geometry onto which you drop the component.

The application creates multiple mates under certain conditions:

• If the application finds circular edges to mate, it creates a peg-in-hole SmartMate.
• If the application finds circular edges and a circular pattern that matches on both components, in addition to the peg-in-hole SmartMate, it adds a concentric mate to line up the patterns on flanges ( useful for pipe fittings).

• 
  

For more information on auto-mates, see Solidworks Help.

Quick add special symbols to Solidworks

When filling in those. requirements it is necessary to put a symbol of diameter, plus-minus, degree, etc. Adding using the symbol table is not fast. And in the design it is desirable to optimize the routine work, it means the design of the drawings.
For example, to insert a symbol from a symbol table, you need to go through three menus, and then select the one you need from a large number of fonts. Yes, there is a huge choice in the symbol table, but the designer does not need technical requirements for it, it needs quite a few special symbols.

 Adding special symbols

The Symbol Library

The Symbol Table

If you apply a dimension, the symbol of diameter and degree can be added quickly.

Adding a diameter

then in the notes so simply does not work. It will be necessary to make quite a large number of mouse clicks until you get to the required symbol. Fortunately, there is the ability to quickly enter special characters using ALT-codes. To enter a special character, press and hold ALT to enter the numeric character code.
List of most frequently used:

English keyboard!

(±); input: ALT+0177
(°); input: ALT+0176
(²); input: ALT+0178
(³); input: ALT+0179 
(Ø); input: ALT+0216
(ø); input: ALT+0248 



Of course, on this list of ALT-codes is not limited, the full list can be found in nete, on the same wikipedia.
I think that to speed up the input to remember a few digital codes will not be difficult, try. Of course, you can enter some special characters using internal Solidworks codes such as <MOD-DIAM>, <MOD-DEG>, <MOD-PM>. What is the analog of diameter, degree and plus or minus. But the ALT code is shorter and easier to type.

Macro for creating a spring

The spring is one of the standard products, which is often used, but it is desirable to automate the simulation. Fortunately, there are enthusiasts who undertake this work. Macro for creating springs of tension and compression "SpringSW" - author of Shvg. To use the macro, you must add it to add-ins. To do this, open "SpringSW.dll", then "Spring" will appear in the "Tools" menu. Use the look at the video. For the coupling of the spring into the part, there is an axis "Axis1". The build tree is hidden, but it's even better. The spring has several configurations in different states: compressed, working, etc. The macro allows you to build compression springs and also to edit the data. Easy and convenient to use.

Administrator rights are required to install and use the macro. You can change the shortcut to start

Download macro с SpringSW

Original post

Localized interface in Solidworks

Often, after the installation of the localized version of Solidworks user instead of Russian or Chinese, Polish (depending on the native language) interface sees the English interface. What to do? 

Step 1. For the beginning it is necessary to check whether the set your locale (locale) in Windows.

Region and Language Settings

If not installed, install and run the solid. Did not help?

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Step 2.

As a rule, it is sufficient in the settings Solidworks uncheck "Use English Language menus" (use the English menu) and restart Solidworks, so there was a Russian interface.

Uncheck, so it was like on the screenshot below, click "OK" and restart Solidworks.

Did not help? There is a way that will show who's boss :).

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Step 3.

It is necessary to rename the folder with the Russian on the English language resources, and English to Russian (in fact the latter, at the discretion on any name). Folders with resources are default:

versions prior to SolidWorks 2009

"C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\lang\english" - English resources

"C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\lang\russian" - Russian resources


SolidWorks versions 2009 -2012

"C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\english"
"C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\russian"


This procedure is available for other languages, respectively, you must rename the directory to the desired language, ie, French, German, Chinese, or some other.

To change the language temporarily, you can use bat-files.

Crashing Solidworks and the threshold of system resources

I think everyone who modeled in Solidworks came across an unexpected program closure. Bouncing solid quite often, but as a rule, when complex models are opened and closed intensively or when they are saved, which is especially unpleasant.
Do not all fall for the curvature of developers, they are trying to create a quality product. The reason for the unexpected collapse of Solidworks is the limitation of Windows that the process can only access 10,000 GDI objects.

What is GDI?

GDI objects are used to draw window elements that are not in the graphics area in SolidWorks. For maximum performance, the graphics area uses OpenGL, which gives more direct access to the equipment for video processing. GDI objects are used for the chrome graphic area, so every time a new document is opened, the number of GDI objects used by SOLIDWORKS will increase. Prior to this, SOLIDWORKS 2011 SP4, if the part was opened in the assembly and its own window, when this window was closed, it would not free these GDI objects. The default behavior is now to release these descriptors, but not all of them are released.

Why is this all due to the failure of SOLIDWORKS? Windows has a default limitation that one process can access only 10,000 GDI objects. Because SolidWorks does not release all objects when the document is closed, the number it uses increases continuously with each new document and gradually approaches the limit set in Windows.

Is it possible to use this knowledge to predict when SOLIDWORKS will knock out? 

Predicting a SOLIDWORKS crashing

As it was written above, this is not technically a failure, if SOLIDWORKS reaches the limit of 10,000 by object, Windows completes the process. This is not caused by a code error or by problems with shared memory access or anything else that causes a crash. It's just that Windows believes that SOLIDWORKS consumes too much resources and closes it to get those resources back. But since there is a certain number at which it closes, you can predict when it will happen. In fact, it's easy to control. Just follow these steps:

• Open task manager (you can right click on the task bar and click task manager). 
• Click View, Select Columns…

Select Columns in Windows Task Manager

Check off GDI and User Objects and click OK

Display GDI Objects

Now, the task manager will display the current value of the GDI and USER objects for each process

Display GDI Objects

Display GDI ObjectsIf a part is opened and closed several times the number of GDI objects it uses does not increase. SOLIDWORKS releases all handles every time.  The same applies to assemblies as well.  The problem is only encountered when a part is open in an assembly and it is opened in its own window and then closed.  

How to troubleshoot this crash problems

How can this problem be avoided? Do not keep your assemblies open unless you need them to be, and monitor your task manager periodically to see how many objects you are using.  Closing SOLIDWORKS and opening it will reset this count.  Furthermore you can increase the maximum number of GDI Objects a process can use by following these settings:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\GDIProcessHandleQuota 
• 
  
• Sets the number of GDI objects, the range of values is 256 ~ 65536, the default is 10,000.
• 
  
• 
  
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\USERProcessHandleQuota 
• 
  
• Sets the number of descriptors, the range of values is 200 ~ 18000, the default is 10 000.

Increase the values and reduce the risk of Solidworks failure. When changing the parameters, switch to the decimal system of the calculus.

P.S.
When writing an article for testing, the parameters were reduced to 1500, after the Solidworks Resource Monitor warning, after some time the Solidworks was crashed. 

The same manipulations apply only to the GDI problem, if SolidWorks Resource Monitor writes that there is not enough memory, then the problem will be to add RAM or unload other programs.

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Rendering with PhotoView 360

Rendering with Realview

 Download 3D model

Link

Slow Performance Solidworks

Why is Solidworks slow? Reducing the performance of Solidworks is a very unpleasant situation. And to find the cause is not easy. 

Possible reasons:

• Errors drivers or video cards;
• Errors of settings or add-ins;
• Wrong  shortcut to launch;
• The errors on the disk;
• Fragmentation of the disk;
• Data errors in the registry;
• Power Options;
• External links.

A great help in this is provided by Solidworks Rx.

Launch the Solidworks Rx

At the bottom of the diagnostic page, there are two safe modes. The choice of the first ignores the video card driver and runs SolidWorks in OpenGL mode for the next SolidWorks session. This can help to eliminate the problem with the video card. If this safe mode resolves the problem, it becomes clear that your problem is related to your card and you need to get a new driver or replace the old video card. Command line of this mode:

"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /ForceSoftwareOGL /SWDisableExitApp

Another safe mode is "Ignore Tools / Options" for the next session. It uses the ready-made SolidWorks settings and disables all add-ins. If this security mode fixes the problem, you may need to fix the SolidWorks configuration or add-ons. The command line for this mode is as follows:

"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /SWSafeMode /SWDisableExitApp

Use safe modes to narrow the range of possible causes:

• Driver or video card errors;
• Errors of settings or additions;
• Wrong shortcut to start.

Driver or video card errors

If the problem disappears in OpenGL mode, then you need to update the driver. Not the fact that the new driver will solve the problem, in practice very often the older version is a solution to problems. Another option is to replace the video card with a more powerful gaming or professional. List of certified video cards you can see on the site Solidworks. 

Errors of settings or additions

If the second safe mode solves the problem (which disables all add-ons and works with the default settings), you must disable all Solidworks add-ins and test it.

 If the performance is normal, then we include add-ons one at a time and after each test. So if the reason is in the supplement, then including one by one we will find it. If, after disabling all extensions, Solidworks does not restore the performance, then reset to the default settings.

In this way, we set the mode in which Solidworks Rx checks the system.
In this way, we set the mode in which Solidworks Rx checks the system. There is another way to reset all user settings. To do this, start the Registry Editor, browse to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016" and rename SolidWorks 2016 to anything you like.The path is specified for Solidworks 2016, find for your version and rename, for example, "Solidworks 2016_old". This will force SW to create a new default SolidWorks key the next time it's launched, which will also mean you'll lose any custom settings.



There are cases when, despite disabling add-ons and resetting parameters, Solidworks slows down, but if you run it through Solidworks Rx in the second safe mode - it works fine.
The reason for this is a wrong shortcut to start.

Wrong shortcut to start

Sometimes when installing Soliworks, the installer incorrectly determines the installed system and prescribes compatibility with another operating system in the properties of the shortcut. For example, when you install Solidworks 2012 on Windows 7 x64, the shortcut properties have compatibility with Windows Vista. As a result, Solidworks is slow on fairly simple assemblies.

True shortcut Solidworks 2012 on Windows 7x64

Wrong shortcut Solidworks 2012 on Windows 7x64

Because of the compatibility with Vista, Solidworks is slowing down. After creating the correct label, the solidworks works normally.

The following reasons for the slow work of Solidworks can be reflected in the tab: "Diagnostics"

You can see whether the system parameters are recommended. After these problems are resolved, click the Update Results button to restart the diagnostics.

 "Troubleshoot"

Using the tools in this tab implies the presence of a valid Solidworks serial number and a valid contract for subscription services.

"System Maintenance"

This tab contains the necessary tools for removing temporary files that Solidworks uses. Especially I wanted to pay attention to clearing temporary files in Solidworks data folders. During an improper completion of a solid, temporary files beginning with "~" remain in the folder, in some cases this is the cause of the failure of Solidworks. It is desirable to delete such files, you can manually, but you can assign this procedure to Solidworks Rx. Running disk checking and defragmentation can be done by Windows utility tools without resorting to Solidworks Rx. System maintenance is possible and even desirable to plan:

Problem Capture

On this tab, you can record an error for technical support, attach additional files and send. I have no relation to independent resolution, so I will not go into more depth.

Add-in

On this tab, you can run a performance test and compare them with the data of other users, and add another application to the tab. You can see the results of other users by the link.

It should be noted, even if you seemed to have found a problem with the driver or add-on, to maintain the service after all, there can be several errors.

Error data in the registry

There is one more reason that can not be detected using the Solidworks Rx utility. Those. after all sorts of manipulations, the solid still slows down. The error can be in the registry - there is a possibility that the necessary data in the registry has been deleted or changed. And this obviously happens, because the SOLIDWORKS installation directory contains the "graphicshardware.reg" registry file, which restores the default settings for the video card. The path to it is the following "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang". 

Power Saving Mode

Another reason for poor performance may be the power settings. If you have a laptop, then this must be checked. So Start - Control Panel - Power - Set up a power plan - Change additional power settings, set "High Performance".

High Perfomance

 Referenced Documents

 This option refers to the settings of Solidworks, so it is better to check it before resetting. The speed of opening Solidworks documents can be affected by the Search for Linked Documents option. For diagnostics, you must remove all paths from the "File Location" menu from the "Referenced Documents" item.

I hope this article has helped you.