solidworks 2005 show sketch dimensions in drawing

Normal To is also available in the Standard Views toolbar. By using Normal To the view is rotated so that you are looking directly at the select object (sketch) making sketches much easier. Once you complete the sketch and exit the sketch environment it resumes with the sketch feature operation.Ĭtrl + 8 is the shortcut for Normal To (#3), my favorite zoom tool for working with sketches. One of the first things that I learned (and really have grown to appreciate) is that you can initiate the desired sketch feature (Extrude, revolve, etc) and if no sketch exists it will prompt for the sketching plane and put you into full out sketching mode (#2).

Solidworks is not the first modeling system I learned. Solidworks defines a sketch plane normal to the selected with the origin coincident to the end of the edge. To quickly define a sketch plane normal to an edge, select the edge and start the sketch feature (#1). Where did I get these from? Social media, reading the help (yes really), using other training material, youtube, and watching others. I’m going to share some tips & tricks I’ve picked up in regards to sketching in Solidworks. The absolute worse thing to do is assume that even after years of using Solidworks there is nothing left for you to learn.

The trick is to keep an open mind and never stop learning. Leave fillets & chamfers to where they belong… as features NOT in the sketch!Īs you are learning software, you are bound to pick up tips, tricks, suggestions, and other goodies from a wide variety of sources. Stability comes before size… add relationships before dimensions. I can’t stress enough that regardless of the modeling software you are using, you should always follow the golden KISS rule… Keep It Simple Stupid Silly! The moment your sketch becomes work, you’ve made it waaaaayyyy too complicated. Don’t try to do it all within one sketch… keep it to one sketch per feature. Having a bad sketch is like building a house on a poor foundation… your house will start off ok, but something bad is bound to happen. How efficient you are at Solidworks Sketching can impact your overall modeling performance. Love or hate it sketching is the foundation for most of your models within Solidworks (and really any parametric 3D modeler).

Solidworks 2005 show sketch dimensions in drawing