How to change the default SOLIDWORKS Smart Fastener

SOLIDWORKS Smart fasteners have their own page in the SOLIDWORKS Toolbox Settings: Step 5 – Configure Smart Fasteners. This is where washer size and fastener length are set and a default fastener is specified for the holes created without Hole Wizard.

Smart Fasteners Options

The option to change the default SOLIDWORKS Smart Fastener type for Hole Wizard holes can be found in the Step 1 – Hole Wizard of the Toolbox Settings. 
That is where each hole type gets a matching fastener from the Toolbox selection.
The Reassign button can be used to change the default fastener for the selected hole type.

Reassign Default Smart Fasteners

Article by Sanja Srzic

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Repairing SOLIDWORKS with the Installation Manager Step-by-step Guide

If you encounter problems with an installed SOLIDWORKS product
(e.g. SOLIDWORKS Premium, Simulation, PDM, Inspection, Electrical etc.), you can use the SOLIDWORKS Installation Manager to repair the installation.

 However, to repair an installation, your machine must have all the source files from the previous installation and any service packs that were applied, in the location where they were originally installed.
You can repair an individual installation. You cannot repair an administrative image; you must uninstall and then reinstall the administrative image

Repairing SOLIDWORKS installation

Here are the steps for repairing SOLIDWORKS:

Step 1. Make sure you have the SOLIDWORKS installation files. If you installed from the SOLIDWORKS DVD, place the DVD into the drive. 

 If you installed from a file set downloaded directly from solidworks.com, make sure the files are present in the SOLIDWORKS Downloads folder.

Step 2. If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, disable the User Account Control as directed in the article Avoid potential problems using SolidWorks with Windows Vista & 7

Step 3. Ensure that any antivirus and /or antispyware software services have been stopped. 

 This can be done by going to the Start menu and launching the Run dialog. Type in: services.msc then click Run. Find the antivirus and antispyware services in the list and select Stop.

Step 4. Go to the Control Panel and open Add/Remove Programs if using Windows XP, Programs & Features if using Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Step 5. Select the SOLIDWORKS installation from the list and click Change.

Windows Control Panel

Step 6. Select the “Repair the individual installation” option and click Next.

Repair installation Manager

Step 7. On the Products to Repair screen, select the product to repair

Products to Repair

Once the repair is complete, launch SOLIDWORKS to test if the issue has been resolved.

Article by Andrew Lidstone 

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How to remove the Toolbox flag from a SolidWorks file

All SOLIDWORKS Toolbox parts have an internal file flag that distinguishes them from regular SOLIDWORKS parts.

This flag enables SOLIDWORKS to recognize them as standard Toolbox parts and displays a Toolbox icon next to them in the FeatureManager Design Tree. If you create custom fasteners by copying files from the Toolbox folders, the copied files will still be recognized as Toolbox parts.

Because these files are now standalone parts, SOLIDWORKS no longer needs to search for their references within the Toolbox. Therefore, it is recommended to remove the internal flag to avoid potential file reference conflicts.

When copies of Toolbox files are saved outside the Toolbox, it may be necessary to remove the flag that identifies them as originating from the Toolbox. This article explains how to remove the Toolbox flag and how to determine its current status.

Custom sizes of standard fasteners can be added directly to the Toolbox. However, in some cases, it may be necessary to make a copy of a Toolbox file in order to modify its geometry. This can be a convenient alternative to remodeling the fastener from scratch.

One issue that can arise when copying fasteners from the Toolbox is that the resulting part file retains its internal Toolbox flag. This flag can cause SOLIDWORKS to revert to the original Toolbox item instead of using the externally saved part file when an assembly is opened.

One solution to this problem is to remove the Toolbox flag from the copied part.

After the flag is removed, the file is no longer recognized as originating from the Toolbox and is instead treated as a standard SOLIDWORKS part file.

sldsetdocprop

Set Document Property

• Browse to your SOLIDWORKS installation folder (by default C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\Toolbox\data utilities)

• Add the individual part file or folder of files to be deflagged by selecting ‘add files’ or ‘add directories’
• Set the property state to ‘No’
• Click "Update Status"

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Create a New Standard in the SolidWorks Hole Wizard and Toolbox

M5x.5 Tapped Hole

These instructions are intended to create a New Standard for additional tapped holes or other features in the SolidWorks Hole Wizard and Toolbox. The following instructions show the steps for adding a Metric Fine Tapped Hole Standard. These Metric Fine Threads can be found on Festo Sensors for example.

STEP 1

On the Menu Bar (Standard Toolbar), Select Options → System Options → Hole Wizard/Toolbox → Configure…then the Toolbox Configure Window will appear. This method is shown below (a second method is from the SolidWorks Menu, Select Tools → Options → System Options → Hole Wizard/Toolbox → Configure… then the Toolbox Configure Window will appear).

Menu Bar (Standard Toolbar) Method

STEP 2

Toolbox Setup Window

Pick “1. Select your Hardware” from the Toolbox Setup Configure List.

Toolbox Standards Window

The Toolbox Standards Window will appear.

STEP 3

Uncheck/Turn Off Toolbox Standards Not Used

If this is your first time setting up the Hole Wizard/Toolbox. This is the point where you can Uncheck/Turn Off the Toolbox Standards that you Will Not Use. The reason for unchecking/turning off these Standards is so the Hole Wizard Drop-Down Menu will only contain the items that you use.

ANSI Metric Standard – American

STEP 4

Select the Standard that you wish to copy, for this example we will copying the American “ANSI Metric” Standard. Once selected the contents of the ANSI Metric Standard will appear. Also shown are the icons for Backup and Copy Standards.

Copy Standard Icon

Select the “Copy Standards” icon.

STEP 5

Enter New Standard Name Box

The Enter New Standard Name Box will appear. Type in the New Name you wish to call this New Standard, we will be using the name “Metric Fine Threads”. You will notice that SolidWorks is creating a New Standard once the Green Check is selected.

STEP 6

Once the New Standard is created, you will now notice it on your main screen with the rest of your Standards. You will notice a Folder with a Red Cross; this is to Delete a Standard. If you want to remove a Standard in the future this is where you go to remove the Standard. Select the Metric Fine Thread located in the Left Panel.

New Metric Fine Threads Standard Created

STEP 7

Uncheck/Turn Off Items Not Required

The Contents of the Metric Fine Threads will appear. Uncheck/Turn Off everything that you Do Not want to show. You can always go back and Check/Turn On the items you want to show in the future. In this instruction, we will Uncheck/Turn Off everything except for the Hole Wizard Holes folder. Then Select the Hole Wizard Folder.

Uncheck/Turn Off Straight Holes Folder

STEP 8

The contents will appear on the screen, Straight Holes and Tapped Holes folders. Uncheck/Turn Off the Straight Holes folder as we will be creating Tapped Holes. Select the Tapped Holes Folder.

STEP 9

Uncheck/Turn Off Bottoming Tapped Holes and Straight Pipe Tapped Holes Icons

The result will be 3 folders appearing on the screen, Bottoming Tapped Holes, Straight Pipe Tapped Holes, and Tapped Hole icons. Here we will Uncheck/Turn Off the Bottoming Tapped Holes and Straight Pipe Tapped Holes icons because we creating Tapped Holes.

STEP 10

Now Select Option #2 on the Top Toolbar on your screen, located to the right of Select Hardware.

Select the Option #2 on the Top of Toolbar

The Customize Hardware window will then appear.

Select the Newly Created Standard, Metric Fine Threads

STEP 11

Select the Newly Created Standard, Metric Fine Threads. The Hole Wizard Window will appear.

Select the Hole Wizard Folder

STEP 12

Select the Hole Wizard Holes Folder. The Tapped Hole Folder will appear now, Select the Tapped Hole Icon.

Enabled Column – Sizes

STEP 13

Select the Tapped Hole Icon and the Sizes Window will appear. Now, Uncheck/Turn Off all the Coarse threads under the “Enabled” column.

Add New Row Column – Sizes

STEP 14

Select the “Add New Row” Icon located to the Left of the Enabled Column. Now the Add New Row Window will appear.

New Row Information Filled In – OK Button

Type in the requested information, we add Size M5x.5, Pitch .5, and Diameter 5 for our M5x.5 Tapped Hole. Then Select the OK Button located at the Bottom Left Corner.
The Toolbox Additional Information Window will appear, just Select Ok.

Toolbox Additional Information Required Window – OK Button

You will notice M5x.5 row added at the bottom of the screen.

Thread Data Window

STEP 15

Select “Thread Data” from the Left Side Panel.
Select the “Add New Row” icon, located next Enabled.

Add New Row Column – Thread Data

Add New Row Information Window – Thread Data

Now, the Add New Row Information Window will appear.

STEP 16

Fill in the requested information for a New Thread; we will be adding the information for an M5x.5 thread.
Some of the Information Names are not clear thus, below is an explanation what they mean. In the bracket is the information used for our thread. The information used in this instruction can be found in the Machinery’s Handbook.
Advance: Thread Pitch (.5)
Thread Minor Thread: Minor Diameter of an External Thread (4.272)
Thread Minor Thread Inside: Minor Diameter of an Internal Thread (4.599)
Fullsize: Hole Callout Display (M5x.5)

Select the OK button after all the information is filled in.

New Thread Data Added

New Thread Data Information Filled Out

The New Thread Data is added and displayed in the bottom row.

STEP 17

The process is now completed. Select the “X” (Close) located in the Top Right Corner of the screen. There will be a “Toolbox – Save Changes?” Window appear after selection. Select “Yes” and the Hole Wizard/Toolbox Window will Close.

Toolbox – Save Changes? Window

STEP 18

Now, we want to verify that the New M5x.5 Tapped Hole was correctly added to the Hole Wizard. We will create a new SolidWorks simple model to test our New Hole Wizard Tapped Hole.

SolidWorks Test Model – Hole Wizard

Then Select the Hole Wizard and Select Standard → Metric Fine Threads, Type → Tapped Holes, and Size → M5x.5. Select the Green Check Button.

Hole Wizard Tapped Hole Information Selected

There you have it, an M5x.5 Tapped Hole!

M5x.5 Tapped Hole

Now create a Drawing to check if the Tapped Hole Callout is correct.

M5x.5 Tapped Hole Callout – Drawing

Congratulations, you have created a new Hole Wizard/Toolbox Standard.




Article by Ralph Wright, CSWP

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