In this tutorial, we will explore how to efficiently add fasteners to your assemblies in SOLIDWORKS using the Smart Fastener feature, available in SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium. Fasteners, such as bolts, washers, and nuts, are essential for securing components in your assembly, but they can impact performance if not managed properly.
We’ll also discuss how to create configurations that optimise assembly performance by suppressing fasteners when they are not required.
Be sure to watch the video below for a complete demonstration!
Why Use the Smart Fastener Feature?
Adding fasteners manually can be time-consuming, especially in large assemblies. The Smart Fastener feature allows you to automatically add fasteners based on the hole types in your assembly, speeding up the process and reducing errors. However, adding too many fasteners can slow down assembly performance. In this post, we'll show you how to manage this balance by creating configurations that enhance performance without compromising the integrity of your design.
Step-by-Step Guide to Adding Fasteners
1. Using the Smart Fastener Feature
The Smart Fastener feature in SOLIDWORKS is available in the Professional and Premium versions. This tool relies on the Toolbox Library, allowing you to automatically assemble fasteners such as bolts, washers, and nuts based on the holes created in your design.
Once you start adding fasteners, SOLIDWORKS may prompt you with a message informing you that the system needs to switch to resolve mode for lightweight components. This action uses additional resources, so keep this in mind when working with large assemblies.
2. Selecting Holes for Fasteners
You have the option to add fasteners to a few specific holes or populate all the holes identified in the assembly. Once the holes are selected, SOLIDWORKS groups the fasteners (bolt, washer, nut) together for easier management. You can also modify each group by adding additional washers, nuts, or adjusting the fastener size and length.
3. Customising Fasteners
To further customise your fasteners, you can right-click on a fastener group and select a different type of fastener if necessary. The system will automatically assign fasteners based on the type of hole generated either at the part or assembly level. The process is seamless and helps ensure your fasteners fit correctly based on the hole wizard tool used to generate the holes.
4. Managing Performance with Configurations
While adding fasteners is necessary, it can slow down your assembly's performance, especially in large designs. A best practice is to add fasteners at the end of the design process. However, even with this approach, the assembly may become sluggish during rebuild cycles. To mitigate this, you can create two configurations:
With Fasteners: This configuration will have all fasteners included in the assembly.
No Fasteners: In this configuration, all fasteners are suppressed, which improves assembly performance during design work.
By saving the assembly with the No Fasteners configuration loaded, SOLIDWORKS will open it by default in this mode. This approach excludes the fasteners from the rebuild cycle, significantly speeding up performance when you're working with large assemblies.
Key Benefits of Using Smart Fasteners and Configurations
Time Efficiency: Automating the fastener placement saves time and ensures accuracy when adding bolts, washers, and nuts.
Performance Optimisation: Using configurations to suppress fasteners during the design phase improves performance and reduces rebuild times.
Customisation: Easily adjust fastener types, sizes, and quantities to suit your design requirements, all while maintaining an accurate assembly structure.
Watch the full video above for a detailed walk-through, and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more helpful SOLIDWORKS tutorials!
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