SolidWorks® 2011 Parts Bible

CHAPTER 23

Using Imported Geometry and Direct Editing Techniques

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding how imported geometry works

Examining the traditional role of direct edit tools

Benefiting from direct edit tools

Importing and repairing Solid Geometry tutorial

Using Flex and Freeform features in a tutorial

The direct editing set of tools in SolidWorks enables you to change a part without having access to the history of features that created the part. Direct editing works on both native and imported geometry either by simply moving faces or by editing the geometry directly rather than indirectly through feature definitions or sketches.

This chapter looks at recent direct editing developments in the CAD world and also describes the tools on the Direct Editing tab, which is shown in Figure 23.1.

The new tab has the following tools on it, listed from left to right from Figure 23.1:

• Move Face
• Move/Copy Bodies
• Fillet
• Chamfer
• Linear Pattern
• Delete Solid/Surface
• Delete Face
• Split
• Combine

Additional direct edit tools exist in SolidWorks that should possibly be added to the Direct Edit tab:

• Flex
• Deform
• Freeform

FIGURE 23.1 SolidWorks has a Direct Editing tab on the CommandManager.

Combining these tools with some of the new Instant 3D functionality gives direct editing tools in SolidWorks many of the advantages of the direct edit–only CAD software. Before a discussion of direct editing will ...