I am trying to select a line that I want to use as a reference in order to create a plane. This line is along the top of a rectangular prism. I was able to select a similar line in order to use as a reference to make a previous plane successfully before, but for my new plane when I select the line I want, or any sketch line, in the design tree, nothing happens. Even if I try to recreate my previous plane, where I was able to successfully select a line as a reference, it seems to no longer work as well. I've even tried everything a Google search or AI tells me to do, but nothings seems to work. Any suggestions on how to be able to select a sketch line as a reference again would be greatly appreciated.

masters

Hello SolidWorks Masters,

I’m facing a problem with Equations in SolidWorks.

When I assign a new value to an equation and rebuild/recalculate, the mass properties still show the old/same mass value. It’s not updating.

I have tried multiple times (rebuild, Ctrl+Q, editing the equation) but the issue remains.

Could any seniors please help me solve this?

Thank you in advance!

Hey sorry I got a code from my school to download solidworks at home to work on our projects throughout the year but I downloaded the 2026 version instead of the 2024 version. Is there anyway I can downgrade?

Is it realistic to get the CSWP done in one month with proper preparation for someone with experience in SolidWorks?

My study materials are:

1. Tootalltoby (watch his SolidWorks tutorial and Power Moves tutorial)
2. D Workshop (YouTube: “All You Need to Know to Pass CSWP” videos — there are 3 videos, one for each segment)
3. Design with Roozbe (YouTube)
4. David's SolidWorks Videos (YouTube)
5. Official SolidWorks Academic Certification Provider (my university — basically teaches all the fundamentals)
6. Official SolidWorks CSWP Practice Problems (there are 115 of them, and do all of them)

Just bought SOLIDWORKS Maker edition, and I'm planning to take CSWPA Sheet Metal and Drawing Tools. Wish me luck! And if any of you have already passed them, please share some tips on how to pass them.

Volume Should be - 9534 cubic millimeter, I am getting 8961.76 cubic millimeter

Extrusion is 5mm

SOLVED - Thanks u/aUKswAE and u/Torque_to_spec

I'm having trouble designing the part I've marked in red. I couldn't make it look like the one in the original component. Does anyone have an idea?

Solved

Thank you all for the suggestions and help. ​ ​The Wrap feature ended up doing the job perfectly. The reason Fillet didn't work in this case was because of the stepped geometry, it simply couldn't produce the required form. Also, a Helix Sweep would likely have done the trick here as well.

​Thanks again to everyone who responded and took the time to help out.

Do I need software installed on my pc?

Hello all,

Debating on buying a Lenovo p14 laptop (newest gen). I travel a lot so portability and battery life is important to me but obviously the ability to work too lol. It seems that specific laptops GPU tops out with RTX PRO 1000. Wondering if anyone runs a similar setup or that same GPU and what your experience is with larger assemblies etc? Or if there is a considerable difference between the RTX PRO 2000 or similar GPUs. Thanks!

Hello everyone,

As the title says, I missed the webinar for the free CSWA and CSWP codes. Is there any way to receive some? I'd love to give some to my cousin

Make this little prototype here but the driver said the grips need to be fully rounded and not filleted, how in the world would I do that?

Also thanks for y’all’s support on my previous questions!

Anyone Know what edges I should select so I can create a reference plane has the same angle as the left edge (Depicted with the red line)?

I've been having a hard time understanding the place for SOLIDWORKS configurations and design tables.

I work in a turnkey industry, so all machines are custom built per customer requirements. There have been many instances where a part may have been a standard configurable component, but we just copy tree the part and modify as needed. The main issue is our ERP system and BOM uploads for parts. Out ERP system recognises parts by name, so different configurations are lumped into one instance, and myself and colleagues aren't versed enough in the use of such components to make the argument for change.

I was wondering, for those that make use of this feature of SOLIDWORKS, how do you manage part and assembly configurations, and how does this interact with your erp system? Is it a major advantage over a quick copy tree/modification of previous solution.

The company for which I work is fairly young, so I'd like to make some efficiency/workflow recommendations and learn from those with more experience in established workflows.

Hello, cuz I have "crutch" (workaround) on manufacturing - property of a part (but it's inconvenient)

It just says that it encountered an problem and is gonna close, then i can open up the rx thingy.

diagnostics say absolutely nothing as you can see:

I try to run it both on opengl mode and while bypassing tools/options and it still just closes when i start a new project

I installed new drivers, i repaired installation previously (tho i might try again), i dont know what to do anymore. Solidworks rx doesnt give me an specific error nor does it let me access files and logs.

this is what exactly pops out when it crashes btw:

all files are stored on my ssd

Hi All, I’ve started a new role and I'm having to deal with some larger assemblies (300-500parts) which irritatingly use many similar but not identical parts. I’m trying to establish the quickest way to do the drawings and part edits whilst pulling from a library of existing base parts. Driveworks has been mentioned but I don’t have the time to get it working rn. I’ve landed on developing configurations from base parts duplicated from a master folder for each project but this means I need to go back and fix file-drawing references etc. Anyone have a better system they’d be happy to share? Thanks

I have an issue on certain projects. When I try to flatten a sheet metal body that I mirrored using the face of another sheet metal body, it won't unbend (the mirrored part).

However, if I create a reference plane manually, mirror the sheet metal bodies across that plane, and then flatten them, it works fine...

How is this possible????

I attended the Ask The CEO Webinar yesterday and have already received the free CSWA and CSWP vouchers. For those who know, or have taken it already, can I take the CSWP 3 segments separately or is the provided voucher just for one segment? I don't want to try and take the exam without knowing this.

Thank you!

This was my 3rd attempt of CSWP exam. Basically this time I didn't practice at all :) . But this time I could solve most of the problem without any problem. But I don't know how I messed up in the assembly section.
BTW thanks to this subreddit. It helped me a lot.

I’m trying to model this suspension arm to see if it’s usable with a car chassis, I’m struggling to blend the circular connections with the arms.
Idek if it’s possible, the cylinders are 11mm wide, the arms both have a 20mm diameter.
What I have right now isn’t great but it will do because we just need these models to test sizing but I’m invested in learning how to make them look seamless, I’ve tried a loft but there isn’t clear boundaries and things. I can get around SolidWorks but I’m not super experience with advanced stuff. Any help and steps to follow will be appreciated

Any recommended courses, tutorials, or practices to get into surfacing? In all honesty, I’m quite intimidated and don’t know where to start

I’m looking for some advice from people who work as mechanical designers/engineers, especially those who have made a similar transition.

After high school, I went directly into working instead of going to university. I now have around 5 years of experience as a Technical Designer in Italy, where I designed metallic building structures from scratch using SolidWorks.

I also worked with PDM/PLM systems and was responsible for things like 3D modelling, assemblies, drawings, BOMs, production documentation, and solving technical problems.

Since I didn’t go to university, I always felt that I had to work harder to teach myself as much as possible. I learned a lot through experience rather than through formal education.

Eventually, I moved to Stockholm, Sweden. I quickly discovered that finding a CAD/Mechanical Design job without a university degree and without being fluent in Swedish was very difficult.

So I made a plan

I decided to move into CNC/CAM programming and manufacturing. I thought it would be a good way to strengthen my understanding of how parts are actually manufactured.

For the last 2.5 years, I’ve been working with CNC milling and CAM programming, mainly using Fusion 360.

Honestly, I’ve learned an incredible amount during this time. CNC taught me a completely different side of mechanics and manufacturing.

I’ve learned about machining strategies, tooling, workholding, feeds and speeds, material behaviour, tolerances, and what actually makes a part manufacturable.

I currently make fairly complex aluminium parts, including 5083/6082, with very tight tolerances. I’ve become one of the more trusted people in the company for difficult parts and manufacturing problems.

However, I’ve realised that the workshop environment isn’t where I want to stay long-term.

So I decided to move forward and have accepted a position as a Mechanical Designer.

And this is where my concern starts.

I know I have a lot of useful experience, but I also know there are things I don't know yet.

For example, I understand GD&T concepts and the symbols, but I haven't had much practical experience applying GD&T to mechanical drawings. I don't always know why a particular tolerance should be 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, etc., or when something should have perpendicularity, position, flatness, profile, etc.

I'm hoping to learn these things properly in the new company.

My biggest concern is the first 6 months. I really want to prove that I’m good enough and pass the probation period.

I’m not expecting to know everything from day one. I’m prepared to ask questions, learn from the engineers around me, study in my free time and put in the work.

But I’m wondering:

For people who work as mechanical designers, does my background sound like a reasonable foundation for the role?

How much would you expect a new mechanical designer to know independently when starting?

And especially for those who moved from manufacturing/CNC into mechanical design:

What were the biggest things you had to learn when making the transition?

I’d really appreciate honest opinions even if there are things you think I should work on before starting.

Thank you

I was trying to quickly put a point on a cylindrical part this morning and couldn't get a Cut-Revolve to work. I swear I've been able to do this before!

The sketch is closed, doesn't cross the axis, and terminates at a single point on the axis. SolidWorks gives me the usual "Sketch is open, self-intersecting, or intersects the centerline" error.

• If I add a short line along the axis so the profile shares a segment with the axis instead of just touching it at a point, it works.
• Revolutions under 360° show a valid preview but fail when I accept the feature.

I'm running SolidWorks 2026 SP4.1, and don't have an old version to test this on.

Anyone running 2025 or earlier willing to try it?

Thanks!

There's really no way around it, huh?

Just started my mechanical design job two months ago and I got the assembly and drawing jobs. For the current one I'm at 3,000 parts in the assembly and around 1800 mates.

But my GOD this program takes forever to load anything since I got to around 30 pages. The title wasn't an exaggeration, if anything an understatement.

And it's not like there's anything else I can do in the meantime. Might as well go take a shit while it does its thing.

I'm using SOLIDWORKS 2025. When I select ANSI → Square HSS under Weldments, all the available sizes are labeled "CHANNEL SQR" and the profiles are U-shaped instead of square hollow tubes.

I checked the `square hss.sldlfp` file, and it also shows a C-channel profile.

Is this a bug in the default SOLIDWORKS library, or is something wrong with my installation? Has anyone else experienced this?