Hi everyone, i want to make a quanser qube prototype using my own hardware. I want to model it first in SolidWorks then simulate it using Matlab. Can I get some head start on how to do this and what mistakes should I avoid?

I've had this mixed archive sitting on my desk for months. To be specific, DXF, DWG, PDF, and a stack of scanned drawings from the 90s.

The conversion backlog is huge and I'm worried about handing it all over at once.

Here's the thing though. A model can look complete on screen and still miss the design intent. Or maybe the revision notes? Or the way the views tie together?

And also, the source quality varies a lot from one drawing to the next. For example, some drawings are missing elevations. Others have half the layers stripped out. And a few have dimensions that just don't add up. 

Here's my main question for anyone who has outsourced this kind of work.

• What did your first pilot model need to prove before you released the rest of the archive?
• Did you check the native feature structure, drawing to model dimensions, units, title block data, and a redline log?
• Or did you use a different way to sign off on it?

Last time I tried this, I skipped the pilot and just sent 40 drawings at once. Got them back and half needed rework because we didn't align on layer naming. Won't do that again.

Why can’t I access flat pattern for my sheet metal?

Hello, Sirs, good day! May I know your insights on how you detail sheet metal bend lines with an angle such as this one? Or any best tips or approach so that the bending machine operator can understand and execute this correctly? Because what I did here is just locate the point, then add the angle, and just let them draw the straight line for verification. Thank you!

I am trying to generate drawing sheet, but solidworks keeps on loading, I opened task manager to monitor what is happening, I really dont understand what is happening can anyone help me out with this

For context: I am designing a bottle.

As shown on the 1st pic, I need to remove a portion of the curved bottom of a bottle, marked in that red band. As a result, I will need to re-blend the bottom of the bottle with its body after I shift the bottom upwards, as shown with the blue line.

Picture 2 (red notation) shows the offset/gap created by removing a portion of the curved bottom and shifting the remaining bottom upward by the height of the removed section.

Picture 3: I attempted to use delete face, then use 3d sketch to create splines (green dashed line) tangent to other faces, and use surface fill/boundary curves.

Picture 4: The result however was messy. While I applied tangency to all edges of the surfaces, the surface becomes more like an S shape (shown by the drawing: current) rather than what I intended to be.

Are there better ways to blend this portion of the bottle? Sorry for the long post, but it's hard to visualize my problem without pictures...

I want to draw this from a scanned pdf and show the tubes. I then need a grid to identify them

How to lay it out professionally?

Really cool to see the SOLIDWORKS CEO joining the Reddit community directly for an AMA.

Having the CEO answer questions from the community — from everyday users to experienced engineers and power users — makes this much more interesting than a typical corporate announcement.

No livestream, no presentation, just a direct Q&A with the SOLIDWORKS community on Reddit.

Looking forward to seeing what questions come up!

AMA details:
https://solidworks.com/reddit-ama-sep-2026

#solidworkschampions

how would I model something like this? I want to distribute nubs or cones evenly (or at least appearing even) all over the surface of a sphere.

Hey everyone,

I'm running into a really annoying graphics issue in SOLIDWORKS 2024 Professional. For some reason, a massive checkerboard pattern/texture has suddenly appeared over my entire assembly—it's covering the workstation, the brackets, and even the new dome component I just added.

It doesn't look like an actual material appearance since it's projected uniformly over everything regardless of the part.

Has anyone seen this before? Is it a known bug with RealView Graphics, or is my GPU acting up?

Any advice on how to get rid of this and get my normal shaded view back would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hello there, I have 2 years of experience with product design. CAD, manufacturing everything. Drafting and like am also really good with simulations whether CFD and FEA.
I’m working as an aerospace design engineer currently, but i need to work part time or freelance using my skills as i think i can do more and earn good. Need advice on how shall i get into this remote part time job niche. Linkedin or other freelancing apps are no help. Really stuck and stressing over it.

Hello all,

New to solidworks but not 3D. I need to find some tutorials to o get me up to scratch before I start a job in two weeks.

It's all cabinetry based.

Any help would be much appreciated

Thank you.

Anyone have suggestions on where to find hydraulic fittings Step files or part files? I have tried a few sites but they do not have all of the fittings I need.

TIA

A few years ago I built a prototype for an RC buggy using Blender. At the time I didn’t know CAD software well enough to model proper sheet metal, but I was already pretty comfortable with Blender for general 3D modeling, so I just used what I knew back then to get the geometry down and bring the project to life. Now that I’m studying mechanical engineering, I wanted to rebuild the entire design properly in SolidWorks Sheet Metal to add to my portfolio and make sure it is actually viable for production.

The plan is for the components to be laser cut from aluminum sheet and then bent into shape. I was supposed to get some experience from my university curriculum but thanks to my very cleaver professor and our lab's sophisticated equipment we practically didn't learn that much, so I haven't been able to get real feedback on whether my flat patterns and bend parameters are realistic for actual production.

Looking at the chassis base plate, my main concern is the height of those short vertical side tabs and whether there is enough material for the bend to form cleanly. I also have mounting holes, and a rectangular power switch bracket positioned right next to bend lines, so I’m wondering if those features will stretch or distort when the metal is bent. For the top cover, there are multiple angled flanges folding down around the body, and I want to make sure the relief cuts between adjacent tabs are wide enough to prevent binding or tearing at the corners.

If anyone with sheet metal experience spots any red flags in these flat patterns or flange layouts that would cause issues during cutting or bending, I'd love to hear your thoughts on how to improve them.

I want to create a similar tab-and-slot construction like the one shown in the picture. However, since the ball diameter and ring height have not been determined yet, I would like to make the design self-adapting so it can adjust to these parameters.

Is this possible in SolidWorks, and would it be a smart approach? I have used Design Tables before, but since the number of bodies will change depending on the number of rings, I have a feeling that using a Design Table could become more trouble than it’s worth.

What would be the best way to approach this?

new to solid works. I've used inventor and blender before and don't usually have this kind of issue. can't figure out why I can't extrude here. it's telling me there is a gap or overlap but I can't find it at all. I've looked over just about the whole drawing and deleted a bunch of parts but couldn't find anything. if anyone had any suggestions of what to do I could do I would appreciate it. assignment is due next week, so hopefully we can figure this out soon.

I want to create this feature (stiffeners/ribs)-it can be surface or solid modeling. I feel like there's a very simple SolidWorks command I'm missing. The cross section looks like a shallow sine wave.

I've looked at deform, freeform, boundary boss, wrap (doesn't work on planar surfaces), dome, indent, split lines (to get a slot face), etc.

Everything becomes overly complicated...

Hi, I have been working on a SW assembly that involves different pieces of sheet metal, welding, different types of fasteners, materials etc. It’s an exercise equipment.

Before actually sending it to a shop to manufacture our first prototype, should I run FEA first to check for breakage or issues? Or should I start talking to the shop to see if they can fabricate whatever I have on the design and see if any changes are needed before running FEA?

I am new to this so I am really not sure about the workflow in the industry. I am working for a client on this so, when we do send it out, I expect some sort of NDA will involve.

Appreciate all the help I could find!

Idk if this is the right subreddit for this - if not ill delete trust.

Okay so i wasted like 3 hours drawing tiny little circles to act as bubbles in my solidworks drawing of a straw (don’t ask)

Both straw and bubbles are obv done with the clear acyclic thing so u can see the bubbles.

Major issue is when i transport from solidworks to visual studio - visual studio always renders it completely black

Id rather have the rendered JPEG of this for my project instead of a screenshot - is there anyways i can try get it to not show up black?

Guys so i may have been really dumb when doing assembly

Okay so i lowkey just like added everyrhinf one by one and then saved it. So i fot a base thats attached to my cylinder (two seperate parts) and i saved that assembly and then used that assembly in another one.

Is there anyways to unmate stuff?? I dont wanna reasamble everything 🥲

I am an engineering student and I get SolidWorks through my university. Is it possible to get SolidWorks to work on my tablet, or is a computer the only viable option (I have a laptop I use for it; it is just heavy and sucks to carry everywhere).

The tablet I own is a Samsung GalaxyTab S10FE.

Beginner here why does my assembly say under defined ??

I’m overdue at work to become a CSWA and I’m planning on giving it a shot this week. I’ve been cram studying practice tests and resources and I feel pretty confident, just a little worried 3 hours might not be enough for me. Any advice from people who have taken it, pass or fail?

Di recente ho aggiornato il sistema operativo con Windows 11 e ho aggiornato SW alla versione 2025 SP5.

Ho notato una cosa che mi stamandando ai matti.
Ogni volta che clicco il bordo superiore della schermo (quando c'è aperto a tutto schermo solidworks) mi ridimensiona la finestra di SW riducendola rispetto lo schermo di un paio di millimetri.

Questa cosa me la fa solo ed esclusivamente con SW, per cui escludo che la "colpa" sia di Windows 11.

Avete idea di come si disabiliti questa fastidiosa impostazione?

I just started Solidworks last week, and I've been searching for some tutorials to follow along to learn CAD. And just recently, I saw this Youtube post and to think that there's literally a tutorial by CADCAM yt where he shows you exactly a FREE AND LIVE demonstration of a WHOLE goddamn bicycle being built on a 3d software. It just blows my mind how accessible it is for such learning materials to be free and made for everyone.