Pro Tips

When editing parts in a SolidWorks Assembly, all of the other parts become transparent. This can be overwhelming to both the user and the graphics card. But there are some settings we can adjust to help!!

Onshape recently added a thin feature option for extrudes - which can be accessed via the same extrude menu we use for bosses, cuts, and surface extrudes!

SolidWorks has a hidden flyout menu that allows users to select a component from the graphics are, then open the SUB-ASSEMBLY which houses that component. Pretty cool stuff!

When sketching in Onshape we can auto-transition from a line to a tangent arc, speeding up the creation of some of the most common types of sketch geometry.

In SolidWorks we can quickly hide and show components in a SolidWorks assembly (or bodies in a multi-body part) using the TAB and the SHIFT+TAB keyboard shortcuts!

When working in multiple windows SolidWorks the CTRL+TAB shortcut can quickly help us switch between drawings parts and assemblies!

When working in SolidWorks assemblies, there is a super shortcut we can use to auto-mate parts into our assembly - MATE REFERENCES!

Onshape will, by default, mirror the entire part. There is a pulldown we can access when we want to mirror specific features within a part.

When working in Onshape we are sometimes asked for the total mass of a model. We can use the standard materials library or we can input our own, custom material density.

When working in SolidWorks Parts and Assemblies, professionals use the R-key to quickly access recently created and accessed documents.

Whenever we work in SolidWorks we can decrease the amount of information shown in the tree by hiding the configuration name and the display state name of our components. This often yields a much easier to read tree.

When working in a SolidWorks assembly with multiple sub-assemblies, it can be difficult to determine which assembly is the top level assembly. We can use the QUICK FILTERS to speed up this process.

Onshape has some amazing time saving keyboard shortcuts. But how do we learn them all? In this quick tip we see where to find (and print) the list!

Planes are shown, be default, in Onshape. To quickly toggle their display from shown to hidden (and back to shown) use the P key!

Whenever we finish a command in Onshape we can hold the SHIFT KEY and press ENTER to finish the command, then reinitiate the same command. This is very useful for creating multiple fillet features with different radii, or multiple extrude features from the same layout sketch!

Here are two of the best shortcut keys to help you sketch faster in Onshape! The Shift+S key to begin a new sketch, and the S-KEY for shortcut menus!

Sometimes before we do an EXPORT to DXF in SolidWorks Sheet Metal, we need to remove the edges which represent the faces of the bends in the Flat Pattern.

When our goal is to cut holes in the flat pattern of a SolidWorks sheet metal part, we need to make sure our features end up INSIDE of the sheet metal sandwich

Since every command and change we perform in Onshape is written to a database, there are no limitations on the number of "undo" commands we can on a model - even if we close the session and come back later!

One of the most common workflows in SolidWorks involves holding and letting go of the CTRL key. Save time by learning how to leverage this valuable workflow.

Setting up your most commonly used materials in SolidWorks to be easily selectable from the favorites menu can be a HUGE time saver!

When creating a sketch for a revolve or a mirror, doubled dimensions can be a valuable tool!

In SolidWorks we can hold shift while dimensioning an arc to select the max point of tangency!

Save time when sketching by quickly adding dimensions to your sketches!

Save time when sketching by quickly adding automatic dimensions to your sketches!

Learning how to use the Right Mouse Button shortcuts in SolidWorks can be a huge time saver - particularly when working with features like through all cut extrudes and fillets!

Learn how to quickly create boss extrude and cut extrudes in SolidWorks by quickly shortcutting to end conditions like up to face, up to vertex, and through all!

Save time and mouse movement in SolidWorks with Toby's FAVORITE shortcut!

When working in sketch mode in SolidWorks we can use the POWER TRIM command to EXTEND sketch geometry!

Be careful where you click when attempting to rename a feature in SOLIDWORKS!

Learn how to save time in SOLIDWORKS by using the quick measure function built right into the status bar!

Learn how to print a list of all your keyboard shortcuts in SOLIDWORKS!

Sometimes SolidWorks just all of a sudden decides that realview graphics isn't going to work any longer. In this video we show how to roll back your graphics card driver to get it working again!

How to create a linear pattern that also rotates, in one single SOLIDWORKS feature! This is very useful for things like spiral stairs and staircases.

The shift key can be a MAGIC time saver in SolidWorks! It can help to select transparent parts that are in front of other opaque parts.

SolidWorks has a hidden gem of a tool called Isometric Section Views which can be used to create amazing section views in drawings, where assemblies are shown sectioned while in isometric view!

"Why can't I select a face?" Or "Why can't I pick this edge?" These are questions that can be very frustrating, and are often caused but the inadvertent activation of a selection filter in SolidWorks.

Learn how to move a re-assign a dimension leader from one area of the drawing to another.

In this tip we show how to quickly edit and work with section views in SolidWorks parts and assemblies!

Start sketching faster in SolidWorks by auto-rotating the view when entering sketch mode!