SOLIDWORKS 2019 - Enhancements to Save Assembly as Part

Article by GoEngineer on Apr 13, 2020

With the release of SOLIDWORKS 2019, a new option called ‘Include specified components’ has been added for saving an assembly as a part. Formerly, when saving an assembly as a part, the only options available were to Include all components, Exterior components, or Exterior faces. This new option now allows the user to specify which components are included in, or excluded from, the SLDPRT.

Why save an assembly as a part?

Saving an assembly as a part can be used as a method to simplify a large assembly by reducing it down to a single part file. This method removes mates and any other uneeded detail to further increase performance, and lower the impact on system resources.

Where to find it

With an assembly open in SOLIDWORKS, go to the File menu and click Save as. In the Save as dialog, change the Save as type to Part (*.prt;*.sldprt). This will display the Geometry to save options where ‘Include specified components’ can be found.

Under include specified components there is also an option called override defaults
  • Under   Include specified components   there is also an option called   Override defaults . This secondary option will override the ‘ SLDPRT from assembly ’ settings in   System Options .
  • To access the   System Options   for exporting an assembly to a part file go to:   Tools, Options, System Options, Export . Use the   File Format   pull down and chose   SLDPRT from assembly .

SOLIDWORKS has also added the option to include/exclude components in   Component Properties   under the heading ‘ Save assembly as part .’

To access component properties, right click on a part in the feature manager design tree, and select component properties
  • To access   Component Properties , right click on a part in the   Feature Manager Design Tree , and select   Component Properties   .

How it works

Using the option to   Include specified components,   by default, will remove components that fall under a specified criteria set in the   System Options .

In   System Options   the criteria to remove specified components are as follows:

In systems options the criteria to remove specified components are as follows
  • Visibility threshold (internal components)   – Removes components that fall below the visibility threshold. Moving the slider to the right increases the amount of internal components removed.
  • Bounding box volume less   than   – Removes components that fall below the volume threshold. Think of the bounding box as a cube that aligns to the components origin and fits around the geometry of the component.
  • Fastener Components   – Removes components that have the IsFastener property specified as 1.   (For more information on the IsFastener property please refer to the SOLIDWORKS Help Guide found in the SOLIDWORKS Help menu)

NOTE:   Mass properties   can also now be included in the resulting part file by checking the box next to   Mass Properties

Note mass properties can also be included in the resulting part file by checking the box next to Mass Properties

As mentioned earlier, using the option to   Override defaults   will bypass the   System Options . Upon clicking   Save , the   Save as   dialog will disappear and the   Save Assembly as Part Property Manager   will be displayed.

The settings found in   System Options   will be available in the   Save Assembly as Part Property Manager   as well. The Property Manager, however, has an additional function that will allow the user to graphically display the results before clicking   OK .

In the   Display   pull down menu, the the options are:   Display all ,   Display included components , or   Dsiplay excluded components .

In addition, there is a check box under the   Results   heading that will sync the   System Options   with the settings applied in the Property Manager.

I hope this article has been informative. Thank you for using GoEngineer

 

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