Basic Concepts
- A SOLIDWORKS model consists of 3D solid geometry in a part or assembly document.
- Drawings are created from models, or by drafting views in a drawing document.
- Typically, you begin with a sketch, create a base feature, and then add more features to your model. (You can also begin with an imported surface or solid geometry.)
- You can refine your design by adding, editing, or reordering features.
- Associativity between parts, assemblies, and drawings assures that changes made to one document or view are automatically made to all other documents and views.
- You can generate drawings or assemblies at any time in the design process.
- With a RealView-compatible graphics card installed, you can display photo-realistic models and environments.
- Click on the main menu to display System Options and Document Properties.
- The SOLIDWORKS software saves your work for you with auto-recover. You can also choose to be reminded to save your work.