Defining Constraints

Define constraints to specify the conditions that your design must satisfy. The constraints can be driven global variables or sensors for mass properties, dimensions, and simulation data.

  1. On the Variable View tab or Table View tab of the design study, in Constraints section, do one of the following:
    • Select a predefined sensor from the list.
    • Select Add Sensor, define a sensor, and select the newly defined sensor from the list.
    The sensor name appears in the Constraints section.
  2. For the constraint, if you defined multiple studies of the same type, select the simulation study to run and track the value of the sensor. (Not available in SOLIDWORKS Standard and SOLIDWORKS Professional.)
  3. For condition, select one:

    Monitor Only

    Monitor the sensor value being tracked without imposing any constraints.

    is greater than

    For Min, type the minimum acceptable sensor value.

    is less than

    For Max, type the maximum acceptable sensor value.

    is between

    Type values for Min and Max, the range of acceptable sensor values.
  4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 to define additional constraints.

Sensors in Design Studies

You use sensors as constraints in evaluation studies and as constraints and goals in optimization studies.

Sensor types include:

Mass Properties

Monitors properties such as Mass, Volume, Surface Area, and Center of Mass.

Dimension

Monitors dimensions you select.

Simulation Data

Monitors simulation results such as stress, strain, and displacement.

Different sensors are available for use in Design Studies depending on your SOLIDWORKS license and whether you are running an Evaluation study or an Optimization study.

  SOLIDWORKS Standard SOLIDWORKS Professional SOLIDWORKS Premium SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium
  Evaluation Optimization Evaluation Optimization Evaluation Optimization Evaluation Optimization Evaluation Optimization
Mass Properties
Dimension
Simulation Data