Smart Fasteners
“Smart fasteners” is a really useful time saving tool, allowing you to automatically insert toolbox fasteners such as bolts and screws into an assembly providing there is a standard hole. The tool uses both ANSI inch and metric alongside standard components and provides the opportunity to use your own custom fasteners from the toolbox database.
Smart Fasteners can be found in CommandManager, Assembly toolbar or alternatively Menu, Insert, Smart Fasteners.
1. Click Smart Fasteners, if this message appears click OK
2. Select the planar face on which the standard hole series sits and then click Add
3. The Smart Fasteners tool will then recognise the holes on the planar face as being identical as the holes applied during the hole series application, in this example CSK for M5 Flat Head Machine Screw holes, and will automatically fill the hole with the correct fastener. The drop down menu lets you change the size should you wish.
4. By clicking the Auto Size to hole diameter option the fastener will automatically but should you wish to ammend the fastener this can easily be done in the sidebar which appears when you’re in the feature.
5. As a result two screws are added to the part and a SmartFastners folder will appear in the FeatureManager design tree.
Give it a go!
Lucy Appleby
Junior Applications Engineer