Advanced Part Modelling Training: 2 Game-Changing Features for Complex Geometry

If you have a few weeks or months of regular SOLIDWORKS usage under your belt, you likely know how to build standard parts. But as designs become more intricate (requiring non-uniform shapes, complex sweeps, or multi-body logic) standard tools can become slow and cumbersome.

Our SOLIDWORKS Advanced Part Modelling course dives deep into multi-body techniques and lesser-known applied features to give you total control over complex models.

Here are two advanced tools that solve common engineering headaches:

1. Calculate Internal Volumes Instantly using Intersect

Determining fluid or cavity volume inside a complex enclosure (such as a valve, tank, or manifold) can be difficult when dealing with non-uniform geometry.

The Solution: Use the Intersect tool to extract the negative space inside your model. SOLIDWORKS generates a separate solid body representing the internal volume, which you can instantly measure using Mass Properties.

If you need to inspect internal cross-sections, you can use multiple planes to slice the cavity body into smaller sections for detailed analysis.

2. Master Complex Fillets with FilletXpert

Adding fillets at the end of the design process is best practice, but managing dozens of edges on complex geometry often leads to selection fatigue and unexpected rebuild failures.

The Solution: Turn to FilletXpert alongside the Edge Selection Toolbar:

• Mass Selection: Use the pop-up toolbar to automatically select all parallel, co-radial, or connected edges in a single click.
• Automated Solving: The Add, Change, and Corner tabs within FilletXpert automatically calculate complex corner blends and adjust radius orders so you don’t have to manually troubleshoot failing edges.

SOLIDWORKS Advanced Part Modelling Training

We often suggest our Advanced Part Modelling course to customers with 4+ weeks of regular SOLIDWORKS usage, however this training is beneficial to any user looking to create detailed models.

With a focus on multibody components, our Advanced Part Modelling course deep-dives into solid body modelling techniques, such as sweeps, lofts and boundaries, and investigates a broad range of lesser-known applied features, like physical threads and advanced fillets, to provide you full control over your final design.

By understanding the parameters available within these tools, you can ensure your complex geometry is both accurate and quick to generate.