When designing in SOLIDWORKS details matter, but it’s especially important when it comes to creating weldments. When working on a weldment model the structural members make up most of the design but the modeling efforts don’t stop there. A lot of the work comes from trimming members and adding things like gussets, end caps and weld beads.

In this week’s Video Tech Tip, we will walk you through the steps needed to add weld beads to your designs to help you create a complete and accurate SOLIDWORKS model.

To add a weld bead just click the command on the weldment command manager to activate it. From there, it is a simple selection process in the graphics area. You can select edges or faces to define the weld bead or even use the new Smart Weld Selection tool to automate the process with a bit of intelligence.

Things to Keep in Mind as You Add Weld Beads
• Weld paths are only supported between two bodies. You cannot define a weld path among three or more bodies or between the faces of one body.
• Gaps between faces are supported.
• Gaps between edges are not supported, the edges must lie on the surface of a body.

When you begin adding the weld bead you’ll notice a preview appear indicating the size and shape of the weld bead. As with most other things in SOLIDWORKS, if you don’t see a preview, that’s your first indication that something’s amiss. A pink preview indicates that the weld path is active, while a yellow preview indicates that the weld path is inactive. Apply any changes you make in the PropertyManager to the active weld bead.

With these steps, you should be able to successfully add weld beads to your designs.

 Ready to take your SOLIDWORKS skills to the next level? Sign up for a training course today!