SOLIDWORKS Utilities are a small set of powerful tools that enable you to examine the geometry of your model in detail. Some of our favorites are the Compare Utility and Power Select. In this Video Tech Tip, we are going to showcase the Simplify Utility which is extremely useful for working with large assemblies and preparing your models for Simulation.

>> Click here to learn how to simplify and prepare your model for analysis

Simplify does just what its name implies – it helps you simplify your models, both parts and assemblies. It works in one of two ways- “Feature Parameter” or “Volume Based” which will identify features that are insignificant, compared to the rest of the model. The “Feature Parameter” method works by checking the main feature parameter (a diameter of a circle or radius of a fillet) while the “Volume Based” method works by comparing the volume of a feature to that of the part or assembly volume. What gets flagged as insignificant is determined by the Simplification Factor. The simplification factor is used to control (increase or decrease) the insignificant volume.

As you can see, simplify is a very easy to use tool. With just a few clicks and one piece of user input you are presented with a list of features you can easily suppress directly in the simplify utility. You can even create derived configurations to help you manage the variations of your models. Dumbing down your complex models and large assemblies or preparing your models for analysis in SOLIDWORKS Simulation couldn’t be simpler with the Simplify Utility.

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