SOLIDWORKS 2017 enhanced several parts and features, with improvements to Advanced Holes, Cut List Sorting, Window Selection, Configurations and more. Out of these updates, Chamfer Enhancements is hands-down one of our favorites. Here’s why:
What is the chamfer tool?
The SOLIDWORKS chamfer tool has been around for a while, creating slanted features between selected edges, faces or vertices. By specifying angles and distances in the Chamfer PropertyManager, users can easily replace sharp edges with these angles.
What’s new with chamfers in SOLIDWORKS 2017?
SOLIDWORKS 2017 brought several new enhancements to chamfers that were not possible in previous versions. This year’s release introduced two new chamfer types:
Offset Face Chamfers: Offsetting faces adjacent to select edges to calculate the intersection point and create chamfer between non-planar faces- Face Face Chamfers: Creating symmetric, asymmetric, hold line and chord width chamfers
From the new chamfer types to the new look command, this feature is far more attentive than in years past. The most noticeable change, however, is that the Chamfer PropertyManager is now aligned with the Fillet tool, allowing users to convert chamfers to fillets and vice versa, fillets to chamfers.
>> Read more from our blog series covering the Top 11 SOLIDWORKS 2017 features
How will SOLIDWORKS 2017 Chamfers improve your workflow?
Interchangeable chamfers and fillets provide a huge benefit for SOLIDWORKS users. What used to be time-consuming, multi-step changes can now be accomplished in half the time. Plus, switchable chamfers/fillets give users greater design flexibility and modeling power. No more deleting an old feature and creating a new one — just switch from chamfer to fillet or vice versa.
If you’re interested in learning more about TriMech’s top 11 SOLIDWORKS 2017 features, download the infographic or check out our blog!
