Designers and engineers already love sketching in SOLIDWORKS because its the foundation for most 3D models. But what if they could take these sketch tools and make their design cycle more efficient? Now, they can.
With new advancements in SOLIDWORKS 2018, users can save loads of time by mirroring 3D geometry and planes in sketches. Here’s how:
Watch this short video to learn about mirroring 3D geometry and planes in sketches:
>> Stream the full SOLIDWORKS 2018 Launch Video
What is the mirror functionality?
In SOLIDWORKS 2017, it was difficult to build symmetry into your 3D sketches. The mirror function was grayed out and unusable, and there really wasn’t any other way to mirror the sketch geometry itself. You could only mirror features created from 3D sketches. Similarly, in 2D sketches it was impossible to mirror the geometry about a reference plane. Instead, sketches could only use centerlines to define mirrored sketch geometry.
In SOLIDWORKS 2018, the mirror functionality is improved for both 2D and 3D sketches. Now, both styles of sketches can be mirrored about a reference plane!
How does improved mirror functionality in sketches impact your workflow?
If you tried using 3D mirror geometry and mirror sketches in SOLIDWORKS 2017, then you know how time consuming this process could be. The updated mirroring functionality in SOLIDWORKS 2018 will make adding symmetry to your sketches easier than ever before and help to fully capture your design intent. Users who work frequently with weldment features will find this new enhancement especially useful.
Want to see more of our engineers’ top 11 SOLIDWORKS 2018 features? Stay tuned to our blog, or download the infographic below!
