How to Do Exploded View in SolidWorks
Creating an exploded view in SolidWorks is an essential skill for engineers and designers who need to clearly illustrate the assembly of components. An exploded view breaks down an assembly into its individual parts, showing how they fit together. This article will guide you through the process of creating an exploded view in SolidWorks, step by step.
Step 1: Prepare Your Assembly
Before you can create an exploded view, you need to have a complete assembly in SolidWorks. Ensure that all components are properly modeled and that the assembly is fully constrained. It’s also a good idea to review the assembly and make sure that the components are correctly positioned and that there are no errors.
Step 2: Create a New Drawing
Open a new drawing in SolidWorks. You can do this by selecting “File” > “New” > “Drawing.” Choose the appropriate template for your drawing, such as “Sheet Metal” or “Standard.” The template will set up the drawing with the correct paper size and format.
Step 3: Insert the Assembly
To insert the assembly into your drawing, select “Insert” > “Assembly.” Navigate to the assembly file you want to use and click “Open.” This will insert the assembly into the drawing as a block.
Step 4: Create the Exploded View
To create the exploded view, select “View” > “Exploded View.” This will open the Exploded View dialog box. Here, you can define the exploded view by specifying the components to be shown, the explosion direction, and the explosion distance.
Step 5: Define Components to Be Exploded
In the Exploded View dialog box, click “Add” to select the components you want to include in the exploded view. You can choose to explode all components or select specific ones. Once you have selected the components, click “OK” to add them to the exploded view.
Step 6: Set Explosion Direction and Distance
In the Exploded View dialog box, you can now set the explosion direction and distance. Click on the component or components you want to move and drag them to the desired position. You can also specify the distance to move the components by entering a value in the “Distance” field.
Step 7: Save and Review the Exploded View
After setting the explosion direction and distance, click “OK” to create the exploded view. The components should now be in their exploded positions. Save your drawing and review the exploded view to ensure that it accurately represents the assembly.
Step 8: Optional Adjustments
If necessary, you can make additional adjustments to the exploded view. This may include modifying the explosion direction, adding dimensions, or creating annotations. Use the various tools in SolidWorks to make these adjustments and ensure that your exploded view is as clear and informative as possible.
In conclusion, creating an exploded view in SolidWorks is a straightforward process that involves preparing your assembly, creating a new drawing, inserting the assembly, and defining the components to be exploded. By following these steps, you can create clear and informative exploded views that help others understand the assembly of your components.
