SOLIDWORKS In-context relations and editing is a powerful tool. Driving features from one component allows features in other components to update automatically.
Yet with great power comes great responsibility (apologies for the movie reference). In some cases you may accidentally add an external reference that was not intended. This is most prevalent when the same component will be used elsewhere. You don’t want the copied component to randomly change size when the original component is updated.
For example I have a component I’m editing in the assembly just so I can quickly change the size of the original Boss-Extrude. I have the option ‘Use specified colors when editing parts in assemblies’ enabled under System Options > Colors as it’s easier to visualize.
Clik here to view.
FIGURE 1: SOLIDWORKS Editing Component
After I modified the original sketch for Boss-Extrude1, I noticed it now has the ‘->’ SOLIDWORKS In-context relations symbol beside the features.
Clik here to view.
FIGURE 2: SOLIDWORKS External References
Using Display/Delete Relations within the sketch, we can see that there is an in-context relation to the arc of the lower component that should not have been added.
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FIGURE 3: SOLIDWORKS In-Context Relation
When you are making quick edits to components in the assembly environment and you don’t want to accidentally add in-context relations, simply enable the option ‘No External References’ in the CommandManager Sketch tab. Notice when I select the sketch circle and a reference from another component, there are no available relations to add. Same goes for attempts to add a dimension to another assembly component.
Clik here to view.
FIGURE 4: SOLIDWORKS No External References
The post Why you should avoid SOLIDWORKS In-Context Relations when not needed appeared first on The Javelin Blog.
