The following use case describes the process and recommended workflow for inserting a component designed in an xApp into an assembly in SOLIDWORKS. A new monitor stand design has been created using SOLIDWORKS and saved to a collaborative space on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. A mount for the monitor has been created using xDesign. This use case explains how to insert the xDesign created mount into the SOLIDWORKS assembly design and update the assembly after a modification to the mount component in xDesign. 

1. Saving the SOLIDWORKS assembly to 3DEXPERIENCE

The new monitor stand assembly is first saved to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform using the save to 3DEXPERIENCE command in SOLIDWORKS

2. Create and Save the Mounting Plate Design in xDesign

A new mounting plate design is created using xDesign and saved in the same collaborative space as the monitor stand assembly.

3. Adding the Mounting Plate to the Monitor Stand Assembly in SOLIDWORKS

The Insert Component command in SOLIDWORKS is designed to only work with parts and assemblies authored in SOLIDWORKS. Therefore, any designs created using an xApp will not appear when searching or browsing Bookmarks via the Insert Component command.

Instead, components authored using the xApps are added to a SOLIDWORKS assembly one of two ways. By drag and drop from the xDesign window into the SOLIDWORKS assembly, or from the MySession task pane tab in SOLIDWORKS using either 3DSearch or Bookmarks Editor.

In this example the component is located using 3DSearch in SOLIDWORKS MySession. From the search result in MySession the mounting bracket is dragged and dropped into the assembly.

First a CATPart file representing the xDesign component is automatically downloaded to the local working folder and converted to a SOLIDWORKS part file.

Next, two options proposing how the component will be inserted into the assembly are presented to the user. Insert as a native 3DEXPERIENCE component or create a new SOLIDWORKS derived part from the native 3DEXPERIENCE component. In this example the mounting bracket is inserted as a native 3DEXPERIENCE component. 

Native 3DEXPERIENCE components cannot be modified in SOLIDWORKS, this is okay as the intention here is that the bracket is only being used for reference purposes. Wherever possible it is recommended that modifications to geometry are always done in the native CAD tool that was used to create the component. This will preserve the feature history and make modifications reliable, quick, and easy to do.

The inserted component is displayed in the Feature Manager design tree and is easily identifiable as a 3DEXPERIENCE components by its blue and white physical product icon.

4. Positioning the Component in the Assembly

The mounting bracket will be positioned using two mates, coincident and concentric. The coincident mate is added between the Right reference plane of the mounting bracket and the front face of the Tilt component. 

The concentric mate is added between cylindrical surface of the center hole on the mounting bracket and the center hole of the Tilt component.

5. Modify the Mounting Bracket Geometry in xDesign and Update the SOLIDWORKS Assembly

In xDesign the main profile sketch of the mounting bracket is edited the side radius is changed from 50m to 70mm. After exiting the sketch, the component is saved.

Step 6. Propagate the xDesign Modification to the Assembly in SOLIDWORKS

The SOLIDWORKS session was open in the background with the monitor stand loaded. To see the status change a refresh of MySession is required. 

After the refresh the status icon of the mounting bracket has changed to show that a more recent version is available on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. 

The mounting bracket is updated by RMB on the component in MySession and selecting Reload from Server.

When reloading an updated component, three options are available.

In this example the mounting bracket does not have any references so “Reload selected file only” is chosen.

When updating a SOLIDWORKS assembly containing modified native 3DEXPERIENCE components, each modified component is re-imported during the reload from server operation in SOLIDWORKS. 

New face IDs are assigned to the geometry during the re-import which can cause any mates based on faces or edges of the native 3DEXPERIENCE component to fail. 

Therefore, in a situation where a native 3DEXPERIENCE component is unfinished and likely to be modified it is recommended that SOLIDWORKS reference geometry (planes, axes etc.) are used when creating mates. Selecting faces or edges of the native 3DEXPERIENCE component should be avoided where possible. Failed mates can be repaired but with a little upfront planning and the use of reference geometry this can be avoided in many cases.

In a situation where the design of the native 3DEXPERIENCE component is complete and unlikely to change then creating mates linked to faces and edges is less of a risk. 

In Step 4 the mounting bracket was aligned using two mates. The concentric mate was constructed using the cylindrical face of the mounting bracket center hole. After the update this mate has failed because new face IDs were assigned during the update of the native component. Whereas the coincident mate being based off of a reference plane of the mounting bracket has rebuilt successfully.

Tip: A quick method of fixing any failed mates is to use the Auto-Repair option

The Monitor Stand assembly is now fully up to date and any mate errors fixed.

Summary

Although this use case demonstrates incorporating an xDesign created component into a SOLIDWORKS assembly the process is the same for a component created using any of the SOLIDWORKS browser-based design apps for example xShape or xSheet Metal.