SolidWorks 2014 has been out for a while, but since you’re all busy with your work, you probably don’t know all the new things about assembly constraints. So here is a summary that will save you time.
New groove constraint
In the mechanical constraints section, there is now a groove constraint which allows you to position your screws and nuts in the positioning grooves in one go. Also, a screw positioned in a groove with this constraint will allow you to center or position it as you wish.
Prevent rotation in coaxial constraints
Another new feature requested by users is the blocking of rotation when creating a concentric constraint. Thus, when we insert a screw or a concentric nut in a threaded hole, it is possible to block its rotation. So no need to add an additional parallel constraint.
Spherical and curvilinear stresses
If you’ve ever suffered to position a part with a spherical, parabolic, irregular, etc. surface, you’re going to find that you have more latitude with SolidWorks 2014. Whether it’s a point or line that you want constrained with the surface, everything is possible now. No need to tear your hair anymore. Tangency constraints are all possible.
Constraints in the context menu, default constraint type and SmartMates sensitivity
Finally, here are three other new features that will help you on a daily basis. You now have the possibility of directly creating your constraints in the contextual menu. No need to open the function anymore.
Also, when you select cylindrical faces or circular edges to mate with an axis, the software creates a coaxial mate. When you select two parallel plane surfaces, the software creates a coincident mate.
Finally, if you were worried about using the SmartMates feature in a large assembly, because the constraint preview was too much to handle, there is now an option to reduce the sensitivity of this feature in the options.
