If you are new to modeling and trying to figure out how to be more efficient, customizing your keyboard is a great first step in your learning journey. Adding quick access to your commonly used tools can turn you from a novice to a pro in no time.

Customizing Your SOLIDWORKS Keyboard Shortcuts

To start customizing your workspace, navigate to the Customization Menu. To open it, right-click anywhere on the SOLIDWORKS CommandManager at the top of your SOLIDWORKS window and select Customize at the bottom of the pop-up.

SOLIDWORKS Customize menu location outlined in red

There are six tabs in the Customize menu. Depending on which tab you are in, this menu gives you options to tailor your user interface to your preferences. For shortcuts, you will focus on the Keyboard tab.

Adding, Deleting, and Modifying Keyboard Shortcuts

The Keyboard tab allows you to add your own Hot Keys; however, SOLIDWORKS comes with some already set up for you. Due to the extensive number of commands in SOLIDWORKS, you can filter commands based on category.

Keyboard shortcuts in the customization menu

These categories allow you to filter by function:

• All Commands: Displays every available SOLIDWORKS command.
• File: Shows the items from the File Drop Down Menu.
• Edit: Lists all commands that edit features, configurations, tables, or appearances.
• View: Displays settings that can change your model location, display type, hide/show, and more.
• Insert: Features to insert into the part, assembly, and drawing files will be revealed.
• Tools: Lays out all sketch tools, evaluation tools, macro commands, and tools from add-Ins like SOLIDWORKS PDM or SOLIDWORKS Inspection.
• Window: Shows the SOLIDWORKS Viewport options.
• Help: Any Help menus found throughout SOLIDWORKS will show up here.
• Others: All the commands that don’t fit into others will be listed.
• Search: The search tools will be presented here.
• Selection: Displays the selection filters.
• Macros: Lists the New Macro command.

The next drop-down is the Show Filter, which allows you to filter by how the commands are accessed. Options include All Commands, Commands with Keyboard Shortcuts, Commands with Search Terms, and Commands with Keyboard or Search Terms.

Where to Implement Your Favorites

The Keyboard Customize table is where you can customize your keyboard to your preferences. The table with all keyboard shortcuts is split up into four categories.

• Category: The category that the command belongs to.
• Command: The name of the command.
• Shortcut(s): The keyboard input to use this command.
• Search Terms: Words you can add to find the commands using the Search Command bar or the S Key. Multiple words can be added with a comma.

Once your customization is complete, do not forget to save your settings. The SOLIDWORKS Settings Wizard allows you to save your user interface customizations and copy them across SOLIDWORKS versions or to other machines.

Acclimatizing to Your New SOLIDWORKS Shortcuts

One of the best ways to learn the SOLIDWORKS keyboard shortcuts is to print out the list of customizations to a PDF or paper to store on your desk. For example, to make a resource guide of all the shortcuts for working with the file commands, you can search for that category and print it out.

A PDF list of SOLIDWORKS keyboard shortcuts

When you use the Print List command, you can make a PDF of just these commands. This may be customized to commands you want to remember and kept handy until you memorize them.

More SOLIDWORKS Tips for Beginners

Customizing SOLIDWORKS with keyboard shortcuts is just the start of turning into a power user. Whether through formal, instructor-led training or through helpful SOLIDWORKS Tech Tips, you can master the industry-leading CAD software in no time.

The TriMech Group is here to support you and help you cut through the noise of finding information online. We help provide valuable direction to elevate your SOLIDWORKS skills.

To learn more SOLIDWORKS shortcuts and customizations, download SOLIDWORKS Beginner’s Guide here.

The post The Ultimate Guide to SOLIDWORKS Keyboard Shortcuts appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

To successfully activate an offline PC via email, you must be able to transfer files from the offline PC to an internet-connected PC with access to email. Follow this guide to execute the process with few to no obstacles.

What to Expect

In this guide, you will be able to manually activate a SOLIDWORKS license in a handful of steps. To ensure a smooth activation process, please note the following:

• If you’re unable to transfer files to and from this offline PC for security reasons but still need to activate SOLIDWORKS, you’ll need to contact your SOLIDWORKS Reseller in order to activate SOLIDWORKS.
• If your PC has an internet connection, then you may use automatic activation over the internet and follow the steps listed here: How to Automatically Activate a SOLIDWORKS Standalone License
• If you are running a network license, the process varies slightly from the standalone one listed below, so follow the steps here: How to Manually Activate a SOLIDWORKS Network License

Getting Started with Manual Activation

The first steps of activating manually look the same as an online activation.

The SOLIDWORKS Product Activation window

The product activation window appears when you have installed SOLIDWORKS with a standalone license and go to launch it for the first time. To proceed, select “I want to activate my SOLIDWORKS product now” and then click “Next”.

Once “Next” is selected, you will be directed to a new window with instructions on how to request a license key from SOLIDWORKS.

Activating Your SOLIDWORKS Product

Once you select “Next”, you will be presented with the Activate/Deactivate window.

Select the correct settings for manual activation of SOLIDWORKS

First, click on a single serial number listed in the first white box. It is important to note that for email activation, you can only activate one license at a time. Next, you will toggle the option labeled “Manually via e-mail” from the two selections and click “Next”.

You will soon be presented with instructions for creating and uploading a request file in the window labeled “Manual Activation”.

The SOLIDWORKS Activation Request File

In the “Manual Activation” window, click “Save…” to create a request file to the offline PC, which will need to be transferred to an internet-connected, email-capable machine to continue with manual activation beyond this point.

Manual Activation SOLIDWORKS Product Window

Once you’ve transferred this request file to the email-capable machine, attach it to an email addressed to activation@solidworks.com. This will send the request file to an automated activation server, and you will get a response in a few minutes, depending on internet speed and email security protocols.

If you receive an email that doesn’t have a response file attached and has an error listed in the response, contact our Technical Support team for us to review the issue.

Wrapping Up Your SOLIDWORKS License Activation

Provided there’s no licensing errors, you will receive a response file starting with “SWActivateResponse_” as its name. Once you have this file, you’ll need to transfer it back to the offline PC.

SOLIDWORKS activation email response

Once the file is transferred, click “Open…” on the Manual Activation window. After you select the response file and click “Open”, SOLIDWORKS will automatically activate!

Manual SOLIDWORKS license activation complete

You should see a window with “Activation/Reactivation Succeeded” dialogue under the result bar and next to the blue circle. Select “Finish” to complete the process. For additional product activation instructions, visit the SOLIDWORKS Design Help 2026 website, and scroll to find the tab for Installation and Administration.

Need Support?

If issues arise in cases involving SOLIDWORKS hardware and licenses, installation & setup, or SOLIDWORKS PDM, the TriMech Technical Support team can answer questions and assist in resolution.

To submit a support ticket, contact us here.

The post Manual SOLIDWORKS License Activation | How To Guide appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Aligning Parts At a Glance

In this guide, you’ll learn a practical workflow for aligning parts step-by-step.

1. Understand how fixed versus floating settings affect positioning when you insert components
2. Discover quick ways to roughly place parts using the mouse or the Triad
3. Explore different ways of applying mates
4. Find time-savers like the Quick Mates toolbar and SmartMates

Inserting Components into Assemblies

While inserting components into an assembly, if you press the check mark, the first component in the assembly will be fixed. This means the origins of the part and assembly will align, and the component cannot be moved. A “Fixed component is denoted in the FeatureManager tree with a (f) prefix, so if you’re trying to move a fixed component, check this first. Fixed components can be set to float by right-clicking and selecting “Float”.

The (f) prefix shown indicates that a part cannot be moved in SOLIDWORKS

In 2023, SOLIDWORKS introduced the fix/float option on newly inserted components. Previously, the first component was positioned as fixed, and the subsequent components were set to floating. A floating component is free to move in space and requires mates to align/position in the assembly.

You can fix or float a part on insertion

The first component serves as the base for all others in the assembly. To adjust its orientation during insertion, use the pop-up menu to rotate it around any axis.

The orientation toolbar is used to align parts upon insertion

Orienting parts is not restricted to insertion, as they may also be oriented afterwards to support better visibility and create proper mating outcomes.

Orienting Parts for Mating

To orient parts after insertion, the following methods can be used as preliminary positioning tools before applying formal mates.

• To translate a component in space, left-click, hold, and move the mouse.
• To rotate a component in space, right-click, hold, and move the mouse.
• For precise control, right-click a component and select Move with Triad. Drag the arrows to translate along specific axes, planes to move in 2D, or rings to rotate.

Align parts with the Triad tool

With one part inserted and fixed to the origin, and a second brought in and oriented correctly, you may now proceed to align parts in SOLIDWORKS using formal mates.

Align Parts Using Basic Mates

The second part brought into the assembly is free to move in space. To position parts relative to others, launch the Mate command from the Assembly tab. The main sections of this tool are the mate selections and the mate types. The most commonly used mates are coincident, concentric, and distance mates.

Component entities, such as faces, edges, or planes, can be selected here or pre-selected before launching the command. If a mate flips the wrong way or is not aligned as expected, toggle the mate alignment buttons in the Mate PropertyManager to flip the mating directions.

Common Mates Used to Align Parts in SOLIDWORKS

• Align two parts flush: for coincident mates
• Align holes or cylinders: for concentric mates
• Set distance between parts: for distance mates
• Center a part between two faces: for width mates
• Align orientation without touching: for parallel mates
• Squaring up: for perpendicular mates
• Align around a plane: for symmetric mates

The SOLIDWORKS Quick Mates Context Toolbar

Using common mates can be optimized for greater efficiency. By holding down the control key to pre-select component entities, you can trigger a Quick Mate context toolbar near your cursor, rather than starting with the Mate command. Clicking one of the mate types immediately mates the two components.

Quick Mates toolbar

Taking this a step further, SOLIDWORKS predicts the mate you’ll most likely need given the selected entities and highlights that one with a dotted line border. If that is accurate, you can press “Enter” on your keyboard to confirm. You can also assign the enter key to one of your mouse buttons to boost the effectiveness of this technique!

Using SmartMates

To invoke SmartMates, a time-saving approach to automating standard mate types, click on a component’s mating geometry, hold the alt key, and then drag onto the mating geometry of another component. The cursor icon will change to indicate the type of mate that will result from the current mouse position.

Align parts in SOLIDWORKS using SmartMates

When you release, the same mate pop-up toolbar will become available to modify the mate type and alignment if needed.

How to Tackle Any Alignment

When aligning components in SOLIDWORKS, use this approach to ensure the correct outcome.

1. Decide what should stay put (fixed vs. floating)
2. Position (roughly) the component with your mouse or Move with Triad
3. Lock the relationship in place with the right mate. For most beginner assemblies, coincident (flush), concentric (holes/cylinders), and distance (spacing) mates cover the majority of “align parts” tasks. And tools like Quick Mates and SmartMates help you do it faster as you practice.

For a guided path to mastering assemblies, visit our SOLIDWORKS Assembly course teach the fundamentals step by step. It covers how mates work, avoiding common alignment issues, and building stable assemblies that behave the way you expect.

To register for an upcoming SOLIDWORKS Assembly modeling training course, click here.

The post How to Align Parts in SOLIDWORKS appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

If issues arise, this step-by-step walkthrough covers the entire installation process, so you can solve problems and save time.

What to Expect When Installing SOLIDWORKS for Makers

To provide an at-a-glance overview, here is a summarized visual checklist of the installation steps: 

1. Log in to the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS platform.
2. Locate the SOLIDWORKS welcome panel or dashboard.
3. Download and run the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher.
4. Approve necessary permissions.
5. Complete the local SOLIDWORKS installation.
6. Launch SOLIDWORKS for Makers and verify your license.

How to Install SOLIDWORKS For Makers

SOLIDWORKS for Makers is a relatively straightforward process, but if you’ve never used the 3DEXPERIENCE platform before, keep reading to learn how.

Accessing The 3DEXPERIENCE Platform

After you create your account, log in to the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS platform, a cloud-based suite provided by Dassault Systèmes for managing SOLIDWORKS applications and user accounts. Once you are in, you should see a SOLIDWORKS welcome panel with your installation button there in blue.

Installing SOLIDWORKS Design

If you do not see the SOLIDWORKS Welcome panel, navigate to the hamburger menu in the upper left corner and then choose 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS. This will direct you to the appropriate welcome dashboard, where you can click Install for your SOLIDWORKS Local Makers version. 

Click here to navigate back to the SOLIDWORKS dashboard

If the SOLIDWORKS option does not appear after following these steps, try refreshing the page or logging out and back into the platform, and ensure your browser is compatible and up to date.

Downloading the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher 

To begin the installation process, you will first be prompted to download the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher. The Launcher is the bridge between the cloud platform and your desktop environment. Without it, SOLIDWORKS cannot verify your license or communicate back to the platform. 

Installing the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher

Key Permissions for the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher

At this stage, you may see dialog boxes requesting access for the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher or prompts asking for permission to communicate through your firewall. It is important to review each prompt and grant the necessary permissions for the installation to proceed smoothly. You may have to validate a couple of permissions during the installation.   

Continuing the installation

Once the blue Continue button appears in the lower right corner, select it and make sure to allow the application to connect to your firewall and the Launcher. You may see additional permission requests for applications like the 3DEXPERIENCE Launcher. Make sure it is always allowed to connect to ensure seamless integration going forward.

Running the SOLIDWORKS Installation 

After the Launcher installation is complete and the installer has been downloaded, you will be prompted to begin the SOLIDWORKS installation. The local installation defaults to the C drive on the machine, but can be changed to a specific directory if required.

During the installation, you will encounter a list of add-ins. Select Next to continue past this screen, as the Maker version of SOLIDWORKS does not include support for any of these add-ins, and you will not be able to use them in this version. 

Skipping the add-ins for SOLIDWORKS for Makers

Considerations for SOLIDWORKS for Makers Download Time

The installation process can take a long time, depending on both your internet connection speed and your PC’s speed plays a role. The installer downloads all the files first, then extracts them to install on your local machine, so prepare to set aside time. 

3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS installation manager

To improve installation speed, consider checking your network connection for stability or pausing any large downloads on your system, and ensuring that your device meets the minimum hardware requirements. Do not close the window while the installation is in process. 

Launching SOLIDWORKS for Makers

On the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, the Install button for SOLIDWORKS Design will change to Open. Select this, and it begins the process of launching SOLIDWORKS for Makers.  

Opening SOLIDWORKS for Makers

Once it launches, you will see your welcome screen. After a few seconds, it will connect to your 3DEXPERIENCE platform and obtain your license automatically.

The SOLIDWORKS Design splash screen

That completes the installation process; you can now access SOLIDWORKS for Makers. If you prefer a more visually guided installation, visit the video walkthrough. 

Make the Most Out of SOLIDWORKS for Makers

SOLIDWORKS for Makers is a great tool for hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, and those looking to explore commercial-grade CAD for personal projects without a significant financial commitment. However, like any tool, it is important to make the most of it.

For SOLIDWORKS tips, tutorials, and walkthroughs, explore our full library of technical blogs and instructional videos covering installation, configuration, and everyday modeling workflows from our Tech Tip articles.

Ready to move beyond SOLIDWORKS for Makers into a full seat of SOLIDWORKS? Request a quote here.

The post How to Install SOLIDWORKS for Makers | A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Universal Licensing provides flexibility to change between various SOLIDWORKS PDM licensing types when your organization requires.

What Are the SOLIDWORKS PDM License Types?

SOLIDWORKS PDM is available in three different licenses, depending on what you need to use the vault for. The SolidNetWork License Manager will pull the appropriate license based on your installation.

• CAD Editor Licenses are for anyone who is using SOLIDWORKS CAD. This unlocks SOLIDWORKS PDM’s full potential for editing, checking in and out, and workflow capabilities for all file types.
• Contributor Licenses allow full editing and checking in and out of files as well, full access to workflow capabilities (depending on your permissions), but do not give you access to the SOLIDWORKS PDM add-in. Everything must be done through the Windows Explorer install.
• View Licenses are for users who need access to see what’s in the vault, without editing it. These normally come in five packs and can be shared by many people.

For a deeper discussion on SOLIDWORKS PDM license types, you can watch our on-demand webinar.

How Does the SolidNetWork License Manager Pull the Appropriate License?

A lot of users believe that SOLIDWORKS PDM will pull a license from the SNL, depending on what settings the individual user’s login has set up in the administration tool. However, this is not the case.

License types in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool

When installing, you will be asked what license type that machine has, and then anyone who logs into that client machine will pull that license type. This won’t affect the user’s permissions, so you don’t have to worry about whether someone who is set to a viewer license logs in to someone who normally is a CAD Editor; their user’s permission won’t change.

Options like seeing specific folders, having access to work-in-progress states, and other such options are all set up on the user level. If you make this choice and later realize you need to change it, don’t panic; there are multiple ways to do that very easily.

What is SOLIDWORKS PDM Universal Licensing?

When you are administering for larger groups, handling how many CAD editors, contributors, versus viewers can become a task in itself. For example, if you have 25 full-time CAD users, 5 interns, 12 shop floor, and 8 managers, figuring out how many licenses and what types you need can become confusing and constantly change.

Show Image Preview options in SOLIDWORKS PDM

SOLIDWORKS PDM Universal Licensing can become an asset and morph into whichever license type you require. Universal Licenses are flexible to match the needs of the user, depending on what was installed on that machine.

How Are Universal Licenses Sold?

If you have a diverse organization using SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, Universal Licensing provides cost savings versus buying the equivalent number of SOLIDWORKS PDM licenses on their own. You can purchase Universal Licenses in packs of 25, 50, 100, or 200, depending on your needs.

Understanding Your SOLIDWORKS PDM Licensing

SOLIDWORKS PDM Universal Licensing is a great way to streamline your operations by reducing the need to track complex license requirements. By implementing it, you can experience cost savings that can be put back towards development projects.

For over 30 years, Javelin has helped clients optimize their licensing and prepare for future growth. If your organization needs help understanding your licensing requirements, we are here to help.

To schedule a free SOLIDWORKS PDM licensing consultation, contact us here.

The post What is SOLIDWORKS PDM Universal Licensing? appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

These planes can be one of the primary planes, a reference plane, or a flat surface or face on an existing body. With all the planes you might be using or creating, it is imperative to know how to hide and show planes in SOLIDWORKS.

Types of Planes in SOLIDWORKS

Typically, there are two different kinds of planes that you use in SOLIDWORKS: the primary planes and user-created reference planes.

Every part and assembly starts with the three primary planes, and they are named Front, Top, and Right by default. Depending on your template, they could have different names or could be visible or not visible.

The three primary SOLIDWORKS planes

Reference planes are added manually or with a pattern whenever you need them. Depending on what selection you make while adding them, you can change how they are inserted.

How to Hide and Show SOLIDWORKS Planes

In SOLIDWORKS, there are multiple methods to hide or show planes. You can select the method you are most comfortable with.

The Heads Up Toolbar

When you start a new part, the primary planes appear in the design tree but are hidden in the graphics window. The Heads Up toolbar appears at the top of the graphics window and has a command to toggle visibility of different parts of the design.

The SOLIDWORKS Heads Up toolbar

By clicking the eyeball icon outright, you can toggle between hidden and shown states for all visual entities in the graphics window. The dropdown next to the eyeball allows for finer control over hiding and showing planes, sketches, points, and much more.

The eyeball icon expanded to show visibility options

You can use this dropdown menu to hide and show planes in SOLIDWORKS. These commands do not delete or suppress the planes; they just toggle the visibility.

The In-Context Toolbar

The in-context toolbar appears when you left-click on a feature or face. This toolbar predicts what the commonly used commands would be and displays them near the mouse cursor.

The eyeball icon that often appears will allow you to hide or show whatever was selected. For a plane, select it from the Feature Tree and then click the eyeball in the in-context menu.

The Right-Click Menu

Another location to toggle the visibility of planes is in the right-click menu. After right-clicking on a plane, at the top of the menu will be a similar eyeball icon. Selecting this will hide or show the plane, depending on its current state.

The FeatureManager Tree

By expanding the SOLIDWORKS Feature Tree, you will have access to commonly used view tools, including display mode, appearance, and visibility.

Hiding planes with the SOLIDWORKS Feature Tree

By selecting the plane icon in the hide/show column, you can toggle the visibility of the planes.

The Q Key

Introduced in SOLIDWORKS 2022, the Q key acts as a toggle to quickly show or hide reference geometry (specifically planes, origins, and coordinate systems) in both parts and assemblies. This time-saving shortcut makes it so we don’t have to worry about right-clicking or searching through long Feature Trees.

More Time-Saving SOLIDWORKS Tips

Knowing how to hide or show SOLIDWORKS planes is just scratching the surface of unlocking modeling efficiency. With so many ways to toggle plane visibility, it is important to understand which method works best for your workflow and your needs.

For over 30 years, our team of certified SOLIDWORKS experts has been sharing Tech Tips to usher you towards engineering excellence. Rather than having to hunt those tips down, why not have them delivered right to your inbox in a bi-weekly newsletter?

Click here to sign up for our bi-weekly Tech Tip Newsletter.

The post How to Hide and Show Planes in SOLIDWORKS appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

For high‑quality parts with minimal defects, molten polymer must reach each cavity simultaneously and under similar pressure and temperature conditions. However, differences in flow path length, thickness, or resistance can cause one cavity to fill faster than another.

Why Should You Balance Runners?

Runner balancing is critical to ensuring uniform filling across all cavities. Runner imbalance is a hidden issue that can silently degrade part quality, increase scrap rates, and extend cycle times.

Multicavity injection mold setups

When runners are not balanced, several issues can arise:

• Short shots due to incomplete filling
• Uneven packing, leading to inconsistent density
• Variable shrinkage and warpage
• Weld line inconsistencies
• Cosmetic defects

Often, these problems originate from an unbalanced runner system upstream. In multi‑cavity molds, runners must be artificially balanced to maintain equal pressure and flow distribution, even when cavity sizes differ.

How SOLIDWORKS Plastics Improves Runner Balancing

SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional replaces guesswork with simulation‑driven accuracy. The software evaluates different variables in injection molding, including material behavior, temperature effects, flow resistance, and cavity volume differences.

This data allows SOLIDWORKS Plastics to adjust runner and gate diameters to achieve balanced flow. Simulation ensures consistent pressure and flow rates, reducing risks of over-packing and premature freeze-off.

How to Balance Runners in SOLIDWORKS Plastics

To ensure proper injection molding in unsymmetric mold setups, SOLIDWORKS Plastics has a Runner Balancing command. This option is only available in a multicavity plastics study.

To balance runners in SOLIDWORKS Plastics:

1. Create a Plastics Study: Create a multi‑cavity mold study with an appropriate runner setup.
   

   An initial plastic study with unequal filling

2. Mesh the Model: Use a shell mesh to ensure proper coverage.
3. Run the Initial Fill Analysis: Perform a fill analysis to identify imbalances, short shots, and unequal filling.
4. Enable Runner Balancing: Right-click on the mesh in the study tree and select Runner Balancing.
   

   Activating the Runner Balancing command

5. Define Constraints: Configure the minimum and maximum values for the runner and inlet diameters.
   

   Defining constraints for runner sizing

6. Run the Analysis: Click the green checkmark to run the balancing calculation.

Interpreting Results

The solver iteratively adjusts runner and gate diameters within user‑defined limits to achieve near‑simultaneous cavity filling and uniform pressure distribution. When the runner balancing analysis is complete, a message appears noting the time difference for fill time and pressure difference before and after runner balancing.

Comparing before and after runner balancing

Reviewing the results will show how the adjusted runner diameters will allow all cavities to fill at the same time. Even though the changes in runner diameters are not too large, a minor change can improve the cycle time.

Achieving Accuracy with Injection Molding

Runner balancing is essential for achieving consistent and defect‑free parts in multi‑cavity and family molds. By leveraging SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, engineers can eliminate guesswork and optimize runner systems early in the design process.

Simulation‑driven balancing ensures uniform flow, pressure, and fill times, resulting in higher efficiency and better product quality.

To learn more about SOLIDWORKS Plastics, click here.

For quality parts with minimal defects, the molten polymer must reach each cavity at the same time, under similar pressure and temperature conditions. If one flow path is shorter, thicker, or encounters less resistance, that cavity fills first.  This means all the cavities may not be filled equally, leading to defects such as short shots and inferior part quality.  This also results in uneven packing, variable shrinkage, warpage, weld line inconsistency, and cosmetic defects.  Often, the root cause lies hidden upstream, i.e. an unbalanced runner system. Runner imbalance is one of those design issues that can silently erode quality, increase scrap, and inflate cycle times.

In multi-cavity mold, the runner system must be artificially balanced to ensure uniform fill and pressure distribution in each cavity.  Fortunately, SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional provides a powerful way to detect and eliminate runner imbalances.

Traditionally, runner balancing relied heavily on empirical rules and trial‑and‑error adjustments that involve changing runner diameters, gate sizes, or flow paths after multiple mold trials. Equal runner lengths alone are not enough, and larger cavities naturally demand more material and higher flow capacity.  SOLIDWORKS Plastics injection molding simulation replaces this guesswork.

Runner Balancing in SOLIDWORKS Plastics accounts for these volumetric and geometric differences, by resizing runner diameters to balance the flow between cavities.  For hot runner systems, where thermal control adds another layer of complexity, simulation driven runner balancing ensures consistent pressure and flow rates. This significantly reduces the risk of over‑packing or premature freeze-off in individual cavities.

To use the Runner Balancing capability in SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional, set up a Plastics study for multi-cavity mold with runner system defined as required. Mesh the model using Shell mesh.  As of now the software does not support Solid Mesh for runner balancing.  Run the fill analysis study.

Without balanced runners the fill analysis shows short shots and unequal filling.  The pressure plot shown below indicates pressure distributions is not equal in the two cavities of the paired parts.

Runner Balancing option is enabled by right clicking on the Mesh feature in the Plastics study tree.  The maximum and minimum diameter for the overall runner along with maximum and minimum diameter at the inlet (or gate) is specified.

The show thickness distribution displays the diameter of the runner.  The calculate tab activates Runner balancing study.  The solver evaluates flow resistance across all paths during the fill phase. It uses material behavior, non‑Newtonian viscosity, temperature effects, and cavity volume differences to drive runner balancing.

The solver iteratively adjusts runner and gate diameters within user‑defined limits to achieve near‑simultaneous cavity filling and uniform pressure distribution. When the runner balancing analysis is complete, a message appears noting the time difference for fill time and pressure difference before and after runner balancing. The output is not just a visual confirmation but quantitative evidence.

The fill time plot on the left side in image below, shows the unequal fill time for the two cavities.  After runner balancing the cavities fill up at the same time.

The Show thickness distribution option is useful to look at the runner and gate diameters before and after the runners are balanced.

Even though the changes in runner diameters are not too large, a minor change can improve the cycle time.

Use Runner balancing in SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional to shift runner design from a reactive, trial‑based activity to a proactive, data‑driven process, identify and rectify fill imbalances to converge on a balanced runner design early in the design process.  Interested in learning more about SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional? Reach out to us at 888.874.6324

The post Runner Balancing Using SOLIDWORKS Plastics Professional appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

The backup, save, and auto-recovery SOLIDWORKS settings keep your parts, assemblies, and drawings safe. Ensuring these options are set properly will protect you in case of a catastrophe.

How to Open the Backup and Recovery Settings

The backup and recovery settings are found in the SOLIDWORKS System Options with unique controls for each. Note that the sections will be ghosted until the main option is toggled on.

Accessing the SOLIDWORKS backup and recovery settings

To open the backup and recovery settings:

1. Open the SOLIDWORKS System Options by navigating to Tools > Options.
2. Select the Backup/Recover tab on the left-hand side.

SOLIDWORKS Auto-Recover Options

The first section of the System Options window is for the auto-recovery options. In this section, you can set the directory and frequency at which SOLIDWORKS will save auto-recover files for the current document.

Auto-recover options in SOLIDWORKS

With auto-recovery files activated, SOLIDWORKS will maintain the save points as you are working. In the event of a crash, SOLIDWORKS will show you the recovered files under the Alerts tab of the Welcome dialog, and they will be cleared once the file is successfully saved again.

Key Considerations for the SOLIDWORKS Auto-Recovery

• Auto-recovery files will only be saved after the document has been saved at least once.
• The default location for the saves is C:\Users\$username\AppData\Local\Temp\SWBackupDirectory\swxauto20XX.
• If the default location is changed, it must reside on a local drive, as the auto-recover files cannot be saved over a network.

SOLIDWORKS Backup Options

The first section of the System Options window is for the backup options. Like the auto-recovery options, you can specify where the backups will be saved as well as the quantity (to a maximum of ten). Additionally, SOLIDWORKS can automatically delete backups that are older than a certain number of days.

Options for backups in SOLIDWORKS

Every time you save a document, SOLIDWORKS saves a backup document of your file. The backup version of the file is a backup of the original document before any changes are made to the file after the save.

Key Considerations for the SOLIDWORKS Backups

• Multiple backups of a document are named with the most recent version. For example, the second backup will be named Backup(2).
• The default location for the saves is C:\Users\$username\AppData\Local\Temp\SWBackupDirectory
• If the default location is changed, it must reside on a local drive, as the auto-recover files cannot be saved over a network.
• Removing older backups will occur on SOLIDWORKS startup.

The SOLIDWORKS save reminder appears to warn you that the SOLIDWORKS document has not been saved for a certain interval. By default, it appears in the bottom right of the SOLIDWORKS graphics window.

While this setting will not actually save your files for you, it will quietly remind you to save your work in case of a crash or power outage. Depending on your SOLIDWORKS version, the settings to control this message can be found in different places.

SOLIDWORKS 2022 and Newer

As of SOLIDWORKS 2022, the save reminder pop-up is listed in the SOLIDWORKS System Options under the Messages/Errors/Warnings section.

SOLIDWORKS setting to control save notification in 2022

Before SOLIDWORKS 2022

In SOLIDWORKS 2021 and older, the save reminder pop-up is listed in the SOLIDWORKS System Options under the Backup/Recover section.

Setting to control save notification before SOLIDWORKS 2022

Stay Protected From SOLIDWORKS Crashes

The SOLIDWORKS backup and auto-recovery settings help to keep your parts, assemblies, and drawings safe in the event of a catastrophe. These options provide safeguards from data loss when you are working locally, but do not work as well when working over a network.

In instances where you save files to a network drive or work collaboratively with others, it is important to adopt a CAD-aware data management system. Using a dedicated data management system tracks part changes, takes automatic backups, and can restore older versions of files with minimal data loss.

To learn more about CAD-aware data management, read our guide here.

The post Using the SOLIDWORKS Backup and Auto-Recovery Options appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

Borrowed licenses let a user reserve a software entitlement, disconnect from the network, and continue to work offline. SOLIDWORKS 2025 added the ability to only use borrowed licenses, resulting in a variety of benefits.

Why Should You Only Use Borrowed Licenses?

By only using borrowed licenses, SOLIDWORKS’ startup will be faster since it does not need to ping the license server to check activation status. This is a quick user-controlled alternative to an options file that can be applied at the server level.

The SolidNetWork License Manager with the option to restrict borrowed licenses

Additionally, this can be used to prevent a user from unintentionally pulling a higher-level package. For example, someone may accidentally turn on the SOLIDWORKS Routing add-in and pull a SOLIDWORKS Premium license when they really only needed Standard.

What Are the Limitations of Borrowing Licenses?

Time Limit

Licenses can be borrowed for up to 30 days and then are returned automatically at the end of the time frame, or can be returned manually via the License Borrowing tab of the SolidNetWork License Manager. While borrowed, the user can work offline and away from the network to better support off-site work.

Failing to Obtain a License

If a user borrows a license and returns to the office before the end of the borrowing period, SOLIDWORKS will continue to work since the license is still borrowed. However, if they try to launch another SOLIDWORKS tool, they would potentially receive the “Failed to obtain a license” error.

This is because the SolidNetWork License Manager Client is set to only use borrowed licenses even when connected to the local SOLIDWORKS  network. To solve this, either disable the setting or return the borrowed licenses.

How to Only Use Borrowed SOLIDWORKS Licenses

Without any borrowed licenses, the option to solely use them is grayed out.

To only use borrowed licenses:

1. Open the SolidNetWork License Manager.
2. Switch to the License Borrowing tab.
3. Borrow the licenses you want to use.
4. Select the option to Only use borrowed licenses.

When selecting SOLIDWORKS Premium or Professional licenses, you will receive a pop-up to borrow either the Professional/Premium or a SOLIDWORKS Standard license. Selecting the Premium/Professional option will also bring Standard to the borrowed section as they are both required.

Choosing between SOLIDWORKS Standard and Premium when borrowing licenses

You will need to select any products that you plan to use when disconnected from the network. It is important to do so before leaving because it is not recommended to borrow a license over a VPN connection after the fact.

Additional Tools to Enable Remote Work

SOLIDWORKS has a variety of tools that enable collaboration from both local and remote employees. Borrowing a license is just the beginning of enabling remote work for your team.

Many engineering design teams need to collaborate across remote or hybrid environments. SOLIDWORKS PDM can be a vital tool for staying connected to design data when paired with the right architecture and access methods.

To learn more about working remotely with SOLIDWORKS PDM, read our guide here.

The post How to Only Use Borrowed Licenses with SOLIDWORKS appeared first on The Javelin Blog.

If the dispatch add-in is installed in a SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional vault, it can trigger a variety of events. In the example below, we will create a dispatch action to rename a file in the PDM vault using the menu option.

Automatically Renaming Files in SOLIDWORKS PDM

A commonly automated task is to rename a large number of vaulted files based on a user input or with data card variables. Doing this by hand would require a lot of manual effort, and custom-coding an external tool would require many man-hours.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Dispatch is the perfect solution for traditionally tedious tasks.

Opening Dispatch in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration Tool

Dispatch rules are created in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool and are typically reserved for admins.

To open Dispatch:

1. Log in to the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool with elevated credentials.
2. Expand the Add-ins section.
3. Double-click on Dispatch.
   

   SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration Tool

4. In the bottom left of the window, select Administrate Actions to launch the rules window.
   

   Administrate Actions

Creating a New Dispatch Rule

The logic of Dispatch comes from the rules that are created and will serve as instructions to tell your vault how to automate.

Adding a new Dispatch action

To create a new SOLIDWORKS PDM Dispatch action:

1. Click Add… to start creating a new rule.
2. Enter a descriptive name for the rule.
   

   Setting up an action to rename SOLIDWORKS files

3. Select an activation method.
   • Menu command will give the rule a menu option in the right-click menu. This option can be beneficial for batch-updating legacy files without using a transition to change their states.
   • During state transition will let you define conditions for when the rule activates during a workflow change. Additional arguments can be added for file paths and workflow states.
   • During check out will let you define conditions for when the rule activates when checking in files. Additional arguments can be added for file path and if the rule triggers before or after check out.
   • During add will run the rule when a new file is added to the vault.
4. Click OK to confirm.

For our guide, use the Menu command before proceeding.

Creating Variables for the Action

Once the name, description, and activation method are determined, you have to create variables to tell the Dispatch rule what to update. These can be static strings, variable strings, system variables, or a combination.

Required variables for renaming SOLIDWORKS files

For a Dispatch rule that renames SOLIDWORKS files, you need the following variables:

• A runtime variable
• A variable to capture the extension of the selected file or files
• A variable to capture the existing file name
• A variable to store the next file name

Creating the Dispatch Logic

After the variables are set, move on to defining the logic for the Dispatch rule. As you are working through the logic and need more variables, you can always go back to add more.

Finalized Dispatch logic to rename files

Warning Message Box

Create a Yes-No MessageBox step using the runtime variable to give a final confirmation step before running the script.

If Statement

Create a Jump step with an IF statement that checks whether the previous step is true or false.

• If No: The Dispatch script will jump to the end of the script without running logic.
• If Yes: The Dispatch script will proceed with the automation.

Renaming Files

Create a Move/Rename file step that will take the original file path and rename it based on the variables. This step should only trigger if the IF statement proceeds.

End Block

At the end of the logic block, create an END step. This will exit out of the logic and stop it from consuming resources.

Enhanced Automation with Custom Dispatch Programming

For simple SOLIDWORKS PDM automation, creating a custom Dispatch script yourself is a great way to streamline engineering. However, as automations get more complex and the affected file list grows, it can introduce more room for errors with production if not set up correctly.

It is important to be confident in the generated scripts, and someone who might not do this often may do more harm than good. That’s where our team of experts comes in to help you build, test, and deploy automation to keep engineering moving forward.

Click here to learn more about our SOLIDWORKS PDM services that help both small businesses and large enterprises.

The post How to Use SOLIDWORKS PDM Dispatch to Automatically Rename Files appeared first on The Javelin Blog.