With the launch of SOLIDWORKS 2021, which is already available for subscription users, we are beyond excited to present 6 update highlights that will bring immense value to the user experience. This release involves performance enhancements and expanded functionalities, which improve design workflows, documentation, data management, validation and manufacturing. Without further a-do, let us dive right into the new and innovative features that will make your work considerably more fun.
1. Detailing mode for Drawings
With detailing mode, opening and detailing drawings has never been easier. It is especially effective when working with drawings or large assemblies or when dealing with large multi-sheet drawings. In SOLIDWORKS 2021, many enhancements have been made in the areas of detailing and view creation. This extends the capability of detailing mode to fully detail your drawings in record time without having to load full drawings containing large assemblies, lots of sheets, many configurations and resource intensive views.
2. Assembly Performance
In SOLIDWORKS 2021 performance enhancements have been made to accessing and working on your assemblies more efficiently. Dynamically load Lightweight Components, find Circular References and create Defeatured assemblies as Configurations. Combine these time saving enhancements with improved graphics and you will spend more time designing and less time waiting.
3. Assembly Productivity Tools
New Productivity tools for Assemblies in SOLIDWORKS 2021 give you more control over your assembly designs. We have introduced a new Mate Property Manager, new spacing options for Chain Patterns and synchronization options for patterned Component Configurations. In addition, there have been improvements made with mate alignment control and new options for Slot Mate defaults including the ability to lock the rotation of Slot Mates.
4. Improved User Experience
SOLIDWORKS is known for its intuitive and customizable user interface. In SOLIDWORKS 2021 the user experience gets even better with enhancements that make you more productive and allows you to focus on your designs. Now you can more effortlessly color sketches, redo feature edits and collapse the command manager to leave more space for your designs. Customizability of the user interface is also enhanced, so you always have the most essential tools at your disposal.
5. Drawing Performance
When working with large assemblies, view manipulation is vital to a good user experience. SOLIDWORKS 2021 features significant graphics performance enhancements. When working with massive drawings the software has been optimized for responsiveness and delivers a more consistent and predictable experience when navigating a drawing. Now you can zoom, pan, scroll and move massive drawings with much less latency.
6. Parts
In SOLIDWORKS 2021 sheet metal edge flanges can now be created along non-linear edges. Also, export and import of 3MF files is vastly improved with better support for color, textures and transparency. When working in the weldment environment, miter trims have also become easier to design, with the new flush miter tool, trimming tubes for accurate alignment – and the best part is that other vertical members mirror accordingly. When you are finished with your design, just drag the dropper to any color on your screen to use it in your design. Finally, equations can now be evaluated in Custom Properties, Weldment and Sheet Metal Cut List Properties. Working with parts have never been more intuitive.
Finn Moesborg
Application Engineer
