> Assemblies > Top-Down Design > Layout Sketches > Layout-based Assembly Design
Introduction
Administration
User Interface
SolidWorks Fundamentals
Moving from 2D to 3D
Assemblies
Assemblies Overview
The FeatureManager Design Tree in an Assembly
Adding Components to an Assembly
Design Methods
Top-Down Design
Top Down Design Overview
Creating a Part in an Assembly
Editing a Part in an Assembly
Inserting a New Sub-assembly
Layout Sketches
Layout Sketch Overview
Layout-based Assembly Design
Virtual Components Overview
External References
Moving and Rotating Components
Mates
Sub-assemblies
Controlling the Display of Assemblies
External Files
Detecting Problems
Component Patterns and Mirroring
Exploded Views in Assemblies
Other Assembly Techniques
Large Design Review
Improving Large Assembly Performance
CircuitWorks
Configurations
SolidWorks Costing
Design Checker
Design Studies in SolidWorks
Drawings and Detailing
DFMXpress
DriveWorksXpress
FloXpress
Import and Export
Large Scale Design
Model Display
Mold Design
Motion Studies
Parts and Features
Routing
Sheet Metal
Simulation
SimulationXpress
Sketching
Sustainability Products
SolidWorks Utilities
Tolerancing
Toolbox
Weldments
Workgroup PDM
Troubleshooting
Glossary
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Layout-based Assembly Design

In layout-based assembly design, you can switch back and forth between top-down and bottom-up design methods. You can create, edit, and delete parts and blocks at any point in the design cycle without any history-based restrictions. This is particularly useful during the conceptual design process, when you frequently experiment with and make changes to the assembly structure and components.

To create a layout:

  1. Open a new assembly.

  2. In the Begin Assembly PropertyManager, click Create Layout.

A 3D sketch opens, and Layout appears in the FeatureManager design tree.

  1. Create sketch entities and group related entities into blocks.

  2. Close the blocks and the sketch.

You can create a layout in an existing assembly by clicking Create Layout (Layout Tools toolbar).

Related Topics

Make Part from Block

Virtual Components Overview

 



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