Upgrading Legacy Cosmetic Threads

SOLIDWORKS 2019 introduced improvements in how cosmetic threads are created, updated, and displayed when there are child references in downstream features. The improved behavior provides more stable references for edges and faces, along with correct parameters for assemblies, drawings, and graphics.

Improvements also include support for tapered threads, mirrored and patterned geometry, better mapping to nonplanar surfaces, and standards for tapered shafts.

For example:
  • When you use the Split Line tool to split a face where shaded cosmetic threads display, then rebuild the part, the shaded cosmetic threads and diameter are retained at the correct location.
  • Cosmetic threads created from instances of pattern and mirror features display correctly when you hide and show model geometry.
  • Cosmetic threads in derived and mirrored parts display in the correct position when you create derived parts using the Mirror Part, Insert Part, Saved Body, and Split Body tools.
  • Cosmetic threads behave as expected when you copy bodies using the Move Body and Copy Body tools.
  • You have more control when you add features such as chamfers on edges and cosmetic threads are selected, and when you use Hole Wizard to create a hole with cosmetic threads on a reference plane. Also, when you suppress a hole with Hole Wizard, child cosmetic threads are suppressed.
  • When you use a design table to assign different values for thread length to each configuration, cosmetic threads update accordingly.

If you want to use the improved cosmetic thread features with parts, assemblies, and drawings created with SOLIDWORKS 2018 or an earlier release, you must upgrade them. You can upgrade a document manually or in batches using an API (IModelDocExtension::UpgradeLegacyCThreads). For information, see the SOLIDWORKS API Help. You can also contact SOLIDWORKS Technical Support.

When you upgrade a part, you may need to adjust the assemblies and drawings where the part is used. For example, drawings might have dangling annotations and dimensions.

To upgrade legacy cosmetic threads in a part, assembly, or drawing:

  1. In Tools > Options > System Options > General, select Allow cosmetic threads for upgrade and click OK.
    If you are an administrator, you can use the Settings Administrator Tool to propagate this option among your users.
  2. Open the model and right-click the top item in the FeatureManager design tree, and click Upgrade cosmetic thread features.

After you upgrade, the command, Upgrade cosmetic thread features, is no longer available for that model.