Creating a Bounding Box

With the Bounding Box tool in Reference Geometry, you can create a box that completely encloses a model within a minimum volume. You can create a bounding box for a multibody, single body, or sheet metal part.

In the Bounding Box PropertyManager, you can orient a bounding box by selecting a planar face of the part or a reference plane. When the part updates, the bounding box automatically resizes.

You can include hidden bodies and surfaces in the bounding box. You can also hide, show, suppress, and unsuppress a bounding box from a shortcut menu.

Four bounding box properties are available in the Configuration Specific tab of the Summary Information dialog box. The dimensions in these properties can help you determine the space required to ship and package product. You can reference these properties in BOMs and other tables.

Calculating a bounding box for a part with many faces can be time consuming. If a part has many faces, you should create the bounding box after you finish modeling the part.

Previously, you could only create a bounding box for a cut list item in weldments.

To create a bounding box and view its properties:

  1. In a part document, click Bounding Box (Reference Geometry toolbar) or Insert > Reference Geometry > Bounding Box.
  2. In the Bounding Box PropertyManager, leave Best Fit selected and click .

    The software automatically calculates the bounding box for the part as shown. In the FeatureManager design tree, Bounding Box is added after Origin.

    The bounding box calculated by the SOLIDWORKS software might not have the minimum volume for some bodies and parts. You should use past experience and experimental data to review the suggested bounding box, and modify it if necessary.
  3. To view bounding box properties, click File > Properties > Configuration Specific tab.

    Values for thickness, width, length, and volume of the bounding box are listed.

  4. If you hide a body in the part, the bounding box automatically updates and only encloses the visible bodies in the model.
  5. To edit the bounding box, in the FeatureManager design tree, right-click Bounding Box, and click Edit Feature . Then in the PropertyManager, click Include hidden bodies and click .