Document Properties - Weldments

On a per-document basis, use the Document Properties - Weldments page to specify how the weldment software creates cut lists and configurations.

To open the Document Properties - Weldments page, click Tools > Options > Document Properties > Weldments.

Default Behavior

The first time you create a part document, the SOLIDWORKS software turns on the following Weldment document properties in the part template that is created:

  • Automatically create cut lists
  • Automatically update cut lists
  • Rename cut list folders with Description property value

If you continue to use this part template, these options are enabled for all new part documents.

To disable any of these options, clear the option, save the template, and use the saved template to create new parts.

If you create parts using pre-2015 templates, these options are turned off.

Automatically create cut lists Enables the Create Cut Lists Automatically setting on the cut list shortcut menu.

This setting automatically groups similar bodies together within one cut list folder.
Automatically update cut lists (may affect performance with many bodies) Enables the Update Automatically setting on the cut list shortcut menu.

This setting updates the model's custom properties and internal supporting data when you make geometry changes or edits to weldments.
Create derived configurations Creates the derived configuration Default[As Welded] when you create a structural member in a part.
Assign configuration Description strings Only available when Create derived configurations is enabled.

Adds the As Welded and As Machined configuration descriptions when you insert a weldment feature into a new part.
Rename cut list folders with Description property value Enables the option to rename cut list folders with the Description property value.

The behavior of this option is as follows:

  • When you create new parts in SOLIDWORKS 2015 or later using blank templates, the option is enabled.
  • When you create new parts in SOLIDWORKS 2015 or later with existing/saved templates that were created using SOLIDWORKS 2015, the option is read from the templates you use.
  • When you create new parts with existing/saved templates that were created in versions before SOLIDWORKS 2015, the option is disabled.
  • For files created with a version of SOLIDWORKS that is older than 2015, the option is disabled. You must manually enable it for these files.

Bounding Box Properties

You can customize the default description settings of bounding box properties for new or existing solid and sheet metal cut list bodies.

Solid Bodies Description Properties for solid bodies include:
  • Plate (Name)

    You can overwrite with another name for Plate in the text box.

  • SW-Thickness
  • SW-Width
  • SW-Length

You can change the order of properties by clicking the drop-down arrows. If you select None for a value, the property is removed from the text expression.

Select Use default description to use the text expression as the default.

Sheet Metal Bodies Description Sheet metal bodies only include a Sheet (Name) property. You can overwrite and type another name for Sheet in the text box.

Select Use default description to use the text expression as the default.

Apply to Select to apply a description to New bounding boxes or to Existing and new bounding boxes.