Troubleshooting Resources

Summary of troubleshooting resources available within the SOLIDWORKS software and at the SOLIDWORKS website.

Resources within SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS tools help you find and fix errors in sketches, features, parts, assemblies, and imported models.

Resource Description
What's Wrong? A dialog box lists the errors and warnings in the model (parts, features, sketches), along with descriptions of the errors, previews, and links to help. The icons also appear in the FeatureManager design tree.
SOLIDWORKS Error Report Dialog Box When a crash occurs, the dialog box lets you send a crash report, including a description of your action when the crash occurred. You can run SOLIDWORKS RX, contact SOLIDWORKS Support, and restart the SOLIDWORKS software if recovery data is available.
Display/Delete Relations Displays sketch relations by category such as Dangling, Broken, Over Defined/Not Solved. See an example in Error Message - Over Defined Sketch.
SketchXpert Resolves conflicts in over defined sketches and proposes possible solution sets.
Check Sketch for Feature Checks the validity of a sketch for use in a feature. If a sketch is not used to create a feature, the contour is checked for errors that are common to all contour types. See an example in Error Message - Check Sketch for Feature.
Repair Sketch Repairs sketch errors such as small gaps, overlapping geometry, and multiple short segments.
Check Entity Checks model geometry to identify undesirable geometry such as invalid faces, invalid edges, short edges, minimum radius of curvature, edge gaps, and vertex gaps.
Import Diagnostics For imported files, repairs faulty surfaces, knits repaired surfaces into closed bodies, and makes closed bodies into solids.
MateXpert Identifies mating problems in assemblies, including mates that are not satisfied and groups that over define the assembly.
Missing Reference Ghosting When an entity used as a reference in a feature is missing, a ghost of the missing reference appears in the graphics area, and a warning message appears in the PropertyManager.

Additional tools help determine the validity of model designs.

Resource Description
FilletXpert Manages, organizes, and reorders constant radius fillets so you can concentrate on your design intent.
DraftXpert Manages the creation and modification of neutral plane drafts.
AssemblyXpert Analyzes performance of assemblies and suggests possible action you can take to improve performance.
Mass properties Displays properties such as density, mass, volume, surface area, center of mass, and moments of inertia.
Interference Detection Finds interferences between static components in an assembly.
Collision Detection Detects collisions with other components in an assembly when moving or rotating a component.
Physical Dynamics Allows one object to act on another, moving according to the available degrees of freedom. (Characteristics such as momentum, friction, and elasticity are not considered.)
SOLIDWORKS Motion Simulates the effects of motors, springs, and gravity in assemblies.
SOLIDWORKS Simulation Analyzes stress in solid, single-body parts with specified material properties, restraints, and loads.
Mold Design Tools Helps analyze mold designs with tools such as Draft Analysis, Heal Edges, and Undercut Detection.
SOLIDWORKS Design Checker (add-in) Verifies design elements such as dimensioning standards, fonts, materials, and sketches to ensure that the document meets the design criteria that you designate.

Resources at the SOLIDWORKS Website

The SOLIDWORKS Web site provides information on solving problems and contacting Technical Support. Log in with your SOLIDWORKS serial number.

Search SOLIDWORKS Technical Information On the Customer Portal, select a section under Self Service, then search by word or phrase for technical articles and information.
SPR (Software Performance Report) Search for specific reports or the problems and enhancements that are addressed in SOLIDWORKS service packs. On the Customer Portal, look under My Support.
Graphics and Hardware Check hardware system requirements and certified graphics cards and drivers. On the Customer Portal, under Self Service, click Graphics and Hardware.
Discussion Forum Discuss issues with other SOLIDWORKS customers. On the Customer Portal, under Self Service, click Discussion Forum.

You can also access the Discussion Forum from directly within the SOLIDWORKS software on the SOLIDWORKS Forum tab of the Task Pane. To enable the SOLIDWORKS Forum tab, on the SOLIDWORKS Resources tab of the Task Pane, click Discussion Forum.
Contacting Technical Support After attempting to solve problems through resources on the website, collect information about your system and the problem, then contact your Value-Added Reseller (VAR). SOLIDWORKS Rx can help you collect the information you need.

SOLIDWORKS Rx

SOLIDWORKS Rx analyzes your system, suggests possible solutions, and captures data that can help technical support personnel diagnose problems. You can run SOLIDWORKS Rx from the SOLIDWORKS Resources tab of the Task Pane, under SOLIDWORKS Tools.

To run SOLIDWORKS Rx without opening the SOLIDWORKS software, in Microsoft Windows click Start > All Programs > SOLIDWORKS version > SOLIDWORKS Tools > SOLIDWORKS Rx.