Updating Cut Lists

You can update cut lists manually or automatically.

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

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

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

To disable either of these options:

  1. Click Tools > Options > Document Properties > Weldments to open the Weldments Document Properties page.
  2. Clear the option.
  3. Save the template.
  4. Use the saved template to create new parts.

In the FeatureManager design tree, the cut list icon shows the cut list status:

  • indicates the cut list is up to date.
  • fm_cutlist_needs_update.png indicates the cut list should be updated.

Within a specific model, you can turn automatic update on or off.

To enable automatic update:

  • Right-click the cut list and click Update Automatically.

    The software updates the cut list automatically when you add new features, such as extruded plates or 3D bounding boxes, edit existing features, or rebuild the model.

    The model's custom properties and internal supporting data are also updated, preventing custom property errors.

To manually update the cut list if automatic update is not enabled:

  • In the FeatureManager design tree of a weldment part document, right-click Cut list fm_cutlist_needs_update.png and select Update.

    The Cut List icon changes to .

    Identical items are grouped together in Cut-List-Item subfolders. Weld beads are excluded from the cut list. You can select other features to also be excluded.