Glossary
A
absorbed
A feature, sketch, or annotation that is contained in another
item (usually a feature) in the FeatureManager design tree. Examples are the profile
sketch and profile path in a base-sweep, or a cosmetic thread annotation in a
hole.
align
Tools that assist in lining up annotations and dimensions (left,
right, top, bottom, and so on). For aligning parts in an assembly, see
mate.
alternate position view
A drawing view in which one or more views are superimposed in
phantom lines on the original view. Alternate position views are often used to show
range of motion of an assembly.
anchor point
(1) The end of a leader that attaches to the note, block, or
other annotation. See
attachment point. (2) Sheet formats
contain anchor points for a bill of materials, a hole table, a revision table, and a
weldment cut list.
annotation
A text note or a symbol that adds specific design intent to a
part, assembly, or drawing. Specific types of annotations include note, hole callout,
surface finish symbol, datum feature symbol, datum target, geometric tolerance symbol,
weld symbol, balloon, and stacked balloon. Annotations that apply only to drawings
include center mark, annotation centerline, area hatch, and block.
appearance callouts
Callouts that display the colors and textures of the face,
feature, body, and part under the entity selected and are a shortcut to editing colors
and textures.
area hatch
A crosshatch pattern or fill applied to a selected face or to a
closed sketch in a drawing. See
crosshatch.
assembly
A document in which parts, features, and other assemblies
(subassemblies) are mated together. The parts and subassemblies exist in documents
separate from the assembly. For example, in an assembly, a piston can be mated to other
parts, such as a connecting rod or cylinder. This new assembly can then be used as a
subassembly in an assembly of an engine. The extension for a SOLIDWORKS assembly file
name is .SLDASM. See
subassembly.
attachment point
The end of a leader that attaches to the model (to an edge,
vertex, or face, for example) or to a drawing sheet. See
anchor
point.
axis
A straight line that can be used to create model geometry,
features, or patterns. An axis can be made in a number of different ways, including
using the intersection of two planes. See
temporary axis,
reference geometry.
B
balloon
Labels parts in an assembly, typically including item numbers and
quantity. In drawings, the item numbers are related to rows in a bill of materials
(BOM). See stacked balloon.
base
The first solid feature of a part.
baseline dimensions
Sets of dimensions measured from the same edge or vertex in a
drawing. See
ordinate dimensions.
bend
A feature in a sheet metal part. A bend generated from a filleted
corner, cylindrical face, or conical face is a round bend; a bend generated from
sketched straight lines is a sharp bend.
bevel
bill of materials
A table inserted into a drawing to keep a record of the parts
used in an assembly.
blend
block
A user-defined annotation that you can use in parts, assemblies,
and drawings. A block can contain text, sketch entities (except points), and area hatch,
and it can be saved in a file for later use as, for example, a custom callout or a
company logo.
BOM
See bill of materials.
bottom-up design
An assembly modeling technique where you create parts and then
insert them into an assembly. See
top-down design.
bounding box
An imaginary box created by SOLIDWORKS that completely encloses a
model, component, or drawing view.
broken-out section
A drawing view that exposes inner details of a drawing view by
removing material from a closed profile, usually a spline.
C
cavity
center mark
A cross that marks the center of a circle or arc.
centerline
A centerline marks, in phantom font, an axis of symmetry in a
sketch or drawing.
chamfer
Bevels a selected edge or vertex. You can apply chamfers to both
sketches and features.
child
A dependent feature related to a previously built feature. For
example, a chamfer on the edge of a hole is a child of the parent hole.
click-click
As you sketch, if you click and then release the pointer, you are
in click-click mode. Move the pointer and click again to define the next point in the
sketch sequence.
click-drag
As you sketch, if you click and drag the pointer, you are in
click-drag mode. When you release the pointer, the sketch entity is complete.
closed profile
Also called a closed contour, it is a sketch or sketch entity
with no exposed endpoints; for example, a circle or polygon.
collapse
The opposite of explode. The collapse action returns an exploded
assembly's parts to their normal positions.
Collision Detection
An assembly function that detects collisions between components
when components move or rotate. A collision occurs when an entity on one component
coincides with any entity on another component.
component
Any part or subassembly within an assembly
configuration
A variation of a part or assembly within a single document.
Variations can include different dimensions, features, and properties. For example, a
single part such as a bolt can contain different configurations that vary the diameter
and length. See
design table.
ConfigurationManager
Located on the left side of the SOLIDWORKS window, it is a means
to create, select, and view the configurations of parts and assemblies.
constraint
construction geometry
The characteristic of a sketch entity that the entity is used in
creating other geometry but is not itself used in creating features. See
reference geometry.
continuity
Continuity defines the junction point between two curves or
surfaces. A higher continuity implies a less visible junction point. G0, G1, and G2
continuity is independent of the parameterization of the curve or surface. C0, C1,
and C2 continuity is dependent on the parameterization of the curve or surface. In
general, C continuity is more stringent than G continuity. For example, C2
continuity always implies G2 continuity, and C1 continuity always implies G1
continuity, but not vice versa.
Curves or surfaces that meet are said to have continuity of G0, or
contact continuity. Curves or surfaces that are tangent have a continuity of G1, or
tangent continuity. Curves or surfaces for which the rate of change of the radius of
curvature is the same where they meet have a continuity of G2, also described as
curvature continuous. You can use curvature continuous in creating face blend
fillets. A loft with side tangency is an example of level G1.
If the junction point of two curves or surfaces is G2 curvature
continuous, continuity may not be C2 or even C1 because the curves or surfaces may
be parameterized such that at equal change of parameter near the junction, the
parameterized point on one curve or surface may move more than the parameterized
point on the other curve or surface. However, if the curves or surfaces that meet
are parameterized such that the amount of movement for each point is the same, then
the junction continuity is both C1 and C2 as well as G1 and G2.
coordinate system
A system of planes used to assign Cartesian coordinates to
features, parts, and assemblies. Part and assembly documents contain default coordinate
systems; other coordinate systems can be defined with reference geometry. Coordinate
systems can be used with measurement tools and for exporting documents to other file
formats.
cosmetic thread
An annotation that represents threads.
crosshatch
A pattern (or fill) applied to drawing views such as section
views and broken-out sections.
curvature
Curvature is equal to the inverse of the radius of the curve. The
curvature can be displayed in different colors according to the local radius (usually of
a surface).
cut
A feature that removes material from a part by such actions as
extrude, revolve, loft, sweep, thicken, cavity, and so on.
D
dangling
A dimension, relation, or drawing section view that is
unresolved. For example, if a piece of geometry is dimensioned, and that geometry is
later deleted, the dimension becomes dangling.
Defeature
With the Defeature tool, you can remove details from a part or assembly and save
the results to a new file in which the details are replaced by dumb solids (that is,
solids without feature definition or history). You can then share the new file without
revealing all the design details of the model.
degrees of freedom
Geometry that is not defined by dimensions or relations is free
to move. In 2D sketches, there are three degrees of freedom: movement along the X and Y
axes, and rotation about the Z axis (the axis normal to the sketch plane). In 3D
sketches and in assemblies, there are six degrees of freedom: movement along the X, Y,
and Z axes, and rotation about the X, Y, and Z axes. See
under
defined.
derived part
A derived part is a new base, mirror, or component part created
directly from an existing part and linked to the original part such that changes to the
original part are reflected in the derived part.
derived sketch
A copy of a sketch, in either the same part or the same assembly,
that is connected to the original sketch. Changes in the original sketch are reflected
in the derived sketch.
Design Clipart
Using SOLIDWORKS Search, Design Clipart searches specific
folders, finds and dissects files, and extracts data that you can reuse in SOLIDWORKS.
Design Library
Located in the Task Pane, the Design Library provides a central
location for reusable elements such as parts, assemblies, and so on.
design table
An Excel spreadsheet that is used to create multiple
configurations in a part or assembly document. See
configuration.
detached drawing
A drawing format that allows opening and working in a drawing
without loading the corresponding models into memory. The models are loaded on an
as-needed basis.
detail view
A portion of a larger view, usually at a larger scale than the
original view.
dimension line
A linear dimension line references the dimension text to
extension lines indicating the entity being measured. An angular dimension line
references the dimension text directly to the measured object.
DimXpertManager
Located on the left side of the SOLIDWORKS window, it is a means
to manage dimensions and tolerances created using DimXpert for parts.
DimXpert for parts
A set of tools that applies dimensions and tolerances to parts
according to the requirements of the ASME Y.14.41-2003 standard.
DisplayManager
The DisplayManager lists the appearances, decals, lights, scene,
and cameras applied to the current model. From the DisplayManager, you can view applied
content, and add, edit, or delete items.
When PhotoView 360 is added in, the
DisplayManager also provides access to PhotoView options.
dock point
A point on an annotation, shown by a dashed red square, where you
can attach a multi-jog leader.
document
A file containing a part, assembly, or drawing.
draft
The degree of taper or angle of a face, usually applied to molds
or castings.
drawing
A 2D representation of a 3D part or assembly. The extension for a
SOLIDWORKS drawing file name is .SLDDRW.
drawing sheet
A page in a drawing document.
driven dimension
driving dimension
Also referred to as a model dimension, it sets the value for a
sketch entity. It can also control distance, thickness, and feature parameters.
Dynamic Clearance
An assembly function that detects the clearance between
components when the components move or rotate. The clearance is the minimum distance
between any entity on one component to any entity on another component.
E
edge
A single outside boundary of a feature.
edge flange
A sheet metal feature that combines a bend and a tab in a single
operation.
envelope
A reference component that you use to select components based on
their positions relative to the envelope volume. Envelopes are ignored in assembly
operations such as bill of materials and mass properties.
equation
Creates a mathematical relation between sketch dimensions, using
dimension names as variables, or between feature parameters, such as the depth of an
extruded feature or the instance count in a pattern.
exploded view
Shows an assembly with its components separated from one
another, usually to show how to assemble the mechanism.
export
Save a SOLIDWORKS document in another format for use in other
CAD/CAM, rapid prototyping, web, or graphics software applications.
extension line
The line extending from the model indicating the point from which
a dimension is measured.
extrude
A feature that linearly projects a sketch to either add material
to a part (in a base or boss) or remove material from a part (in a cut or hole).
F
face
A selectable area (planar or otherwise) of a model or surface
with boundaries that help define the shape of the model or surface. For example, a
rectangular solid has six faces. See
surface.
fasteners
feature
An individual shape that, combined with other features, makes up
a part or assembly. Some features, such as bosses and cuts, originate as sketches. Other
features, such as shells and fillets, modify a feature's geometry. However, not all
features have associated geometry. Features are always listed in the FeatureManager
design tree. See
surface,
out-of-context feature.
feature lines
In ScanTo3D, feature lines form the boundaries between regions.
You can edit feature lines in the Automatic Surface Creation
PropertyManager.
FeatureManager design tree
Located on the left side of the SOLIDWORKS window, it provides an
outline view of the active part, assembly, or drawing.
fill
A solid area hatch or crosshatch. Fill also applies to patches on
surfaces.
fillet
An internal rounding of a corner or edge in a sketch, or an edge
on a surface or solid.
fillet corner
A corner where exactly three filleted edges meet at one
vertex.
Fit tolerance
The tolerance between a hole and a shaft.
forming tool
Dies that bend, stretch, or otherwise form sheet metal to create
such form features as louvers, lances, flanges, and ribs.
fully defined
A sketch where all lines and curves in the sketch, and their
positions, are described by dimensions or relations, or both, and cannot be moved. Fully
defined sketch entities are shown in black.
G
geometric tolerance
A set of standard symbols that specify the geometric
characteristics and dimensional requirements of a feature.
global variable
A variable that you define, for use in equations, custom
properties, and so on.
graphics area
The area in the SOLIDWORKS window where the part, assembly, or
drawing appears.
Grid Systems
You can use Grid Systems to guide placement of structural
members, locate equipment, or provide visual reference to the overall design.
guide curve
A 2D or 3D curve used to guide a sweep or loft.
H
handle
An arrow, square, or circle that you can drag to adjust the size
or position of an entity (a feature, dimension, or sketch entity, for example).
helix
A curve defined by pitch, revolutions, and height. A helix can be
used, for example, as a path for a swept feature cutting threads in a bolt.
hem
A sheet metal feature that folds back at the edge of a part. A
hem can be open, closed, double, or tear-drop.
HLR
(hidden lines removed) A view mode in which all edges of the
model that are not visible from the current view angle are removed from the display.
HLV
(hidden lines visible) A view mode in which all edges of the
model that are not visible from the current view angle are shown gray or dashed.
hole table
A table that lists the size and location (from a specified origin
datum) of specified holes in a drawing view.
hollow
I
import
Open files from other CAD software applications into a SOLIDWORKS
document.
in-context feature
A feature with an external reference to the geometry of another
component; the in-context feature changes automatically if the geometry of the
referenced model or feature changes.
inferencing
The system automatically creates (infers) relations between
dragged entities (sketched entities, annotations, and components) and other entities and
geometry. This is useful when positioning entities relative to one another.
instance
An item in a pattern or a component in an assembly that occurs
more than once. Blocks are inserted into drawings as instances of block definitions.
Instant3D
Functionality that lets you quickly create and modify model
geometry using drag handles and rulers.
interference detection
A tool that displays any interference between selected
components in an assembly.
iso-parametric curves
Curves that follow constant UV directions.
J
jog
(1) A sheet metal feature that adds material to a part by
creating two bends from a sketched line. (2) A sketch tool that adds jogs to sketches.
K
knit
A tool that combines two or more faces or surfaces into one. The
edges of the surfaces must be adjacent and not overlapping, but they cannot ever be
planar. There is no difference in the appearance of the face or the surface after
knitting.
L
layer
A layer in a drawing can contain dimensions, annotations,
geometry, and components. You can change the visibility of individual layers to simplify
a drawing or assign properties to all entities in a given layer.
layout sketch
A sketch that contains important sketch entities, dimensions, and
relations. You reference the entities in the layout sketch when creating new sketches,
building new geometry, or positioning components in an assembly. This allows for easier
updating of your model because changes you make to the layout sketch propagate to the
entire model.
leader
A solid line from an annotation (note, dimension, and so on) to
the referenced feature.
library feature
A frequently used feature, or combination of features, that is
created once and then saved for future use.
lightweight
A part in an assembly or a drawing has only a subset of its model
data loaded into memory. The remaining model data is loaded on an as-needed basis. This
improves performance of large and complex assemblies. See
resolved.
line
A straight sketch entity with two endpoints. A line can be
created by projecting an external entity such as an edge, plane, axis, or sketch curve
into the sketch.
linked dimensions
loft
A base, boss, cut, or surface feature created by transitions
between profiles.
lofted bend
A sheet metal feature that produces a roll form or a transitional
shape from two open profile sketches. Lofted bends often create funnels and chutes.
M
mass properties
A tool that evaluates the characteristics of a part or an
assembly such as volume, surface area, centroid, and so on.
mate
A geometric relationship, such as coincident, perpendicular,
tangent, and so on, between parts in an assembly. See
SmartMates.
mate reference
Specifies one or more entities of a component to use for
automatic mating. When you drag a component with a mate reference into an assembly, the
software tries to find other combinations of the same mate reference name and mate type.
Mates folder
A collection of mates that are solved together. The order in
which the mates appear within the Mates folder
does not matter.
mirror
(1) A mirror feature is a copy of a selected feature, mirrored
about a plane or planar face. (2) A mirror sketch entity is a copy of a selected sketch
entity that is mirrored about a centerline. If the original feature or sketch is
modified, the mirrored copy is updated to reflect the change.
miter flange
A sheet metal feature that joins multiple edge flanges together
and miters the corner.
model
3D solid geometry in a part or assembly document. If a part or
assembly document contains multiple configurations, each configuration is a separate
model.
model dimension
A dimension specified in a sketch or a feature in a part or
assembly document that defines some entity in a 3D model.
model item
A characteristic or dimension of feature geometry that can be
used in detailing drawings.
model view
A drawing view of a part or assembly.
mold
A set of manufacturing tooling used to shape molten plastic or
other material into a designed part. You design the mold using a sequence of integrated
tools that result in cavity and core blocks that are derived parts of the part to be
molded.
Motion Studies
Motion Studies are graphical simulations of motion and visual
properties with assembly models. Analogous to a configuration, they do not actually
change the original assembly model or its properties. They display the model as it
changes based on simulation elements you add.
multibody part
A part with separate solid bodies within the same part document.
Unlike the components in an assembly, multibody parts are not dynamic.
N
native format
DXF and DWG files remain in their original format (are not
converted into SOLIDWORKS format) when viewed in SOLIDWORKS drawing sheets (view only).
non-intersection contour
Also called a profile, it is a sketch in which entities do not
cross each other. For example, a rectangle is a non-intersecting contour, whereas a
cross intersects itself.
O
OLE object
(Object Linking and Embedding) A Windows file format. You can
embed OLE objects in SOLIDWORKS documents.
open profile
Also called an open contour, it is a sketch or sketch entity with
endpoints exposed. For example, a U-shaped profile is open.
ordinate dimensions
A chain of dimensions measured from a zero ordinate in a drawing
or sketch.
origin
The model origin appears as three gray arrows and represents the
(0,0,0) coordinate of the model. When a sketch is active, a sketch origin appears in red
and represents the (0,0,0) coordinate of the sketch. Dimensions and relations can be
added to the model origin, but not to a sketch origin.
out-of-context feature
A feature with an external reference to the geometry of another
component that is not open. See
feature.
over defined
A sketch is over defined when dimensions or relations are either
in conflict or redundant.
overlay
P
parameter
A value used to define a sketch or feature (often a
dimension).
parent
An existing feature on which other features depend. For example,
in a block with a hole, the block is the parent to the child hole feature.
part
A single 3D object made up of features. A part can become a
component in an assembly, and it can be represented in 2D in a drawing. Examples of
parts are bolt, pin, and plate. The extension for a SOLIDWORKS part file name is
.SLDPRT. See
multibody part.
path
A sketch, edge, or curve used in creating a sweep or loft.
pattern
A pattern repeats selected sketch entities, features, or
components in an array, which can be linear, circular, or sketch-driven. If the seed
entity is changed, the other instances in the pattern update.
Physical Dynamics
An assembly tool that displays the motion of assembly components
in a realistic way. When you drag a component, the component applies a force to other
components it touches. Components move only within their degrees of freedom.
pierce relation
Makes a sketch point coincident to the location at which an axis,
edge, line, or spline pierces the sketch plane.
planar
Entities that can lie on one plane. For example, a circle is
planar, but a helix is not.
plane
Flat construction geometry. Planes can be used for a 2D sketch,
section view of a model, a neutral plane in a draft feature, and others.
point
A singular location in a sketch, or a projection into a sketch at
a single location of an external entity (origin, vertex, axis, or point in an external
sketch). See
vertex.
predefined view
A drawing view in which the view position, orientation, and so on
can be specified before a model is inserted. You can save drawing documents with
predefined views as templates.
profile
A sketch entity used to create a feature (such as a loft) or a
drawing view (such as a detail view). A profile can be open (such as a U shape or open
spline) or closed (such as a circle or closed spline).
projected dimension
If you dimension entities in an isometric view, projected
dimensions are the flat dimensions in 2D. See
true
dimension.
projected view
A drawing view projected orthogonally from an existing
view.
PropertyManager
Located on the left side of the SOLIDWORKS window, it is used for
dynamic editing of sketch entities and most features.
R
RealView
A hardware (graphics card) support of advanced shading in real
time; the rendering applies to the model and is retained as you move or rotate a part.
rebuild
Tool that updates (or regenerates) the document with any changes
made since the last time the model was rebuilt. Rebuild is typically used after changing
a model dimension.
reference dimension
A dimension in a drawing that shows the measurement of an item,
but cannot drive the model and its value cannot be modified. When model dimensions
change, reference dimensions update.
reference geometry
Includes planes, axes, coordinate systems, and 3D curves.
Reference geometry is used to assist in creating features such lofts, sweeps, drafts,
chamfers, and patterns. See
construction geometry.
referenced document
Any document that is referenced by another, typically part
documents associated with an assembly or drawing documents associated with part or
assembly documents.
relation
A geometric constraint between sketch entities or between a
sketch entity and a plane, axis, edge, or vertex. Relations can be added automatically
or manually.
relative view
A relative (or relative to model) drawing view is created
relative to planar surfaces in a part or assembly.
reload
Refreshes shared documents. For example, if you open a part file
for read-only access while another user makes changes to the same part, you can reload
the new version, including the changes.
reorder
Reordering (changing the order of) items is possible in the
FeatureManager design tree. In parts, you can change the order in which features are
solved. In assemblies, you can control the order in which components appear in a bill of
materials.
replace
Substitutes one or more open instances of a component in an
assembly with a different component.
resolved
A state of an assembly component (in an assembly or drawing
document) in which it is fully loaded in memory. All the component's model data is
available, so its entities can be selected, referenced, edited, and used in mates. See
lightweight.
revision table
A table that lists the revisions of a drawing.
revolve
A feature that creates a base or boss, a revolved cut, or
revolved surface by revolving one or more sketched profiles around a centerline.
rip
A sheet metal feature that removes material at an edge to allow a
bend.
rollback
Suppresses all items below the rollback bar.
round
round bend
Routing Library Manager
The Routing Library Manager
can be opened independently of the SOLIDWORKS application, and groups several functions
together.
S
section
Another term for profile in sweeps.
section line
A line or centerline sketched in a drawing view to create a
section view.
section scope
Specifies the components to be left uncut when you create an
assembly drawing section view.
section view
A section view (or section cut) is (1) a part or assembly view
cut by a plane, or (2) a drawing view created by cutting another drawing view with a
section line.
seed
A sketch or an entity (a feature, face, or body) that is the
basis for a pattern. If you edit the seed, the other entities in the pattern are
updated.
shaded
shared values
Also called linked dimensions, these are named variables that you
assign to set the value of two or more dimensions to be equal.
sharp
A hard corner of a profile; any two contiguous sketch entities
that do not have a tangent or equal curvature relation with each other.
sharp bend
sheet
sheet format
Includes page size and orientation, standard text, borders, title
blocks, and so on. Sheet formats can be customized and saved for future use. Each sheet
of a drawing document can have a different format.
shell
A feature that hollows out a part, leaving open the selected
faces and thin walls on the remaining faces. A hollow part is created when no faces are
selected to be open.
silhouette edge
The curve representing the extent of a cylindrical or curved face
when viewed from the side.
sketch
A collection of lines and other 2D objects on a plane or face
that forms the basis for a feature such as a base or a boss. A 3D sketch is non-planar
and can be used to guide a sweep or loft, for example.
Smart Fasteners
Automatically adds fasteners (bolts and screws) to an assembly
using the SOLIDWORKS Toolbox library of fasteners.
SmartMates
An assembly mating relation that is created automatically. See
mate.
solid sweep
A cut sweep created by moving a tool body along a path to cut out
3D material from a model. See
sweep.
spiral
A flat or 2D helix, defined by a circle, pitch, and number of
revolutions.
spline
A sketched 2D or 3D curve defined by a set of control
points.
split line
Projects a sketched curve onto a selected model face, dividing
the face into multiple faces so that each can be selected individually. A split line can
be used to create draft features, to create face blend fillets, and to radiate surfaces
to cut molds.
stacked balloon
A set of balloons with only one leader. The balloons can be
stacked vertically (up or down) or horizontally (left or right).
standard 3 views
The three orthographic views (front, right, and top) that are
often the basis of a drawing.
stereolithography
The process of creating rapid prototype parts using a faceted
mesh representation in STL files.
subassembly
An assembly document that is part of a larger assembly. For
example, the steering mechanism of a car is a subassembly of the car.
suppress
Removes an entity from the display and from any calculations in
which it is involved. You can suppress features, assembly components, and so on.
Suppressing an entity does not delete the entity; you can unsuppress the entity to
restore it.
surface
A zero-thickness planar or 3D entity with edge boundaries.
Surfaces are often used to create solid features. Reference surfaces can be used to
modify solid features. See
face.
sweep
Creates a base, boss, cut, or surface feature by moving a profile
(section) along a path. For cut-sweeps, you can create solid sweeps by moving a tool
body along a path.
T
tangent arc
An arc that is tangent to another entity, such as a line.
tangent edge
The transition edge between rounded or filleted faces in hidden
lines visible or hidden lines removed modes in drawings.
Task Pane
Located on the right-side of the
SOLIDWORKS window, the Task Pane contains tabs such as SOLIDWORKS Resources, Design
Library, and File Explorer.
template
A document (part, assembly, or drawing) that forms the basis of a
new document. It can include user-defined parameters, annotations, predefined views,
geometry, and so on.
temporary axis
An axis created implicitly for every conical or cylindrical face
in a model.
thin feature
An extruded or revolved feature with constant wall thickness.
Sheet metal parts are typically created from thin features.
TolAnalyst
A tolerance analysis application that determines the effects that
dimensions and tolerances have on parts and assemblies.
top-down design
An assembly modeling technique where you create parts in the
context of an assembly by referencing the geometry of other components. Changes to the
referenced components propagate to the parts that you create in context. See
bottom-up design.
translator
Software that converts a file from one format to
another.
triad
Three axes with arrows defining the X, Y, and Z directions. A
reference triad appears in part and assembly documents to assist in orienting the
viewing of models. Triads also assist when moving or rotating components in assemblies.
true dimension
If you dimension entities in an isometric view, true dimensions
give you accurate model values. See
projected dimension.
U
unabsorbed
A sketch or annotation that is not contained in a feature in the
FeatureManager design tree. An example of an unabsorbed sketch is a layout sketch in an
assembly. See
absorbed.
under defined
A sketch is under defined when there are not enough dimensions
and relations to prevent entities from moving or changing size. See
degrees
of freedom.
UV
Horizontal and vertical lines of the underlying parameterization
of a curve.
V
vertex
A point at which two or more lines or edges intersect. Vertices
can be selected for sketching, dimensioning, and many other operations.
viewports
Windows that display views of models. You can specify one, two,
or four viewports. Viewports with orthogonal views can be linked, which links
orientation and rotation.
virtual sharp
A sketch point at the intersection of two entities after the
intersection itself has been removed by a feature such as a fillet or chamfer.
Dimensions and relations to the virtual sharp are retained even though the actual
intersection no longer exists.
W
weldment
A multibody part with structural members.
weldment cut list
A table that tabulates the bodies in a weldment along with
descriptions and lengths.
wireframe
A view mode in which all edges of the part or assembly are
displayed. See
HLR,
HLV,
shaded.
witness line
X
X display
The size of the X in a chamfer dimension with two numbers, such
as 1 X 45° (Length X Angle), 45° X 1 (Angle X Length) or 1 X 1 (Length X Length).
Z
zebra stripes
Simulate the reflection of long strips of light on a very shiny
surface. They allow you to see small changes in a surface that may be hard to see with a
standard display.