Document Properties - Units

You can specify the properties of document-level units. Available for all document types.

To open this page:

With a document open, do one of the following:

  • In the status bar, click Unit System, then click Edit Document Units.
  • Click Options (Standard toolbar). On the Document Properties tab, select Units.
If you use small units such as angstroms, nanometers, microns, mils, or microinches, it is helpful to create templates as the basis for documents that use the units. The templates could include settings such as:
  • Grid spacing
  • Dimension witness line gap and bent leader length
  • Dimension offset distances
  • Note bent leader length
  • Balloon bent leader length
  • Arrow size
  • Text scale and Always display text at the same size
  • Material density

To save a document as a template:

  1. Click File > Save As.
  2. Optional: 3DEXPERIENCE Users: If the Save As New dialog box appears, click Save to This PC.
  3. Navigate to the location of your SOLIDWORKS templates.

    The default location is C:\ProgramData\SOLIDWORKS\SOLIDWORKS version\templates\.

  4. For Save as type, select the appropriate template type for your document.

    For example, for a part, select Part Templates (*.prtdot).

  5. Save the file.

Unit system

Sets the document-level units and precision to a standard system or lets you modify units.

Standard systems are:
  • MKS (meter, kilogram, second)
  • CGS (centimeter, gram, second)
  • MMGS (millimeter, gram, second)
  • IPS (inch, pound, second)

Click Custom to modify units in the table.

You can change the unit system without opening Document Properties - Units. In the status bar, click Unit System, then click a unit system.

Basic Units

Displays document-level dimension units.
  • Length
    Units Decimals Fractions More

    Determined by your Unit system selection.

    Based on selection, displays from two to eight decimal places. None displays no decimal places.

    An integer for the denominator, between 2 and 256.

    For inches, mils, microinches, or feet and inches, only.

    Round to Nearest Fraction

    Overrides decimal rounding for fraction displays.

    Convert from 2'4" to 2'-4"

    Displays feet - inches when you import from the feet inches format.
  • Dual Dimension Length
    Units Decimals Fractions More
    Click the list to modify.

    Based on selection, displays from two to eight decimal places. None displays no decimal places.

    An integer for the denominator, between 2 and 256.

    For inches, mils, microinches, or feet and inches, only.

    Round to Nearest Fraction

    Overrides decimal rounding for fraction displays.

    Convert from 2'4" to 2'-4"

    Displays feet - inches when you import from the feet inches format.
  • Angle
    Units Decimals Fractions More
    Click the list to modify.

    For degrees or radians only.

    Based on selection, displays from two to eight decimal places. None displays no decimal places.

    		    

Basic Unit Examples

Decimal inches
Fractional inches
Convert from 2'4" to 2'-4"
Dual Dimension Length
Degrees Minutes Seconds
Radians

Mass/Section Properties

Displays the document-level length, mass, and density properties that appear in the Mass Properties or Section Properties PropertyManager as determined by your Unit system selection. In addition, these properties specify units used in SimulationXpress.

To modify units, from Unit system, select Custom.

Type Units Decimals
Length The length units used for volume, surface area, center of mass, and other mass or section properties that depend on length. For example, for Length in inches, surface area units are in square inches.

Based on selection, displays from two to eight decimal places. None displays no decimal places.
Mass The mass units used for density and other mass or section properties that depend on mass.
Per Unit Volume The volume units used for density.

For example, for Mass in grams and Per Unit Volume in cubic centimeters, density units are in grams per cubic centimeter.

Motion Units (Assemblies Only)

Displays document-level units for time, force, power, and energy for motion study results and features as determined by your Unit system selection.

Decimals

Based on selection, displays from two to eight decimal places. None displays no decimal places.

Decimal rounding

Provides control over decimal rounding in dimensions.

The rounding options are:

Round half away from zero

Rounding method where 5 rounds the previous digit up. For example, 46.15 at one decimal place becomes 46.2.

Round half towards zero

Rounding method where 5 keeps the previous digit unchanged. For example, 46.15 at one decimal place becomes 46.1.

Round half to even

Rounding method where 5 is the removed digit. When the previous digit is even, the digit remains unchanged. For example, 46.25 at one decimal place becomes 46.2. When the previous digit is odd, the digit is rounded up to the next even number. This method is also referred to as Statistician's Rounding. For example, 46.15 at one decimal place becomes 46.2.

Truncate without rounding

Method that removes digits without rounding. For example, 46.19 at one decimal place becomes 46.1.

Only apply rounding method to dimensions

(Parts and Assemblies only). When selected, this option applies the rounding rule to dimensions and their tolerances, including dimensions whose values are derived from equations. When cleared, this option applies the rounding rule to any numeric display where rounding occurs, including dialog boxes, such as Mass Properties.