Design Library

The Design Library tab in the Task Pane provides a central location for reusable elements such as parts, assemblies, and sketches. It does not recognize nonreusable elements such as SOLIDWORKS drawings, text files, or other non-SOLIDWORKS files.

Design Library Subfolders populated by SOLIDWORKS with reusable items such as parts, blocks, and annotations. You can add folders and content.
Connected Design Library

(3DEXPERIENCE users only)

 Lets you access content from the 3DEXPERIENCE platform by means of the Task Pane. For more information, see Connected Design Libraries.
Toolbox To access the content, install and add in the SOLIDWORKS Toolbox Library.
SOLIDWORKS Content Additional SOLIDWORKS content for blocks, Routing, CircuitWorks, and weldments. Ctrl+click to download .zip files.
3D Components - PartSupply To access Part Supply from the 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace.

Design Library Tools

The following tools are available on the Design Library tab:
Add to Library Adds content to the Design Library
Add File Location Adds an existing folder to the Design Library. 3DEXPERIENCE Users: You can also add a Connected Design Library. For more information, see Connected Design Libraries.
Create New Folder Creates a folder on disk and in the Design Library
Refresh Refreshes the view of the Design Library tab
Up One Level Navigates up to the parent folder
Configure Toolbox Displays and activates the Toolbox - Customize Hardware dialog box

You can also specify folders for Design Library in Tools > Options > System Options > File Locations.

Working with Design Library Contents

You can drag copies of parts, assemblies, features, and annotations from:

  • The Design Library into the graphics area.
  • The graphics area into the lower pane of the Design Library.
  • One folder to another in the Design Library.
  • File Explorer into the Design Library.

When you drag items into the Design Library, the Add to Library PropertyManager appears with a default file name, the default file type, and the selected folder for the Design Library folder.

  • You can add multiple selections of features and sketches, but only one item at a time for other categories.
  • To copy a complete assembly or part into the Design Library, select it in the FeatureManager design tree and drag to the lower pane.
  • To copy annotations or blocks into the Design Library, hold down Shift and drag from the graphics area to the lower pane. Annotations are saved with the extensions for favorites.
  • To copy features, drag from either the FeatureManager design tree or the graphics area. Features are saved as library feature parts.
If you modify an item that you inserted from the Design Library, the item is also modified in the library.

Searching the Design Library

You can use the Search bar to search the Design Library or within a specific library.

To limit the search to a specific library, click the down arrow and select a library.

If you select Toolbox but did not configure it, a prompt appears directing you to add in Toolbox.

Filtering a Folder

You can apply filters to identify forming tools or display only assemblies in selected folders. Right-click a folder in the upper pane, then select:
Forming tools folder Identifies the folder as containing forming tools. SOLIDWORKS handles forming tools differently from other parts, but the file name extension is the same, so the software recognizes forming tools by the folder classification.
Assemblies folder Displays only the assembly documents in the folder.