Modeling an iPhone Case in SolidWorks

[youtube width=”630″ height=”380″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnUnA3WtE9E[/youtube]

This is a really quick video demonstrating a basic workflow to create one part that closely references another part utilizing multi-body modeling techniques in SOLIDWORKS 2011.  I created this video for a customer and figured I’d share it with the rest.  Some tips to pay attention to…

• Don’t judge me on the design, I wanted to keep it simple.  : )
• Ignore my non-use of the RMB (right mouse button) to exit commands.  I try not to use this shortcut in videos to keep things easier to follow.
• Leaving the ‘Break link to original part‘ check box in the ‘Insert Part’ command unchecked will allow changes made to the iPhone to propagate to my case design.
• I do not click in the graphics area to insert the part.  Instead, I simply click the green check mark to have it dropped precisely at the origin of the new part file (this works in assemblies too).
• I insert a ‘Weldment‘ feature so that my future part features do not automatically ‘Merge result’ and blend the solid bodies together.
• RMB’ing an edge and selecting ‘Select Tangency‘ can be a big time saver.
• A lot of times, people forget that you can shell outwards.
• When working with multi-body part files, always make sure to pay attention to the ‘Feature Scope‘ of your cut features.
• You can window select multiple corner points when using the ‘Sketch Fillet’ tool.  You can also drag the yellow preview to resize the radius.
• I could have added the 0.03125″ fillets more quickly by typing “1/32” and by selecting the top face of the case and the cut face of the ‘Cut-Extrude2’ feature rather than selecting each individual edge.  Selecting a face will always apply a fillet to the face’s perimeter edges.
• In SOLIDWORKS 2011 SP4, you can accelerate the PhotoView 360 preview rendering by scrubbing your mouse across the areas of interest.