How to Link Properties in SolidWorks Drawing?

Linking properties in a SolidWorks drawing is essential for creating dynamic documents that reflect changes made in your models or assemblies. The process integrates custom properties with drawing templates, allowing for updated information such as part numbers, descriptions, and other pertinent data to be automatically displayed. Here’s how to do it step by step.

Step 1: Accessing the Custom Properties

1. Open your SolidWorks part or assembly file.
2. Navigate to the File menu in the upper left corner.
3. Select Properties from the dropdown menu. This will bring up the Summary Information dialog box.
4. In the dialog box, go to the Custom tab to enter properties that you would like to link.

Step 2: Defining Custom Properties

1. Add a new property by clicking the Add button. This allows you to create custom fields.
2. Fill in the details, such as the Name, Type, and Value of the property. You can define properties like “Part Number”, “Material”, or “Weight”.
3. Once done, click OK to save the custom properties.

Step 3: Linking Custom Properties to the Title Block

1. Now, open the corresponding drawing that you want to link your properties to.
2. Go to the Title Block or the section of the drawing where you want to display the property.
3. Right-click on the text field that you wish to modify and select Insert > Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) in some versions or directly find an option for linking custom properties.
4. A dialog box will open for you to choose the property you previously defined in your part or assembly file. Look for the $PRP syntax, which allows you to fetch the property you’ve created.
5. Select the desired property from the relevant dropdown menu. After selecting a property, the linked value will be displayed in the title block.

Step 4: Using the Custom Properties in the Drawing

1. After linking the properties, if you make modifications to the original part or assembly file, ensure you save those changes.
2. Return to your drawing file, and SolidWorks will automatically update the linked properties in the title block or other annotated areas.
3. To refresh or manually update the drawing view, right-click on the drawing area and select Update or press the F5 key.

Common Adjustments and Management

• To edit or re-link properties, simply repeat the steps above. Access the custom properties and ensure that the correct data is being displayed in your drawing.
• If you want to manage multiple custom properties, the Property Tab Builder tool can be utilized. This tool facilitates the creation of a user-friendly interface for entering and managing multiple properties at once.

FAQ

What are custom properties in SolidWorks?
Custom properties are user-defined fields within SolidWorks parts and assemblies that store additional data such as descriptions, part numbers, or material types.

Can I link multiple properties to one drawing?
Yes, you can link multiple custom properties to different locations in a drawing, such as the title block and throughout various annotation notes.

How can I ensure linked properties update automatically?
To ensure that linked properties update automatically, always save changes to the part or assembly files. You may also need to refresh your drawing view to see the latest data reflected.