How To Rotate Drawing View In Solidworks

Achieving the perfect orientation in a SOLIDWORKS drawing view can be a challenge, especially for models with highly organic geometry. In this quick tutorial, we'll show you a tool you may have never seen before. It allows you to make dynamic adjustments to standard drawing views to accomplish the perfect orientation, select an obscured edge for the depth of a Cleaved-out View, or simply view the model in 3D temporarily.

In this instance, we'll exist using the function shown beneath:

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CAD model set up for documentation

Standard Orientations

When creating primary drawing views, nosotros're typically stuck with the standard orientations available in the View Palette or Model View command. While it's certainly possible to create custom drawing views through tools such as Relative View and New View (saved views from the role/assembly environment), these options crave more time and thought. For a quick 3D aligning to a drawing view, I often prefer the 3D Drawing View command.

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Caput-up view toolbar (3D drawing view highlighted)

3D Drawing View can be found in the Heads-up View toolbar in the graphics area of any drawing. It should first exist noted that using this tool may result in cartoon views with imprecise orientations, which will likely foreclose you from calculation dimensions/annotations to the view. Additionally, any existing annotations within the drawing view will exist lost if the adjustment is confirmed. In nearly cases, this tool should only be used with cartoon views that do not take whatever annotations attached to them.

Utilizing 3D Drawing View

To employ 3D Drawing View, simply click the control on the heads-upwards toolbar, and so (if not already pre-selected) select the drawing view which you'd like to rotate. A toolbar volition appear over the drawing view, assuasive y'all to brand dynamic adjustments. Here, we show the activation of 3D Drawing View in the front view of a simple part to brand a slight rotation (notice how the existing dimensions are lost once the command is confirmed – canceling the change instead would keep these annotations):

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3D drawing view activation and usage

While Rotate is the about commonly used tool hither, there are a handful of other tools in this control as well – the green check marking and red X volition confirm or cancel any adjustments, as expected. The Save command saves the current orientation as a custom view for future reference, like to the New View command (linked above). The View Orientation drop down tin can be used to admission any of the standard view orientations (front, top, etc.) or any saved views. The standard view orientations do support annotations.

The remaining tools in the toolbar allow for zooming, rotation, and panning of the drawing view, only exist enlightened that only rotation can be saved every bit part of the new view orientation (any other adjustments are simply cancelled upon confirmation).

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3D drawing view toolbar

Complications With 3D Cartoon View

While first getting familiar with 3D Cartoon View, you may exist presented with a notification stating that you cannot save the cartoon view in its new orientation (though you can however temporarily rotate/view the model in 3D). This is considering 3D Drawing View is not compatible with projected drawing views, even if the projected view represents a standard orientation. To use the full capability of 3D Drawing View, reinsert the view direct from the View Palette or Model View commands.

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Inability to save orientation change for projected views

3D Drawing View is as well unavailable for Detail, Broken, Mirror, Cropped, Removed Section, Empty, and Detached Views – and then while powerful, its range of application is relatively narrow. Section Views are one exception, however, and accept no trouble existence adjusted via 3D Model View.

Finally, it's important to understand that making orientation adjustments to parent cartoon views (regardless of the method, just especially with 3D Model View) will accept downstream implications, meaning that all kid views volition update to reflect the new parent orientation. This may cause complications, and every bit such I'd over again recommend using 3D Drawing View only on cartoon views with no kid views or annotations associated with them.

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Downstream touch of orientation change on parent view

The 3D Drawing View control is a powerful productivity tool for drawing views, assuasive you to freely rotate to any model orientation to improve design clarity and facilitate otherwise-difficult geometry selections. You'll desire to add this one to your tool belt!

Sentry Tutorial Now

Exercise y'all take any boosted tips or tricks for working with drawings? Let u.s.a. know in the comments! For more data on SOLIDWORKS or if you lot take any questions, contact united states at Hawk Ridge Systems today. Thank you for reading!