Create a New Standard in the SolidWorks Hole Wizard/Toolbox

Scope These instructions are intended to create a New Standard for additional tapped holes or other features in the SolidWorks Hole Wizard/Toolbox. The following instructions show the steps for adding a Metric Fine Tapped Hole Standard. These Metric Fine Threads can be found on Festo Sensors for example. STEP 1 On the Menu Bar (Standard Toolbar), Select Options System Options Tab Hole Wizard/Toolbox Configure then the Toolbox Configure Window will appear. This method is shown below. A second method is from the SolidWorks Menu (Drop-Down Menu), Select Tools Options System Options Tab Hole Wizard/Toolbox Configure then the Toolbox Configure Window will appear.

Menu Bar (Standard Toolbar) Method

Toolbox Setup Window

STEP 2 Select 1. Select your Hardware from the Toolbox Setup Configure List. The Toolbox Standards Window will appear.

Toolbox Setup Configure List Select your Hardware

Toolbox Standards Window

STEP 3 If this is your first time setting up the Hole Wizard/Toolbox. This is the point where you can Uncheck/Turn Off the Toolbox Standards that you Will Not Use. The reason for unchecking/turning off these Standards is so the Hole Wizard Drop-Down Menu will only contain the items that you use.

Uncheck/Turn Off Toolbox Standards Not Used STEP 4 Select the Standard that you wish to copy, for this instruction we will be copying the American ANSI Metric Standard. Once selected the contents of the ANSI Metric Standard will appear. Also shown are the icons for Backup and Copy Standards. Select the Copy Standards icon.

ANSI Metric Standard American

Copy Standard Icon STEP 5 The Enter New Standard Name Box will appear. Type in the New Name you wish to call this New Standard, we will be using the name Metric Fine Threads. You will notice that SolidWorks is creating a New Standard once the Green Check is selected.

Enter New Standard Name Box

SolidWorks is Creating a New Standard STEP 6 Once the New Standard is created, you will now notice it on your main screen with the rest of your Standards. You will notice a Folder with a Red Cross; this is to Delete a Standard. If you want to remove a Standard in the future this is where you go to remove the Standard. Select the Metric Fine Thread located in the Left Panel.

New Metric Fine Threads Standard Created

STEP 7 The Contents of the Metric Fine Threads will appear. Uncheck/Turn Off everything that you Do Not want to show. You can always go back and Check/Turn On the items you want to show in the future. In this instruction, we will Uncheck/Turn Off everything except for the Hole Wizard Holes folder. Then Select the Hole Wizard Folder.

Uncheck/Turn Off Items Not Required STEP 8 The contents will appear on the screen, Straight Holes and Tapped Holes folders. Uncheck/Turn Off the Straight Holes folder as we will be creating Tapped Holes. Select the Tapped Holes Folder.

Uncheck/Turn Off Straight Holes Folder

STEP 9 The result will be 3 folders appearing on the screen, Bottoming Tapped Holes, Straight Pipe Tapped Holes, and Tapped Hole icons. Here we will Uncheck/Turn Off the Bottoming Tapped Holes and Straight Pipe Tapped Holes icons because we creating Tapped Holes.

Uncheck/Turn Off Bottoming Tapped Holes and Straight Pipe Tapped Holes Icons STEP 10 Now Select Option #2 on the Top Toolbar on your screen, located to the right of Select Hardware. The Customize Hardware window will then appear.

Select the Option #2 on the Top of Toolbar

Customize Hardware Window STEP 11 Select the Newly Created Standard, Metric Fine Threads. The Hole Wizard Window will appear.

Select the Newly Created Standard, Metric Fine Threads

Hole Wizard Holes Window STEP 12 Select the Hole Wizard Holes Folder. The Tapped Hole Folder will appear now, Select the Tapped Hole Icon.

Select the Hole Wizard Folder

Select the Tapped Hole Icon STEP 13 Once the Tapped Hole Icon is selected the Sizes Window will appear. Now, Uncheck/Turn Off all the Coarse threads under the Enabled column.

Data Window - Sizes

Enabled Column - Sizes STEP 14 Select the Add New Row Icon located to the Left of the Enabled Column. Now the Add New Row Window will appear. Type in the requested information, we add Size M5x.5, Pitch .5, and Diameter 5 for our M5x.5 Tapped Hole. Then Select the OK Button located at the Bottom Left Corner. The Toolbox Additional Information Window will appear, just Select Ok. You will notice M5x.5 row added at the bottom of the screen.

Add New Row Column Sizes

Add New Row Information Window Sizes

New Row Information Filled In OK Button

Toolbox Additional Information Required Window OK Button

New Size Added M5x.5

STEP 15 Select Thread Data from the Left Side Panel. Select the Add New Row icon, located next Enabled. Now, the Add New Row Information Window will appear.

Thread Data Window

Add New Row Column Thread Data

Add New Row Information Window Thread Data STEP 16 Fill in the requested information for a New Thread; we will be adding the information for an M5x.5 thread. Some of the Information Names are not clear thus, below is an explanation what they mean. In the bracket is the information used for our thread. The information used in this instruction can be found in the Machinerys Handbook. Advance: Thread Pitch (.5) Thread Minor Thread: Minor Diameter of an External Thread (4.272) Thread Minor Thread Inside: Minor Diameter of an Internal Thread (4.599) fullsize: Hole Callout Display (M5x.5) Select OK button after all the information is filled in. The New Thread Data is added and displayed in the bottom row.

New Thread Data Information Filled Out

New Thread Data Added STEP 17 The process is now completed. Select the X (Close) located in the Top Right Corner of the screen. There will be a Toolbox - Save Changes? Window appear after selection. Select Yes and the Hole Wizard/Toolbox Window will Close.

Select X (Close) Top Right Corner

Toolbox - Save Changes? Window STEP 18 Now, we want to verify that the New M5x.5 Tapped Hole was correctly added to the Hole Wizard. We will create a new SolidWorks simple model to test our New Hole Wizard Tapped Hole. Then Select the Hole Wizard and Select Standard Metric Fine Threads, Type Tapped Holes, and Size M5x.5. Select the Green Check there you have it, M5x.5 Tapped Hole. Now create a Drawing to check if the Tapped Hole Callout is correct.

SolidWorks Test Model Hole Wizard

Hole Wizard Tapped Hole Information Selected

M5x.5 Tapped Hole

M5x.5 Tapped Hole Callout Drawing Congratulates, you have created a Hole Wizard/Toolbox New Standard.