Contents

Legal Notices ..........................................................................................................10

1 Welcome to SOLIDWORKS 2020........................................................................13

Top Enhancements ...................................................................................................................... 14
Performance Improvements ......................................................................................................... 15
For More Information .................................................................................................................... 17

2 User Interface .....................................................................................................19

Changes to the CommandManager Menu................................................................................... 19
Display Feature Names in a Different Language ........................................................................ 20
Drag Multiple Contiguous Features to a Folder ............................................................................ 20
Enhanced Large Tooltips for Toolbars ........................................................................................ 21
File Types List .............................................................................................................................. 21
Markups ........................................................................................................................................ 22
Drawing Markups with a Mouse ............................................................................................. 23
Exporting Multiple Markups .................................................................................................... 23
Markup Previews .................................................................................................................... 24
Searching for Materials ................................................................................................................ 24
Touch Mode ................................................................................................................................. 25
Troubleshooting Enhancements ................................................................................................... 25
Updated Help Menu...................................................................................................................... 26
View Recent Files ......................................................................................................................... 27
Welcome Dialog Box .................................................................................................................... 27

3 SOLIDWORKS Fundamentals............................................................................. 28
Application Programming Interface .............................................................................................. 28
Changes to System Options and Document Properties ............................................................... 29
Checking the 3D Printer Size ...................................................................................................... 31
Closing a Document When Saving a Copy .................................................................................. 32
Opening Documents ..................................................................................................................... 32
Improved Performance When Opening and Saving Files from a Previous Version .......... 32
Open Modes from File Explorer or PDM Vault View .............................................................. 33
Simplified Open Options .......................................................................................................... 33
Selection Sets ............................................................................................................................... 34
Adding a Selection to a Selection Set .................................................................................... 34
Updating Entities in a Selection Set ....................................................................................... 35
Slicing Data for 3MF Export ......................................................................................................... 35
Specifying the Up Axis for View Orientation ................................................................................. 37

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4 Installation ............................................................................................................38
Improved Installation Manager Download Performance ............................................................. 38
Installing SOLIDWORKS PCB Viewer ......................................................................................... 38
Installing Toolbox Software Without Installing Toolbox Data ...................................................... 39
SOLIDWORKS File Utilities Replaces SOLIDWORKS Explorer ................................................. 39
Testing a Setup for a Push Deployment ...................................................................................... 39

5 Administration ......................................................................................................41
Selecting a SOLIDWORKS Simulation License with a SolidNetWork License ........................... 41
SOLIDWORKS Rx Supports SOLIDWORKS Composer and SOLIDWORKS Electrical ............ 42
Specifying Support Information .................................................................................................... 43

6 Assemblies ...........................................................................................................44
Envelope Publisher ................................................................................................................. 44
Creating Envelopes for a Subassembly.................................................................................. 45
Viewing Envelopes .................................................................................................................. 46
Envelope Publisher PropertyManager..................................................................................... 46
Exploded Views ............................................................................................................................ 47
Auto-Space Components in Exploded Views .......................................................................... 47
Reusing a Multibody Part Explode .......................................................................................... 49
External References Options ........................................................................................................ 49
Flexible Components .............................................................................................................. 50
Adding a Flexible Component ................................................................................................. 51
Editing External References of Flexible Components ............................................................. 53
Activate Flexible Component PropertyManager...................................................................... 53
Isolating Interferences .................................................................................................................. 54
Large Design Review................................................................................................................... 54
Create and Edit Component Patterns in Large Design Review ......................................... 54
Create Mates to Reference Geometry in Large Design Review ........................................ 55
Mates ............................................................................................................................................ 56
Flip Alignment of Width Mates ................................................................................................. 56
Quick Mates Context Toolbar ................................................................................................. 56
Modify Configuration for Toolbox Components ............................................................................ 57
Patterns ........................................................................................................................................57
Component Pattern with Variable Instances ........................................................................... 57
Mirror Components PropertyManager..................................................................................... 59
Pattern Driven Component Patterns ....................................................................................... 65
Performance Improvements for Assemblies ................................................................................ 67
Save as Copy with a Subset of Configurations ............................................................................ 67

7 SOLIDWORKS CAM ............................................................................................68

Customization Settings ................................................................................................................. 68
Probing Routines ......................................................................................................................... 68

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Tab Cutting ................................................................................................................................... 69

Tapered Multipoint Thread Tool ................................................................................................... 69
Universal Post Generator............................................................................................................. 69

8 SOLIDWORKS Composer................................................................................... 70
SOLIDWORKS Composer ............................................................................................................ 70
360 Degree Capture................................................................................................................ 70
Basic Attach Type for Annotations .......................................................................................... 70
BOM ID Callouts ...................................................................................................................... 70
Exponent Shape for Callouts ................................................................................................... 70
Importing Appearances from SOLIDWORKS Files ................................................................ 71
Importing Exploded, Saved, and Named Views from SOLIDWORKS Files ...................... 71
Inlaid Text for Linear Arrows ................................................................................................... 71
Read-Only Mode Enhancement for Animation Library Templates .......................................... 71
Support of MP4 Format for Animations ............................................................................. 72
Warning Message Before Breaking External Assembly Links ................................................ 72
SOLIDWORKS Composer Sync ................................................................................................... 72
Importing Appearances from SOLIDWORKS Files ................................................................ 72
Importing Exploded, Saved, and Named Views from SOLIDWORKS Files ...................... 72

9 Detailing and Drawings........................................................................................74

Adding Hole Callouts in Section Views ................................................................................... 74
Alternate Position Views ............................................................................................................... 76
Applying All Uppercase to Dimensions and Hole Callouts ........................................................... 78
Chain Dimensions ................................................................................................................... 78
Cosmetic Threads........................................................................................................................ 80
Adding Callouts for Non-Hole Wizard Holes ........................................................................... 80
Adding Callouts for External Threads ...................................................................................... 81
Simplifying Callouts ................................................................................................................. 82
Creating Markups for Drawings ................................................................................................... 83
Custom Scales for Drawing Sheets and Views ............................................................................ 84
Setting Custom Scales for Drawing Sheets ............................................................................ 84
Setting Custom Scales for Drawing Views .............................................................................. 85
Modifying the List of Available Scales ..................................................................................... 85
Design Library .............................................................................................................................. 85
Detailing Mode ........................................................................................................................ 86
Opening Drawings in Detailing Mode ...................................................................................... 87
Dimensioning Datum Targets ....................................................................................................... 88
Flag Notes .................................................................................................................................... 88
Foreshortened Dimensions .......................................................................................................... 88
Link Child Views to Parent by Default .......................................................................................... 89
Location for Saving a New Drawing ............................................................................................. 89
Performance Improvements in Drawings..................................................................................... 89