Page 145 - Mastering SolidWorks

|
114 CHAPTER 4 Creating Simple partS and drawingS

Figure 4.2
which starting sketch
is the best?

The part in Figure 4.2 has flat and round faces, but if you examine it, you can create the
overall shape using a single extrude. The best option in this case would be to start with a sketch
like the one in the lower-right corner and extrude it. This is a good beginning. Although you can
make the same part starting from any of the three sketches, the one in the lower-right corner gets
you closest to the final shape.
Also realize that you don’t need to make all the geometry in a single feature. It is often best to
use multiple features for elements such as holes, fillets, chamfers, and other groups of geometry
that can be separated out from the main shape.
You might look at the part and see many ways to create it, but the most straightforward way
is to extrude the U shape, a rectangular cutout, and four chamfers, as shown in Figure 4.3.

Figure 4.3
Breaking down the
features in this part

Make rectangular
cut out

Extrude main U shape
Create four
chamfered
corners