Page 196 - Mastering SolidWorks

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Using the DisplayManageR 165

To save this appearance to a part template, assign the default appearance in an empty part
document with settings that you want to use, set the default appearance, and save the empty
part as a part template with a name indicating the appearance. You may also want to assign a
corresponding material.

Using Decals
Decals are images applied to a part without rendering software. All decals used in a model are
listed in the Decal area of the DisplayManager. To apply a decal, you can use the Appearances,
Scenes, And Decals tab of the Task pane to access the stock or sample images, or you can
right-click in the open area of the Decals DisplayManager and select Add Decal. This brings up
the Decals PropertyManager, shown in Figure 5.26.
Figure 5.26
Working with the Decals
propertyManager

You can use *.bmp, *.jpg, *.tif, and *.png images as decals in SolidWorks. The images can
be mapped onto flat, cylindrical, or spherical surfaces. You can use masks or images with an
alpha channel to create transparent parts of the decal. You can also select a color of the image to
set to transparent. Only *.tif and *.png images can use alpha channel transparency.
You can size, position, and rotate the decal on the screen with handles, as shown in
Figure 5.27. You can use any of the corner nodes on the image to resize the decal. Dragging
anywhere inside the image border moves the decal, and dragging the orange ring around the
image rotates it. Decals can also emit light.