Tab And Slot Solidworks 2018

The Tab and Slot feature creates tabs on one body and slots (holes) on another body to interlock the two bodies. You can specify how the tabs and slots look and how they are distributed along the selected entities. Tabs and slots make it easier to weld parts together and minimize the requirement to build complicated fixtures because you can interlock several sheet metal parts.

Last year my children got loads of new toys at Christmas and the first thing they wanted was something to play with them on. Well, this year I’m going to make a model playset for them! I’m going to use the new Tab and Slot tool in SOLIDWORKS 2018 to make my design both quick and simple, and make it possible to take it apart and put it away flat when the kids are finished with it.

  1. Instructor The tab and slot feature is a great new addition to SolidWorks 2018. Now this tool works with both regular parts as well as sheet metal parts. To get it started, go up here to insert, let's come down here to sheet metal, and then come down here to tab and slot.
  2. SOLIDWORKS 2018 introduces a powerful tab and slot tool to automate this design step. Tab and slot can be created on parts in an assembly, a single part, or a multi-body part. You start by choosing an edge to define the tab and a face to define where the slot will terminate.

Tab And Slot Solidworks 2018 Keygen

During the design process I had to decide what playscape to make. In the end it came down to the fact that I like castles, and they like princesses. I then had to sketch some ideas out and, having looked at them, I really wanted to build the elaborate castle, but think my crafting skills may be better aimed at one of the more simple designs if the children are going to get to play with it before the new year!

As I will be making this on Christmas day, and I want it to be able to store it flat afterwards, my material of choice will be cardboard – After all, there’s always loads hanging around after present opening. When making things out of cardboard the SOLIDWORKS sheet metal tools are ideal and the new Tab and Slot tool is part of the sheet metal functionality.

So, let’s get into SOLIDWORKS.

Once the basic tower shape is modelled, it’s time to use the Tab and Slot functionality:

  • First we click the edge of the part that will have tabs added to it
  • Then we select the outer face for end of the slot cuts
  • We can now specify whether the tabs start at the outside edges of tab face or not, how many tabs we will use and their length as well as the tab height. In my model I’m going to use three tabs and I want them offset from the edges

Having made our tower hold its shape we need to add the top and fix it on:

  • Using Tab and Slot again I can do all edges for each tab body in one command by using the ‘New Group’ button and if I make my tabs stick a long way through I get my castellation automatically!
  • I can also automatically radius or chamfer my tabs for a better aesthetic and simpler construction – nice!

See Tab and Slot in action in this video

When I print out my templates I want them to fit on a single sheet of A4, so I’ll need to check the sizes of the flat patterns. I could do this with ‘Evaluate’ but by using a sensor, if, or rather when I need to make changes, SOLIDWORKS will pop up a warning if I exceed my required sizes.

My first attempt fitted onto a page, so I made my first prototype, which looked amazing, if I do say so myself, but there may be a small problem – it’s a little small! So back to SOLIDWORKS!

A quick resize is possible as the model was set up using a global ‘Toy Size’ variable which all the major dimensions were linked to, but now my sensor is telling me I no longer fit on a sheet of A4. No problem – a bit of redesign is needed and then we are good to go again, I’m going to take this opportunity to remove the curves as well (I am rubbish at cutting them!).

Now to export the file to DXF and then create PDFs for me to print and for you lot to download here.

Have fun being Christmas heroes and feel free to send us your creations!

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Have you seen our blog archive where we have posted plenty of helpful articles? We also have a fantastic video library filled with easy-to-follow videos on a number of topics inspired by other SOLIDWORKS users – take a look. Also, don’t forget to follow Innova Systems on Twitter for daily bite size SOLIDWORKS tips, tricks and videos.

Tabs and slots are commonly used to align interlocking sheet metal components, and the new Tab and Slot feature in SOLIDWORKS 2018 allows for corresponding tabs and slots to be created in one operation. This is definitely easier than using a complicated design library feature or separate extrude, cut, and pattern features.

The required selections for the

Tab And Slot Solidworks 2018 Free

Tab and SlotSlot feature are the edge to add tabs to and the face for the slots. The tabs can be offset from either end of the edge. The spacing can either be set with an equally spaced quantity or spacing length. The length of the tabs needs to be specified and the height of the tabs can be defined with different end conditions. Fillets or chamfers can be added if needed. And the clearance between the tabs and slots can be specified.Some other notes about the FreeTab and Slot

Solidworks 2018 Tab And Slot Assembly

feature:
  • Two linked features are created in the FeatureManager Design Tree (one for the tab and one for the slot).
  • It can be inserted at any position along the slot body.
  • Groups can be used to manage multiple edges.
  • It works with planar and cylindrical geometry.
  • The bodies do not need to be in contact.
  • It works on regular, non-sheet-metal solid bodies as well.

Tab And Slot Solidworks 2018 Download

For more information, check out our YouTube channel, get a SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD quote or contact us at Hawk Ridge Systems today. Thanks for reading!