Finally, in SOLIDWORKS 2018, a new feature has been implemented to automatically create associative pairs of tabs and slots. Let’s take a look. First of all, you may need to show the feature button on your command bar so that you can access it easily. 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.
Hello, Have you guys seen the new Solidworks slot and tab feature! Autodesk you must bring this feature to Inventor it would be a life saver! We have been loyal to Autodesk for years, but this one feature has us seriously considering a few seats of Solidworks. Check it out, and help push this to t. One of my favorite features in SOLIDWORKS Sheet Metal is Tab and Slot. When it was introduced in SOLIDWORKS 2018 (I was like man, I could have used this back in the day. It reminds me when my mom and dad would buy me model cars for Christmas. 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.
The business card holder below was created as an example to illustrate the benefits of the Tab & Slotfeature. An additional goal of the design was to create a finished product cheap enough to be used as giveaway items for marketing events.
TheTab & Slotfeature creates interlocking tabs for self-fixturing assembly design, which is particularly useful for sheet metal parts and assemblies. It can also be used for other solid bodies, as is the case in this simple woodworking example. For more details on how the feature works, check out our existing blog: What’s New SOLIDWORKS 2018: Tab and Slot Feature
Once I was confident in the 3D design, it was time to get it into a 2D format for the laser cutter. I exported the individual bodies as DXF format and brought them into DraftSight (the free 2D CAD tool) for final preparations. I matched the parts against the vendor’s cutting template, and assigned entities to proper layers for cutting vs etching.
Tab And Slot Solidworks 2018 Free
Below you can see the finished parts cut from 1/8” Birch plywood. I used a popular online vendor for hobbyist laser cutting, and the cost worked out to $2 per business card holder- right down there with some of the cheapest promo items! Thanks to the digital nature of the manufacturing process, each business card holder could potentially be engraved with individualized names for virtually no added cost.
It’s worth noting that I was only intending to use the tabs for alignment, as the clearance value of approximately .002” resulted in a somewhat loose fit. To secure the parts I applied small dots of cyanoacrylate (engineer speak for superglue) on each tab prior to final assembly. I was quite happy with the end result!
Tab And Slot Solidworks 2018 Download
For more information, request a SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD quote or contact us at Hawk Ridge Systems today. Thanks for reading!