Year of the Angle Dimension – Part 2 – Flipping out (and over)

This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series SOLIDWORKS 2015 - Year of the Angle Dimension

In SOLIDWORKS 2015, there are two methods to change (flip) an angle dimension.

Vertically Opposite Angle

You can now flip any placed angle dimension to its vertically opposite angle.   This is useful when you wish to place the entire angle dimension outside of the model edges.

  1. Right-click on the angle to bring up the right-click menu.
  2. Select Display Options, then Vertically Opposite Angle.

Original angle dimension   Vertically Opposite Angle

Explementary Angle

You can now flip any placed angle dimension to its explementary angle.  Here is a way overly complex video about explementary angles.  Here’s a simpler explanation straight from the dictionary.

  1. Right-click on the angle to bring up the right-click menu.
  2. Select Display Options, then Explementary Angle.

Original angle dimension   Explementary Angle

Choose Explementary or Vertically Opposite in dimension preview

When creating an angle dimension with Smart Dimension tool, you can now choose between the explementary angle or the vertically opposite angle during the preview by holding down the ALT key when the mouse is in the vertically opposite region.  In SOLIDWORKS 2014 and prior, you were only offered the explementary angle.

Year of the Angle Dimension – Part 1 – Imaginary Rays

This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series SOLIDWORKS 2015 - Year of the Angle Dimension

There was a heavy focus on expanding functionality of angle dimensions using the Smart Dimension tool in SOLIDWORKS 2015.  These enhancements streamline drawing detailing and sketch creation tasks.  Here’s the first of such enhancements.

There is a long standing request for the ability to apply angle dimensions where one ray is aligned to geometry (model edge or sketch line) and the other ray is along an imaginary vertical or horizontal direction.  In SOLIDWORKS 2015, there is a new capability with Smart Dimension tool that enables you to create this type of angle dimension.

  1. Start the Smart Dimension tool.
  2. In a drawing view, select a model edge.
    Select edge
  3. Select a collinear and adjacent point (vertex or sketch point).Select vertex
  4. A crosshair appears over the selected point.  Select one of the crosshair’s segments.
    Select crosshair segment
  5. A preview of the angle dimension appears.
    Preview of angle dim
  6. Click to place the dimension.
    New Angle Dimension type