SOLIDWORKS 2017 Wrapping sketches over complex surfaces

Every year an exciting new version of SOLIDWORKS comes out with shiny new features that have been requested by users. SOLIDWORKS 2017 is definitely no exception with plenty of new tools to geek out about. In this blog we’ll be discussing the enhanced SOLIDWORKS Wrap feature in 2017. If you saw our first teaser video for SOLIDWORKS 2017 you might of guessed that it relates to the Wrap feature.

The SOLIDWORKS Wrap feature has always been a great way to project sketches onto 3D geometry, up to SOLIDWORKS 2016 we have only been able to Wrap sketches over Cylindrical and Conical shapes, well with the added functionality in SOLIDWORKS 2017 you can now wrap over complex surfaces as shown in the figure below:

Sketch wrapped onto a SOLIDWORKS model

SOLIDWORKS Wrap Feature

The user interface for the Wrap feature has an added button to indicate that the text you are using can be wrapped around a complex surface. Simply select this option when using wrap and click on the faces of your model that you would like your sketch to be wrapped around. Once you are satisfied just hit apply and SOLIDWORKS will work its magic to wrap your text around the surfaces. There is also an accuracy slider that lets you adjust the wrap.

SOLIDWORKS Wrap FeatureManager

What are the limitations?

After playing around with the wrap feature for a little while the only limitation that I noticed was that your text cannot wrap over itself. This makes perfect sense, as long as the text isn’t touching it can go around the object multiple times it just cannot overlap itself.

Text wrapped multiple times

An important thing to note is that you can wrap sketches around freeform objects that have been imported from SOLIDWORKS Industrial Designer. This allows you to easily add text, logos, arrows and other miscellaneous details on your project file.

Model from SOLIDWORKS Industrial Designer

We are really excited about this and many other features that SOLIDWORKS 2017 has to offer, we encourage you to give the new wrap feature a spin and tell us what you think!

SOLIDWORKS 2017 Resources

Access our resources page to get everything you need to learn what’s new in SOLIDWORKS 2017, including tech tips, demonstrations, and upcoming product webinars.

WHAT’S NEW RESOURCES