Transfer Body or Part Material in SOLIDWORKS 2021

SOLIDWORKS 2021 provides more flexibility for controlling the material choice when inserting a part into another part, by adding new options in the Insert Part PropertyManager.

After selecting the Insert Part command (Insert > Part), the Transfer section of the PropertyManager shows two options for material: Body Material and Part Material. Previously there was only a Material option.

Transfer options in PropertyManager

How to apply Materials

Part materials are applied by right-clicking the Material item in the FeatureTree, while body materials can be applied by right-clicking a specific body in the Solid Bodies folder in the FeatureTree and selecting Material from the flyout menu. Materials applied to bodies supersede the part material.

Transfer Options

• If both options are unselected when the part is inserted, then the part material of the base part will not change.
• If both options are selected, then the part material of the base part will update to that of the inserted part, and the inserted part’s body materials will remain unchanged.
• If only Body Material is selected, the bodies of the inserted part will keep their assigned materials but the inserted part will take the material of the base part.
• If only Part Material is selected, the part material of the base part will change to that of the inserted part (a warning dialog box will come up if you select this option).