Using the Component Preview Window to Speed Up Assembly Mates

When working with complex assemblies in SOLIDWORKS, the process involves mating every component into place and ensuring that each component is well-defined. This can be time-consuming, as you often need to zoom in and rotate the view repeatedly while applying mates.

Focusing on a single component within the entire assembly can take a significant amount of time due to the need for constant adjustments in perspective. SOLIDWORKS offers multiple ways to accomplish tasks, and there are several productivity tools that can help speed up your workflow. One useful tool is the component preview window, which allows you to quickly select faces in hard-to-reach locations.

What Is the Component Preview Window? 

The Component Preview Window is a tool that isolates a component from your assembly in a separate view. When activated, it divides your graphics area so that the selected component appears on the right side of your screen while the rest of your assembly remains visible.

Opening the Component Preview Window

This setup is useful for applying mates that require face selection, with the standard and advanced mates. Instead of rotating the entire assembly to locate the geometry, you can rotate the isolated component in the preview window. This makes it easier to access hard-to-reach faces. The preview window also highlights selected faces in both views, helping you ensure that you’re choosing the correct geometry.

How to Use the Component Preview Window

The steps below explain how to use the component preview window with an open assembly in a SOLIDWORKS session. This example walks through how to apply a couple of mates to a specific component, activate the component preview window, and apply several mates to multiple components.

1. Open the Component Preview Window
   Start by clicking on the component you want to work with in the graphics area. With it selected, activate the Component Preview Window tool. Your screen will split, placing the selected component in a separate pane on the right, while the rest of your assembly will be visible on the left pane. This allows you to isolate the component’s independent view; you can pan, zoom, and rotate. 
   
2. Mate the Component Using the New Interface
   Since the Component Preview Window will stay active in the assembly, you can mate it how you normally would. The biggest advantage is that you can select faces, edges, and other entities in either the main graphics window or the preview window.
   

   Selecting mate entities in either interface

3. Close the Component Preview Window
   After applying all necessary mates, close the preview window to return to the graphics area. To do so, select the Exit Preview button located on the Component Preview dialog.
   

   Closing the Component Preview Window

Applying Advanced Assembly Mates

The Component Preview Window is extremely useful when applying advanced mates that require multiple selections of components. For instance, when using the width mate, you need to select outer faces and inner faces to align and connect the components.

Applying an advanced assembly mate with the component preview window

Being able to have the mate window, the main assembly, and the preview window open at the same time streamlines selecting mate entities. You no longer have to awkwardly rotate the SOLIDWORKS assembly to find your selections and can instead independently rotate windows to make your selections easier.

Using Advanced SOLIDWORKS Techniques

This is a practical and efficient tool for applying mates accurately and quickly in SOLIDWORKS assemblies. It allows you to isolate components for independent rotation and zoom in to easily select multiple faces. You can apply standard mates, such as concentric or coincident, or use them for more complex mates that require additional selections. This tool can significantly speed up the workflow when building assemblies.

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