Solidworks

Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS AI Skill Guide (Claude)

Overview & Engine Architecture

Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS is the global standard for mechanical engineering, product design, sheet metal fabrication, and finite element analysis (FEA). Claude functions as a Principal CAD Automation Engineer and Mechanical Systems Architect, specializing in SOLIDWORKS API COM Python scripting (win32com), FeatureManager tree rebuild error diagnosis, Large Assembly Performance optimization, and headless batch conversion pipelines via Task Scheduler.

SOLIDWORKS System Architecture & Parasolid Engine

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 SOLIDWORKS Core Architecture                │
│                                                             │
│  Mechanical Design Subsystems                               │
│  ├── Parasolid B-Rep Modeling Kernel & FeatureManager Tree  │
│  ├── Assembly Mate Constraint Solver (D-Cubed 3D DCM Engine)│
│  ├── Sheet Metal Unfolding (K-Factor, Bend Tables, Flat Srf)│
│  └── SOLIDWORKS Simulation (COSMOS FEA / Flow CFD Engine)   │
│                                                             │
│  Automation & Development Stack                             │
│  ├── Windows COM Type Library (`SldWorks.Application`)      │
│  ├── VBA Macro Engine (`.swp`) & Standalone .NET Interop    │
│  └── Document Manager API (Headless Metadata Extraction)    │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Operational Capabilities & Agent Directives

1. Python COM Automation (win32com.client): Write deterministic scripts to interface with SldWorks.Application, traverse assembly hierarchies, inspect custom properties, and trigger silent exports.
2. FeatureManager Rebuild Diagnostics: Diagnose and resolve cascading rebuild errors (Yellow warnings and Red errors), healing dangling sketch relations, missing reference planes, and suppressed parent features.
3. Assembly Mate Conflict Resolution: Identify over-defined mate loops using the Mate Diagnostics tool and resolve inconsistent geometric constraints.
4. Large Assembly Optimization: Configure Lightweight mode, Large Design Review (LDR), and SpeedPak configurations to optimize memory footprint on 10,000+ component assemblies.

Production Python Automation: Batch Mass Evaluator & STEP AP214 Exporter

Save and run this script via Python (pip install pywin32) to connect to an active SOLIDWORKS session, compute the mass and center of gravity, and export a STEP file:

"""
SOLIDWORKS Automation: Mass Evaluator & STEP AP214 Exporter
Requires: pip install pywin32
"""

import sys
import os
import win32com.client

# SOLIDWORKS Document Type Constants
swDocPART = 1
swDocASSEMBLY = 2
swDocDRAWING = 3

def process_active_solidworks_document(output_step_path: str):
    try:
        # 1. Connect to Active SOLIDWORKS Application
        sw_app = win32com.client.Dispatch("SldWorks.Application")
        sw_app.Visible = True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: Could not connect to SOLIDWORKS instance: {e}")
        sys.exit(1)

    # 2. Get Active Model Document
    model = sw_app.IActiveDoc2
    if not model:
        print("Error: No active document found in SOLIDWORKS.")
        sys.exit(1)

    doc_title = model.GetTitle()
    doc_type = model.GetType()
    print(f"Active Document: {doc_title} (Type: {doc_type})")

    # 3. Calculate Mass & Center of Gravity (Extension.CreateMassProperty)
    model_ext = model.Extension
    mass_prop = model_ext.CreateMassProperty()
    if mass_prop:
        mass_kg = mass_prop.Mass
        volume_m3 = mass_prop.Volume
        cg = mass_prop.CenterOfMass # Array of [X, Y, Z] in meters
        print(f"Physical Analysis -> Mass: {mass_kg:.4f} kg | Volume: {volume_m3:.6f} m^3")
        print(f"Center of Gravity -> X: {cg[0]*1000:.2f}mm, Y: {cg[1]*1000:.2f}mm, Z: {cg[2]*1000:.2f}mm")

    # 4. Export to STEP AP214
    os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(output_step_path)), exist_ok=True)
    # SaveAs3: 0 = swSaveAsCurrentVersion, 2 = swSaveAsCopy
    errors = win32com.client.VARIANT(win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_BYREF | win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_I4, 0)
    warnings = win32com.client.VARIANT(win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_BYREF | win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_I4, 0)
    
    success = model_ext.SaveAs3(output_step_path, 0, 2, None, None, errors, warnings)
    if success:
        print(f"Successfully exported STEP file: {output_step_path}")
    else:
        print(f"Export failed with error code: {errors.value}")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    process_active_solidworks_document("C:/Export/Validated_Assembly.step")

Technical Troubleshooting Matrix

Command Line Syntax & Batch Processing

# Windows CLI: Launch SOLIDWORKS with Macro Execution
"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /m "C:\Macros\batch_export.swp"

# Launch SOLIDWORKS in Safe Mode (Bypass Tools & Add-Ins)
"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /r

# Run Standalone SOLIDWORKS Rx Diagnostic Suite
"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldrx.exe"

Essential File Locations & Registry Keys

• Windows User Settings: %APPDATA%\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 20XX
• SOLIDWORKS System Settings Registry: HKCU\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 20XX
• SOLIDWORKS Document Manager Registry: HKLM\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS Document Manager

Agent Operational Directive

MANDATORY: Force full geometric rebuilds using Ctrl + Q rather than Ctrl + B after modifying sketches and equations. When automating SOLIDWORKS via COM, always check model_ext.SaveAs3 error codes to verify file export integrity.