Learn how to harness Microsoft Excel-driven Design Tables in SOLIDWORKS to automatically generate, control, and update multiple part or assembly configurations from a single centralized file.
🚀 SOLIDWORKS Mastery Pack – 11 Courses in 1
Take your CAD career from foundational modeling to advanced surfacing, sheet metal, weldments, simulation, and parametric automation.
📌 What You Will Learn in This Guide
- Create a SOLIDWORKS Design Table: Insert blank, auto-created, or pre-existing Excel sheets into your model.
- Create Multiple Configurations: Drive multiple sizing versions (e.g., Small, Medium, Large) from rows in a spreadsheet.
- Control Dimensions & Features: Link dimension parameters (
D1@Sketch1) and suppress/unsuppress states ($STATE@FeatureName). - Manage Design Variations: Update properties, custom metadata, and part numbers automatically.
- Streamline CAD Workflows: Eliminate redundant files and ensure design consistency across standard part libraries.
⚙️ Step-by-Step Workflow Overview
Prepare Your Model
Rename primary dimensions and features in the FeatureManager tree so they are intuitive to read in Excel.
Insert Design Table
Navigate to Insert > Tables > Design Table and choose Auto-create or Blank.
Add Parameters
Select dimensions and features from the graphics area to populate the columns of your Excel table.
Populate Variations
Add new configuration names in the first column and enter corresponding numeric values and states (S / U).
$STATE@Feature_Name and define the cell values as S (Suppressed) or U (Unsuppressed).
🎯 Who Is This For?
This workflow is tailored for mechanical engineers, CAD modelers, product designers, and engineering students who want to build parametric, scalable component libraries without manually rebuilding parts.
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