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The DraftXpert manages the creation and modification of neutral plane drafts. The DraftXpert takes trial and error out of the draft process. You select the draft angle and references to draft, and the DraftXpert manages the rest, which can include automatically reordering draft features before adjacent fillets. See also Xperts Overview.

The DratfXpert can:

  • Create multiple drafts

  • Do draft analysis

  • Edit drafts

  • Automatically invoke the FeatureXpert to resolve draft features that do not initially go into the model easily

Use the Add tab to create new draft features or the Change tab to modify draft features.

Use the DraftXpert when you want the SolidWorks software to manage the structure of the underlying features. Use the manual Draft PropertyManager when you want to maintain control at the feature level.

The following procedures demonstrate various uses of the DraftXpert using this sample model.

To access the DraftXpert:

  1. Click Draft (Features toolbar) or Insert, Features, Draft.

  2. In the PropertyManager, click DraftXpert.

To create multiple drafts and do draft analysis using the DraftXpert Add tab:

  1. In the DraftXpert PropertyManager, click the Add tab.

  2. Under Items to Draft:

    1. Set the Draft Angle . In this example, set it to 3.00deg.

    2. Select a Neutral Plane in the graphics area. In this example, select the red-colored planar face on top of the cylinder. The Direction of Pull arrow points upward.

    1. Select the Faces to Draft . In this example, select the cyan-colored cylindrical face.

    2. Click Apply to create the draft.

  1. Under Draft Analysis, select Auto paint to enable Draft Analysis.

The face you just drafted displays the Draft Analysis color for 3 degrees of draft, while the inside of the cylinder is yellow, indicating no draft.

Pointer feedback reports the draft angle when you move the pointer over the drafted face.

  1. Clear Auto paint.

Under Faces to Draft, select another face for Neutral Plane. In this example, select the red-colored face on the square front of the model.

  1. Select Auto paint.

The circular inside of the horizontal cylinder is yellow, indicating no draft.

  1. Select the circular inside for Faces to Draft , then click Apply to create the draft.

The color of the circular inside updates to indicate 3deg of draft. Pointer feedback verifies the draft angle.

To change draft using the DraftXpert Change tab:

In this example, you have already applied 3deg draft to the four orange-colored faces (two faces on each side of the horizontal cylinder).

  1. In the DraftXpert PropertyManager, select the Change tab.

  2. Under Drafts to Change, select the draft items to modify for Faces to Draft . In this example, you select the two orange-colored outer faces (one each on opposite sides of the horizontal cylinder).

  1. Set a value for Draft Angle and click Change to modify the draft for the selected faces. In this example, change the draft to 10deg.

  2. Under Draft Analysis, select Auto paint to see what other faces need draft.

To remove draft from faces, you would click Remove.

  1. Click .

Related Topics

Draft Overview

Neutral Plane Draft

DraftXpert PropertyManager - Add

DraftXpert PropertyManager - Change

Draft Analysis Overview

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Web Help Content Version: SOLIDWORKS 2011 SP05

