How to Assign a Material in SOLIDWORKS

Assigning a material in SOLIDWORKS gives a part physical properties such as density, mass, appearance, and simulation data. It also helps drawings, BOMs, and engineering checks communicate what the part is supposed to be made from.

Assign material from the FeatureManager

In a part file, right-click Material in the FeatureManager tree and choose Edit Material. Select the material category, choose the material, and apply it to the part.

After applying the material, confirm that the material name appears in the tree. This quick check helps catch cases where only an appearance was changed.

If the part uses configurations, check the configuration that will be used in the drawing or assembly. Material assignments can sometimes vary by configuration depending on how the model was set up.

Check mass properties

Material assignment affects mass, center of gravity, and other physical properties. Use Mass Properties after assigning the material to confirm that weight and density look reasonable.

If the mass looks wrong, check units, suppressed bodies, configurations, and whether all bodies have the intended material.

Mass properties are a good sanity check after material assignment. If a steel part weighs like plastic, or a small bracket weighs far more than expected, the material or model state needs review.

Use materials in multi-body parts

Some multi-body parts need different materials for different bodies. Assign body-specific materials when required and verify the mass properties for the full part.

This is common in weldments, inserts, simplified assemblies, or parts that represent multiple manufactured pieces in one file.

When body-specific materials are used, name solid bodies clearly. This helps another user understand which body is aluminum, steel, rubber, plastic, or another material.

Material appearance is not enough

Changing the color or texture of a part does not necessarily assign a real material. Appearance controls how the model looks. Material controls physical properties and may also set an appearance.

For drawings, BOMs, and simulations, use actual material assignment rather than relying on visual color.

This distinction is important when a model is shared. A gray-looking part does not tell another designer whether it is aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, or painted plastic.

Check drawings and custom properties

If the drawing title block or notes show material automatically, confirm that the correct property is linked. Some templates use custom properties, while others read directly from the part material.

For production work, include the exact grade, temper, standard, or supplier designation when those details matter.

If the CAD material library uses a generic material, add the precise production requirement in drawing notes or custom properties. This keeps the manufacturing instruction clear.

Troubleshooting

If a material is missing, check the material library file location. If custom materials do not appear on another computer, confirm that the custom library is shared or documented.

Before release, rebuild the model and verify material, mass, drawing notes, and BOM information. A correct material assignment makes the CAD file more useful beyond just geometry.

Use material assignment as part of the design definition, especially when weight, cost, strength, simulation, or manufacturing process depends on it.

For simulation work, verify that the chosen material includes the needed properties. Density alone is not enough for stress, thermal, fatigue, or nonlinear studies.

If a material is assigned only to make the model look correct, document the real material elsewhere before release. A model that looks polished but carries the wrong physical data can mislead drawings, BOMs, cost estimates, and simulation studies.

When importing or reusing old parts, check the material before placing them into a new assembly. Legacy files often contain temporary materials, missing custom libraries, or outdated material names.

If weight is important, compare the calculated mass with a rough manual estimate or a known similar part. This quick check can reveal material and unit mistakes early.