How to Project Geometry in SOLIDWORKS

Projecting geometry in SOLIDWORKS lets you reuse existing edges, curves, sketches, or model features in a new sketch or on another face. It is useful for keeping features aligned, creating references, transferring outlines, and building sketches that follow existing model geometry.

Use Convert Entities

The most common way to project geometry into a sketch is Convert Entities. Start a sketch, select the edge, face, loop, or sketch entity you want to reuse, and click Convert Entities. SOLIDWORKS creates sketch geometry that follows the selected reference.

This is helpful when the new feature must match an existing edge exactly. Instead of redrawing the shape by hand, you can reuse the model geometry and reduce the chance of small alignment errors.

1. Start a sketch on the target plane or face.
2. Select the model edge, face, loop, or sketch entity.
3. Click Convert Entities.
4. Review the converted sketch geometry.
5. Add dimensions or relations if the sketch needs additional control.

Choose references carefully

Converted geometry depends on the reference you select. If the original edge or face changes later, the converted sketch may update, move, or become dangling. Use stable model references where possible, especially for important features that will drive downstream geometry.

Use projected curves when needed

For more advanced work, SOLIDWORKS can create projected curves from sketches and faces. This is useful when a curve needs to lie on a surface or when two sketches combine to create a 3D path. Projected curves are often used for sweeps, split lines, surface features, and guide curves.

A projected curve is different from a simple converted edge. It can create usable 3D curve geometry for features that need a path in space, especially when the shape cannot be described on one flat sketch plane.

Convert face outlines

If you select a face before using Convert Entities, SOLIDWORKS can create sketch entities from the face boundary. This is helpful when a cut, boss, gasket, cover, or matching profile needs to follow an existing face. After conversion, check whether the resulting sketch is closed if the feature requires a closed profile.

Avoid fragile sketches

Projected geometry can make a model faster to build, but too many converted references can make it fragile. If a sketch depends on several small edges that may change, future edits can create dangling relations. For important features, consider using planes, dimensions, or layout sketches as more stable references.

When a converted edge is only needed as a temporary construction reference, consider converting it and then controlling the final sketch with dimensions. That keeps the design intent visible and makes later edits easier to understand.

Troubleshooting projected geometry

If converted geometry does not appear, make sure you are editing an active sketch and that the selected entity can be projected onto the sketch plane. If a feature fails later, open the sketch and look for dangling entities or missing references. Reattach the sketch to valid geometry or replace unstable converted edges with dimensions.

Use projected geometry when it saves time and preserves design intent. For final production models, keep the reference structure simple enough that another user can understand and repair it.

Before finishing the part, rebuild the model and check that the projected sketch still follows the intended source geometry. This simple check can catch broken references before they affect drawings or assemblies.