When it comes to measuring angles in SolidWorks, there are multiple ways to do so.
- Using SmartDimension to measure and define angles.
- Direct measure.
- Using the Measure tool.
Method 1: Using Smart Dimension
Contents
- In a sketch: To measure the angular dimension between two lines in a sketch, click Smart Dimension. Click on one line and then click on the second line. Move the pointer to show the angular dimension preview. Place the dimension by clicking anywhere in the graphics area and set the value in the Modify box and click Ok.
- Outside the sketch: Go to Tools->Dimension->Smart.
Select the two edges or faces you want to measure the angle of and it will show you a preview. Click anywhere to place the dimension.
Method 2: Direct measurement
In the direct measurement method, Select the two faces or lines while holding the Ctrl key on your keyboard and the angle will be shown in the Status Bar. (If the angle between the two lines or faces is 180° it will show the Normal Distance instead of the Angle.)
Method 3: Using the Measure Tool
- To use the measure tool: Click the Measure tool present in the Evaluate tab or go to Tools -> Evaluate -> Measure.
- While the Measure dialog box is open, expand it by clicking on the drop-down arrow.
Select the two faces or lines by clicking on them and the measure tool will show you the angle.
Tip: You can switch among different documents without closing the measure tool dialog box. If you activate a document that has items already selected, the measurement information automatically gets updated.
Tip: If you want to work on the model without closing the measure tool, Right-click in the graphics area and select “Select“. You can also minimize the box to further increase the working space.
Note: By default, the Measure tool uses the document’s unit and precision but it can be changed by clicking on the Units/Precision icon present in the measure tool dialog box.
All the above-defined methods work in Assemblies as well. In Assembly, Angle mate is also available that allows you to measure and adjust the angle but we’ll leave that for another article.
