SolidWorks offers two options “Swept Boss/Base” and “Swept Cut” which are useful creating a solid body/cut along a body. Consider a paperclip, the body can be created using an extrude then filleting the edges to achieve a circular profile. Instead, this can be done by creating a sketch of the cross section and the shape its body. Similarly, a swept cut can be used to create a groove around a body for placement of a rubber seal, using a single feature. This tutorial will cover the use of both the swept boss/bass and swept cut features.

Swept Boss/Base

For a solid circular profile, the diameter can be specified in the sweep command. For all other cases, the profile must also be sketched. The order of the sketches does not matter, in either case ensure the profile or the path are coincident.

Tip: Use the pierce constraint to connect the profile to the path, avoiding the need to use convert entities.

Sweeps can begin at either endpoint of the path or from the midplane. A sweep from the midplane can be set to unidirectional or bidirectional.

In the options of a bidirectional sweep, the number of revolutions can be specified per direction (side). Alternatively these options apply to the body as a whole.

The profile used for a sweep can be hollow. In the event that tube and pipe is not accessible, routing can be done using sweeps.

Swept Cut

A body must exist before a swept cut can be performed, there is no difference in the requirements otherwise.

Tip: For the path use convert entities, right click the bottom edge and choose “Select loop”. This will select all of the edges around the body.

The use of a solid profile is a different feature not available in swept boss/base. This requires a solid body and a path that is continuous and tangent to the body. When creating the extrude or revolve, deselect “Merge result” so the feature is kept as a separate body.