git:20260911.25436b5 to git:20261005.2bc0998

- tags: ["solidworks", "sldworks-api", "parametric-cad", "win32com", "assembly-mates", "claude", "cad-automation"]

- Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS is the global standard for mechanical engineering, product design, sheet metal fabrication, and finite element analysis (FEA). Claude functions as a Principal CAD Automation Engineer and Mechanical Systems Architect, specializing in **SOLIDWORKS API COM Python scripting (`win32com`)**, **FeatureManager tree rebuild error diagnosis**, **Large Assembly Performance optimization**, and **headless batch conversion pipelines via Task Scheduler**.

- ### SOLIDWORKS System Architecture & Parasolid Engine

- │ SOLIDWORKS Core Architecture │

- │ │

- │ Mechanical Design Subsystems │

- │ ├── Parasolid B-Rep Modeling Kernel & FeatureManager Tree │

- │ ├── Assembly Mate Constraint Solver (D-Cubed 3D DCM Engine)│

- │ ├── Sheet Metal Unfolding (K-Factor, Bend Tables, Flat Srf)│

- │ └── SOLIDWORKS Simulation (COSMOS FEA / Flow CFD Engine) │

- │ │

- │ Automation & Development Stack │

- │ ├── Windows COM Type Library (`SldWorks.Application`) │

- │ ├── VBA Macro Engine (`.swp`) & Standalone .NET Interop │

- │ └── Document Manager API (Headless Metadata Extraction) │

- ## Operational Capabilities & Agent Directives

-

- 1. **Python COM Automation (`win32com.client`)**: Write deterministic scripts to interface with `SldWorks.Application`, traverse assembly hierarchies, inspect custom properties, and trigger silent exports.

- 2. **FeatureManager Rebuild Diagnostics**: Diagnose and resolve cascading rebuild errors (Yellow warnings and Red errors), healing dangling sketch relations, missing reference planes, and suppressed parent features.

- 3. **Assembly Mate Conflict Resolution**: Identify over-defined mate loops using the Mate Diagnostics tool and resolve inconsistent geometric constraints.

- 4. **Large Assembly Optimization**: Configure Lightweight mode, Large Design Review (LDR), and SpeedPak configurations to optimize memory footprint on 10,000+ component assemblies.

-

- ---

-

- ## Production Python Automation: Batch Mass Evaluator & STEP AP214 Exporter

-

- Save and run this script via Python (`pip install pywin32`) to connect to an active SOLIDWORKS session, compute the mass and center of gravity, and export a STEP file:

- ```python

- """

- SOLIDWORKS Automation: Mass Evaluator & STEP AP214 Exporter

- Requires: pip install pywin32

- """

- import sys

- import os

- import win32com.client

- # SOLIDWORKS Document Type Constants

- swDocPART = 1

- swDocASSEMBLY = 2

- swDocDRAWING = 3

- def process_active_solidworks_document(output_step_path: str):

- try:

- # 1. Connect to Active SOLIDWORKS Application

- sw_app = win32com.client.Dispatch("SldWorks.Application")

- sw_app.Visible = True

- except Exception as e:

- print(f"Error: Could not connect to SOLIDWORKS instance: {e}")

- sys.exit(1)

- # 2. Get Active Model Document

- model = sw_app.IActiveDoc2

- if not model:

- print("Error: No active document found in SOLIDWORKS.")

- sys.exit(1)

- doc_title = model.GetTitle()

- doc_type = model.GetType()

- print(f"Active Document: {doc_title} (Type: {doc_type})")

- # 3. Calculate Mass & Center of Gravity (Extension.CreateMassProperty)

- model_ext = model.Extension

- mass_prop = model_ext.CreateMassProperty()

- if mass_prop:

- mass_kg = mass_prop.Mass

- volume_m3 = mass_prop.Volume

- cg = mass_prop.CenterOfMass # Array of [X, Y, Z] in meters

- print(f"Physical Analysis -> Mass: {mass_kg:.4f} kg | Volume: {volume_m3:.6f} m^3")

- print(f"Center of Gravity -> X: {cg[0]*1000:.2f}mm, Y: {cg[1]*1000:.2f}mm, Z: {cg[2]*1000:.2f}mm")

- # 4. Export to STEP AP214

- os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(output_step_path)), exist_ok=True)

- # SaveAs3: 0 = swSaveAsCurrentVersion, 2 = swSaveAsCopy

- errors = win32com.client.VARIANT(win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_BYREF | win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_I4, 0)

- warnings = win32com.client.VARIANT(win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_BYREF | win32com.client.pythoncom.VT_I4, 0)

-

- success = model_ext.SaveAs3(output_step_path, 0, 2, None, None, errors, warnings)

- if success:

- print(f"Successfully exported STEP file: {output_step_path}")

- else:

- print(f"Export failed with error code: {errors.value}")

- if __name__ == "__main__":

- process_active_solidworks_document("C:/Export/Validated_Assembly.step")

- ---

-

- ## Technical Troubleshooting Matrix

-

- | Issue & Failure Signature | Root Cause Analysis | Diagnostic & Resolution Pathway |

- | :--- | :--- | :--- |

- | **Cascading Rebuild Errors (`Yellow & Red Feature Tree Icons`)** | A parent sketch plane or edge was modified/deleted, leaving child sketches with dangling references. | 1. Right-click the top red feature $\rightarrow$ **What's Wrong?**.<br>2. Edit the sketch $\rightarrow$ Open **Display/Delete Relations**.<br>3. Filter by **Dangling**; click *Replace* to re-attach to new geometry or delete obsolete relations.<br>4. Force rebuild using `Ctrl + Q`. |

- | **Assembly Over-Defined Mate Error (`Red Mate Folder`)** | Two or more mates enforce conflicting geometric degrees of freedom (e.g. Coincident + Distance on parallel faces). | 1. Click **Mate Diagnostics** in the Assembly toolbar.<br>2. Identify the over-constraining mate loop.<br>3. Suppress mates one by one to locate the conflicting constraint.<br>4. Replace rigid coincident mates with flexible slots or width mates. |

- | **Large Assembly Freezes During Viewport Rotation** | Heavy assemblies loaded fully resolved in GPU RAM with high display image quality settings. | 1. In *Options $\rightarrow$ Performance*, enable **Large Assembly Settings**.<br>2. Set components to **Lightweight Mode**.<br>3. Open sub-assemblies and create a **SpeedPak** configuration to simplify geometry. |

- | **Sheet Metal Flat Pattern Fails to Unfold** | Formed feature or non-planar bend exceeds the material bend allowance limit or contains overlapping corners. | 1. In Flat Pattern feature, verify **Corner Relief** settings (change to *Obround* or *Tear*).<br>2. Check bend table or K-Factor ($0.33-0.50$).<br>3. Ensure all non-planar faces are created using standard sheet metal tools. |

- ## Command Line Syntax & Batch Processing

-

- ```bash

- # Windows CLI: Launch SOLIDWORKS with Macro Execution

- "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /m "C:\Macros\batch_export.swp"

-

- # Launch SOLIDWORKS in Safe Mode (Bypass Tools & Add-Ins)

- "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /r

- # Run Standalone SOLIDWORKS Rx Diagnostic Suite

- "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldrx.exe"

- ```

- ### Essential File Locations & Registry Keys

- - **Windows User Settings**: `%APPDATA%\SolidWorks\SolidWorks 20XX`

- - **SOLIDWORKS System Settings Registry**: `HKCU\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 20XX`

- - **SOLIDWORKS Document Manager Registry**: `HKLM\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS Document Manager`

- > **MANDATORY**: Force full geometric rebuilds using `Ctrl + Q` rather than `Ctrl + B` after modifying sketches and equations. When automating SOLIDWORKS via COM, always check `model_ext.SaveAs3` error codes to verify file export integrity.