Skip to main content

Changing the Template of an Existing Part or Assembly

In this article, we will discuss how to replace an existing Part or Assembly document template in SOLIDWORKS. A document's template is selected when you first make a SOLIDWORKS document. It can be helpful to apply units, assign custom properties, change image quality, or even troubleshoot problems related to the document template.

For drawings, you can replace the sheet format (not the drawing template) using the steps in the article below.

How to Change Drawing Sheet Format

Changing the Template of a Part

  1. Go to File > New (CRTL+N) and open a new part with the desired template. This should be the template you want to apply to the existing part.
  2. Go to Insert > 'Part'.
  3. Activate the ‘Break link to the original part’ option.

    Visual representation of breaking the link in the Property Manager

  4. Browse to the part you want to update. SOLIDWORKS inserts the part and creates a folder that contains all of the features of that part you insert. If preferred, you can delete the folder to make all features appear at the part level.

    Part with replaced template

  5. Save the part with the same name and overwrite the existing part.

Changing the Template of an Assembly

  1. Go to File > New (CRTL+N) and open a new assembly with the desired template.
  2. Go to 'Insert Component', and locate your existing assembly.
  3. Insert the assembly at the origin. By holding the cursor over the PropertyManager (Insert Component flyout on the left), you can align the origin of the new assembly with the old assembly.
  4. Right-click the subassembly and select "Dissolve Subassembly". 

    Dissolve subassembly location

    When completing this, you will lose assembly-level feature data, explode steps, and configurations. These will have to be added in manually once finished. You can view the removed data in the "Assembly Structure Editing" window. Click "Move" to continue.

    Assembly Structure Editing Window

  5. Save the assembly with the same name and overwrite the existing one.

Contact Us

For further technical support please contact Hawk Ridge Systems at 877.266.4469 for the U.S. or 866.587.6803 for Canada.

Was this article helpful?
0 out of 0 found this helpful

Comments

0 comments

Article is closed for comments.