To change drawings to Metric in Solidworks, you need to modify the document's unit system and associated settings. Here's how:
Steps to Change to Metric Units in Solidworks
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Access Options: Go to Simulation > Options. If you're working with a part or assembly document, you can also find options under Tools > Options > Document Properties. This takes you to the system settings.
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Select Unit System: Within the Options dialog box, look for the Unit system section. Select SI (International System of Units) or Metric (gravitational system of units) from the available options. SI is generally preferred as it's the modern standard.
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Define Units: Below the Unit system selection, you'll find a Units section. Here, specify the units for different measurements. This is where you define specifics like:
- Length/Displacement: Choose millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), or meters (m). Millimeters are very common in mechanical design.
- Temperature: Choose Celsius (°C) or Kelvin (K).
- Angular Velocity: Choose degrees per second (°/s) or radians per second (rad/s).
- Pressure/Stress: Choose Pascals (Pa), Megapascals (MPa), or other appropriate metric units.
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Apply Changes: Click OK to save the changes. Your Solidworks drawing will now display measurements in the selected metric units.
Important Considerations
- Existing Dimensions: Changing the unit system converts existing dimensions. Solidworks will automatically recalculate values to reflect the new unit system. Verify that the converted dimensions are what you expect.
- Drawing Templates: If you frequently work with metric drawings, create or modify your drawing templates to use metric units by default. This will save you time and ensure consistency. You can set this in Tools > Options > Document Properties > Drafting Standard.
- Part and Assembly Units: Remember that drawings inherit their unit system from the part or assembly they reference. If you want a metric drawing, ensure the underlying part or assembly is also set to metric units.
- Manual Adjustments: In some cases, you might need to manually adjust dimensions or annotations after converting, especially if there are geometric constraints or imported data involved.
By following these steps, you can easily switch your Solidworks drawings to the metric system. Remember to check your drawing templates and underlying models to ensure consistency across your projects.
