SolidWorks Mirror Feature Tool and Applications_SolidWorks Tutorial 37

Hai friend, welcome to SolidWorks Tutorials for Beginners and in this tutorial you are going to learn solidworks mirror feature and its applications in Engineering. SolidWorks Mirror is feature tool used mainly for creating copy of a sketch, part, assembly, sheetmetal, weldments etc in the opposite side by the reference of face or plane. Simply, you can create the opposite hand versions of the your design model. Using this SolidWorks Tutorial, You can learn about solidworks mirror feature tool, how to apply on sketch/model and its applications in the engineering field.

What is SolidWorks Mirror Feature Tool?

SolidWorks Mirror feature is CAD tool used to create copy of your sketch/model in its opposite site. If you have to make same copy or mirror image on the other hands, SolidWorks Mirror function help do it instantly. By using this SolidWorks tool, you can reduce the time and reduce the design file complexity by adding the same functions as you used to create model. The main applications or uses of Mirror feature are creating opposite hand versions of sketch (Existing and dynamic mirroring), mirroring of a part, Assembly and a sheet metal part. Checkout Best SolidWorks Training Materials here.

Checkout the SolidWorks Video Tutorial about Circular Pattern Feature Tool on YouTube:-

Let us see the step-by-step guide for using Mirror feature tool in SolidWorks CAD software.

How to Use SolidWorks Mirror Feature Tool Tutorial?

Here , you are going to see the how to use mirror feature tool effectively by creating a part in SolidWorks.

Step 1: Create a Part File

Open SolidWorks CAD software. Click on the ‘New’ button from the quick access toolbar or from file menubar. From that, select ‘Part’ and click ‘OK’. Then you can see the Main user interface of SolidWorks modeling software. See How to Create a Part File

File -> New -> Part -> OK

Select the default “Front Plane” from the Features DesignTree manager. Go to Heads-up toolbar and click on “View Orientation” and click on “NormalTo”. Then you can see the Top plane view changes from isometric to XY plane.

Step 2: Sketch the Profile

Go to sketch command manager and click on ‘Rectangle sketch tool’.

Here I am going to create 100×30 mm, two rectangles vertically and horizontally on the Right plane.

Go to Sketch and select the ‘Corner Rectangle Sketch tool’ and draw the rectangles on the plane surface.

Use the ‘Smart Dimension Tool’ to give the proper dimensions as per our tutorial.

Step 3: Apply Extrude Boss and Extrude Cut Feature Convert to Solid Body

‘Exit the sketch’ and go to Feature command manager and apply extrude boss to add material to create sketch as 3D solid body.

You have to enter ’30 mm’ as the part thickness and click ok.

Also want to add a ‘15 mm’ diametric hole on the horizontal face of the part model.

For that, go to sketch and select the ‘Center circle sketch tool’.

‘Exit the sketch’ and go to Features command manager. Select the ‘Sketch2’ and click on the “extrude cut’ feature tool and apply blind cutting of hole. Resultant image is shown as below.

Step 4: Apply SolidWorks Mirror Feature

You already made the part model by following the above steps here. Then you have to apply Mirror feature on it to create the opposite hand version or copy of the part model.

For that, you have to select a face or create plane for the reference.

Select Face or Create Plane

Select the Mirror Tool

From Features CommandManager

Select the face and go to features commandmanager, click on the drop-down arrow of ‘Linear pattern’ and select the ‘Mirror’ tool.

From Menubar

Go to ‘Insert’ menu. From the drop-down menu, select ‘Pattern/Mirror’. From the side-dropdown menu, click on the ‘Mirror’ option.

Related Tutorial: How to Use Solidworks Helix and Spiral Feature Command

Step 5: Apply Mirror Feature from the Mirror Property Manager

Here two main options you have to do.

1. Mirror Face/Plane
2. Features to Mirror

Here, you are already selected the Mirror face or plane, ‘Face<1>’, which shown in the ‘Select face or Create Plane’ step.

In the Features to Mirror box, you have to select the features of bodies as you want to create copy on the other side of the selected face.

Click ‘Ok’.

This is way to create mirror images of your part model in SolidWorks CAD software. This is the one of the application and other uses like applying Mirror to solidworks assembly, sheetmetal etc will update soon. You can also watch video tutorial on my YouTube channel Hotshotracer91.

Miscellaneous Information:-

Mirror Property manager

Mirror face/Plane: Mirror face or plane is the base to create the copy of part model.

Features to Mirror: Select the Features, as you want in the opposite side to of your mirror part file.

Faces to Mirror: You can also select the faces of part model to create mirror image of it.

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