Catching every detail with SOLIDWORKS Compare Tool

In our fast-paced world of product design and engineering, making revisions to your data is inevitable. Whether it’s a minor tweak to a dimension or a complete overhaul of a feature, keeping track of changes can be prove to be a nightmare without the right tools.

This is where your in-built SOLIDWORKS Compare tool comes in, a powerful utility that acts as your design detective and assistant, meticulously highlighting every difference between two copies or versions of a document. It has a suite of utilities made to compare various aspects of your SOLIDWORKS files, invaluable for catching subtle changes that might otherwise go unnoticed, preventing costly errors and improving your workflow.

Files supported to be compared includes SOLIDWORKS Parts, Assemblies, Drawings, Configurations, and also between versions of a file in a SOLIDWORKS PDM vault.

The Compare tool offers several key functionalities:

• Compare Geometry: This is the visual heavyweight of the tool. It allows you to compare the geometric shape of two parts or assemblies. You can choose to perform a Volume Comparison to see where material has been added or removed, or a Face Comparison to identify unchanged, unique, or modified faces. This is particularly useful when working with imported files or when a feature’s parameters have been subtly altered. The visual feedback, with color-coded highlighting, makes it incredibly easy to see the changes at a glance. g.:
  
• Compare Features: This function delves into the heart of the design by comparing the FeatureManager Design Trees of two parts. It categorizes features as Unchanged, Modified, or Unique. Identical features are exactly the same, modified features have the same name and type but different parameter values (e.g., a chamfer with a different value), and unique features exist in one version but not the other. This gives you a clear, text-based list of what has been changed, added, or removed.  E.g.:
  
• Compare Documents Properties:
  Sometimes the changes aren’t in the geometry or features, but in the document’s properties. The Compare Documents tool lets you check for differences in file and custom properties (e.g. last saved on/by, file size, material, description, etc), and document-specific settings (e.g. units, annotations, image quality, etc). This is a crucial check for ensuring consistency across your project files. g.:
  
• Compare Bill of Materials (BOMs):
  For assemblies and drawings, the Compare tool can also compare your SW BOM tables in the file. This helps you quickly identify any missing or extra columns and rows, ensuring your documentation is accurate and up-to-date with the latest design.  E.g.:
  
• • Efficiency: Instead of manually inspecting models and feature trees for hours, the Compare tool does the heavy lifting for you in a matter of seconds. This frees up valuable time for more creative and critical design tasks.
  • Accuracy: It aims to eliminates human error, where it can be easy to overlook a small change, but the Compare tool will highlight every single one, no matter how insignificant it may seem. This is crucial for preventing costly manufacturing mistakes down the line.
  • Clarity and Communication: When a client or colleague sends you an updated model, the Compare tool provides an objective and visual way to understand exactly what has changed. You can even generate reports out of the results, making it easy to communicate design changes with your team and any stakeholders.
    Why should you use the Compare tool? 

  Get started with the Compare tool

  Accessing the Compare tool is straightforward, you can find it under the Tools > Compare menu in SOLIDWORKS. Once you launch it, the Compare Task Pane will open on the right side, allowing you to browse and select the two files or configurations you want to compare and choose the type of comparisons you wish to run.

And if you are using SOLIDWORKS PDM (Product Data Management), you can take things to the next level by comparing two different historical versions of a file stored in your PDM vault, e.g.:

The SOLIDWORKS Compare tool is an essential utility for anyone who works with design revisions. It’s an easy to use, simple but incredibly powerful feature that promotes accuracy, saves time, and helps you stay in control of your designs.

So, the next time you get a new version of a file, don’t just open it and play guess what’s the difference… let SOLIDWORKS Compare tool do the work and give you the confidence that every change has been accounted for!

If you have any queries on this blog, feel free to contact support@seacadtech.com