Revolved cut in Solidworks - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Revolved cut

Business Question

How can we analyze the usage and efficiency of the Revolved Cut feature in our SolidWorks designs?

Sample Data

Design ID	Revolved Cut Count	Material Removed (cm³)	Time Saved (minutes)	Designer
D001	3	150	20	Alice
D002	5	230	35	Bob
D003	2	120	15	Charlie
D004	4	200	30	Alice
D005	1	80	10	Bob

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card: Total Revolved Cuts
  Formula: SUM(Revolved Cut Count) = 3+5+2+4+1 = 15
• KPI Card: Total Material Removed (cm³)
  Formula: SUM(Material Removed) = 150+230+120+200+80 = 780
• KPI Card: Total Time Saved (minutes)
  Formula: SUM(Time Saved) = 20+35+15+30+10 = 110
• Bar Chart: Revolved Cuts by Designer
  Data: Group by Designer, sum Revolved Cut Count
  Results: Alice=7, Bob=6, Charlie=2
• Table: Detailed Design Data
  Shows all columns from sample data

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Total Revolved Cuts   | Total Material Removed  |
|        [ 15 ]        |         [ 780 cm³ ]     |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Total Time Saved      |                         |
|      [ 110 min ]     |                         |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
|                                              |
|   Bar Chart: Cuts by Designer                 |
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+
|                                              |
|          Table: Detailed Design Data          |
|                                              |
+----------------------------------------------+
    

Interactivity

Adding a filter by Designer updates all KPI cards, the bar chart, and the detailed table to show data only for the selected designer(s). For example, selecting "Alice" will show total cuts, material removed, and time saved only for Alice's designs.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Designer = Bob, which components update?

• All KPI cards update to show Bob's totals: Revolved Cuts = 6, Material Removed = 310 cm³, Time Saved = 45 minutes.
• The bar chart highlights Bob's data.
• The detailed table shows only Bob's designs (D002 and D005).

Key Result

Dashboard showing total revolved cuts, material removed, and time saved by designer with detailed data and interactive filtering.

Practice

1.

What does the Revolved Cut feature do in SolidWorks?

easy

A. Adds material by extruding a sketch

B. Mirrors a feature across a plane

C. Creates a flat surface on a part

D. Removes material by rotating a sketch around an axis

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Revolved Cut purpose

   Revolved Cut removes material by spinning a sketch around a defined axis.

2. Step 2: Compare with other features

   Extrude adds material, mirror duplicates features, and flat surface creation is unrelated.

3. Final Answer:

   Removes material by rotating a sketch around an axis -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Revolved Cut = Remove by rotation [OK]

Hint: Revolved cut spins sketch to remove material [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing cut with extrude
• Thinking it adds material
• Mixing with mirror feature

2.

Which of the following is the correct syntax to start a Revolved Cut in SolidWorks?

Insert > Cut > Revolved Cut

easy

A. Insert > Boss/Base > Revolved Cut

B. Insert > Hole Wizard > Revolved Cut

C. Insert > Cut > Revolved Cut

D. Insert > Surface > Revolved Cut

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall menu path for Revolved Cut

   The correct menu path is Insert > Cut > Revolved Cut.

2. Step 2: Eliminate incorrect options

   Boss/Base adds material, Surface is for surfaces, Hole Wizard is for holes, not revolved cuts.

3. Final Answer:

   Insert > Cut > Revolved Cut -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Menu path = Insert > Cut > Revolved Cut [OK]

Hint: Revolved Cut is under Insert > Cut menu [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing Boss/Base instead of Cut
• Confusing Hole Wizard with Revolved Cut
• Selecting Surface instead of Cut

3.

Given a sketch of a semicircle with radius 10 mm and an axis along the diameter, what will be the result of a Revolved Cut feature?

medium

A. A solid hemisphere cut with 10 mm radius

B. A hollow sphere cut with 10 mm radius

C. A full cylinder cut with 10 mm radius

D. A hollow cylinder cut with 10 mm radius

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand sketch and axis

   A semicircle revolved around its diameter axis creates a solid hemisphere shape.

2. Step 2: Identify cut shape

   The Revolved Cut removes material in a solid hemisphere form, not a hollow sphere or cylinder.

3. Final Answer:

   A solid hemisphere cut with 10 mm radius -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Semicircle revolve = solid hemisphere cut [OK]

Hint: Semicircle revolve around diameter = solid hemisphere cut [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it creates a hollow cylinder cut
• Confusing cylinder with sphere
• Assuming full cylinder cut

4.

Why does a Revolved Cut fail when the sketch is not closed?

medium

A. Because the sketch cannot form a solid profile to revolve

B. Because the axis is missing

C. Because the sketch is too complex

D. Because the material thickness is zero

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand sketch closure requirement

   Revolved Cut needs a closed sketch to create a solid profile for cutting.

2. Step 2: Identify failure cause

   An open sketch cannot form a solid shape when revolved, causing the feature to fail.

3. Final Answer:

   Because the sketch cannot form a solid profile to revolve -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Closed sketch needed for revolve [OK]

Hint: Sketch must be closed to revolve cut [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Blaming missing axis instead of open sketch
• Assuming complexity causes failure
• Confusing material thickness with sketch closure

5.

You want to create a groove inside a cylindrical part using Revolved Cut. Which two things must you ensure before applying the feature?

hard

A. The sketch is closed and the part is flat

B. The sketch is closed and the axis is defined

C. The sketch is open and the axis is undefined

D. The sketch is open and the part is hollow

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify sketch requirements

   The sketch must be closed to form a valid profile for cutting.

2. Step 2: Confirm axis definition

   A clear axis must be defined to revolve the sketch correctly.

3. Final Answer:

   The sketch is closed and the axis is defined -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Closed sketch + defined axis = successful revolved cut [OK]

Hint: Always close sketch and define axis before revolved cut [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using open sketches
• Not defining axis
• Assuming flat or hollow part is required