SolidWorks - Fillet and Chamfer

Fillet

Fillet is used to create a rounded profile on an edge. The edge can be an external of internal profile of a part. SolidWorks fillet function gives a wide flexibility from simple fillet (constant radius) up to an advanced options. However, most of the time user would only use constant radius fillet.

Edge before fillet (left) and after fillet (right)

The function can be accessed by clicking Insert > Features > Fillet/Round, or you can just simply click Fillet icon on the Features ribbon.

The important parameter that user need to know on the function is mainly the fillet radius size and the geometry selection. Two type of geometry can be selected on fillet function, which can be either edge or surface. When edge is selected, the selected edge would be replaced with a rounded profile with the specified radius. When a surface is selected, SolidWorks would automatically select all edges that forms the surface. See the difference in the two images below.

Fillet with edge as selected geometry

Fillet with surface as selected geometry

Chamfer

Chamfer works almost the same as fillet, only that it creates a bevel on the edge instead of rounded profile.

The feature can be accessed by clicking Insert > Features > Chamfer, or by clicking the small drop down arrow below the fillet button on Features Ribbon to reveal the shortcut.

SolidWorks allow user to determine the chamfer size using two method: angle distance, and distance distance.

On angle distance method, user determine the distance of the bevel and the angle of the bevel. By default, the default angle would be set to 45 degree. User can input the bevel angle between 0 to 90 degree. On distance distance method, user is prompted to enter the distance of the two edges of the chamfer.

The geometry selection on chamfer is exactly the same as on fillet, which can be either edges or any face. The edge that form the face would be automatically selected when surface is selected as the input geometry.

Tutorial - Nut Modelling

Tutorial: Modelling standard metric nut. The dimension shown in this tutorial would follow standard dimension for size M3 nut. For any other size of nut, please refer here.

Feature used: Extrude boss/base, Extrude cut, Revolve, Chamfer.

1. Open up SolidWorks and click New > Part

2. On the Family Tree, right click on the Top Plane and select sketch.

3. On the Sketch ribbon, select the Polygon button. On the Polygon option, enter 6 on the Number of Sides field.

4. Sketch a hexagon and give enter the dimension using Smart Dimension such that you obtain a sketch as shown below.

5. Extrude boss/base the sketch with the Mid-Plane end condition, extrusion depth of 2.4. You would get something like shown below.

6. Select the top surface of the nut, right click and select sketch.

7. Sketch a circle with the same center as the hexagon and using smart dimension, give the diameter as shown below.

8. Perform Extrude Cut with Through All end condition. Your model is shaping up!

9. On the Family Tree, select the Front Plane > right click > Sketch
10. Draw a vertical center line at the center of the coordinate and sketch that looks like below.

11. Perform Revolve Cut with the vertical center line as your center of rotation.
12. Select Chamfer, and select the two edges of the center hole. Put 0.3 on the chamfer size.

13 And your model is done! Congratulation!