Learn more helpful SOLIDWORKS Tips and Tricks at www.mlc-cad.com/articles/
In this tech tip, we explore how to view appearances that are applied to your geometry and to identify where an unwanted appearance may be coming from. A brass fitting shows correctly as brass appearance in the part environment, but is gray at the assembly level.
Appearances can be applied to a SOLIDWORKS model at multiple levels. They are, in order of hierarchy:
1) Top-Level assembly appearance applied to the entire active assembly
2) Appearance applied to the component instance at the top-level assembly
3) Sub-Assembly Appearances as above, if applicable
4) Part Face
5) Part Feature
6) Part Body
7) Part Component
The appearances flyout displays all appearances applied to the selected model, ordered by hierarchy, with the top appearance being shown over any appearances applied below it. Notice only the selected component is shown, so if you click on a part you'll only see appearances at the part level and for that specific instance of the component. For assembly and sub-assembly appearances, click on the respective levels in the feature tree or open them individually to adjust or remove those appearances. In the video, the entire sub-assembly color was changed. Removing that appearance allowed the correct part appearances to be shown.
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