 For this Lunch & Learn, we were joined by Tim Humphrey, founder and principal of Designs Unlimited and a mechanical design engineer for Square-1 Engineering. With more than 40 years of experience, Tim is a certified SolidWorks expert who spent nine years at Edwards Lifesciences, where he built and ran an internal SolidWorks certification program. He has trained junior and senior engineers alike and is widely known as a go-to CAD resource. In this session, Tim shared his favorite SolidWorks productivity hacks. These are not flashy tricks. They are small, practical adjustments that remove friction, reduce clicks, and keep your focus on the model instead of the menus. Whether you are new to SolidWorks or have been using it since the late 90s, there is something here that will save you time. 1. Repeat the Last Command Instantly Press Enter to repeat your most recent command. This works when commands are launched from menus, not toolbars. It is an easy way to adjust a fillet, add edges, or tweak a feature without hunting for the command again. 2. Bring Commands to Your Cursor with the S Key The S key opens a context-aware shortcut menu based on what you are doing. Sketching, modeling, or working in an assembly, SolidWorks knows which tools are relevant and puts them right at your cursor. This single habit can eliminate a huge amount of menu navigation. 3. Create Center Planes Automatically Select two parallel faces, press S, and choose Plane. SolidWorks will automatically create a center plane between them. No math. No offsets. You can also hold Ctrl, grab an existing plane, and drag it to quickly define offsets or perpendicular references. 4. Access Recent Files with One Keystroke Press R to open your recent files menu instantly. Pin files you use often, open read-only versions, or switch configurations without going through File menus. For anyone juggling multiple projects, this adds up fast. 5. Recover Hidden Context Menus If a context toolbar disappears after you make a selection, press Ctrl to bring it back. This is especially useful in assemblies, where SolidWorks often anticipates your next move but hides the menu if your cursor drifts. Slow down your mouse movement and let SolidWorks catch up. 6. Finish Commands Where You Are Press D to bring confirmation controls directly to your cursor. Accept, cancel, or exit commands without moving to the corner of the screen. This also works when editing sketches and features. 7. Use Breadcrumbs Instead of the Feature Tree Breadcrumbs show the hierarchy of the selected feature right next to the model. Sketch, feature, part, assembly. Using breadcrumbs lets you edit sketches or redefine features without searching through a long feature tree. The control stays close to the geometry. 8. Collapse a Messy Feature Tree Instantly Press Shift + C to collapse the entire feature tree. This is invaluable in large parts or assemblies where expanded folders make navigation painful. Clean view. Clear mind. 9. Unlock Hidden “Nuggets” in the Feature Tree Right-click the feature tree and choose Hide/Show Tree Items. From here you can enable tools many users forget exist, including:
10. Zoom to Exactly What You Need Press F to zoom to fit, or double-click the middle mouse button. In assemblies, click a part in the feature tree and choose Zoom to Selection to jump straight to it on screen. This is a major time saver in large assemblies. 11. Control View Orientation with “Normal To” Select a face first, then an edge. Use Normal To to orient the face to the screen and control which edge points up. The order of selection matters. First selection defines the face. Second selection defines orientation. 12. Use Power Trim as More Than a Weed Whacker Power Trim removes geometry quickly, but it also extends sketch entities. Drag endpoints to intersections or tangencies without switching tools. If you overshoot, do not release the mouse. Drag back to recover the geometry. 13. Dimension to Tangencies with the Shift Key Hold Shift while selecting arcs to dimension to inside or outside tangencies instead of center points. This works for horizontal, vertical, and diagonal dimensions. It is precise, fast, and often overlooked. 14. Add Arc Length Dimensions To dimension arc length, select the arc, then hold Ctrl and select both endpoints. The resulting dimension reflects true arc length, clearly marked in the dimension callout. 15. Let SolidWorks Close Your Sketches When creating features, SolidWorks can automatically close open sketches using existing model edges. This avoids extra trimming, conversions, and redundant sketch geometry. In newer versions, this behavior is smarter and more selective than many users realize. 16. Fix Overdefined Sketches with Sketch Diagnostics When a sketch turns red or yellow, use Sketch Diagnostics to see proposed solutions. SolidWorks will highlight which constraints it would remove and offer multiple resolution paths. Choose the fix that best matches your design intent. 17. Center Parts Instantly with Width Mate Use Width Mate to center a part between two faces. Select the bounding faces and the part faces. SolidWorks handles the math and alignment for you. This is especially useful for fixtures and symmetric assemblies. 18. Hide and Isolate Geometry on Demand Hover over a component and press Tab to hide it. Press Shift + Tab to bring it back. You can also isolate components and save those views as Display States, allowing you to return to focused working views instantly. Final Thoughts Tim’s core message was simple. Productivity in SolidWorks is not about knowing every feature. It is about reducing friction. Keeping commands close to your cursor. Letting the software anticipate your intent. And preserving knowledge so the next engineer does not have to start from scratch. If you missed the session or want to revisit a specific hack, watch the full recording up above, or view the presentation deck here. And if there are topics you would like to see covered in future Lunch & Learns, let us know. This series is built around what MedTech teams actually need. Looking for more support?
If you have questions about this topic or want to explore how our team can help with your MedTech project, contact us here. Want to see what we do? Visit our Services page or contact us directly to talk through your project and see if we’re the right fit.
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About the AuthorTravis Smith is the founder and managing director of Square-1 Engineering, a medical device consulting firm, providing end to end engineering and compliance services. He successfully served the life sciences marketplace in SoCal for over 15 years and has been recognized as a ‘40 Under 40’ honoree by the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce as a top leader in Orange County, CA. |
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