SOLIDWORKS Lesson 1: Create and Resize a Precise Plate

Learning outcome

Create a precise 100 × 30 mm plate in SOLIDWORKS. Extrude it to 3 mm, then edit the same feature to 5 mm while preserving the sketch dimensions and one solid body.

Before you start

Beginner lesson · 5:48 · English. Use a new practice part with millimetre units. This lesson uses genuine SOLIDWORKS screen recordings with AI-assisted English narration and illustrated presenters, Edgaras and Eve. The blank plate has no hole or lettering.

Step-by-step guide

Start a new Part, check millimetres, select the Top Plane and sketch a corner rectangle from the origin (00:28).
Use Smart Dimension to set the rectangle to 100 × 30 mm. Check Fully Defined (01:07).
Exit the sketch. Choose Extruded Boss/Base, use the Blind end condition and set the depth to 3 mm (01:47).
Save a native SLDPRT checkpoint. Check one solid body and 9,000 mm³ volume in Mass Properties (02:39).
Edit the existing extrusion and change only its depth from 3 to 5 mm (03:25).
Verify the final 100 × 30 × 5 mm dimensions, one body and 15,000 mm³ volume. Save under a separate final filename (04:04).

Try it yourself

Repeat the thickness change in your own practice part without redrawing the rectangle. Keep both the 3 mm checkpoint and the 5 mm final version. Reopen your saved native part and check that the geometry and editable feature history are retained.

Check your result

The final plate is 100 × 30 × 5 mm, with one solid body and a volume of 15,000 mm³. The original sketch controls length and width; the existing extrusion controls thickness.

Common mistakes

If the sketch remains Under Defined, check that its first corner is attached to the origin rather than adding arbitrary dimensions. If the extrusion fails, check that the profile is closed and selected. Check units and feature depth if the volume is wrong.