Understanding and applying the draft feature
Drafting refers to changing sharp steps in parts into chamfered ones. Drafting primarily comes from the casting and plastic injection molding industry to make it easier to release parts out of molds. As SOLIDWORKS professionals, we will be expected to apply drafts to a variety of applications where necessary. In this section, we will explore what drafting is and how to use the draft feature.
What are drafts?
Drafts are commonly applied to parts that are made with injection molding. It is a slight tilt between two different surfaces at different levels. In practice, drafts help make parts fit better with the mold and make the parts easier to remove from the mold compared to without it. Also, drafts help increase the success rate of the mold taking effect.
The following diagrams highlight the effect of the draft feature. The first diagram shows the model at hand, as well as the Cross-section area we are applying to show the effect...
