Video Tech Tip: What Every Engineer Should Know About SOLIDWORKS Virtual Components

A Virtual Component in SOLIDWORKS is a component that doesn't have its own file; typically a part that is created and saved within an assembly. In this video, TriMech Application Engineer, Patricia Bar, explains what a Virtual Component is, demonstrates how to create a new Virtual Component, how to take something that is not a virtual component and convert to one, and finally, how to save a virtual component as an external file.
A virtual part is basically a normal part only instead of being saved as an individual file that requires management; it is instead saved as a part of the assembly file. What’s great about a virtual part is that you don’t have to deal with having multiple files. It’s also handy for quickly modeling up a rough concept when in early stages in the design process. While a part is virtual you can rename it, delete it, and when the time is right, save it out as a part file. Make use of Virtual Components, and it will help you streamline your design process.
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[@kandasamyrajan]

Thanks for the video.

[@RobsRobotChannel]

I still don't understand why someone would want to make their parts virtual... it seems kind of like the "Pack and Go" feature?

[@RobsRobotChannel]

I suppose, if you wanted to share your assembly with someone else, you could save all the components as internal, and then when they get the assembly, they can reverse the process and save everything external, somewhere on their machine?
Trying to figure out the value in this feature.