CSWP Assembly Motion and Detection — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a SolidWorks assembly, what does a 'LimitAngle' mate do when applied between two components?
- Locks the angle permanently between two faces
- Restricts angular rotation between two components within defined minimum and maximum values (Correct answer)
- Sets a fixed angle that cannot be changed without editing the mate
- Converts a rotational joint into a fixed joint
Correct answer: Restricts angular rotation between two components within defined minimum and maximum values
A LimitAngle mate allows angular motion between two components but constrains it within a user-defined minimum and maximum angle range.
Question 2: Which SolidWorks tool would you use to visualize the swept volume of a moving component during animation?
- Motion Study Results (Correct answer)
- Interference Detection with 'Treat coincidence as interference' enabled
- Physical Simulation sweep trace
- Assembly Visualization
Correct answer: Motion Study Results
Motion Study Results can generate plots and traces showing the path and swept volume of components during animation.
Question 3: When setting up a gear mate in SolidWorks, what input is required to define the gear ratio?
- The number of teeth on each gear
- The ratio of angular velocities between the two gear axes (Correct answer)
- The pitch diameter of each gear
- The module value of each gear
Correct answer: The ratio of angular velocities between the two gear axes
A gear mate uses the ratio of angular velocities (or equivalently pitch radii) to define how rotation of one gear drives the other.
Question 4: In SolidWorks Motion Analysis, what is a 'spring' element used for?
- Applying a constant force between two points
- Simulating elastic force proportional to relative displacement between two components (Correct answer)
- Locking two components at a fixed distance
- Replacing a concentric mate in dynamic simulations
Correct answer: Simulating elastic force proportional to relative displacement between two components
A spring element applies a force proportional to the displacement between two attachment points, simulating elastic behavior.
Question 5: Which mate type is used in SolidWorks to simulate a rack-and-pinion mechanism?
- Gear Mate
- Rack Pinion Mate (Correct answer)
- Linear/Linear Coupler Mate
- Screw Mate
Correct answer: Rack Pinion Mate
The Rack Pinion Mate links linear translation of a rack component to the rotation of a pinion component.
Question 6: In Collision Detection, what happens when 'Stop at collision' is enabled during manual component dragging?
- The component is automatically fixed in place after a collision
- SolidWorks stops the drag motion when the component contacts another body (Correct answer)
- An alert dialog is shown listing all interfering components
- The colliding components are highlighted red permanently
Correct answer: SolidWorks stops the drag motion when the component contacts another body
With 'Stop at collision' enabled, SolidWorks halts the drag operation the moment the dragged component makes contact with another component.
Question 7: What is the purpose of the 'Physical Dynamics' option in SolidWorks assembly dragging?
- It applies gravity to all components in the assembly
- It allows dragged components to push other components using contact forces (Correct answer)
- It enables full FEA analysis during drag
- It calculates mass properties during motion
Correct answer: It allows dragged components to push other components using contact forces
Physical Dynamics causes components to push, rotate, and interact with each other during manual dragging, simulating real contact dynamics.
Question 8: In SolidWorks Motion Study, what does 'Animation' type allow compared to 'Basic Motion'?
- Animation supports contact and gravity forces while Basic Motion only moves mates
- Animation only moves components along mate-driven paths without physics, while Basic Motion includes approximate physics (Correct answer)
- Animation uses the SolidWorks Simulation solver while Basic Motion does not
- Animation requires a CSWP license while Basic Motion is available in all versions
Correct answer: Animation only moves components along mate-driven paths without physics, while Basic Motion includes approximate physics
Animation type moves components according to defined key positions and does not calculate physical forces, while Basic Motion includes gravity, springs, and contact approximations.
Question 9: A cam mate in SolidWorks requires which geometric elements to define the cam-follower relationship?
- Two flat faces and a coincident mate
- A cam surface profile and a follower face or point (Correct answer)
- Two cylindrical faces with the same axis
- A circular edge and a linear edge
Correct answer: A cam surface profile and a follower face or point
A cam mate requires a cam profile surface and a follower element (face or point) that remains in contact as the cam rotates.
Question 10: Which of the following correctly describes a 'Screw Mate' in SolidWorks?
- It creates a fixed threaded connection between two parts
- It couples linear translation along an axis to rotation about that same axis (Correct answer)
- It applies a torque load to a fastener during simulation
- It automatically applies a thread feature to cylindrical faces
Correct answer: It couples linear translation along an axis to rotation about that same axis
A Screw Mate links linear displacement along an axis to angular rotation about that axis, simulating helical (screw) motion.
Question 11: When using Interference Detection with the option 'Create fastener folder' enabled, what happens to detected interferences involving fasteners?
- Fasteners are deleted from the assembly
- Interference results involving fasteners are grouped separately in the results tree (Correct answer)
- Fasteners are excluded from interference detection entirely
- Fastener interferences are automatically resolved
Correct answer: Interference results involving fasteners are grouped separately in the results tree
The 'Create fastener folder' option groups fastener-related interference results into a dedicated folder in the Interference Detection results, making them easier to manage.
Question 12: In Motion Analysis, what is a 'damper' element primarily used to simulate?
- A rigid connection that prevents all motion
- A force that resists relative velocity between two components, dissipating kinetic energy (Correct answer)
- A spring that stores and releases energy
- Friction between a rotating shaft and its housing
Correct answer: A force that resists relative velocity between two components, dissipating kinetic energy
A damper element applies a force proportional to relative velocity, representing energy-dissipating behavior such as hydraulic or viscous damping.
Question 13: When running Collision Detection during a Motion Study, which solver must be active?
- Animation solver
- Basic Motion or Motion Analysis solver (Correct answer)
- Static solver
- FEA solver
Correct answer: Basic Motion or Motion Analysis solver
Collision detection during motion studies requires either the Basic Motion or Motion Analysis solver, as the Animation solver does not calculate contact.
Question 14: In a SolidWorks assembly, which mate would you use to keep a ball always tangent to the inside of a curved track surface?
- Coincident mate
- Tangent mate (Correct answer)
- Width mate
- Path mate
Correct answer: Tangent mate
A Tangent mate constrains two surfaces or edges to remain tangent, keeping the ball in continuous contact with the curved track surface.
Question 15: In SolidWorks, what does a 'Path Mate' constrain?
- The distance a component travels along any path
- A point on a component to follow a defined curve or edge path (Correct answer)
- Two components to move along parallel paths simultaneously
- A component to rotate about a curved axis
Correct answer: A point on a component to follow a defined curve or edge path
A Path Mate constrains a selected vertex or point on a component to travel along a specified sketch curve or model edge.
Question 16: Which setting in the Path Mate controls how the component orients itself as it travels along the path?
- Pitch Control
- Yaw Control
- Pitch/Yaw/Roll fields under 'Component Control'
- Free, Follow Path, or Up vector options (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Free, Follow Path, or Up vector options
The Path Mate orientation options — Free, Follow Path, or Up Vector — control whether the component's orientation is unconstrained, aligned to the path tangent, or constrained to a fixed direction.
Question 17: What is the primary difference between 'Clearance Verification' and 'Interference Detection' in SolidWorks assemblies?
- Clearance Verification checks gaps between components, while Interference Detection finds overlapping volumes (Correct answer)
- Interference Detection only works on imported parts, Clearance Verification on native parts
- They are identical tools with different names in different versions
- Clearance Verification only checks surface-to-surface tangency
Correct answer: Clearance Verification checks gaps between components, while Interference Detection finds overlapping volumes
Interference Detection finds volumes where components physically overlap, while Clearance Verification identifies components that are closer than a specified minimum gap distance.
Question 18: In Motion Analysis, if you want to apply a motor that drives a component at a constant angular velocity, which motor type should you select?
- Force motor
- Torque motor
- Rotary motor with constant velocity profile (Correct answer)
- Linear motor
Correct answer: Rotary motor with constant velocity profile
A Rotary Motor set to a constant velocity profile drives a component at a fixed angular speed, maintaining that speed throughout the simulation.
Question 19: When does SolidWorks flag a mate as 'over-defined' in an assembly?
- When a mate references components from different sub-assemblies
- When the combined mates remove more degrees of freedom than the component has (Correct answer)
- When a mate is applied to a fixed component
- When more than five mates are applied to a single component
Correct answer: When the combined mates remove more degrees of freedom than the component has
An over-defined condition occurs when the set of mates applied to a component constrains more degrees of freedom than exist, creating conflicting geometric requirements.
Question 20: Which SolidWorks feature allows you to move a sub-assembly's components independently of its parent assembly mates during design review?
- Flexible Sub-assembly (Correct answer)
- Exploded View
- SpeedPak configuration
- Envelope component
Correct answer: Flexible Sub-assembly
Setting a sub-assembly to 'Flexible' allows its internal mates to drive motion, so components inside can move relative to the parent assembly.
Question 21: In a Motion Study, what does the 'Results and Plots' feature allow you to output?
- A PDF report of all mates in the assembly
- Graphs of displacement, velocity, acceleration, or force for selected components over time (Correct answer)
- A 3D printed model of the motion trajectory
- An automatic FEA mesh based on motion loads
Correct answer: Graphs of displacement, velocity, acceleration, or force for selected components over time
The Results and Plots tool in Motion Study generates time-history graphs for kinematic and dynamic quantities such as displacement, velocity, acceleration, and reaction forces.
CSWP Assembly Motion and Detection
In a SolidWorks assembly, what does a 'LimitAngle' mate do when applied between two components?
What Practice Test Geeks adds beyond an AI chat for CSWP
An AI chatbot can quiz you, but it can't reproduce the exam conditions or keep your record. Here you get:
- A timed, full-length CSWP mock exam — 30 questions in 200 minutes with a 75% pass mark, modeled on the official exam's question count and time limit, followed by a score report broken down by exam domain.
- A fixed CSWP question bank: the same test every attempt, so your score is comparable from one try to the next instead of changing with every regenerated quiz.
- Progress saved on your device: completed tests, scores and missed questions stay in My Progress, so you can retake only what you got wrong.
- A printable CSWP cheat sheet you can print or save as a PDF.
- CSWP flashcards built from the same question bank.
These practice questions were written with AI tools. They are not real exam questions. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- solidworks.com — Test delivery, eligibility, exam format, passing score, retake policy, time limit, score validity · verified Oct 2026