How To Show Hidden Lines In SolidWorks Drawing: Complete Technical Guide
Managing line display in engineering documentation is vital for clear manufacturing communication, especially when detailing complex internal geometries. By toggling view display settings at the document, model, or sheet level, mechanical designers can instantly reveal obscured edges using standardized dashed line fonts defined by ASME Y14.2 and ISO 128 specifications.
Pre-Operation & Equipment Checklist
Proper execution of drawing annotation workflows requires a structured approach to document configuration, view hierarchy, and template standards. Before modifying line visibility, verify that your assembly or part file contains fully modeled internal features that justify the use of hidden lines, as excessive dashed representations can clutter technical drawings and obscure critical dimensions.
- Essential gear, software, and licenses: SolidWorks 2021 or newer (Standard, Professional, or Premium), a functional 3D CAD model with defined internal features, and an active drawing sheet (.slddrw) linked to the model.
- Mandatory prerequisite knowledge and standards: Understanding of orthographic third-angle or first-angle projection, familiarity with ASME Y14.2 / ISO 128 line convention standards, and basic navigation of the FeatureManager design tree and Drawing View PropertyManager.
- Estimated execution metrics: Setup and display modification takes less than 2 minutes per view, with zero direct financial cost and immediate visual updates across related projected views.
Step-by-Step Drawing View Visibility Workflow
Step 1: Select the Target Drawing View
Open your SolidWorks drawing sheet and locate the specific orthographic view containing internal features you need to expose. Click on the border or any visible geometry of the target view to activate its PropertyManager panel on the left side of the screen. Ensure you select the drawing view boundary rather than an individual sketch entity or dimension line to access global view configurations.
Pro-Tip: If the drawing view border is not visible, press the Alt + Z keyboard shortcut or go to View and toggle Drawing View Borders on to easily locate and select your views.
Step 2: Access the View Display Property Settings
With the drawing view active, look at the PropertyManager panel under the Display Style section. You will see four distinct view style icons representing Wireframe, Hidden Lines Visible, Hidden Lines Removed, Shaded with Edges, and Shaded. Click the second icon from the left, labeled Hidden Lines Visible (HLV), to instantly convert all obscured internal edges to dashed lines across the selected view.
Warning: Selecting Hidden Lines Visible on complex assembly drawings with thousands of components can severely degrade performance and clutter the sheet; use component-level or feature-level overrides when working on large assemblies.
Step 3: Configure Tangent Edge Display Preferences
Hidden lines often become difficult to interpret when overlapping with tangent edges representing rounded fillets and cylindrical transitions. Right-click anywhere inside the active drawing view, navigate to Tangent Edge in the context-up menu, and select either Tangent Edges Removed or Tangent Edges Withdrawn to clean up the line work. Maintaining clear contrast between true hidden geometry and tangent transitions is a fundamental requirement of professional engineering drawings.
Step 4: Apply Manual Line Modifications Using Component-Level Overrides
If you need to show hidden lines for only specific components within an assembly drawing rather than the entire view, right-click the specific component either in the drawing view or the FeatureManager design tree. Hover over Component Line Font in the context menu, uncheck Use document defaults, and manually set the line style, weight, and style for hidden edges to override the global view settings.
Drawing hidden lines - CYPE
SolidWorks Drawing View Display Styles Comparison
| Display Style Icon Name | Visual Representation | Primary Engineering Use Case | Performance Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden Lines Removed (HLR) | Solid visible outlines only | Clean, uncluttered dimensioning on simple exterior parts | Lowest rendering overhead; fastest regeneration time |
| Hidden Lines Visible (HLV) | Visible lines solid; hidden lines dashed | Detailing internal bores, pockets, and wall thicknesses | Moderate overhead; requires careful edge management |
| Shaded with Edges | Full color/material rendering with crisp borders | Conceptual layout sheets, marketing packs, and assembly manuals | Highest graphics processing demand |
| Wireframe | All front and back edges visible simultaneously | Complex wire routing, clearance checking, and legacy drafting | Low-to-moderate overhead; high visual confusion |
Common Drawing Display Failures & Field Fixes
Symptom: Hidden lines fail to appear after switching the view style to Hidden Lines Visible.
- Root Cause: The underlying 3D model configuration suppresses the internal features, or the drawing view scale makes fine dashed lines render as solid black blocks.
- Actionable Fix: Open the referenced 3D part or assembly to ensure the internal cutouts or holes are not suppressed in the active configuration. Adjust your drawing view scale to a larger ratio (e.g., changing from 1:5 to 1:2) and check document line font thickness settings.
Symptom: Dashed hidden lines appear as continuous solid lines on the printed PDF or paper output.
- Root Cause: Layer line thickness settings or document line style scale parameters are misconfigured, causing the dash spacing to collapse at standard printing resolutions.
- Actionable Fix: Navigate to Options, Document Properties, Line Style, and adjust the Dash length and Space length multipliers. Ensure that print line weights are properly mapped in your printer setup dialog box.
Symptom: Toggling hidden lines on an assembly view causes SolidWorks to freeze or crash.
- Root Cause: Excessive geometric complexity from imported STEP files containing thousands of tiny surface bodies and unmerged internal fasteners.
- Actionable Fix: Simplify the assembly model by suppressing tiny hardware components, using lightweight mode, or creating a dedicated simplified configuration specifically for drawing generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I show hidden lines for only one specific part in an assembly drawing?
Yes. You can isolate individual components within a drawing view by using the Component Line Font tool. Right-click the specific part in the view, select Component Line Font, and explicitly turn on hidden line visibility for that item while keeping the rest of the assembly in Hidden Lines Removed mode.
Why are my hidden lines showing up as solid lines?
Solid hidden lines usually result from incorrect line style scale settings or overlapping geometry layers. Adjust the line font style settings in your document properties, or check if the edge is categorized as a visible contour rather than an obscured edge due to view orientation.
How do I change the dash pattern and thickness of hidden lines?
You can customize line weights and patterns globally by going to Tools, Options, Document Properties, and selecting Line Font. From this menu, you can redefine the thickness, style, and scale of visible, hidden, phantom, and center lines to match your corporate drafting standards.
Does turning on hidden lines affect drawing file generation speed?
Yes. Rendering hidden lines forces SolidWorks to calculate occlusion geometry for every edge behind the primary silhouette. For large assemblies, this increases regeneration time, which can be mitigated by utilizing Lightweight components or Large Assembly Mode settings.
Mastering advanced drafting display controls ensures your technical packages comply with international standards and eliminate manufacturing ambiguities. Optimize your CAD workflow today by integrating standardized view templates into your engineering vault.
