What is the difference between a feature and a body?

[TheFerruccio]

I've used the search here, and various searches, to try to figure this out. I hear the terms frequently used in similar context in the SolidWorks help files. What is a feature, and what is a body, and how are they different?

 

[CADFlyer]

A "Feature" is a step/procedure that defines the 3D "Body".

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Consider a steering wheel. The main parts are the hub, the rim, and the spokes which join those two.
If the hub and rim are created separately (not merged) from each other, they would be bodies within a part. That is known as a multi-body part.
The hub & rim would be created using several features. (extrudes, revolves, holes, etc).
When the spokes are created (using features), they can be left not merged with the hub & rib, in which case they would also be separate bodies within a part. If the ribs are merged with the hub & rim, then all those bodies would become one body within the part.

So, features create bodies, bodies create parts.

 

[TheFerruccio]

Thanks, this makes sense. I did not quite understand why people used multi-body parts, until I looked more thoroughly into the documentation, and it seems to be based on configuration management.

 

[Jboggs]

In my world the most common use of multi-body parts is in weldments. We design a lot of them and SW is an amazing tool for that purpose. A welded frame is made of several parts, each of which is cut to fit its particular joint(s) in the overall structure. Using a multi-body part allows you to create individual details of each part to show its fabrication dimensions. It also allows you to run stress analysis on individual parts without having to calculate all the data for the whole part.