7.3 Hole Wizard Fundamentals
Key Takeaways
- Hole Wizard builds standard holes (hole, counterbore, countersink, tap, and related types) using industry standards rather than freehand sketch circles alone.
- The PropertyManager uses two main tabs: Type (hole style, standard, size, end condition) and Positions (sketch points locating each hole instance).
- Hole Wizard creates a two-sketch architecture under the feature—typically a positioning sketch of points plus a hole profile/definition—edit the correct sketch for location vs size.
- Simple Extruded Cut of a circle is fine for nonstandard holes; prefer Hole Wizard when the drawing shows standard fasteners, CB/CSKs, or tapped holes with standard callouts.
- Diameter, depth, counterbore/countersink sizes, and thread specs are mass-critical: a 1 mm diameter error or wrong blind depth leaves material and fails numeric mass answers.
7.3 Hole Wizard Fundamentals
Quick Answer: Insert → Features → Hole Wizard (or Hole Wizard on the Features tab). On the Type tab, pick hole style (Hole, Counterbore, Countersink, Tap, etc.), Standard, Type/Size, and End Condition (Through All, Blind depth, Up To Next, …). On the Positions tab, click to place sketch points (add dimensions/relations). OK creates standard hole geometry. Wrong size or depth = wrong mass.
Hole Wizard is on the official CSWA prep path because real mechanical parts are full of fastener holes. Exam drawings show callouts such as counterbored socket-head cap screw holes, countersunk flat-head holes, simple through holes, and tapped holes. Modeling each as a stack of manual extrude cuts is slow and error-prone; Hole Wizard packages the standard diameters, angles, and depths.
Type tab vs Positions tab
Hole Wizard’s PropertyManager is deliberately split into two tabs. Master both—candidates who only place points without setting type build the wrong hole family.
Type tab (what kind of hole)
| Setting | What you control |
|---|---|
| Hole specification / style | Counterbore, Countersink, Hole, Tap, Legacy Hole, Slot variants (as available) |
| Standard | ANSI Metric, ANSI Inch, ISO, etc.—match the drawing standard |
| Type / Size | Fastener size (for example M6, M8, 1/4-20) driving hole diameters |
| Fit (where shown) | Close, normal, loose—changes clearance diameter |
| End condition | Through All, Blind (+ depth), Up To Next, Mid Plane, etc. |
| Options | Cosmetic thread display, near side/far side countersink, head clearance values |
Positions tab (where holes go)
| Action | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Click on faces | Places sketch points for each hole instance |
| Multiple points | Pattern of identical holes in one Hole Wizard feature |
| Dimensions & relations | Fully define point locations (from edges, between points) |
| 3D placement rules | Points must lie on the selected face(s) appropriately |
Workflow discipline:
- Start Hole Wizard from the face that receives the holes (or select face first).
- Configure Type completely before scattering random points.
- Switch to Positions, place points, Fully Define the positions sketch.
- Preview hole solids; verify through vs blind.
- OK → check FeatureManager → Mass Properties when needed.
If you place positions first with a default type and forget to set counterbore size, you will cut wrong geometry at correct locations—still a failed mass.
Hole styles you must recognize
| Style | Geometry | Typical drawing cue |
|---|---|---|
| Hole (simple) | Cylindrical hole | Ø callout, thru or depth |
| Counterbore (Cbore) | Large cylindrical recess + through/smaller hole | ⌴ counterbore symbol; SHCS clearance |
| Countersink (Csink) | Conical recess + hole | ⌵ countersink symbol; flat-head screw |
| Tap | Hole sized for tapping + thread designation | M8×1.25-6H or similar thread callout |
| Pipe tap etc. | Specialty standards | Less common on associate items—still Type options |
Counterbore essentials
Counterbore creates a flat-bottomed larger diameter recess so a socket-head cap screw can sit flush or below the surface, plus a through or deeper hole for the screw shank.
| Parameter | Mass sensitivity |
|---|---|
| Counterbore diameter | Removes a wide shallow disk of material |
| Counterbore depth | Controls how much material leaves at the surface |
| Through hole diameter | Removes the remaining cylinder |
| Through vs blind | Blind leaves a floor plug of material |
Countersink essentials
Countersink creates a conical seat. Angle (often 82° ANSI, 90° metric variants—use the standard the Type tab applies for the selected standard) and countersink diameter/depth control the cone. Wrong standard can change cone angle and volume.
Tap essentials
A tap hole is not the same diameter as the free clearance hole for the same screw size. Tap drill size is smaller so threads can form. On CSWA, if the drawing shows a tapped hole, use Tap hole type with the matching size—do not substitute a clearance Hole of the major diameter. Cosmetic threads may display helical graphics without cutting a true helical solid; still the drill diameter and depth drive mass.
Standards and sizes
| Standard family | Example sizes | Exam tip |
|---|---|---|
| ANSI Metric | M3, M4, M5, M6, M8, M10… | Match metric callouts on MMGS parts |
| ANSI Inch | #6, #8, 1/4, 5/16… | Match inch drawings; watch document units |
| ISO | Metric series | Similar vigilance on size letter/number |
Units trap: Document units MMGS with an inch Hole Wizard size (or the reverse) can place correctly located but wrongly sized holes relative to the drawing. Align document units, dimension readouts, and Hole Wizard standard with the sheet.
Size trap: M6 clearance hole ≠ M8. One step up in fastener size jumps diameter enough to swing mass by more than rounding error—especially with many patterned holes.
Positions: sketch points, not circles
On the Positions tab you place points. You do not sketch the hole circle manually for standard Hole Wizard holes—the Type definition supplies diameters.
| Good practice | Bad practice |
|---|---|
| Point + dimension from two edges | Freehand points with no dimensions |
| Symmetric relation between points | Approximate spacing “by eye” |
| Construction lines for hole patterns | Mixing random 2D circles into Positions |
| One Hole Wizard for identical holes | Twenty separate wizards with same type |
Fully define the positions sketch (black points). Under-defined points can drift if upstream faces move, breaking design intent on modification questions.
Multiple faces: Advanced placements can put holes on different faces in one feature; for timed CSWA, one face per Hole Wizard feature is often clearer unless the drawing clearly shares one standard hole set across faces.
Two-sketch architecture
After you OK Hole Wizard, expand the feature in the FeatureManager. You typically see two sketches (names vary by version):
- Positions sketch — the sketch containing the points (locations).
- Hole profile / definition sketch (or related sketch under the feature) — geometry driven by the Type parameters (diameters, countersink angles, etc.).
| Edit goal | What to edit |
|---|---|
| Move holes / change spacing | Edit Positions sketch dimensions/relations |
| Change from M6 to M8, or CB depth | Edit Feature → Type tab parameters |
| Change through to blind depth | Edit Feature → End Condition |
| Delete one instance | Delete its point in Positions sketch |
Do not explode Hole Wizard into dumb extrudes unless you must—you lose standard intelligence and make modifications harder.
If a rebuild error points at a hole sketch, identify whether the point fell off a face (positions) or a size became impossible (type/end condition).
Hole Wizard vs simple Extruded Cut circle
| Approach | Use when |
|---|---|
| Hole Wizard | Standard fastener holes, Cbore, Csink, Tap callouts, standard sizes |
| Extruded Cut of circle/slot | Nonstandard Ø, slots not in wizard, rectangular openings, custom pockets |
| Revolved Cut | Groove profiles, not simple fastener holes |
| Cut-Extrude + chamfer | Fake countersink—slower, easier to mismatch standard angles |
Exam speed: For 4× Ø6.6 THRU simple holes, either Extruded Cut of four circles (or one cut + linear pattern) or Hole Wizard simple Hole can work. For M5 CBORE for SHCS, Hole Wizard is the professional and safer path.
Design intent: Hole Wizard keeps size in the feature parameters. Extruded Cut stores diameter in a sketch dimension—also fine if you dimension carefully. Pick one consistent method per hole family.
End conditions and mass
| End condition | Mass behavior |
|---|---|
| Through All | Pierces all material along direction; best for true thru holes when thickness may change |
| Blind + depth | Leaves floor material; depth error = large mass error |
| Up To Next | Stops at next face—good for pockets into stepped solids |
| Mid Plane | Rare for holes; understand if offered |
Blind depth trap: Drawing says 12 mm deep hole in a 20 mm plate. Blind 12 mm is correct; Through All removes more material. Conversely, Blind 12 mm when the sheet says THRU leaves a 8 mm plug and mass too high.
After thickness modifications: If plate thickness changes and holes must remain through, Through All tracks thickness; a fixed Blind depth may no longer pierce.
Exam mass sensitivity (diameter and depth)
Holes are pure material removal. Volume removed for a simple through cylinder is roughly πr² × thickness. Errors compound with hole count.
| Error | Example effect |
|---|---|
| Diameter 6 mm vs 8 mm | Area ratio (4/3)² ≈ 1.78× more removal on the larger hole |
| 10 holes each slightly oversized | Mass low by a large margin |
| Counterbore depth 1 mm too deep | Extra disk of material removed per hole |
| Wrong tap vs clearance diameter | Systematic diameter error on every tapped hole |
| Forgot second hole point | Entire hole missing → mass high |
Checklist before submitting mass:
- Count holes on the drawing vs points in Positions.
- Verify Type size against callout (M6 vs M8, #8 vs 1/4).
- Verify Cbore/Csink parameters if present.
- Through vs blind matches THRU/DEEP notes.
- Material still applied.
- Mass Properties with required decimal places.
Modification questions involving holes
Typical CSWA mods:
- Change hole diameter or fastener size
- Change counterbore depth
- Move hole center distance
- Switch blind depth
- Add or remove an instance
Fast path: Edit Feature or edit Positions sketch—do not delete the entire Hole Wizard and start over unless the hole family completely changes.
Practical CSWA Hole Wizard checklist
- Read the hole callout: style, size, standard, thru/depth, count.
- Type tab first: style → standard → size → end condition.
- Positions: points fully defined to datums on the sheet.
- Expand feature; confirm two-sketch structure if you need to edit later.
- Prefer Hole Wizard for standard CB/CSK/Tap; Extruded Cut for nonstandard openings.
- After any size/depth/position edit → rebuild → Mass Properties.
Hole Wizard is both a speed tool and a accuracy tool. Used well, it places standard geometry that matches industrial callouts; used carelessly (wrong tab, wrong size, blind vs thru), it is one of the fastest ways to lose a part-modeling score to a silent mass error.
What is the main difference between the Type tab and the Positions tab in Hole Wizard?
Why can using a simple clearance Hole type instead of Tap for a called-out tapped hole corrupt a CSWA mass answer?
A Hole Wizard feature is expanded in the FeatureManager and shows two sketches under it. You need to change the center-to-center distance between two identical counterbored holes. What should you edit?
When is a simple Extruded Cut of a fully defined circle often acceptable on CSWA instead of Hole Wizard?