Can you link a note on a drawing to the weight of the 3D part in SolidWorks?

Short Answer

Yes — in SolidWorks, you can link a note on a drawing to the weight of the 3D part by linking the note to a model custom property that stores mass, most commonly through Link to Property in the Note PropertyManager. This is the standard professional workflow for SolidWorks drawings. Limitation: the shown value depends on the model’s mass properties being up to date.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: If the part has no material assigned, incorrect units, or outdated rebuild data, the drawing note can display the wrong weight. A very common failure is linking the note before creating or updating the mass-related custom property in the model.

How-to

• Command: Link to Property

• Shortcut: None by default

• Quick Steps:

  1. In the part file, go to File > Properties and create a custom property for weight, or use an evaluated value linked to mass properties.
  2. In the drawing, go to Annotations tab > Note on the Ribbon/CommandManager, place the note, then in the Note PropertyManager click Link to Property.
  3. Choose Model found here, select the drawing view/model, then pick the weight-related custom property and confirm. Make sure Use custom property values from model shown in is set correctly if using sheet properties.

Variables & Settings

• Key Setting: Use custom property values from model shown in

• Expert Setting: This drawing sheet setting controls which referenced model drives note and title block properties. If the wrong view is selected, the note may pull weight from a different component or remain blank.

Why it Fails

• Cause 1 (Geometry): The part has no assigned material, excluded bodies, or outdated mass properties, so the evaluated weight is wrong or empty.

• Cause 2 (layers/Locks): The note may be placed on a hidden or non-printing annotation layer, making it appear missing even though the property link works.

• Cause 3 (Command/Logic): The note is linked to the drawing instead of the referenced model, or to the wrong configuration/property source, so it does not show the expected weight.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

• Quick Fix: Open the model, assign the correct material, run Rebuild (Ctrl+B or Ctrl+Q), verify Mass Properties, then update the custom property and relink the drawing note if needed.

• Manager’s Verdict: Use a custom property linked to mass for released drawings because it is cleaner and more controllable than manually typing weight. Avoid direct manual notes when configurations, materials, or units may change.

FAQ

Can I link the note directly to Mass Properties without a custom property?

Usually, professionals use a custom property tied to mass because it is more reliable in drawings and templates.

Will the weight update automatically if the model changes?

Yes, if the model rebuilds properly and the linked property updates.

Can this work for assemblies too?

Yes, the same method works for assemblies as long as the note references the correct model or configuration.

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