What is the purpose of the "Assembly" environment in SolidWorks?

The purpose of the "Assembly" environment in SolidWorks is to combine multiple parts into a functioning model. When working in this environment, users can bring together various individual parts, or components, and define how they interact with each other through mates. This allows for the representation of complex systems and mechanisms, accurately reflecting how the assembled components fit and move together in real life.

Additionally, the assembly environment facilitates the testing of component interactions, the analysis of kinematics, and the evaluation of ergonomic and functional aspects of the design, making it crucial for the assembly and product development process. By enabling designers to visualize and simulate their designs as a cohesive unit, the assembly environment serves as a vital stage in the overall product engineering workflow.