How to create an entire library of weldment profiles

Starting with a sketch profile, you may create a series of sketch profile configurations using a design table. By executing the attached macro, these configurations are saved out as library feature parts (.sldflp). If saved to the location where SolidWorks searches for weldment profiles, the structural member feature will allow you to use these profiles to create a weldment.

Download macro here

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How to determine the Volume of a Shell Feature in SolidWorks

Demo video that demonstrates how to determine the volume of a shell feature in Solidworks.

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How to Activate and Transfer a SolidWorks Stand-alone license

This video explains how to activate and transfer a SolidWorks stand-alone license over the internet.

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Creating a SolidWorks Customer Portal account to access free Certification Exams

This video shows you how to create a SolidWorks Customer Portal account, and how to then access vouchers for free SolidWorks Certifications, such as the Certified SolidWorks Professional exam (CSWP). The vouchers are available for anyone with a valid license of SolidWorks (single-use only).

Please note the voucher codes in this video have been obscured.

Sign up for a SolidWorks Customer Portal account for:

1. Software updates
2. SolidWorks Forums
3. SolidWorks Knowledge Base

Below are links for:

SolidWorks Certification information

SolidWorks Certification Center

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How to Modify SolidWorks Hole Callouts

This video shows you how to modify the Hole Callout formats when adding callouts to holes in your drawing documents.

For a list of all Hole Callout variables, refer to the Help file.

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Part number generator macro for Solidworks

This is a short video on how to enter part numbers, drawing numbers, or serial numbers in Solidworks using a macro that automates the process of recording the last used number, then assigning the new number to your custom properties in solidworks.

Download macro here

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Hole Table Padding - Adjusting beyond the standard limits

When adding Hole Tables to drawings the table often extends, vertically, beyond the limits or boundaries of the specified sheet size (see Pic_1). You may have tried to adjust the table font size and zeroed the Vertical Cell Padding dial to rectify this, but noticed that even though the padding dial is zeroed, there is still an amount of padding that remains around the text. This remaining padding takes up valuable space, let's see how we can reduce/shrink this cell padding to tightly hug the cell boundary.

Pic_1: The Problem
Before we continue, remember that we can only fit so much on to a single sheet before it becomes unreadable, so there is obvioulsy a limit to how many rows you will be able to fit vertically on a specific sheet size.

Click anywhere in the table to activate its properties. You will see this dialogue appear above the table:


Note where the adjustment settings are for Font Size and Vertical Cell Padding. We'll get back to that in a second.

Next, click on the number 2 to select the entire row. Hold down the Shift key and select the last row in your table (I had sixty rows all up in this example). You should now have all rows except the heading row selected. With all rows selected you can change your font size; I have used 9, which is still quite readable and then we want to adjust the Vertical Cell Padding.

You will note though, that when you dial down (using the up-down arrow toggles) you will be stopped at zero. Naturally you will think this to be the limit, but alas, we know with Solidworks anything is possible. Simply select the Vertical Cell Padding field as below...

Type negative 1.8 i.e. -1.8 and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. You should now be looking something like this in the settings dialogue...

and your cell text will be hugging the cell borders all nice and cosy, like this:

And while we are at it, quickly click anywhere in the table, then click the black cross to the left of Column A to activate the table properties dialogue, which will appear to the left of your screen. We want to tidy things up a little before printing. In the properties dialogue select "Combine same sizes" and you will get this:

In the properties dialogue, click the green check mark to close and we're done.


You should now have your table fitting nicely onto your drawing sheet and looking much better than when we started.

Have a play with those settings and I hope that this has helped you somewhat to tidy up those Hole Tables.

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UES International Solves Design Challenges with SolidWorks Simulation from Solidtec

UES International Pty Ltd is an Australian family owned company established in 1904, and is a leading global supplier and manufacturer of Seating, Marine and Transportation Hardware.

UES International Pty Ltd

UES International Pty Ltd is an Australian family owned company established in 1904, and is a leading global supplier and manufacturer of Seating, Marine and Transportation Hardware. UES also have a division dedicated to commercial, transport, and Healthcare seating. The projects involving seating for marine applications provide interesting and diverse challenges.  “We’ve done some work with Austal Ships who are another Australian icon, and some of our seating projects need to withstand up to 12 G’s of collision impact. We use a 3D printer for dimensional testing, but SolidWorks is essential for simulating high G-force collision testing. My colleague Brandon Clark and I have done some Simulation training with Solidtec which will prove invaluable when using SolidWorks Simulation to test and validate our seating designs for the marine industry in the near future” Daniel Behjat, Industrial Designer.

Challenges and Solutions

• Material tolerances can be assessed easily
• Reduction of over - design to maximise cost effectiveness in manufacturing and assembly stages. 
• Minimising time taken to create design concepts
• Expensive physical testing can be given higher foreseeable success  

Favourite Aspects of SolidWorks

• Ability to visualise and easily communicate design concepts
• Real life experience whilst designing by applying material properties in 3D
• Solidtec Solutions training – sped up the time taken to transition to SolidWorks
• Availability of third party partner products to extent SolidWorks functionality even further
• Improved design productivity
• Ease of use – SolidWorks layout means the software is intuitive and logical to use

“It costs around $20,000 to dynamically test one of our seats for the marine industry. They need to withstand a collision impact of up to 12G (for obvious reasons) so having SolidWorks help refine the design before this expensive testing exercise is very valuable indeed”. Daniel Behjat, Industrial Designer.

SolidWorks

UES implemented SolidWorks in 2009 and use the software extensively for their seating and hardware development programs. “SolidWorks has saved us huge amounts of time and money. Our productivity levels have increased and it is easy to see that we are developing products faster. SolidWorks has a superior user interface and its functionality and ease of use is superb” - Daniel Behjat, Industrial Designer.

Solidtec

“One of the reasons we chose Solidtec as our SolidWorks provider is that they have great technical support staff. They are very experienced and knowledgeable and always seem ready to help with the right answers. Solidtec also have regular events including free webinars for customers and we find that really valuable”. Daniel Behjat, Industrial Designer.

“It’s great to see companies utilising the range of SolidWorks products to solve differing design challenges and to save time during their design process. Companies like UES International are great examples of how SolidWorks Simulation helps Solidtec customers design more innovative products faster, and eliminate the need for physical testing, resulting in improved bottom line results.” – Shane Preston, CEO, Solidtec.

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Text Size driven by Design Table

This is a post that relates to a question I was asked last week on controlling the size of fonts via design tables. My initial answer was "no" as font size cant be controlled via a design table, but after a bit of thought about what the customer was trying to achieve, could a scale feature be controlled? The answer is YES and quite conveniently the answer is located in the SolidWorks help, but I have provided screenshots on the step by step process required.

Step 1.

Create your Word using sketch text and an extrude. Unfortunately sketch scale cant be controlled via a design table so it will need to a feature that is scaled.

Step 2.

Add your scale feature and make sure to select all the letters as bodies. It is not important what is used as the scale origin.

Step 3.

Inserting a design table. Note you must select a parameter such as one of the dimesions used for the layout to get the design table up and running. You dont need to change this parameter, but it does help the auto create option.

Step 4.

Adding the parameter to control the scale which should be "$X_AXIS@scale_feature_name" so in my example the parameter is $x_AXIS@scale1. You can also control the "Y" and "Z" should you choose the scaling not to be uniform.

Step 5.

Exit the table and then edit the table to re-enter of which you should now see your scale size showing in the table.

Step 6.

Change the scale size in the table and now you have a Word size driven by a design table.

I know this post will be useful for one customer and hopefully it aids a few others. Please never be shy of contacting your local Support Engineer with such questions as we are here to help you and enjoy a challenge.

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How to place a point at the Center of Mass

How to place a point at the Center of Mass of a solid and add reference planes through the point so that they update as the solid changes.
 

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How to model a Spiral Staircase

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How to use SolidWorks RX

SolidWorks RX is a diagnostic utility that you can use to record a video of an issue you may be having in SolidWorks. Apart from capturing a video of the cause of the problem, RX also captures information regarding your system including SolidWorks and Windows log files that can help determine the cause of a problem.

1. Save all open SolidWorks documents and close SolidWorks
2. Start Menu >> All Programs >> SolidWorks 20XX >> SolidWorks Tools >> SolidWorks RX
3. Problem Capture >> Record video
4. Show all steps to recreate the problem
5. Once finished, close SolidWorks (if it does not crash)
6. In SolidWorks RX >> Describe the problem (minimal detail is fine)
7. Add any relevant files with the Add Files button
8. Package Files
9. Email the ZIP file to your support engineer

If you cannot reproduce your error on demand – i.e. SolidWorks is crashing often, but randomly, start RX directly after SolidWorks has crashed (do NOT start SolidWorks up again). You can then skip steps 3 - 5 and when you package the files, RX will capture the last Journal file which should explain the cause of the crash.

Be aware that the Problem Capture page looks a bit different from version to version, but the process is generally the same.

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Como Engineers use SolidWorks to Help Set Them Apart

Como Engineers deliver engineering, mining, metallurgy and construction services and specialist products to the global mining and resource sector.  Como Engineers are part of the ASX listed VDM Group and have offices in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Jakarta, and Hanoi.

Como Engineers specialise in Brownfield’s projects (Existing Mining sites that require modifications or additional work) and are experts in ‘concept through design’ project management.

Previously a SolidEdge user, Como changed to SolidWorks just a few months ago for several reasons. Como Engineers Drafting Manager, Michael Crawford said that the main reasons for the change were “the advanced large model handling capabilities of SolidWorks and his own personal experience and belief that SolidWorks is a better package”.

When asked about his favourite aspects of SolidWorks, Michael outlined that “it’s simply faster, more automated, easier to use, and I genuinely have fun working with it”.

Although Como have only had SolidWorks implemented for a little over 3 months, Michael outlined the instantaneous productivity gain noticeable just from not having to wait for his drawings to open.  “I’m sure I’ll be able to provide more substantial productivity gain metrics as time goes on, however, just seeing a positive effect on the way we work at this early stage is impressive”, stated Michael.

Como also use PhotoView 360 for presentation and marketing purposes of which there is plenty of evidence via their website at www.comoeng.com.au .

When asked about what sets Como Engineers apart from their competition, Michael’s response was “our customer service! We have continuous work simply streaming from one satisfied customer to the next”.  Which is a familiar story for their SolidWorks provider Solidtec Solutions who had the highest customer satisfaction rating of any SolidWorks reseller in the Asia-Pacific region last year. “That was the most important differentiator for us when choosing our SolidWorks provider” says Michael, “Solidtec Solutions gave us a good price on our SolidWorks package and we knew we were getting the best customer service and support available”.

For more information on Como Engineers visit www.comoeng.com.au or call 08 9432 0100.

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Solidtec Solutions Help REYN Consultants Save Design Time

REYN Consultancy is a Mechanical Engineering Consultancy that provides new mechanical services to overcome dysfunctional products and turn efficient ideas into a working reality in aid of achieving higher profits by cutting down on time consuming activities.

What REYN Consultancy does:

·         3D Product Design & Analysis

·         Stress Analysis (FEA) & Certification

·         Realistic Prototyping & Presentation

·         Mechanical Failure Solutions

·         R&D (Research and Development)

·         Product Manufacture Management

·         3D Mechanical & Structural Design (including Manufacturing Drawings)

Accelerated CAD features:

·         Mechanical Component Design

·         Sheet Metal Design

·         Cable and Harness Design

·         Tube, Pipe and Flexible Hose Design

·         Stress Analysis (FEA)

·         Dynamic Simulation

·         Tooling and Mold Design

Extra Services organized on Client's request:

·         Plotted full size Manufacturing Drawings

·         3D Printing

·         Help with Patenting

REYN Consultancy uses SolidWorks Professional 2011, supplied and supported by Solidtec Solutions, as their preferred design software. REYN has been using SolidWorks for around 12 months.

When asked why REYN chose to use SolidWorks, Daniel Reynolds, Principal Consultant said “Simply put, its ease-of-use. It’s very user friendly. SolidWorks has simplistic commands and easy to follow tutorials. I also like the structural members functionality as many members can be created as one part within SolidWorks, something that other CAD programs cannot do”.

Daniel also stated that with the right support and training “work is done in a much more efficient way, saving us time, and helping our bottom line”

“The reason we chose Solidtec Solutions as our SolidWorks provider was due to the personal way in which they attend to our requests. When looking for CAD software providers, they were the most helpful and they got back to us faster than anyone else” admitted Mr Reynolds. “Not only did they get to us quickly when evaluating a CAD system, but now that we’re a customer and signed up to their subscription services, it must be said that their response time for tech support is outstanding”.

For more information on REYN Consultancy visit http://www.reyn.com.au

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