Cut features are a very important part of designing. We have covered the cut extrude basics in a previous blog. This blog will be going over some of the more advanced settings and cutting features like swept cuts, revolved cuts, and lofted cuts. Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on new content from our team!
Read MoreSheet metal is widely used across multiple industries. SolidWorks has a very powerful set of tools that allows you to create versatile sheet metal parts with ease. How well do you know these tools and how often do you use them? This blog will be reviewing some of the more advanced sheet metal features within SolidWorks. And by the time you are finished reading this blog, you can be a master at creating sheet metal parts!
Read MoreWhen working with moving parts and components in assemblies, Interference Detection can be incredibly helpful. If your assembly has a door or a sliding component, Interference Detection can determine whether that component has the correct range of motion, or if the component will be stopped short of the desired range.
Read MoreThe 3DPlay app on the 3DExperience platform acts as a file viewer but provides much more than just simply viewing functionality. The app allows you to take multiple different file types and open/view them on one application and apply different scenarios and tools. To someone who is new to the 3DExperience platform, these apps can be quite confusing, tedious, and hard to even do a single task at first. This blog will be covering a deep dive into 3DPlay so continue reading if you would like to get a first-hand look at what the 3DPlay app has to offer.
Read More3DExperience. You may have already heard of it, and if you have not you surely will begin to see it pop up more and more. That being said, what is it? Even if you have heard of it, you may not have a solid understanding of its capabilities. In this post, we will be breaking down the fundamentals of the platform to ensure you are up to speed with the offerings of this revolutionary solution.
Read MoreBy now, you have most likely heard some talk about 3DEXPERIENCE whether it’s about the platform specifically or exactly how the collaboration aspect will work. If you are a SolidWorks user, one question that may come to mind is what are the 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS offers? With a release date of July 7th, it’s important to start familiarizing oneself. This is going to change the way all businesses do business and engineering all on one platform. I have good news: this blog will highlight these offers and let you know what all is included depending on the level of experience chosen.
Read MoreWhen creating a drawing in SolidWorks, it is generally a good practice to keep the drawing neat and easy to read. When working with a part that has a lot of holes, dimensioning to each hole can clutter up the drawing. This is where Hole Tables come in. Hole Tables dimension each hole from a defined origin.
Read MoreAdditive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has been making headway in the world of manufacturing. What initially started as a useful rapid prototyping tool has developed into a promising technology with quick turn around times and low material costs.
Read MoreMySolidWorks is the go-to site for anyone that uses SolidWorks. With tons of forums, tutorials, downloadable models, training, and much more, you are going to wonder why you are not utilizing this website more after reading this blog. We will be doing a quick overview of the site and its sections to show you its potential and will be doing further “deep dive” blogs on each topic in the future.
Read MoreThe Move/Copy Body tool in SolidWorks is useful when a part is needed to be shown in multiple configurations, such as a clamp or a door. The Move/Copy Body tool takes a body, copies it, and moves it to the desired location. This will keep the required relations and the part will still be fully defined. The old body will need to be hidden or suppressed, and the part will now appear in the new configuration.
Read MoreAll too many people are unfamiliar with the advantages and disadvantages of additive manufacturing vs. subtractive manufacturing, and when to use one or the other. Subtractive manufacturing has historically been more commonly used than additive manufacturing. However, in recent years, interest, and confidence in the abilities of additive manufacturing have grown to a point where industries as large as automotive, aviation, and furniture have started to utilize it.
Read MoreIf you have ever undergone an assembly process, then you know how essential a fixture can be. A fixture allows you to accurately position various bodies into place and apply the necessary forces to prevent any movement while securing into place with adhesive, welds, etc. This results in the final product to be as accurate to the design as possible. However, there are a few concerns with setting up fixtures; the main ones being feasibility and cost. Read on to see how additive manufacturing tackles these issues.
Read MoreThe 3DExperience platform provides a collaborative space for tools applicable to all different aspects of a business. From 3D design and analysis to marketing and sales, it has never been easier to work as a completely integrated team. The platform offers social and collaborative apps, information intelligence apps, content and simulation apps, and 3D modeling apps. The 3DExperience compass provides a quick, easy, and efficient way to navigate through this broad range of tools.
Read MoreWith the use of online conference calls growing, people are looking for software that has vivid audio/video, strong connection, meeting feature controls, and something that is universal and easy to use. When it comes to online conference calling software, there are multiple to choose from, and that raises the question, which one is best for me? In this blog, we will be discussing the features that three of the most well-known video conferencing options, Skype/Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco Webex have to offer. Hopefully, in the end, you will be able to decide with confidence which software will work best for you or your team.
Read MoreUpgrading computers to boost engineering design productivity is a controversial topic as there are many options to choose from. Computer hardware should not be the limiting factor keeping SolidWorks from operating at its full potential. Factors that cause large assemblies to be slow or even crash, such as network speed, part feature details, hardware setup, or even SolidWorks assembly settings. For this blog, the focus is on hardware setup and the best pieces of equipment to ensure optimal performance at each price point depending on your budget.
Read MoreIn a program as complex as SolidWorks, there are going to be features that do not have nearly as many users as others. One such feature is scaling. Scaling is a tool that allows for the dimensions of a part to be changed all at once by a certain factor, instead of changing each individual one. Scaling can be used for adding clearance, accounting for thermal expansion, converting units, or if there are multiple instances of similar parts at different sizes.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever worked on a project that lasted more than a day, you’ve probably needed to re-open a document. The most common way to do this is to search through the file system until you find the document you need. If the part or assembly is within a very large filing system, this can become tedious. Luckily, SolidWorks allows for easy opening of recent documents.
Read MoreIn response to the shortages manufacturers have seen, many businesses have come up with solutions that are outside of their “normal” operations. Many businesses have shifted operations from manufacturing a product that has not been deemed essential to manufacturing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including masks, face shields, test swabs, and gowns. Other businesses have to reach out to suppliers outside their normal network to find needed materials and services to overcome the challenges they are facing.
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