2 Most Important Characterstics of Swks?

SolidWorks does 3D modeling well in a lot of areas and like other
software it has glitches and inconsistencies, but overall, we get
"solid" work done and life goes on.

What are the 2 most important CHARACTERISTICS that SolidWorks gives
you that makes it worthwhile?

Thanks - Bo

1.

2.

 

1, It has a backup system to cover the crashes and quirks that Solidworks
does often.

2, Gives us lots of coffee and cigarette breaks, whilst someone tries to fix
Solidworks once again!

 

1. clearance issues - can see when things are going to hit

2. 2d drawings are created 'mostly' automatically and they mostly
update

bob z. doesn't think there are any other items that could be added
even if it was a "10 most important" list.

BO KNOWS.
:~)>

bob z.

 

1. Ctrl-Q (repairing of inconsistent features)

2. SP's (Service Packs - stuff SW Corp breaks and fixes)

 

A large user base and all the benefits that go with it.

Example:

Because of the large SolidWorks user base we are finally seeing
quality independent documentation.... myigetit, SolidProfessor, The
SolidWorks Bible with more to appear shortly.

If VX understood how to market and didn't decide to be a niche product
I'd rather have kept using VX.

It's very sad how companies like IronCAD, VX, etc. are totally afraid
to go head to head with SolidWorks. Companies that have the balls to
go head to head seem to win. PTC back in the day didn't shy away from
going head to head and for a time they won.

We live in times were wimp marketing is the norm and it's a pathetic
situation for those that are "CAD To The Bone".

 

1. It forces you to model it as it is. When going from ACAD to SW this
is the number one thing that one is hit with. Modeling as is allows
the engineer to see what is really happening regarding fit and
function. A 3D model contains much more information than most people
realize and SW makes this aspect tolerably easy most of the time.

2. It allows communication through drawings of this same information
by allowing sections and other types of detail that a 2D draughtsman
simply wouldn't tackle unless it was extremely important. Back in the
days when I used Pro/E we designed a simple stamping (flange and
cylindrical chamber). The ACAD drawings would simply show a cylinder
intersecting a flat plane. Pro/E showed the fillet in all it's
complexity. The vendor was ready to charge more for this detail on the
drawing thinking it was something special when in reality that was how
they would make it in a stamping die. They were not used to seeing
that information on a drawing.

TOP

 

I am always enlightened when other people give their reasons and
opinions which always have surprises for me, and I definately learn
something on this board.

My two reasons to use SolidWorks are indeed

1. modeling of solids with hinges which I can set up with a formula
to "bend" the hinge so I can stage an Assy file with the hinge part in
various positions to mock up hinged parts together with appropriate
mates (which works with limitations), and then

2. eDrawings as a communications tool.

I noted Pete saying with tongue in cheek "Gives us lots of coffee and
cigarette breaks, whilst someone tries to fix Solidworks once again!"

Once I gave up on letting my SolidWorks machine on the Internet or a
local network, my problems with crashes are very close to zero. There
are things in Swks 2006 that I do which cause it to quit but it is
only once every month or two.

Some parts are ones I just guess might have problems, so I do "Save
As" and it sure makes life easier when something goes wrong, or even
right. Then I have both copies of the file and can toss out the
lesser design.

Bo

 

Ahhh, given the posts today, we have to be thankful that SolidWorks is
not persecuted by MI5.

Bo

 

Actually, on rethought, I think the ability to think better in 3D and
then verify those thoughts with parts and all their interferences and
clearances in the initial design is what allows me the ability to
expand my design capabilities.

Bo

 

I totally agree - this is the one area that 3d is invaluable in the
design creation process.

I am constantly sketch stupid ideas on a bit of paper in the pub -
then getting into the office, and as I model them up, I see ways of
really improving on them - sparking new ideas that actually fit
together.

The down side is that when faced with a deadline or budget
constraints , there is a danger of going with ideas that are easy to
model, rather than correct for the job - hence the need for easy
modelling techniques to allow the momentum of the thoughts and ideas
to be maintained even for complex shapes.



Jonathan

 

3D in SolidWorks lets me try to achieve designs I wouldn't even
attempt in 2D.

The hardest design jobs I face in my medical plastic parts are to take
what is something already quite simple, and something that hasn't
changed in decades, and make it better.

I try to improve safety, ease-of-use, add needed features in the same
envelope, user recognition of the postion of a moving part from a
distance, & better labeling to reduce clinical mistakes.

Of course, some of my bright ideas are totally worthless once I see
the design faults in 3D. That is what the Delete function in Windows
Explorer is used for.

Bo

 

2:

Being able to drag a section view through an shaded assembly is a tool
that I have gotten use to and don't think I could live without.

 

Indeed that real-time sectioning is something I use all the time, but
don't think about anymore. How many days of my life on 2D paper were
spent drawing custom section views?

Another thing I rarely attempted in 2D was to do highly detailed
drawings of competitive products, as I couldn't make much good use of
the end result in 2d.

3D parts & assemblies of competitor's products are now able to be
analyzed in all sorts of ways in terms of FEA to physicals and easy
comparison with my designs & other competitors.

Bo