Imported Files – Turning Surfaces into Solids

Problem – Many times when you import a customer’s part or assembly and it opens as a part that has a ton of surfaces or it may open as a multi level assembly and each of those parts is made up of surfaces.  The file that I chose to work with was an assembly that when imported into SolidWorks opened as a part file by setting some of the import options. The Feature Stats for this part show how the rebuild time is effected by having to look at all 697 surfaces.

Files like this can pose several problems as you start to work with them. The first problem is file size; the current file is 5mb. Next when you put several parts that are built like this into an Assembly they can start to bring your performance to a slow crawl in no time, drawing performance and view display will also be effected. Lastly if you need to make any modifications to this imported file it will be difficult because there are no solid bodies to work with. Also you will notice all of the colored edges in the part this is because we have a System Option on to show edges of open surface in a different color.

  

 

Solution – Reduce the overall number of surfaces in the model and try to create a model that is made up of a single or multiple Solid Bodies. In the attached PDF are the steps that will guide you through the process I took to create a file that was made up of a single surface. I have also attached the part files for you to use as a reference. 

Overall on this part it took me about 30 to 45 minutes to get the final result but the overall reward is the time it will save you later in the design process of not having to wait around for your drawing or assembly to open or rebuild.

 

Download Imported Files-Turning Surfaces into Solids

 

Good Luck

Josh Altergott

CATI Support Manager

SolidWorks Simulation in vertical industries!

I believe we understand how Simulation helps in traditional mechanical industries. But who else is using this technology? How has their experience been? What value is being added to their work environment? Would it make sense to have a series of blogs on people and their industries? Each unique in environment but using the same tools to excellence.

 This has always intrigued me, how people from different walk of engineering use same tools to make their designs better. I have seen people shorten their design cycle time, reduce scrap and offer better guarantee. I hope to post a series of articles exemplifying how people are doing this. In a utopian world people would co-operate and would not shy  parting with details. Let's see how my quest turns out.  Wish me luck!

 

Rajat Trehan

Product Manager - Design Validation

Computer Aided Technology Inc

SolidWorks X64 running Photoworks

   

SolidWorks has just made public that they have uncovered an issue with SolidWorke X64 running Photoworks.  I want to be clear which version of the software are effected.

SolidWorks 2009 SP5  x64

SolidWorks 2010 sp1  x64

SolidWorks 2010 SP2  x64

This problem exists when you enable the Photoworks add in and the active SolidWorks session is already using more than 2gb of virtual memory.  The result of the issue could include damage to the SolidWorks installation, the operating system, program files, and data files.

Here is the bulletin with more info. Includeing links to the hotfixes.

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/CustomerBulletins.html

 

Thanks,

Keith Schaefer

2010 Installation Quirk?

Things on support at CATI always come in waves. It like death and taxes – something that you can always count on. This being said in the last couple weeks we have been busy with installation questions and the usual interface change and functionality questions. But I started to see a trend. I will always consider something to be a trend after I see 3 calls within a 2 week period.

I don’t know what is triggering this but I have seen some installs not checking the sub folders in the Design Library, Forming Tools folder as “Forming Tools”. With Solidworks in order to have something act as a “forming” tool for sheet metal parts the folder either has to be “checked” or the form tool that you create needs to be saved as Form Tool with the extension of .sldftp. These topics are all covered in the Sheet Metal class offered by CATI.

If you’re forming tools sub folder is not checked as a form tool folder you will get this message.

At this point you might be confused and call support. But first before you do that go to the CATI blog and search to see if they have as solution to my issue so I can be more effective in my job and get things done faster and better!

First make sure that the top level folder is checked as a forming tools folder. This is a “RIGHT CLICK” thing.

Next make sure that all the sub folders inside the top level are also checked as forming tools folders.

This is where I have seen issues on the default installations not making the entire sub folder list checked as well as the top level.

Hope this helps!

Todd Werginz

Simulation Professional : Are you ready ?

Often we ask people, "what constraints they face while adapting a new technology or process?" The usual suspects stare in face :, training, confidence, ability to accomodate their engineering environment etc. SolidWorks Corporation is trying to address all these by giving users an opportunity to try Simulation Professional software for 30 days. To make sure, end users are getting results there will be support offered . I am hoping you do not let this opportunity slip. There are many areas where Simulation Professional can help ....

Assembly Simulation - Study interaction of parts under applied loading. Study design efficiency and reduce material and prototyping costs. Study effect of both loads and material choices on product performance.

Mechanism Simulations - Study physics based motion, based on mates, driving motors and inertia of components.

Compare and Optimize Design Alternatives - Determine best design option by comparing strengths, life, cost and weight. Perform comparison and design modifications with Solidworks environment.

Simulate Natural Frequencies - Predict and control your products natural modes of vibration to avoid potentially damaging resonant frequencies.

Simulate Heating or Cooling  - Simulate heat effects, fluid flow, thermal- structural interactions, and radiation effects.

Simulate Drop tests - Save time and cost by reducing number of physical tests. Define drop height, surface and orientation. Perform realistic collision simulation between parts. Visualize resulting contact.

Fatigue - With Simulation you have the tools to evaluate and improve part or assembly that must withstand rigors of daily operation. Also, find design life of the product.

With so many applications fitting your design group, it would be great to see the product in action.

So join us for a webcast on January 19th.  After the webcast you will receive an access code to take advantage of your 30 day trial of one of the most comprehensive design analysis tools available. You will also have access to support portal resource which will empower your 30 day experience as you begin to use Simulation Professional.

Rajat Trehan

Product Manager - Design Validation

Computer Aided Technology Inc.

Imaging Rules to survive Zombie................ I mean Sales Land.

November, I was approached by SolidWorks to give a presentation at SolidWorks World. People that have worked with me know I enjoy rendering and animation, so that’s the route I’m taking. “25 Things you need to know about getting images from SolidWorks,” is a lofty attempt to get 15 years of imagery on to power point celluloid and into your heads. This talk is for the beginner so if you have no idea what a pixel is don’t worry I’m going to cover that. But most important is discovering what you can do with your SolidWorks designs to get great looking images. We’re going to walk through several real world examples and take them to the next step. Below is our first step, entitled “Rules of Sales Land”

So the situation….Sales Person comes up to you and asks for an image of the project you just finished. You say, “Sure when do you need it by”. Sales Person hands you a flash drive and says, “Now I have a meeting”.  So the thought, “Oh Crap” comes to mind. But after a long few seconds of the out stretched flash stick and the “crap Crap CRAP” running through your head, you take the device and plug into your machine. You open the design in question and go file menu and do a save as jpg. Passing the drive back to the Sale Person with a smile, you go back to your work, praying he or she doesn’t appear for a couple of weeks. But just like a bad penny they are back that afternoon with, the question, “Why does this print look so bad”. Handing you the piece of paper, it does look the same word that was running through your head earlier.

Rule number #2 of Zombieland…. I mean Sales Land; always answer a request with a question. Going back to that instant with the flash drive dangling in your face like a rotting corpse, you should ask, “No Problem, but what do you need it for”. He would have told you, “I need a full page print of this to go with a proposal.” With that bit of very important information you know you won’t have enough resolution with just a SolidWorks screen shot.  Going for your utility belt, SolidWorks 2009 (because you haven’t done the upgrade to 2010 yet) you open a new drawing file. Inserting that same view on to a drawing, you now have the ability to control the resolution of my image.

That is just one of the situation we will discuss at Chicago Users Group meeting on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 from 5pm to 8pm at the DES PLAINES Campus of Oakton Community College, in ROOM 1610. I will also be giving this talk at SolidWorks World 2010 in Anaheim, CA on Tuesday February 3^rd.

 

Thanks,

Bob McGaughey, CSWP

CATI

 

Oh, and while someone in this blog is mentioning muppets, Is Al Roker the father of one Bunsen Honeybew of Carnegie Melonhead University?

The Trials of Beaker

Well, as I mentioned before, Beaker's been through a lot in his efforts to help us build our SolidWorks World presentation "Modeling Methods and Environment Configuration for Optimal Performance".  (It's a long name, I know)  The efforts of Beaker have given us some great data and some hair loss.

First, some of the great data:

We were able to somewhat quantify the 
effects of using external references, at least in our environment.  What we did was put 30 different locations in reference documents in reference file locations of system options and turn on search file locations for external references.  Now 30 locations may seem like a lot for some users, but I once saw a company that had 75 different locations in there.  The difference in load time of the assembly was significant.  It took ~3X longer to open the assembly. (Your results may vary)

Second, Hair loss:

I have also been pulling my hair out in an effort to get quality data comparing RAID arrays for modeling purposes.  This isn't going well and as of this afternoon I actually lost a 1TB Hard Disk to the battle.  After attempting to run a test comparing disk access speeds of a single disk versus a 2 disk RAID 0 (SolidWorks not included).  The single disk that had my OS on it would no longer boot. (Part of the reason I'm writing this article is that no one in my office wants to hear me complaining about it anymore.)  I still have not gotten what I would consider valid data from RAID configuration tests and it's not from a lack of trying.  Software RAID from the Windows OS, A third party RAID controller, and the built in RAID controller that comes with my T3400 (Beaker), have all generated suspect data.

If Beaker gives me anymore grief like this I might just pop a cap in his monitor!

The next step is exciting.  As soon as I reload the #$^% OS, I'm going to run the benchmark with a single Solidstate hard drive.  I can't wait to see how this helps.  After that I'll make another run at RAID 0 but with the Solidstate drives.

I'll keep you all posted.

Adrian

Library Setups

  Hey I just wanted to throw a shout out to all of our users that may be attending SolidWorks world.  I will be out there presenting on Monday afternoon from 2:45 to 3:45 in room 207 a-b.  This year I have taken on a new topic that I think many of the users that are attending world may have an interest in.  I have taken much of the information that we use to aid out customers in their implementations and combined that with some additional material that you may see in upcoming CATI training.  The session is entitled “Getting the Most Out of your SolidWorks Libraries - Setting Up and Sharing Information”.  It is going to take the things that we here at CATI do for our customers when setting up libraries and bring them to the fore front.  Some of this information is pretty simple others a little more tricky.  It is for this reason that I will be trying to focus not only on the setup of the libraries, but proper creation and setup of some of the more advance features and functions such as smart components, auto sizing, and named mate references. The session is listed as a intermediate session do to the fact that much functions covered in the session would typically be done by a company’s “power users”, and deployed for other users to share the information and expertise that is built in.

   For those of you that are not planning on attending, I am sure that we will make the presentation available to the rest of the public once we all return.  For those of you that are attending please feel free to find Josh Altergott and tell him that I said he was going to buy you a drink!  The following picture is what he looks like:

 

See you there!

Keith Schaefer

SolidWorks World - Design Tables the Complete Story

This year at SolidWorks World I will be giving two presentations the first is on Design Tables. This is an updated version of my presentation from SWW09 that will cover all aspects of Design Tables from the optimal setup of your parts and assemblies in SolidWorks to how to utilize the tools in Excel to help automate the design process. The presentation will give everyone an expanded knowledge of the SolidWorks and Excel tools and show you the concepts that go beyond what is taught in SolidWorks classes so that users can make more efficient and automated models.

The presentation is scheduled for Tuesday Feb. 2^nd from 1:30-2:30 in Ballroom E

My second presentation is with Adrian Fanjoy for Modeling Methods and Environment Configuration for Optimal Performance scheduled for Monday Feb 1^st from 4:30-6:00 in Room 207 A-B. See blog article http://blog.cati.com/2010/01/solidworks-worlds-coming.html for more information.

For more information on SolidWorks World check out http://www.solidworks.com/swworld/

If you cannot make it out to SolidWorks World check back after SWW as we will be posting our presentations for you to view.

Josh Altergott

SolidWorks World 2010 : Making sense of Pretty Pictures ?

 
  
This year SolidWorks World user conference will be held in Anaheim, CA. Every year thousands of users from across the globe assemble to showcase their skills, pick a few tricks and get a bearing on next wave of technology. Computer Aided Technology has been an active participant since inception of SolidWorks World. This year I will be presenting a topic "Making Sense of Pretty Pictures in SolidWorks Simulation".

So how did I decide on the topic: Listening to questions on support and interacting with customers in training sessions, it became obvious there was a dire need to understand outputs from SolidWorks Simulation.  Any Simulation walks through three primary stages; defining material, understanding boundary conditions and finally co-relating results to design improvements. Many a times, the last step could get confusing and may lead to user spending tons of time mulling over charts and pictures. This would be counterproductive, thus defeating the very goal of simulation : " Reduce Design Cycle time".

In this presentation, I walk through strategies to understand results, steps taken to catch errors early and finally unwrap misnomers generated about simulation. Attendees will have a deeper understanding of concepts, and will walk away with rules to make every simulation successful.

When : Wednesday, Feb 3rd

Where : Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. Room 212 A

Time : 1.30 pm - 2.30 pm

Rajat Trehan

Product Manager - Design Validation

Computer Aided Technology Inc.

SolidWorks World DriveWorksXpress and 3DVIA Composer HOTD's

Sign up now for some hands-on experience with DriveWorksXpress and 3DVIA Composer at SolidWorks World!!! 

DriveWorksXpress is the easy to use, free, design automation tool in every seat of SolidWorks.  3DVIA Composer allows user to quickly and easily create images and interactive content directly from their CAD Data.

The sessions will give you some practical skills that will show you what both DriveWorksXpress and 3DVIA Composer can do.

The sessions are back to back on Tuesday afternoon.

SolidWorks World's Coming (What does Beaker have in store for us?)

OK, I'm getting excited now. [Or stressed]  SolidWorks World is around the corner and my team has about 8 separate presentations that we are giving.  The two that I am working on are "Tackeling Administrative Images" and "Modeling Methods and Environment Configuration for Optimal Performance".  I am not ready for either yet but I'm working hard to get there.

The later is the real challenge.  The goal of this presentation is to give the audience an idea of not only what changes you can make with environment and modeling methods to improve performance but also, what kind of benefit can be expected from each change.  It turns out that it is not a trivial task.

Josh Altergott and I developed a test that would run a specific "Large" assembly through several tasks.  We made a macro that would take our specific model through this series of tasks automatically to take human delay out of the picture.  The macro was not easy for us to develop, niether of us is a programer, but we got through it with help from our peers and from the API support group at SolidWorks.  We then determined 31 different adjustments that we wanted to make and compare to determine what adjustments give us the biggest bang for our effort and which ones are either worthless or counter productive.

Our base line system:

• SolidWorks 2010 SP1  
  
• SolidWorks system settings set to defaults except -
  
  
  
  • Large assembly mode is turned off
    
  • Lightweight mode is turned off
    
  • All addins are turned off
  
  
  
  
• Windows 7 32bit
  
• OS system settings all set to defaults
  
• Dell T3400 Workstation
  
• NVidia Quadro Fx 1700 Graphics card
  
• 2 1TB storage Hard Drives 7200rpm for model storage
  
• 2 64GB Solidstate SATA Drive for model storage
  
• 1 80GB Hard Drive to store files not used directly in testing
  
• 1 1TB Hard Drive stores both the 32bit and 64bit OSs (The workstation is dual booting)
  
• Our model is real world from a customer as they modeled it (Minor changes were made to insure that the macro ran through without pauses or freezes)
  
  
  
  • 4368 components 
    
  • 765 Unique parts 
    
  • 215 Unique sub-assemblies
    
  • Max Depth 7
    
  • 70 Top level components
    
  • Resolved components 4018
    
  • 170 top level mates 
  
  
  
  

The workstation we built has been christened "Beaker" (I really do like the muppets) and we are abusing the poor guy to no end.  31 separate senerios each run through the macro 3 times (after reboot, after login, after SolidWorks restarts).  93 separate test runs each averaging 40 minutes.  So, not counting reruns, 62 continuous hours of automated high speed operation.  We are hoping he survives.

So what have we learned so far?  Here are a couple of things:

1. Working on a network drive will kill you.
   
2. I tried running a test with 32bit and 2GB of RAM It just blew-up.
   
3. Their is really no point in attempting Large Assembly Modeling with anything other than a 64bit Workstation with 8 GB or more of RAM.

I will be posting some of our findings as we get closer to the presentation date.

If you are going to SolidWorks World come see this presentation at 4:30 on Monday.  If not, as always, we will make all of the presentations done by CATI Techs available on our website.  And check back here to see more as well.

Adrian Fanjoy