Free SolidWorks from Performance Constraints (FSWPC-13-#20)

(Modeling Methodology - Large Assembly Mode)

The use of Large Assembly Mode and Lightweight is the one setting that made the largest impact in our testing. Large Assembly Mode allow a user to open an extremely large assembly without bringing in all of the computational data that defines it (Lightweight). The user gets the visual of the model without the over head of the math behind it. The user will then have the ability to resolve the portions of the assembly that they would like to work on. The data for just that portion of the assembly is then loaded into RAM and the user has the best of both worlds; the ability to work on a part or sub-assembly within the context of the greater assembly while dealing only with the overhead of the portion they are specifically working on. The testing we did involved very large assemblies where Large Assembly Mode and Lightweight can have its most pronounced effect on performance.

You can by looking at our deltas see that on our Practical machine we gained 58.7% total improvement taking our benchmark run time down to just over 32min. If we look at the Typical machine we can see that the overall improvement is 81% performance gain and took our benchmark run time to just under 54min.

Please
check back to the CATI blog as we will continue posting our
series of articles that goes further into the details of each of our tests. All
of these articles will be stored in the category of Free SolidWorks from Performance
Constraints and links to each with their
release date are listed below:

• FSWPC-13-#1 Introduction (3/19/13)


• FSWPC-13-#2 RAM (3/21/13)


• FSWPC-13-#3 Processor Cores (3/26/13)


• FSWPC-13-#4 Processor Cores for Simulation
  and PhotoView360 (3/28/13)


• FSWPC-13-#5 Processor Clock Speed (4/2/13)


• FSWPC-13-#6 Hard Drives (4/4/13)


• FSWPC-13-#7a Graphics Cards-SolidWorks
  Functionality (4/9/13)


• FSWPC-13-#7b Graphics Cards-Hardware
  Comparison (4/11/13)


• FSWPC-13-#7c Graphics Cards-Model Complexity (4/16/13)


• FSWPC-13-#8 Files stored in an older version
  (4/18/13)


• FSWPC-13-#9 OS Visual and User Settings (4/23/13)


• FSWPC-13-#10 SolidWorks Options (4/25/13)


• FSWPC-13-#11 SolidWorks Image Quality (4/30/13)


• FSWPC-13-#12 SolidWorks RealView Graphics (5/2/13)


• FSWPC-13-#13 SolidWorks  Level of Detail (5/7/13)


• FSWPC-13-#14 SolidWorks Mates and Flexible
  Subassemblies (5/9/13)


• FSWPC-13-#15 SolidWorks Defeature (5/14/13)


• FSWPC-13-#16 SolidWorks Envelope (5/16/13)


• FSWPC-13-#17 SolidWorks Large
  Design Review (5/21/13)


• FSWPC-13-#18 SolidWorks
  SpeedPak (5/23/13)


• FSWPC-13-#19 SolidWorks Save as Part (5/28/13)


• FSWPC-13-#20 SolidWorks Large Assembly Mode (5/30/13)


• FSWPC-13-#21
  Optimal Configuration and Conclusion (6/4/13)

Thanks,

Josh
Altergott, CATI Support Manager

Adrian
Fanjoy, CATI Technical Services Director