Solidworks 2009 Surface Repair - Part 2

This is part 2 of Surface repair. In this tutorial I am going to show you how to repair a fillet. Techniques that you use can vary in the way your models respond to your process, but understanding the basics of surface repair is the key to using surfacing tools well, to not only repair your imported model data, but to also build models using surfacing.

The fillet in in this model does not terminate properly with the surrounding surfaces, but it also blends in past the surface underneath. The surface on the bottom has been stretch and turned on its side as you will see in the below video. I am going to remove these surfaces, Offset new surfaces, trim them together and use a Sweep surface as a guide and then use the fill surface to put the fillet back into the model.

Rapid Prototyping for the Medical Industry

I recently visited a medical device manufacturer. They are currently using a photopolymer rapid prototyping machine. Now, I will admit, the photopolymer material is impressive. It can print some very nice looking parts. But it does have its short comings. The main problems are that the materials have a very short shelf-life, are non-functional, can be hard to maintain, and cannot withstand heat over 110° F.

Photopolymer material, by nature, is sensitive to light, heat, and moisture. My source at this particular manufacturer shared with me that some of the parts were even sensitive to the heat coming from his hand! All of these factors easily degrade the geometry of the parts you build. Due to the gradual degradation of these parts, it makes it impossible to use them for any practical real world purpose other than a simple "show piece" or short-term option.

These photopolymer machines are also difficult to maintain. When you print a part it generally leaves a lot of waste behind. Photopolymer material is also toxic until it is cured. This extra material that is left behind is still in its uncured state. Which means material that you cannot use and must be disposed of will have to go through a curing process just to be discarded!

The solution I offered to this manufacturer was our Stratasys Fortus 400mc. This machine runs eight different types of thermoplastics that build REAL, stable and functional parts. Three of the eight materials can be autoclaved. The fact that these parts can be autoclaved makes it possible to bring these parts right into the operating room. The advantage of building functional parts is that body and organ models can be built to help surgeons "practice" very complex surgical procedures before having to perform them on patients, lowering the risk of complications during or after surgery.

Parts built in the Fortus 400mc can also be used in prosthetics. When surgeons attempt to replace, or join back together broken bone, they typically use titanium mesh prior to osteointegration. In many cases this titanium mesh is fitted incorrectly and later causes discomfort in patients requiring them to go through physical therapy. With parts printed in the 400mc, a replica of the patients bones (using CAD software) can be printed, and the mesh can be fitted prior to the surgery. This eliminates the risk of the patient having complications after the surgery is done.

With the Fortus 400mc, you can build parts that can be used in the operating room. The parts have a very high tolerance for heat, light, and moisture. It is the logical choice if you are looking for a more efficient way to work with patients with both small and large medical problems.

Seeing is Believing - Dimension 3D Printer Video Case Study

In this video case study, watch how BlueSky Designs, a Minnesota firm that designs products for people with disabilities, uses the Dimension 3D Printer to develop fully functional prototype models for aesthetic and ergonomic testing.

Company president Diane Goodwin, who has dubbed her Dimension Printer "Tonka", talks about how multiple design iterations are now possible with the Dimension using ABS plastic. The same amount of prototypes would not have been possible using metal because it would be cost-prohibitive.

The Dimension can empower your designers to become more creative and innovative when worries about prototype costs and rework are eliminated!

Watch the Video Case Study

BlueSky used a Dimension 3D Printer to design "The Mount'n Mover," a powerful new wheelchair mounting system that allows individuals in wheelchairs the ability to easily position devices, trays and laptops.

The Dimension 3D Printer has saved BlueSky tens of thousands of dollars in design and manufacturing costs.

A RAPID Invitation - Booth #315

May 12 - 14, 2009
Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center
Schaumburg, Illinois
www.sme.org/rapid

Alongside RAPID 2009:
See It, Scan It, Build It
May 12 - 14, 2009
www.sme.org/3d

Are you attending the RAPID 2009 Conference & Exposition in Schaumburg, IL next month?

If so, stop by Booth #315 for the latest in Stratasys information. FISHER/UNITECH personnel will be working the booth, and handing out invitations to our "hospitality tent", located right across the street from the convention center at our branch office. Join us for food, drinks, networking opportunities, a tour of our facilities, giveaways, show specials and more!

Want FREE admission to the show?
Use the online registration form and select "Exhibitor Invitation" in the drop-down box under the header "Priority Code." This option appears on page three (3) of the online registration form.

Stay tuned for more details on the FISHER/UNITECH Hospitality Tent!

No Engineer Left Behind Thanks

I wanted to share another email we received from an appreciative graduate of our No Engineer Left Behind program.......

(From an email sent to our Training Coordinator)

I want to thank you for supporting those of us in career transition. I just completed the No Engineer Left Behind SolidWorks training at your facility in Chicago. It was a great course and I hope it proves beneficial in my continued employment search.

I attended Pro/E software training through FISHER/UNITECH about fourteen years ago, and am happy to report your professionalism and instruction has remained consistent. I will keep your company in mind should my employment efforts prove fruitful.

Once again, thank you for going out of your way to support those affected in this tough economy.

Kevin Visger

Tech Support Case Number 40,000

We hit a milestone today with our SaaS CRM system, Netsuite, which we have been using since Since Q1/Q2 2005. We had our 40,000th tech support case. Thank you goes out to that lucky customer, Scott B., and the technical support engineer, that received and answered his question within 30 minutes, Matt Haywood.

We love our customers and believe they are the life-blood of our organization. We have made changes over the past 5 years, to adapt to our growing customer-base, and have always taken customer's comments seriously. Every tech support case that is closed triggers a survey that is emailed to the customer.

Some of our most recent stats are:

• Q109: Overall Approval Rating: 99.58%
• Q109: Average Queue Wait Time: 1 min 21 secs

Below are a few quotes from customers:

"I continually receive fantastic support through
Funtech, and very much appreciate the service offered! Keep up the great
work all...." --Mark P

"Dan Wiggins should be complimented. This has been an on going problem for us and he was all over it. Especially quick response and demonstrated that he knew his product.Thanks Dan!" --Glen G

"Mike did an excellent job on resolving the problems I was having and took time to walk me through the steps in order to achieve the results that I was looking for. His efforts are greatly appreciated." --Aaron M

"Chaz and Michael were very helpful. Both were very patient and knowledgable. THanks for the assistance and a painless upgrade." --Bob E

Thank you customers, and thank you support team!

Rich Nobliski

Professional Services Manager

Solidworks 2009 Surface Repair - Part 1

I seem to get a lot of calls from customers on imported models that are just surfaces. Even after they run the Import Diagnosis on the part they are still left with problem areas and surfaces.

I made a Video Tutorial to try and help users that are experiencing these types of problems. The video will show you how to repair a surface and remove those problem areas. This example has a bad translated Hole that comes in as a diamond shape surface and the fillets blend in to the fillets below. Also there is a surface that extends over the gas tank fill nozzle hole. These all have to be repaired and replaced with new surfaces and there is a process to making this work well.




Surface Repair

Americans Helping Americans

(From an email I received yesterday)

Lisa,

I took your No Engineer Left Behind class in Brecksville, Ohio, with instructor Paul Kutolowski. The three-day class was great! I learned a lot. I scanned my completion certificate and added SolidWorks to my resume.

Paul knows SolidWorks and the manufacturing process very well. He answered all questions, and the questions he did not have the answers to, he looked up.

I have about ten years of Pro/E experience and I know it pretty well. During No Engineer Left Behind I was amazed at how much easier SolidWorks is vs. Pro/E. I'm very glad I took the class and that you offered the program.

I'll tell you my opinion by grades:

• The Office: A+
• Office Staff: A+
• The Computers: A+
• The Instructor: A+++
• SolidWorks: A+ (much easier than Pro/E!)

Thank you again, your company is very generous in helping unemployed engineers. I remember when I was 8 or 9 years old, my father or mother would see a neighbor doing some heavy work, and they would walk over and help them. This was Americans helping Americans. I thought this kind of effort was gone, but through your training program, you've given me new hope.

Gary Stasienko

SolidWorks on Mac OS??

Ever thought of the possibility of having SolidWorks on Mac OS? Well, apparently 4500+ others have as well.




Check out this petition to push to port SolidWorks on Mac OS:

http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2009/04/4403-want-solidworks-on-mac.html


Thank you,

Rich Nobliski
Professional Services Manager

True Mobility...the Apple iPhone

If you know me, you know I am a true geek at heart. So, when we talk about mobility at FISHER/UNITECH and helping the customer as fast as possible, below are some examples of how myself and a few others utilize the Apple iPhone to assist you, the customer, faster.

Imagine needing to access important data, like our customer's records, technical support cases, or calendar of events, but not being in the office or in front of a computer. Might be a problem for some, but with our SAAS CRM tool, Netsuite, I can login to our system and retrieve contact info for customers, follow-up on support cases, and help the team provide expedient customer service:

Actual Screenshot from my iPhone

Now, imagine that a customer has an Autodesk DWG file that needs attention. How do I do that you might ask? Well, I go to SolidWorks Labs: http://labs.solidworks.com/ and utilize the DrawingsNow application to view DWG files.

Actual Screenshot from my iPhone

Finally, let's say that I am out shopping with my family, over the weekend, and I need to check in on a SolidWorks EPDM data migration. By utilizing the iPhone Webex application, I can log into anyone's desktop and view the status of the migration, view an issue that someone is having with SolidWorks, or provide assistance. The funny thing about the shopping example, it happened a few months ago while performing a data migration. It allowed me to stay in contact with what is going on and be aware when the migration is complete. I even helped the customer get their iPhone up and running so that they could do the same, and didn't need to be by their computer.

Actual Screenshot from my iPhone

I have been an avid fan of Apple products, especially the iPhone. I purchased one the day it came out and waited in line to upgrade it to the 3G version. Rumor has it that the 3rd version of the iPhone will be announced at the Apple WorldWide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, and released in July.

Stay tuned for future updates on how the Apple iPhone is being used throughout our organization to assist you, the customer.

Thank you,

Rich Nobliski
Professional Services Manager

3Dconnexion Releases SpacePilot PRO

I haven't tried this yet, but we are expecting a shipment of SpacePilot PRO's to arrive early next week. We'll have one setup in each of our 10 training centers across the midwest, so our SolidWorks students can "test drive" it for themselves.

The SpacePilot PRO boasts advanced control of 3D models, easier access to the power of professional 3D applications, fewer interruptions in the design workflow, and superior comfort.

Specifically, the SpacePilot PRO features a new color LCD Workflow Assistant, second-generation QuickView Navigation technology, Intelligent Function keys, and an improved design for enhanced comfort and control.

We are making 3Dconnexion's products available for purchase on our E-Store.

You can read the full SpacePilot PRO press release here.

The SolidWorks Bloggers are abuzz with this news today also, you can read their opinions here:

SolidSmack
Rock Solid Perspective
Jeff's Tool Shed

SupportExpress Website 2.0

To some, this might be old news, but effective today, we are utilizing the SupportExpress Customer Center to provide you with more options in viewing your technical support cases.

With emails, come a lot of inherent issues. No matter how hard we have tried, the dreaded SPAM still keeps haunting us. This has taken time away from the support engineers assisting customers, to administering the support emails. Also, the SupportExpress website, http://support.funtech.com, allows for you to supply the necessary information for us to begin assisting you with your issues faster.

Another advantage...you can now see all of your co-workers cases that have been submitted in the past. This is a great learning tool to see if someone else has run into the same issue, and also to learn from issues in the past.

Also, we are increasing the size and capabilities of our Knowledge Base (KB). We take pride in the information that we supply in this KB, because it is very detailed and provides more information for you, then the standard help files.

Why is this news.....well, effective today, you will not be able to create a case by sending an email address. You will need to log into the SupportExpress website, http://support.funtech.com. BUT, you will still be able to reply to our system-generated emails and interact with us that way. So, emails are still alive, just not initially. To some...this will bring sadness :(, to others...this will bring joy :). We will still continue to bring you the great support as we have in the past. This change will make us more efficient, which in-turn will allow us to assist you more efficiently.
Thank you,

Rich Nobliski
Professional Services Manager

Born to Be Wild - First Full-Scale Chopper Built from RP Parts!

RedEye, a business unit of Stratasys, the company whose president invented fused deposition modeling (FDM), revealed the first full-scale custom motorcycle built entirely from rapid prototyped parts.








Turn up the volume on the video as the audio is soft. Pretty cool when he starts up the chopper motor at the end!

Space Still Available April 27-29 for NELB in Kansas City

Space is available in our FREE three-day Introduction to SolidWorks course in our Riverside, MO, location for displaced engineers and designers that were using 2D or 3D CAD in their previous positions. This three-day course is a $1,000 value.

As a participant in our program, you will also receive a copy of SolidWorks for a limited-time use and you will have the opportunity to be placed at a FISHER/UNITECH customer site for a 30-day no pay internship to gain field experience.

Class dates are April 27-29, we have 5 seats available. Registration is handled on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and to register please visit:
http://www.funtech.com/s.nl/sc.8/category.2476/ctype.SS/SS.2476/.f

"My name is Jim Clark and I attended No Engineer Left Behind in Kansas City. The program is excellent and I learned a lot from it. I have not come across a position as of yet that does not want a couple of years experience, but I am still looking. Thank you for the opportunity and I am looking forward to using the software. I used SDRC-IDEAS before and I think SolidWorks is a lot faster at building products and drawings."

Thank You
Jim

SolidWorks Corporation Reduces 3DVIA Composer Pricing

Cost of ownership on 3DVIA Composer, the latest in product documentation software from SolidWorks Corporation, has just been reduced!

The price of both single user and network licenses of 3DVIA Composer has been greatly reduced, please contact us for details. 3DVIA Safe is no longer available for order but is included in a single or network license of 3DVIA Composer.

Learn more about 3DVIA Composer:

Download the 3DVIA Composer datasheet(PDF)
Test Drive 3DVIA Composer
Visit the Website
Register for a 3DVIA Composer Webcast
Access the 3DVIA Composer Blog
Watch 3DVIA Demos
3DVIA White Papers
3DVIA Podcasts

SolidWorks EPDM 2009 SP 3.0 Available

SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 SP3.0 is available for download from SolidWorks
It is strongly recommended that customers using SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2009 Service Pack 3 in conjunction with SolidWorks 2009 SP3 apply HotFix_482805. Download at Link

Making a Drawing Template/Sheet Format, from a DWG

Please read this prior to reading this blog.

I am going to show you how to take a DWG file and convert that into a Sheet format and a Template within Solidworks. (RMB: stands for "Right Mouse button")

1) File\Open
2) Change the "Files of type" to DWG and browse and open up that file.
3) Click Open
4) You will go into a DWG/DWF import Wizard



5) Be sure that “Import to drawing” and “Layers Selected for Sheet Format” is set.
6) Click Next



7) Be sure to pick the “Units”, The Default “Drawing” Template that comes with the SW install, and also pick “Center in Sheet”
8) Click Finish
9) SW will now import the file into SW as a Sheet Format into a drawing.
10) To maintain the original colors that SW uses: First you will need to remove the Layers. Go to the “Layer Properties” (located in the Line Format Toolbar) select each layer and remove that layer.
11) From here you have 2 options.

• You can simply pick the “Color Display Mode” (Located in the “Line Format”toolbar).
  
• RMB “Edit Sheet Format” Then select all the lines and click on “Line Color” (Located in the ”Line Format” toolbar) and Select Default and OK.

12) Change your Document properties in the Tools Options
13) Save this New Sheet format as “Sheet Format” - See Drawing Template & Sheet Formats for clarification.
14) Now do a File\Save As
15) Change the save as Type to Drawing Template - See Drawing Template & Sheet Formats for clarification

Drawing Template & Sheet Formats

I hope this post will help users understand how to make Templates using Sheet formats and the difference between the two. This will cut down on your time when making a Drawing from a part/assembly.

First thing everyone should be aware of is that Sheet formats and Templates are 2 different entities. Those 2 entities can be put together to make one easy to use Template. I’m going to explain the process of making your own Sheet format and template.

1) File \ New \ Drawing (Note: I am using the SW Default Template)
2) Pick A Size sheet and the SW A-Size Sheet Format (See the Below Image) Click OK



3) Click Cancel in the Property Manager (We don’t want to place a model in the Drawing at this time)
4) RMB (Right Mouse Button) “Edit Sheet Format”
5) Make any and all changes to the Sheet format that you need to make.
6) Also make any and all changes to your Tools\Options\Document Properties
7) RMB “Edit Sheet” when finished with the above changes
8) Then do a File\Save Sheet Format



9) Give it a name that you will recognize. Be sure to place it in the correct path that your Sheet formats are located. If you plan to use a network location be sure to place them in the proper location on the network
10) Now do a File\Save As
11) Change the save as Type to Drawing Template
12) Give it a name that you will recognize.
13) Save it in the proper location of all your other default Templates you use. I use a single location “C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\data\templates” SW, when first installed puts 2 locations in the File locations for Document Templates. Not just the one above but also: “C:\Program Files\SolidWorks04\lang\english\Tutorial”. It’s at the users discretion of this location.
14) Click File\New
15) Be sure you have picked “Advanced” in the lower left corner of the New menu. This will give you the ability to pick from any new Templates you have made.





16) If you have more than one location for your Document templates be sure to click on the correct tab at the top of the “File\New” menu.
17) You can see in the picture above that “A-Size” Exists. It exists there because you saved it there. Now every time you start a new drawing and you need an A-Sized title block and sheet size. You can pick this Template and it will contain all your Document settings and the custom Title block you made earlier in this step by step procedure.

How to reach your technical support team.

On April 15, 2009, in an effort to provide you better support, we will be requesting that all initial support questions be entered through our online system, SupportExpress, at http://support.funtech.com. This will allow us to assist you more expediently, because we will have the necessary information available to get started immediately. We will be deactivating email access to support for newcase@funtech.com and support@funtech.com, due to SPAM related issues. Our online website allows for entering of cases, and viewing the status of current and previous cases throughout your company. This will help you see cases that have been inputted by your fellow co-workers.

To follow-up on cases, you will still be able to reply to our system-generated emails.

For access to support through our website, please go to http://support.funtech.com and select: "Login" in the upper-righthand corner. If you do not have a password, please send an email immediately to password@funtech.com.

For General Support FAQs (ie. obtaining a password, logging in, creating a tech support case, etc), refer to our online knowledge-base at http://support.funtech.com, then click on "Knowledge Base" on the left.

To create a new support case...

1. Online, please go to the following website: http://support.funtech.com
2. In the upper right corner, select Login
3. Login Screen
1. If you are a new user, send an email to password@funtech.com.
2. If you are a returning customer, please enter your email address and password in their respective fields and then select Continue
4. Once you are logged in, please select Contact Support to start a new technical support case.
5. Please fill out the case information as thoroughly as possible. The fields Contact, Software Item, Category, and Message are all required.
6. Once you are complete, please select Submit and a new case will be created and submitted to the Fisher/Unitech Technical Support Team.
7. To add additional information or files, please reply to the email that is sent from our system.

Click on this link for a video presentation

Attach File(s)
After creating a case, please go to your case by selecting See Support Cases. Here you will find a list of all support cases submitted by your company. Please select View to view more details about cases. Once inside your case details, please select the Browse button to select your file set that you would like to upload. Then select Upload to complete your transaction.