Tag,...You're It

One of the most overlooked abilities within SolidWorks documents is the ability to "tag" items with descriptive terms. Let's take a look at the basics:

1. You can apply a tag by first, selecting a feature or sketch in a part file or, a component or sub-assembly in an assembly file (multiple items can be selected utilizing the standard windows techniques like SHIFT & CTRL). Once selected, click the tag icon in the lower right hand corner of the window.
2. A window will appear and allow you to type in a descriptive "tag" for the item(s) you have selected. Item(s) can have more than one tag with each tag is separated by a semi-colon.
3. Once you have items tagged, you can utilize the filter box at the top of the feature manager to filter items that have the same tag. The filtering occurs both in the feature manager as well as in the graphics area.

And that's it! Tags are not only available in SolidWorks but can also be leveraged and used within SolidWorks Explorer.

Have you visited SolidWorks Labs? (labs.solidworks.com)
Whenever I show this functionality to customers, the first question is, "How do I know what tags are on a component or in the document as a whole?" There is a great little add-in on SolidWorks labs that adds a tab to your task pane. The tab show all tags that are in the open document, allows you to indicate favorites, and easily tag other items with the same tags. Check it out!

There's an App for That

Sound familiar? It's almost as well known as "Can you hear me now?"

3DVIA just announced 3DVIA Mobile, an app for interactively using 3D models on the iPhone. The app gives users the ability to interact with the community aspects of the service, giving users a fully manipulable model, search functions as well as all that good social-media related stuff (rating, commenting, etc.)

iPhone users who register at www.3DVIA.com can quickly search thousands of high-quality models posted by the 120,000 members of the 3DVIA.com community. With the touch of a finger, users can select, spin, pan, zoom and inspect 3D models in real-time.

3DVIA Mobile can be downloaded from the App store for $1.99 USD, but is being offered for a limited-time free of charge. For more info, please visit www.3DVIA.com/mobile.

Center of Gravity Point \ Mark

Problem: You would like to add a point at the "Center of Mass" with the Mass tool. You would like this point to be visible after exiting the mass command dialogue.

Solution: This feature is currently not available in SolidWorks by default. The work-around is to go to Tools/Mass Properties to determine the coordinates of the Center of Gravity. Then add a sketch point at this location.

You can also try running a macro that does this automatically. See the linked macro "CenterOfMassPointCreation.swp". NOTE: This is NOT a supported macro. To run, in the assembly\part, goto "Tools\Macro\Run" and select the file "CenterOfMassPointCreation.swp" file. This will create a POINT automatically.

This issue has been identified and reported to the development team as an enhancement under SPR182287: Mass properties should include the option to automatically put a point at the Center of Gravity.

DriveWorksXpress 5th-Axis-Indexer Message

For those of you running DriveWorksXpress, I have run into a couple of instances where the following error message is encountered while filling out the data fields in DriveWorksXpress.

"DriveWorksXpress - [5TH-AXIS-INDEXER]" Unhandled exception...

It turns out that this is related to a Microsoft Office Web Components installation problem. To fix it, either browse to the \PreReqs\OfficeWeb\ directory of your SW2009 DVD and reload the owc11.exe program. It is a good idea to first go to your control panel with SolidWorks closed and remove the Microsoft Office 2003 Web Components before reloading the owc11.exe.

If you cannot find your install DVD, this program can also be downloaded at the following link:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=7287252C-402E-4F72-97A5-E0FD290D4B76&displaylang=en

The Versatility of SolidWorks

I received a link to an article this morning about Texas A&M expanding access of SolidWorks to 16,500 students. The interesting thing to me was the "broad range of programs" receiving that access.

It's still the typical programs that you have come to expect; petroleum, nuclear, mechanical, industrial, electrical, and biomedical engineering. But now, the College of Science and Veterinary Medicine will be using it too?

Here is a quote directly from the article:

"SolidWorks has broad applicability beyond engineering courses,” said Mitch Wittneben, senior systems analyst for Texas A&M. “It helps students better understand important physical engineering principles, for example, or understand interaction of linkages between bones and prosthetics. With its balance of ease of use and powerful capabilities, SolidWorks helps students transform their ideas into reality and succeed in their work. It’s a valuable tool for all the sciences, and employers like to see a job candidate with SolidWorks experience.”

This is just another example of the versatility of SolidWorks. But it can still be taken a step further. Not only can students study bone structure and prosthetic pieces that can be used to fix damaged tissue in real time on their computer screens; but pair SolidWorks with a Dimension 3D Printer, and it takes the parts off their computer screens, and literally puts them in their hands!

Essentially, (aspiring) veterinarians will be able to practice complex procedures on reproductions of the actual body parts they will be working on beforehand, greatly reducing the risk of complications during surgery. Thanks to 3D Printing, this can also be applied to humans!

If you want to take it even a step further (or maybe backward, depending on how you want to look at it,) in a blog post I submitted last week, I talked about solidThinking's new morphogenesis™ technology. The technology uses "biomimicry" principles. With this tool, you can take that same bone structure and use it as inspiration to work backwards from within SolidWorks.

Imagine seeing a big construction crane on the highway, but instead of a big mechanical arm, it has a real arm attached to it?

You know what? Nevermind. That's actually kind of creepy...

Loading Assemblies > Lightweight

Loading assemblies lightweight can significantly improve your assembly work.
This is done by only loading selected information into memory.

Lightweight components CAN:

• Keep mates intact
  
• Maintain placement
  
• Be moved and rotated
  
• Have display modes of shaded, hidden line or wireframe modes
  
• Have edges, faces or vertices selected or mated to
  
• Have Mass Properties or Interference Detection performed on them

****************************************************************************************

There are 2 methods to load assemblies lightweight:

1. Toggle the Lightweight option when selecting File > Open

(This option allows the designer flexibility in opening the assemblies Lightweight)

2. Tools > Options > System Options > Performance
Toggle Automatically load components lightweight

(This option sets ALL assemblies to Lightweight mode)

**************************************************************************************

After the assembly is opened, lightweight components can be Resolved by:

1. Double-clicking the component in the graphics area. It will automatically be resolved.
2. Right-click the component and select Set to Resolved
3. Right-click the top-level component of the assembly, and select Set Lightweight to Resolved. (This resolves ALL of the lightweight components, including those in sub-assemblies.)

In most cases, the best solution for large assemblies is to use Lightweight. By setting your system options, you will automatically reap the benefits of working with lightweight components.

3DU-Related News

Hello Again Everyone,

I have just read some information that is pretty important to our existing customer base and new customers.

First up:
Windows XP Retirement Announcement - Microsoft officially retired Windows XP in April of 2009.

SolidWorks 2010 will continue to support Windows XP (32 and 64 bit versions) excluding operating systems related issues or fixes. This level of support will continue through at least one release following SolidWorks 2010. After that in conjunction with Microsoft’s support policies, only Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit versions) will be supported. The SolidWorks operating system support plan outlined above will also apply to the SolidWorks Simulation and SolidWorks PDM product lines.

A huge FYI here. This is very important for customers potentially using older 3rd party programs that may not have been upgraded to work within Vista.

Second:
New Certified SolidWorks Professional Exam

The new exam is different than past versions in one big way. Instead of requiring a user to commit three continuous hours to take the exam, this release has been broken down into three separate segments which affords a few great benefits.

Users can take the three separate segments when their schedule allows so they don't have to set aside a large block of time detracting from their normal workflow. Once a segment is completed and passed, the user can move on to the other segments at their leisure. They can opt to take the segments in any order they choose. If a user fails a segment, they have the option of purchasing that segment alone at one-third the cost of the entire exam instead of having to purchase the entire exam again. Once all three segments have been passed our system will automatically issue their certificate to them.

See the SolidWorks Blog for more information.

3DU Instructors - Question of the Week (09-24-09)

Wrapping up 2 weeks of Intro to SolidWorks on Friday. Got a bunch of great questions to share. I learned something totally new in SolidWorks, a feature that has apparently been there all along but I've never seen it since I began using version 2006. This is especially cool for me and a few projects I do on the side.

I'm a self professed bicycle nut and with three kids, build ramps for the kids and I to jump. I've always modeled them up before hand in SolidWorks. I estimated the 16" on centers for the support studs either by a straight line or by using an arc that I would keep adjusting after using the measure command until I got real close to the 16" OC. I was talking to a customer about how he measured tubing and how he would dimension the arc to it's specific length. Super easy, simply start by dimensioning as usual by picking the endpoints of the arc but select the arc as a third pic to finish it out. You now have a dimensioned arc via it's arc length. Very cool to be right on the money to locate the sheets at 48" on center. The dimension is identified with a little arc segment over the dimension. OK, so that was pretty cool. Here are a few more tips/tricks/questions from my last class.

Want to switch from a line to an arc in the middle of a multiple line segment sketch? Simply hit the "A" key. Start and finish one line segment then click the "A" key to transition to a tangent arc.

Linking dimensions inside a sketch dimension is easy but how do I link to a feature dimension like the extrude depth or fillet size? I can't link it by editing the feature, however, if I left click on the feature in the tree, it's dimensions for the sketch show up in black. The dimensions for the feature show up in blue on the model itself. At that point, you can double-click on the blue dimension and link it's value just like any other dimension can.

2010 Gold Nugget Info: When mirroring assemblies, the mirrored assembly can now be held in place like any other mirror could in a sketch, mirrored body or feature in a part. FINALLY, this will be a huge help for folks with large symmetrical assemblies that had to be mirrored and then re-constrained into place. (You can still do it the old way if you want too.) A mirrored component can now also be a configuration within the same part file instead of a separate part file. Keeps it a little cleaner and the overall file size down too.

PDM Workgroup Admin class and Advanced Assembly starting next week. Both great classes with a good student count so I should have some great tips to share.

Have a great weekend,
Rodney Harper
3DU Instructor

solidThinking Article in the New York Times

Following the release announcement of solidThinking's new inspired product last week, Bob Little, president of solidThinking, was interviewed by Ashlee Vance, a New York Times writer. He publishes their blog about cool new technology.

Each week they choose 2-3 of the more interesting articles and publish them in the print edition of the NY Times. This article was published in Friday’s (9/18/09) NY Times Business Section.

This is exciting news for our valued partner, and they tell us the piece has resulted in a serious bump in their already growing number of solidThinking website hits and inquiries.

Read the NY Times article online: solidThinking Has a Bone to Pick with Designers

Read more about morphogenesis in our earlier blog post

Scott Baugh is a Grand Prize Winner in the PhotoView 360 Rendering Contest

Congratulations to our very own technical support engineer, Scott Baugh, who was chosen as one of three Grand Prize winners in the PhotoView 360 2010 Beta Rendering Contest.

Scott receives a SolidWorks-engraved iPOD and a SolidWorks backpack for his winning entry.



Congratulations Scott, your colleagues at FISHER/UNITECH are proud of your achievement!

Make sure to visit the SolidWorks Gallery to see all of the entries submitted and more.

Working with Weldment Profiles

SolidWorks comes with a large number of Weldment Profiles that can be used. They are, however, compressed in the installation and must be extracted. Below are instructions on how to do that.

In the Design Library under "SolidWorks Content," go to the folder "Weldments."

You can hit "Ctrl" and click on any one of these standards and it will ask you where you'd like to download the Zip file. Extract the zip file....i.e., "Ansi Inch" into the "Weldment Profiles" folder. Then many more profiles become available. You can now do this to however many standards you want.

You can also create custom Weldment Profiles. Here's how:

When you use a profile as a structural member it is actually accessing a Library Feature Part (*.SLDLFP.) These are found in the SolidWorks Installation\SolidWorks\Data\Weldment Profiles folder. Notice the sub-folder structure, i.e., Ansi Inch\Angle Iron\1x 1x 0.125.sldlfp. This folder structure is reflected in the structural member dialog box seen here and reported as "Standard"...."Type".....and "Size."

To create a custom profile you will need to create a library feature part and put in a folder structure as mentioned.

1. Be sure to RMB "Add to Library" on the actual sketch name in the history tree in the file. This will change the sketch icon so that an uppercase "L" is transposed on it. You may need to save the file first as a Library feature part, open it RMB, "Add to Library" and save it again.
   
   
2. Add extra points to the sketch so you have more control points when you choose the option "Locate Profile" in the structural member creation.
   

Also Note: You can customize SolidWorks "System Options"..."File Locations" to look at the specific folder structure you created for your custom Weldment Profiles.

solidThinking, Inc. Introduces morphogenesis™ Form Generation Technology

What better way to design aircraft than to do it based on the glide of an eagle? Or to find alternatives to cooling your home or office from the mound of the emulate termite?

solidThinking Inc. is trying to do just that with their latest release of morphogenesis™, a new technology that should provide industrial designers and architects with the ability to explore virtually countless design options. This innovative form generation technology is included with the launch of solidThinking 8.0 InspiredTM, solidThinking’s latest software version for the design community.

It draws on the principles of "biomimicry." For those that do not know what biomimicry is (I didn't) you can click here for a definition, or here for a few examples. Essentially, morphogenesis™ mimics processes and physical laws in nature to help designers and architects develop forms and structures based on environmental conditions. It can also be a source for very new and innovative designs that can help them seperate their companies or themselves from their competition and produce truly unique products.

For more information on morphogenesis™ read solidThinking's press release here.

Linking a Smart Note Across Multiple Solidworks Drawings

Last month we held our 3rd Power User event of the year in each of our offices and shared a number of Drawing Tips-n-Tricks to hundreds of our users. Our event in Grand Rapids was a success with approximately 30 users in attendance. My customers always attend these events with a number of great questions and one that came up piqued my interest and serves as the basis for this post.

My group was talking about annotations and a user asked if it was possible to create a smart note that could be shared across different drawings. Having been put on the spot, the answer eluded me at that moment in time. The solution appears below.

1. Start by creating a new drawing or starting from one that is already complete.
   
   
2. Create your smart note in this initial drawing. (My smart note in the image below is simply pulling from the two)
   
   

3. Create a block from your newly created smart note.
   
   
4. RMB your block in the Feature Manager tree and save it to a secure location (maybe on the Desktop for now)
   
   
5. Now select your block on the drawing and in the Property Manager enable the "link to file" check box and browse to the newly saved block (on the desktop)
   
   
6. Notice your block in the Feature Manager tree should now show an external reference -> next to it.
   
   

7. Save your drawing file.
   
   
8. Now start a new drawing or open a different drawing you already completed.
   
   
9. Add the block you saved (on the Desktop) - Insert-Annotation-Block-Browse to block on Desktop.
   
   
10. Take note that no external reference is yet seen after inserting this block. The reason is that a local block instance is created so editing this block would not affect the one we created in the initial drawing.
    
    
11. Let's link this block to the one saved on the Desktop - select the block and in the Property Manager enable the "link to file" check box and browse to the block saved on the Desktop.
    
    
12. That's it, you have just successfully linked the two together!
    

Now we could obviously go back and test our linked blocks that contain our smart notes. Let's open the Skid part file and change the size. Our original drawing updates along with our Smart Block. Going over to our other drawing we see that this block has updated as well.

I hope this post was helpful. Feel free to post a comment if you need more information.

Enterprise PDM 2009: Workflow Conditions and Categories

Are you a CAD Admin using Enterprise PDM 2009 SP4 (Build 9.4.1144)?
If so, have you run into the following scenario?

When editing workflows and categories, then saving changes in the EPDM Administration Tool, the workflow conditions and category conditions disappear? This can lead to new files not being assigned to the appropriate initial workflow or category.

This is a known issue with Enterprise PDM 2009 SP4 (Build 9.4.1144) and has been reported to the SolidWorks Development team under SPR 512607.


The good news is that SolidWorks has already issued a database hotfix for this behavior. To correct your database, please do the following:

1. Backup your Enterprise PDM database in SQL. (For instructions on backing up your database, please see section 7-2 of the Enterprise PDM Installation Guide)
2. Log into the SolidWorks Customer Portal (https://customerportal.solidworks.com/) and search for solution S-041280 in the SolidWorks knowledge base
3. Download hotfix "Enterprise2009SP4_512607_516596_516218_HotFix.dbu" to an Enterprise PDM 2009 SP4 client machine
4. Double-click the file or open it with the "DbUpdate.exe" in the Enterprise install folder
5. Follow the update wizard to update the 2009 SP4 vaults.
   

Note that already cleared workflow or category conditions will need to be recreated after the update is applied.

If you have a backup of the database before the conditions were cleared - you could use a SQL query in from solution S-041920 to list the defined settings.

Please note that this update will only need to be applied once per Enterprise PDM 2009 SP4 (Build 9.4.1144) database.

If you have any questions, please log into support.funtech.com to create a new support case.

Thank you.

What is SolidWorks Sustainability?

At some point, either due to regulations or corporate responsibility, all product designs will be sustainable designs. SolidWorks Corporation, always thinking ahead, has invested much time and effort into developing two new products called SolidWorks Sustainability and SolidWorks Sustainability Xpress. The software enables the user to easily determine the environmental impact of their products, early on in the design process. Sounds like it would fit in right about where finite element analysis (FEA) would, during the testing phase.

The SolidWorks Sustainability products are fully integrated into SolidWorks, and provide real-time feedback on Carbon Footprint, Total Energy Consumed, Effect on Water, and Effect on Air.

Why Should You Take an Interest in Sustainability?
The general public has embraced concern for the environment and is making purchasing decisions based on eco-friendliness!

How Does it Work?
The SolidWorks Sustainability products look at all phases of the production, use and final disposal of the product being designed, including all transportation involved. The data used to report metrics on sustainability comes from a company called PE-International in Stuttgart, Germany. Their database powers the SolidWorks Sustainability products.

How is it Sold?
SolidWorks Sustainability will be included in every seat of SolidWorks 2010 at no additional charge. SolidWorks Sustainability will be available for purchase as a Beta product when SolidWorks 2010 SP0 is released. It will be formally released with SP1 in November.

Sustainability Xpress is available now as a free add-on product to SolidWorks 2009 through SolidWorks Labs.

SolidWorks 2010 - Ready to Roll in October

Faster. Smarter. Rock Solid. SolidWorks 2010.
Focused on the core design work you stake your career on.

The Scoop on the Latest Edition of SolidWorks.
This just in: SolidWorks 2010, optimizing the core design functions you stake your career on every day, has hit the streets. Sources confirm it contains some 200 new user-driven features to help designers and engineers work faster and smarter every day. Copies are going fast.

What's New in SolidWorks 2010:

• SolidWorks SustainabilityXPress
• Improved Mirror Components in Assembly
• Mouse Gesture Heads-Up User Interface
• Configuration Publisher
• SolidWorks Enterprise PDM
• Rapid Dimension for Drawing Detailing
• Multi-body Support for Sheet Metal Parts
• Sheet Metal Export to DXF/DWG Enhancements
• Simulation & Motion - Design Studies - Optimization
• 3DVIA Composer Support for SolidWorks Configurations

What's New in SolidWorks 2010 (PDF)

Why SolidWorks?
When you think about SolidWorks, what comes to mind? For most people, it’s the 3D mechanical CAD (MCAD) software. And while that may be what the company is best known for, that’s not all there is to SolidWorks.

Built on 14 years of give and take with the now one million-strong SolidWorks community, SolidWorks software provides designers, engineers, and other creative professionals with all of the tools they need to design great products.

When you think SolidWorks, think:

• Design creation, validation, documentation, management, and environmental impact analysis as a single streamlined process.
• A simple design experience from the first sketch line to the finished 3D model.
• The ability to work smarter and faster with power packed into every feature.
• Rock-solid reliability in every phase of your work.
• Strong bonds with the growing SolidWorks community.

FISHER/UNITECH is hosting over 20 SolidWorks 2010 rollout and update training events. There's bound to be one near you! Click on the Register button to browse all event dates, times and locations, and register online. All events are FREE of charge and include a complimentary luncheon.

PROSPECTS: Or those of you who are not currently using SolidWorks. You'll want to attend one of our SolidWorks 2010 Rollout events. These events are focused on introducing you to the power of SolidWorks, and in some cases 3D modeling. Come learn why SolidWorks is the leader in mid-range CAD solutions.

CUSTOMERS: For those of you already using SolidWorks, who are on subscription service and anxiously awaiting your 2010 update, you'll want to attend one of our Update Training events. You'll learn about the most important advancements that are included in 2010 to help you work faster and smarter.

We hope to see you in October!

Get Your System Ready - for SolidWorks 2010

This just in - the SolidWorks System Requirements page has been updated for the upcoming release of SolidWorks 2010. The Operating System changes include the following:

• Adding Support for Windows 7 at 2010 SP1.
• Windows XP - SolidWorks 2010 will be the last release to support 32 and 64 bit versions. SolidWorks 2011 products will run on Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit versions) only.

For the PDM (Product Data Management) requirements, click here.

SolidWorks Simulation Plots

As you may know, you can define SolidWorks Simulation plots by right-clicking a result folder and selecting Define. You can specify the type of plot you want to see (stress, displacement, factor of safety, etc), the units, and the scale of the plot.

However, did you also know that after running an analysis, Solidworks Simulation can generate customizable default result plots automatically? You can set default result templates (folders and plots) for your studies. You can also include plots of different types in one or more folders and with customized names.

When you run a study that does not have any existing result plots, the software creates the folders and plots as specified in the Simulation Option’s page. If you run a study that has valid or invalid plots, the existing plots are updated regardless of the settings specified.

To set up the software to automatically define customized plots, follow the steps below:

1. Click Simulation, Options, Default Options (tab at top)


2. Under Plot, Default Plots, Study Results:
   
   
   
   1. To add a new results folder, right-click Static Study Results for example, and select Add New Folder. A new results folder appears under Static Study Results with a default name. Type a new name or click anywhere to accept the default name. The maximum number of result folders is five.
   
   
   2. To add a plot, right-click a results folder and select Add New Plot. A new plot appears in the results folder. You may not change the name here, but you can rename the plot at the study level. To delete a plot or a results folder, right-click their icon and select Delete.
   
   
   3. To set the type of plot, make sure the plot icon is selected, and then select the type of plot from the Results Type drop-down menu, and the plot component from the Results Component drop-down menu. You can add default plots as desired.
      
      
3. Click OK.

SolidWorks New Version & Service Pack Downloads Are Missing from Customer Portal

Have you ever logged in to the SolidWorks Customer Portal to download and upgrade your software only to not find the product you're looking for listed? Often times it will only list the “SolidWorks Enterprise PDM” product for download, even if you do not own it. The following image shows an example of this.



So how do you get other SolidWorks products to appear as available for download?

There are two things to try. First, you can select the "3DVIA Composer" tab then switch back to the "SolidWorks" tab. Often times this will refresh the page.

Second, it has been noted on some internet browsers that when the "Tools\Options\Internet Security" option is set to HIGH, this happens. Please lower the security level (Medium should be sufficient), delete your cookies, exit and restart the internet browser. When you log in and navigate to the Downloads page, it should now have SolidWorks listed.

Good Luck!

3DU Instructors - Question of the Week (09-11-09)

Been a busy few weeks here at FISHER/UNITECH packed with all sorts of great training, Drawings, Weldments and PDM CAD Editor. Lets review a question from each class.

Drawings: "I saved my template file but every time I try to use it, SW tells me it can't find the sheet format. What's going on?"

There are two components to a drawing. First, there is the "sheet" defined as whatever size you want (i.e. A, B, C, D, E, or some custom size you need). Second, there is the "transparency" (for all you old-schoolers out there) or "sheet format" that sits on top of the sheet. The sheet format contains all my title block info, borders, or any other notes I don't want to have easily or accidentally changed. The combination of these two make up the template file. To save that sheet format go to the file pull down menu and there is an option to save Sheet Format. Save it to wherever your File References (in your System Options) has picked for Locations to save Sheet Formats to.

Welments:
Not so much a question but a big difference to point out between SolidWorks 2008 and 2009.

2009 allows you to gather groups of similar structural members and keep adding new groups of members all within the same command. 2008 did not have this group functionality.

Translation: You will have a lot more features in your weldment file defining structural members than you would have in 2009. So if you are working in weldments a lot, this alone may be a reason to upgrade along with the improved trimming that is automatically done with SW.

PDM CAD Editor
"Can I convert standard or common parts into a toolbox part?"

Yes, simply by using the sldsetdocprop.exe utility. A file can have an internal flag set to either a regular SW part or a toolbox part. Your PDM admin will set your vault up to either accept or not accept toolbox parts. They would not be acceded, for instance, if you housed all common non revision managed fasteners, common parts, etc. outside your vault. The easiest way to locate this utility is to search for it from your Program Files folder. It is part of the standard installation.

Two weeks of Introduction to SolidWorks classes coming up. I will also start to include tidbits of 2010 related to the classes as the 2010 SW version will be shipping soon!

Blog at you later!
Rod Harper

FISHER/UNITECH's Virtual Job Fair for Engineers is Live!

Our Collaborative Initiative With 6Connex Makes Over 800 Design and Engineering Jobs Available to Job Seekers throughout the United States

It's been a lot of hard work, but it has finally paid off! I am proud to announce our Virtual Job Fair for Engineers; the second installment of our very successful No Engineer Left Behind program launched in January of this year.

The virtual job fair can be accessed at http://funtech.veplatform.com and will be online through November 30th, 2009.

Interested candidates will find over 25 exhibiting companies such as GE Lumination, Nook Industries, Utilimaster, Haworth, SolidWorks Corporation and SPX amongst the exhibitors looking to hire. An entire hall is dedicated to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), with over 800 job listings, information on member benefits, technical communities, local events, and professional development resources as well as an area for displaced workers to apply for SME membership at a reduced rate.

The virtual job fair offers an on-demand 24/7 3D dimensional environment offering the utmost in convenience for job seekers. In sharp contrast to traditional job fairs, the virtual fair eliminates commuting, waiting in line and saves tons of pollutants by displacing travel activity.

Candidates can log on to the virtual job fair anytime day or night and visit company booths loaded with media-rich content such as corporate videos, audio files, PowerPoint presentations, white papers, case studies, web links and more, in addition to viewing job openings.

We are planning three live chat days where booth representatives will be online to answer questions, interact with job seekers and accept resumes online via chat sessions. Live dates for the job fair will be:

• Tuesday, September 15th from 1-4 pm CT/2-5 pm ET
• Thursday, October 15th from 1-4 pm CT/2-5 pm ET
• Thursday, November 12th from 1-4 pm CT/2-5 pm ET

Job seekers shouldn’t miss the Career Development Hall which provides details on how displaced workers can apply for grant money through their local workforce development agency to advance their skills through education and training. The fair also features a Technology Pavilion that showcases SolidWorks 3D CAD software and a variety of partner products.

If you have any questions about the Job Fair or are interested in exhibiting, please send an email to: nelb@funtech.com.

Finding Interference in Weldments and Multibody Parts

In SolidWorks, weldments are actually a special type of multibody part. Since weldments are parts, there are not really any decent tools to directly detect if there are any interferences. Knowing whether or not there is an interference is very important to the integrity of your model. It is important to make sure that fits, cut lists, etc. are correct, but it is absolutely a necessity in simulation. Error after error will show up if you're trying to analyze a weldment or multibody part with interference. You might not realize it because there are no explicit error messages that indicate interference. In assemblies, this is very easy to detect because there is a tool called interference detection; however, this tool is not available in parts making detection a little more challenging.

Many of the interferences in weldments can occur from not properly trimming members or inadvertently duplicating members in patterns creating multiple instances of the same member.

An easy tip to validate this is to create an assembly from the part. You can have an assembly with only one part. If you run interference detection with the standard defaults, you still will not be able to detect interference yet as shown below.

In the Interference Detection tool, under "Options", there is a check box called "include multibody part interferences." If this is selected, it will allow detection for your weldments as shown below.

Hopefully, this will allow many of you to have more correct weldments and alleviate some of the frustration encountered in simulations as well.

We Made the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Private Companies in America!

For the 2nd year in a row, FISHER/UNITECH achieved Inc. 5000 status, earning position 4290.

This is based on 39% growth from 2005-2008.

No. 4,290

FISHER/UNITECH
Troy, MI

	Year	2009
	Industry	Business Products & Services
	Founded	1993
	Growth	39.2%
	2005 Revenue	$14.3 million
	2008 Revenue	$19.9 million
	Employees	68
	Website	www.funtech.com

FISHER/UNITECH's Business Model:

FISHER/UNITECH assists industrial design, engineering, and manufacturing companies with product development through computer-aided design products and services.

The 2009 Inc. 5000, serves as a unique report card on the U.S. economy. Despite the ongoing recession, aggregate revenue among the companies on the list actually increased to $214 billion, up $29 billion from last year, with a median three-year growth rate of 126 percent. The Inc. 5000 are responsible for creating more than 1 million jobs since their founding; making the list perhaps the best example of the impact private, fast-growing companies can have on the economy. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found on Inc.com.