Intelligent Views, Smarter than your Average View?!

Did you know that in 3DVIAComposer there is an option to record specific actors and capture only the pertinent properties that you wish to retain? Try utilizing Intelligent Views.

Simply manipulate your actors setting all the desired properties, such as color, background, camera position, ground image etc., just as you would like them to be captured!

Next choose Workshop, View.

Then it's as easy as selecting the options or properties you wish to capture, followed by create.

The Intelligent View is then displayed in the Views Panel (designated with a shaded overlay.)

Now all of the options you've captured are retained and available for you to apply to any additional views.

For a Podcast of this process, go to following link:

http://www.3dmojo.com/2008/03/20/3dvia-your-ipod-65-intelligent-views-part-1/

Remember, it's the little things.

Warning: Translating with OpenGL Turned On

An issue was reported recently when someone tried using Windows Remote Desktop to connect to their "translation computer" to import files.

During their translations, every file was coming in as if someone threw a stick of dynamite at it. What they found was that when they connected to this computer via Remote Desktop and started SolidWorks, it turned on the "OpenGL" option.

When translating with "OpenGL" selected, severe problems occurred with the translation. However, if they went to that same computer and started up SolidWorks, the "OpenGL" was turned off and the translations came through just fine.

Toolbox Customization

Solidworks Toolbox allows you to add some customizable properties to your toolbox items.

Here's how:

1. Tools - Add-Ins - Solidworks Toolbox
2. Toolbox - Configure
3. Select - Customize your hardware
4. Select the Standard (i.e. Ansi Metric)
5. Select the Item (i.e. Bolts and Screws)
6. In this example we will select "Formed Hex Screw"

A display will appear allowing you to modify which sizes to utilize.

You can also add Custom Properties like Part Number and Description. You can add these manually or export this list to Microsoft Excel, add information, and then import the Excel file back into the Toolbox.
Select the "down" arrow here to export the file

Save-As STL Macro in SolidWorks

Attached is an easy macro I made in SolidWorks so you can quickly save files to STL format. This macro works in any version of SolidWorks. Here's how to set it up... Create a folder called Macros in your installation directory of SolidWorks. For SolidWorks 2010, the default will be C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\ Unzip the attachment into the new Macro folder Go to the Tools menu; Customize

Go to Commands Tab, click the Macro category, and drag the new macro button to any toolbar you want. Complete the customization by browsing in your macro folder to the STL.bmp file, type in a Tooltip description, and the browse to the stl_part.swp macro file.

ftp://ftp.funtech.com/Public/BLOG/stl-macro.zip login: funtech password: 5775100

Design Studies

You can evaluate and optimize models by using a Design Study. You can now run Design Studies in SolidWorks. Previously, the Design Study functionality was available only in SolidWorks Simulation as Design Scenarios and Optimization Studies. There are two main modes for running a Design Study:
Evaluation:	You specify discrete values for each variable and use sensors as constraints. The software runs the study using various combinations of the values and reports the output for each combination.
	For example, for this multibody of a water bottle, you specify values of 75mm, 100mm and 150mm for the length (L); 30mm, 55mm and 80mm for the height (H); and 10mm and 20mm for the radius (R). You specify a Volume sensor to monitor the volume of the water body. The Design Study results report the volume of the water for each combination of L, R, and H.
Optimization:	You specify values for each variable, either as discrete values or as a range. You use sensors as constraints and as goals. The software runs iterations of the values and reports the optimum combination of values to meet your specified goal.
	For example, for the model above, you specify a range of 75mm to 150mm for the length (L); discrete values 30mm, 55mm and 80mm for the height (H); and a range of 10mm to 20mm for the radius (R). For a constraint, you specify a Volume sensor to keep the volume of the water body between 299000m^3 and 301000m^3. For a goal, you use a Mass sensor and specify to minimize the mass of the bottle. The Design Study iterates on the values specified for L, R, H, and Volume, and reports the optimum combination to produce minimum mass.
	Different sensors are available for use in Design Studies depending upon your SolidWorks license and whether you are running an Evaluation study or an Optimization study.
	SolidWorks Standard		SolidWorks Professional		SolidWorks Premium		SolidWorks Simulation Professional		SolidWorks Simulation Premium
	Eval	Opt	Eval	Opt	Eval	Opt	Eval	Opt	Eval	Opt
Mass Properties
Dimension
Simulation Data
	To create a study, click Design Study  (Tools toolbar) or Insert  - Design Study  - Add. A Design Study tab appears at the bottom of the graphics area.
	After running a study, select a scenario or iteration on the Results View tab. In the graphics area, the model updates with the values for that scenario or iteration.

Getting Normal in a Hurry!

Want a quick and easy way to position your view normal to your sketch plane? Why select the space bar and double click Normal To when you can get there even faster! Custom set a position on the Mouse Gesture "life saver" to get you there in no time!

You can assign specific commands to the 4 or 8 positions of the Mouse Gesture wheel and have them appear with a Right Click and Drag of the mouse whenever you're in Part, Assembly, Drawing or Sketch mode.

I've set my bottom most position on the wheel (6 o'clock position) so that when I'm creating a sketch and want to view the plane from a normal perspective, all I need to do is right click and drag down - instantly I'm there! Try it!

Team That Plays Together...Stays Together...Trip #2

All:

I wanted to change up my blog posts a little. There are a few us that get together, as a team, and go on mountain biking excursions. Yesterday was our second outing and the group has increased in size. We went to Island Lake Recreation Area in Brighton, Michigan. We rode two loops for a total of 14 miles. All of us felt some soreness at the end, but it sure was worth it.

Below is the team...Mike, Chaz, Rod, Esteban, Ken, Rich and Jim (who missed out on the pic):

We plan on doing another excursion in a few weeks...stay tuned.

Central Michigan SolidWorks User Group Meeting

It's that time again!

Don't miss the next Central Michigan SolidWorks User Group Meeting - food, networking opportunities, great presentations and SolidWorks giveaways (no promises!)  See details below.

Date:  May 25th, 2010
Where:  Spartan Chassis, Inc. - Plant 1, 1000 Reynolds Road, Charlotte, MI  48813
Time:  5:30 - 8:30 pm

Agenda

• Dinner/Networking
• Opening Announcements
• Jim Andrews and Steve Halas from Laser Design and GKS will discuss the various methods of gathering physical data and converting that into electronic data that can be used with your CAD system.
• Break/Networking
• Nathan Garrett and Andrew Schutte from Cruxtone will discuss importing and using electronic data within SolidWorks, as well as working with and repairing surfaces.
• Closing Remarks/Giveaways/Networking

Please RSVP to Gary Bryant, Ryan Hudson or Lucas Dexter if you plan to attend.

Equip Your Engineering Team for Growth in 2010

As the economy recovers, the workload and demands on engineering groups will increase. Will your design team be ready to keep pace?

Please join us for a webinar presentation on how SolidProfessor can:

• Reduce design time by implementing SolidWorks best practices
• Improve designs by incorporating new SolidWorks capabilities
• Eliminate unproductive down-time spent searching for answers to SolidWorks questions

Webinar Times:

Thursday, 5/13/2010 - 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM EST Seminar attendees will receive a complimentary 3 month subscription to SolidProfessor's popular modeling tips and techniques archive, Ask SolidProfessor.

Steal Features from Rich Parts

Why create something from scratch if you can steal it?

If you want to create a feature that has been done before, just drag it from one part to the other.

Here's How:

1.) Have the model open you are working on

2.) Open the model with the feature you want to steal from

3.) Go to the Windows pull down menu and choose "Tile Horizontally"

4.) Drag the feature from either the graphics or the feature tree onto a specific face of the part you are working on. You can choose to either "Delete" or "Dangle" the external relations.

I like to delete them and just re-assign them depending upon the design intent in the new model.

5.) You can edit the sketch and completely modify if you wish.

6.) That's it!

Auto Balloon is Missing Parts

I recently ran across a situation where I had an assembly with hidden parts. When I added the BOM, all the parts were listed. However, when adding the Auto Balloon, it only ballooned the visible parts. How can I correct this?




This has been noted to occur when "Display Style" is set to "Hidden Lines Visible" and you have hidden parts. The hidden parts do not get recognized. To correct, you will need to switch "Display Style" to "Wireframe" and run Auto balloon again. This will add the missing balloons. Then switch back to "Hidden Line Removed."