Teaching CAD Tools to Make Your Job Easier

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As technology advances with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, many people wonder how we should use AI and what it means for the future of 3D mechanical CAD software. There are lots of good questions about AI, and there is also a lot of fear, uncertainty, and doubt surrounding the advancement of AI in our society. Who should regulate AI and how should it be done? Will AI replace my job? Could AI become smarter than humans and take over control?

At SOLIDWORKS®, we ask different questions. We’re curious how AI can redefine the “aid” in “computer-aided design.” How can AI and machine learning help remove boring, repetitive tasks? How can we leverage AI so that designers and engineers can concentrate more on what they do best and less time on the tedious tasks that take them away from their expertise?

We’re finding answers to these questions with our Design Assistant, a part of the SOLIDWORKS browser-based design tools.

Efficiency and Productivity

The Design Assistant has powerful machine learning and AI capabilities based on how you work and integrated best practices based on years of research and user feedback. These capabilities examine your design processes, learn from you, and stay one step ahead, predicting your next move and offering suggestions to boost your productivity. Here are a few Design Assistant features that can enhance your workflows.

Selection Helper – Predicts which parts of your model you should choose next. It’s great for picking edges, fillets, or chamfers, as it will identify other edges that are similar or symmetrical, are of a comparable length, or are located nearby, and predicts what other edges you are likely to select. If you agree with the prediction, one tap gives the go-ahead, and it automatically picks all suggested edges. Either way, you always have the final say.

Mate Helper – Automatically adds multiple copies of components into your assembly. It does this by recognizing and suggesting where to place these copies. Mate Helper enables you to insert additional instances of duplicate components automatically, maximizing your efficiency and reducing redundant time spent installing duplicate components, such as fasteners.

Smart Mate – Helps you create fully constrained mates. You simply drag and hold a component into position, and Smart Mate will automatically create mates to surrounding components, identifying the correct mating faces. The Smart Mate command will automatically launch when you drag a component close to the edge of another component, allowing you to create fully constrained mates on the fly.

The Design Assistant adjusts to you in real time, providing up-to-date suggestions that match your work.

Evolution of Work

As the world changes and evolves, so does the way we work. SOLIDWORKS enhancements have been developed to let you work smarter by focusing on high-value activities while letting the system handle more repetitive, routine, and time-consuming tasks. As more and more people work remotely, flexibility in the work environment becomes more critical. The 3DEXPERIENCE® Works portfolio is a suite of tools integrated with SOLIDWORKS that brings your entire organization together in one secure environment on the cloud.

We encourage you to explore the Design Assistant and see how your computer can help you design and engineer more and point and click less.

SOLIDWORKS

SOLIDWORKS

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. offers complete 3D software tools that let you create, simulate, publish, and manage your data. SolidWorks products are easy to learn and use, and work together to help you design products better, faster, and more cost-effectively. The SolidWorks focus on ease-of-use allows more engineers, designers and other technology professionals than ever before to take advantage of 3D in bringing their designs to life.
SOLIDWORKS

@SOLIDWORKS