The SolidWorks Blog

Five Best Practices for Building Great Product Communication

If you handed a child instructions on how to tie their shoes, do you think they could tie them?

Could you?

1. Cross the left end over the right end.
2. The left end is now on the right side. Begin to wrap the right end around the front of the left lace to end up at the back of the gap between the laces.
3. Feed the right end through the gap to emerge at the front right hand side. Pull both ends tight to complete the starter knot.
4. Make the right end into a “loop” by doubling it back on itself.
5. Take the left end and pass it around to the right, going behind the right loop.
6. Continue the left end around the right loop to end up in front. Start to feed the left lace into the “hole” that has just been made.
7. With the left lace now through the “hole”, grab hold of both loops and start to pull the knot tight. Continue pulling on the loops until the knot is tied.

We can all agree that it is easier to learn by doing – in this case by experiencing what it is like to tie a shoe.   But if we can’t learn by doing, then having a visual guide with pictures can be a close runner up.  Visualizations make it much easier to understand how a product is used, assembled, or repaired. We are all too familiar with bad technical communication (assembly instructions, maintenance manuals, user manuals, etc.).  The worst offenders are instructions completely text based, with absolutely no visuals.  When I am given these, and I use the term loosely, “instructions” usually just get tossed aside while I attempt to figure out assembly myself. 

As a technical communications expert, I try to adhere to five “Principles” for building technical communications, which I’m happy to share with you. 

Cliff’s Five Principles for Building Great Technical Communication:

1-     Legos: Have you ever seen a Lego instruction booklet?  Simply sublime. Lego uses no words, and just shows the current design, and highlights the piece(s) being added.  Very Simple, very clear. Even my 8 year old son can build some of the most complex 500+ Lego sets with just a simple Lego instruction booklet.  Principle #1 (the Lego principle): Always highlight the part of interest.

 

2-     More Pictures, Less Text:  This one is quite obvious, but even I find myself using the images I initially created, then adding in too much text.  A good rule-of-thumb is:  If you use more than 3 sentences, create a new diagram, or image. 

3-     Black and White:  I create all technical communications using 3DVIA Composer, so I usually use as much color as possible; however, I remind myself that documents are often copied into black and white, so I find other ways to place emphasis on the parts of the assembly. For example, If I have a part highlighted in a color, I should also add a thicker outline to the part being emphasized, as the color may not be recognizable after being photocopied.

Here is an example, with a part highlighted in blue:

Shaded Diagram

in color                            black and white

Outlined Diagram

in color                            black and white

*As you can see: the different rendering effects used make all the difference when the images are converted to black and white.  The highlighted object is still noticeable with the outlined diagram, but not with the shaded diagram. 

4-     More is More:   “Less is More” is the more common phrase, but when it comes to technical communication, you can never provide enough detail (in pictures, not words).  You know the product in-and-out, but the final user will not.  Give them every amount of detail necessary.

5-     Un-biased Test:  I like to think that I can test my own documentation, but this is never the ideal solution.  What is obvious to me may not be for someone else.  Being under deadlines means we often skip this critical step. But do yourself a favor, and the end user one as well, and have several unbiased people test your documentation.  It’s the best way to be sure it is clear.

Obviously I use 3DVIA Composer for technical communication documents. When I speak to SolidWorks users who have not tried Composer, I often hear that: 1) they don’t have the time to learn another tool, or 2) they are fine with the tools they currently use (which are tools which take much longer to produce lower quality technical communication).  I probably thought the same thing before I used 3DVIA Composer, but I would encourage you to give it a try.

For more information on 3DVIA Composer, click on the images below to view 3DVIA Composer videos:

1)     First Look at 3DVIA Composer Video

 

2)     3DVIA Composer User Manual video series (you will need to register first):

Please share your thoughts or other technical communication principles in the comments below…

-Cliff-

 

 

Brainstorming ... Fast & Fun

How many times have you come out of a brainstorming session feeling unsatisfied with the results?  The team never felt like it got into a rhythm.  The idea flow felt like a drizzle versus a storm.  None of the ideas that the team spent much time on seemed especially good (BTW, you should never spend a lot of time on any one idea in a brainstorming session).  There was one or two people that insisted on dominating the conversation and ended up speaking way too much.  This to the frustration of the rest of the group.  The good news is that there are just a handful of things you need to do to run a productive and fun brainstorming session.  

Green Design Contest in Full Swing

Thanks to all those of you who have participated in our Green Design Contest so far! I'm dying to preview your entries, but I'm going to wait until the formal judging starts on July 1st to check them all out at once.

And just a reminder of some of the prizes you could win...

   

I want to respond to a few general questions that have come up.

 

Do I have to be the primary account holder of my SolidWorks license?

No, not at all. We're just asking for an "authorized SolidWorks license" to verify that you have a real license and to confirm that your license is appropriate for the category you've entered (Commercial or Educational).  

Can we enter as a team?

Each person should enter her or his own design. Else, how else would we know whom to give the prizes to?? Feel free to work together, of course, as long as each person enters on their own.

Can I add padding to the chair? It looks awfully uncomfortable.

Our "client", Sir Richard Doylson, wants the chair made from a single material, so make it as comfortable as you can with that constraint. They're designed to sit in for about 20 minutes as you wait for a plane, remember, not sit for a full day working in an office. And I'm sure just about any design would be more comfortable than the industrial steel plate that we gave you in the starter model.

I want to make this out of <insert your favorite Super Sustainable Material here>, but I can't find that in the standard SolidWorks material database.

You have to have the correct material properties to run Sustainability and Simulation analyses. For SimulationXpress, that means having the appropriate mechanical properties, whether that's a standard or custom material; for SustainabilityXpress, that means setting or linking to a standard SolidWorks material's LCA data.

If you're using SolidWorks 2011, you can run the simulation with a custom material (as long as you provide the mechanical properties), and then link this custom material to an appropriate standard material's Sustainability data. For example, if you want to use everyone's favorite woody perennial evergreen grass in your design, you can create a custom material called "Bamboo", find the properties online to run SimulationXpress, and then link its Sustainability data to an appropriate material, such as another wood to run SustainabilityXpress (right-click on the Material, "Edit Material", then in the Sustainability field, click "Select..." and choose the wood).

If you are using SolidWorks 2010, you can run the simulation using your custom material, and then run Sustainability using an appropriately-similar standard material. In either case, be sure to explain what you did and why in your 250-word summary.

Can I use recycled materials?

SolidWorks Sustainability currently includes the typical trade mix of recycled content in each material (where such data is available), but you can't adjust this amount higher. So if you'd like to indicate a higher recycled percentage or a novel source for your material, just describe this in the 250-word description that you'll submit. Want to be able to adjust this recycled content value in Sustainability in your real designs? Submit an enhancement request, and if we hear that from enough people, we'll start working on it!

Do I have to start with your starter model?

No, of course not. That's just intended to spark your imagination to think, "man, I could do way better than this." Feel free to start your own model from scratch, and submit this new design as long as it meets the criteria.

Can I enter more than one design?

Of course, just submit a separate entry for each.

What sort of entries do you have so far?

Currently it's mostly Commercial entrants, with a few Resellers sprinkled in. About half of the submissions are from the US, with the remainder coming from countries such as India, Austria and the Philippines. So far we have received very few student entries... students, where are you?! We want to invite two of you to show off your green designs at SolidWorks World 2012!

How long do I have again?

Until June 30th. Just a few more weeks...

Feel free to ask any more questions here, and I'll answer as best I can. Good luck everyone, and I look forward to seeing your innovative green design ideas!

Taking the Certified SolidWorks Professional Test – Segment 1

In March I wrote about how I was challenged by blogger Matt Lorono to pass the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) test, and my promise to pass it by the day SolidWorks World 2012 begins. It has been a month since my first post, so I thought I would give an update to everyone.

If you’re not familiar with the CSWP, it’s broken up into three segments. So when Marie Planchard started helping me train, we focused on what I would need to know to pass the first segment. In this part, you have 90 minutes to

• Create a part from a drawing
• Use linked dimensions and equations to aid in modeling
• Use of equations to relate dimensions
• Update of parameters and dimension sizes
• Mass property analysis
• Modification of geometry on initial part to create a more complex part

In preparing for segment 1, I worked through the sample exam on the website.  After I created it the first time, Marie worked with me to make the design again and showed me where I could save time. For example, Geometric Relations, Linked Values for sketch dimensions and Equations really help. In the CSWP exam, the part was not difficult – but you have to work fast.   

SolidWorks Simulation Helps Keep Your Beer Cold

So it's a nice afternoon, and you've decided to go out and throw some steaks on the grill. Maybe some vegetables too (I like asparagus). And naturally, you're going to have a beer or three while you're cooking. But where do you set your cold beer while you're cooking? If you're like me, it sits on the side shelf, less than a foot away from the flames. Better drink it quick, because it's not going to be cold very long right? But how much time until it's *too* warm?

Our Simulation team was wondering the same thing, so they put together a video that shows what happens when that cold beer meets the hot air from your grill. It also shows what might happen if the grill manufacturer skimps on materials.

In all seriousness, this is an entertaining and informative look at one of the less-talked-about aspects of SolidWorks Simulation--thermal analysis. If you're interested in learning how SolidWorks can help you manage and mitigate heat-related problems, you should definitely spend a few minutes to watch.

All you have to do is click here to watch the video. You'll have to enter your email address to watch the full video, so here's a quick preview to help you see what it's all about.

 

The SolidWorks World 2011 Proceedings Website Is Live!

I know some of you have been waiting for this since SolidWorks World 2011 ended on January 26. And if you're one of those people, I won't make you read any more than necessary. Just go here to visit the SolidWorks World 2011 Proceedings website.

New SolidWorks tutorials page available on SolidWorks.com

One of the things I learned from being a college professor is that people learn in different ways; perhaps you like to read, watch a video, or follow along with the 100’s of step-by-step tutorials inside SolidWorks software and SolidWorks Simulation software.  To help out those of you who like the tutorial option, we’ve created a new SolidWorks Tutorials page on our website.  With the help from SolidWorks educators, these tutorials are to be shared by all users that are new to SolidWorks and to the engineering design process with 3D CAD tools. 

The SolidWorks Tutorials web page gives you different ways to learn. Here’s how the page breaks down.

• For the new user, we have Getting Started with SolidWorks and the Engineering Design Process. These 34 videos take you through a description of SolidWorks CAD, how the engineering design process integrates with SolidWorks, the SolidWorks user interface, how to use the resources and tutorials within SolidWorks, creating a parts, assemblies and drawings, analyzing a model for stress analysis, and designing for sustainability.  There are additional exercises to review what you have learned.

 

• The SolidWorks Tutorials on YouTube & SolidWorks Blogs explores work we’ve done with the University of Wisconsin Formula SAE Racing team to create components of a competitive vehicle in 20 plus videos.  There are also links to two areas of the SolidWorks Teacher Blog on Art and Engineering.  The SolidWorks Sustainability Tutorial explores sustainable design in 10 lessons.

  

• Lego Tutorials and Robot Tutorials take you through exercises to model robots with your own kids, your students, or yourself. 

 

• At the bottom of the page there are a series of .pdf tutorials that have been created as projects, combining multiple applications of SolidWorks together.  The Travel Mug illustrates how sustainable design, heat transfer and stress analysis all work together in a design.  The Wind Turbine model actually can be built to charge a cell phone.

 

• For those on subscription, additional Educator Resources can be found on the SolidWorks Customer Portal.

 There are also hundreds of tutorials inside of SolidWorks CAD, SolidWorks Simulation (FEA) and SolidWorks Flow Simulation (CFD). To access them in SolidWorks CAD, select Help --> SolidWorks Tutorials.  For SolidWorks Simulation or SolidWorks Flow Simulation, Select Tools --> Add Ins, check SolidWorks Simulation, check SolidWorks Flow Simulation, then go to Help --> SolidWorks Simulation to find more tutorials.

I’m really excited about the new tutorials available to students and customers, and I hope you will enjoy learning about SolidWorks as much as I love sharing these tutorials with students of all ages.

PS – Be sure to visit our Learn Create Succeed teacher blog for more tutorials and updates from educators. 

 

 

 

Six More Tips for Using Microsoft Excel with SolidWorks

A few months back, we released a screencast that gives you ten tips for using Excel with SolidWorks. It was so popular, the masterminds behind it came up with six more. So if you want to check it out, just click on this link and you'll be on your way. You'll have to give up your email address, but isn't that a small price to pay for so much learning goodness?

SolidWorks Time-Saving Tips: Design Library and View Manipulation

Well, this is the last of them. The final two. Watch them, enjoy them, then shed a tear because you know there won't be any more. Well, at least not this month.

SolidWorks Time-Saving Tips: Command Navigation and Interface Customization

OK, what we have for your viewing pleasure today are entries seven and eight in the time-savers series. These focus on command navigation and interface customization. Get your learnin' right here folks!