Author Archives: Matthew West
Recreating the U.S.S. Missouri with help from SolidWorks
I recently learned about an interesting project we're sponsoring here at SolidWorks. It's the work of a gentleman named Donn McKinney, who hails from Yorba Linda, California. Donn is a fan of the World War II-era Iowa-class battlships built for the United States Navy, and he has decided to attempt to create a fully-operational 1/32-scale model of the U.S.S. Missouri. And by fully-operational, Donn means that it will have full navigation, propulsion and radar capabilities.
If you're not familiar with your naval history, the Missouri was the last battleship built by the United States, and saw active service from 1945-1955, with a reactivation period from 1984-1991. Today, the Missouri is a museum ship. It weighs 45,000 tons, is nearly 900 feet long, and is capable of carrying a crew of 2,700.
That's a big ship, and it's hard to imagine turning something so huge into a 1/32-scale replica. Even at that size, the final result will be over 27 feet long. So to get started, Donn is using SolidWorks to create a full model of the Missouri. In fact, he's already started to build parts of the hull, and is making significant progress modeling the other parts of the superstructure. Donn is currently estimating that the project will take 2-1/2 to 3 years to complete. Talk about dedication.
SolidWorks Simulation Helps Explain Race Car Drafting
Have you ever wondered why race cars tend to follow one another so closely? If you're reading this, you're probably familiar with the basic principles behind drafting, and how following a car closely helps reduce drag on your own car.
... ContinuedMatti Technology AG uses SolidWorks to shorten design cycles by up to 20%
They may not be a household name, but Switzerland's Matti Technology AG is a major player in the development of printing presses, finishing lines, drying techniques, and digital printing technologies. They provide high-speed solutions to support a variety of business printing needs, and have successfully integrated a thousand different digital systems
Win a trip to Belize and more in the SolidWorks Green Design Contest
I'm excited today to write about the launch of our SolidWorks Green Design Contest, in honor of Earth Day. Many of you may not yet have tried the environmental assessment tool that comes free with SolidWorks, called SustainabilityXpress. Those of you
... ContinuedSolidWorks Solution Partner Spotlight: IGE+XAO
Today we're hearing from David Sobot of IGE+XAO, a company specializing in electrical CAD.
Why did you choose to work in this field?
Because it is very diverse and I have wonderful colleagues. Most of the IGE+XAO employees have been in the company for a long time, which means that I have known most of them for more than 14 years. We will celebrate our 25th anniversary very soon and are still working in a nice and dynamic atmosphere.
Who wants to help us design a hot-rod baby buggy?
It's hard to believe that the Let's Go Design series launched a year ago this month. Since then, we've seen Jeremy Luchini and the team design and build an Ultimate CAD Chair, and most recently, design a practice cage for
... ContinuedBen Gulak and team design the next wave of personal transportation using SolidWorks
What do an electric unicycle that transforms into a full street bike and a skateboard/tank hybrid have in common? The answer is a guy named Ben Gulak and his team of co-conspirators.
Ben comes from Toronto, Canada. He’s currently a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he’s a mechanical engineering major. When he’s not attending classes, he manages not one, but two, companies.
... ContinuedWho wants to help us design a hot-rod baby buggy?
It's hard to believe that the Let's Go Design series launched a year ago this month. Since then, we've seen Jeremy Luchini and the team design and build an Ultimate CAD Chair, and most recently, design a practice cage for
... ContinuedVisiting the Mariana Trench? SolidWorks knows if your sub can stand the pressure.
If you believe the people who manage the Wikipedia entry, the Mariana Trench in the south Pacific ocean is around seven miles deep. That's roughly the distance from here to my house. At that depth, the water pressure is so
... ContinuedBaker Drivetrain uses SolidWorks to accelerate design times by up to 75%
You might remember that back in 2009 we launched a section on our website dedicated to Baker Drivetrain, a new customer at the time. These guys work on some really cool parts for motorcycles–in fact, they developed the world's first
... ContinuedFive Questions Friday with Anne Yust of Micromedics, Inc.
Name: Anne Yust Title: Engineering Document Control/Drafting Company: Micromedics, Inc., a company that develops, manufactures and markets FibriJet® Biomaterials Applicators for dispensing biomaterials such as platelet gel and tissue sealants. Job description: Support Engineering Department with drafting and document control
... ContinuedHowe & Howe use SolidWorks to shorten fabrication time by 1000%
Michael Howe, star of the Discovery Channel’s “Black Ops Brothers, Howe & Howe Tech,” and President of Howe and Howe Technologies, Inc., recently took time out from his busy schedule to discuss how SolidWorks software is helping him, his twin
... ContinuedSolidWorks 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
... ContinuedFive Questions Friday with Rachel York of Applied Robotics, Inc.
Name: Rachel Diane York
Title: Mechanical Draftsman
Job description: Responsible for routing and completion of Engineering Change/Support Requests submitted to the Engineering Department.
Company: Applied Robotics, Inc. Applied Robotics is a leading global provider of specialized end-of-arm tooling and connectivity solutions designed to meet unique application and market needs, and bringing new levels of flexibility and efficiency to bear on the industrial material handling process.
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
1) Why do you choose to do the work you do?
I grew up the only child of a man who could fix anything, almost to the point I would want to break things just to watch him work his magic. Watching him tear things down and build them back up to something even better made me want to take everything apart, just to see how it worked. Worse case scenario: Dad could fix it.
My mother encouraged my curiosity; whenever something broke, a can opener, garage door opener, radio, lawn mower, whatever it was, she would always give me the chance to mend it before it was deemed a lost cause and handed off to my dad. My favorite part of what I do is seeing the ‘insides’ of machines and applying what I know about how one works to fix and improve, or even help create another. The greatest challenge of all is wanting to be a part of creating something that can’t be improved, simply because it was perfect the first time – come on, it could happen!
... ContinuedLet’s Go Design Project #2 is finished! Check out the multi-sport practice cage.
After months of research and design, Jeremy Luchini and the Let's Go Design team are ready to unveil the final design and prototype of the multi-sport practice cage. Rather than building a full-size prototype, the team decided to use the
... Continued