Tips & Tricks
Something Intersecting in SolidWorks 2013: Join Your Parts to Find Volumes
This is yet another trick to find the volume of a fluid, air, etc in SolidWorks; I seem to get asked this often, so I’d like to share all the different tips and tricks you can use to make your
... ContinuedWhy are some of my dimensions grey and others black?
Remastered from SolidWorks Legion article entitled Color for non inserted dimensions. SolidWorks has many default colors for different types of dimensions. On drawings, the two main types of dimensions are inserted (driving) and non inserted (driven). Inserted dimensions are called
... ContinuedInteractive Scalable Vector Graphic Files from 3DVIA Composer
3DVIA Composer has long had the ability to save Views as Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) files viewable with a web browser. However, there is a trick to getting nicely formatted SVG files to show on HTML web pages, and it
... ContinuedThree New Simulation Functions in SolidWorks 2013
From CAPINC's What's New Segment, here are three new SolidWorks Simulation functions in 2013.
Shell Edge to Beam Bonding
The bonding of shell edges that belong to surface or sheet metal bodies to beams, commonly used to simulate gusset plates connecting beams, is supported through manual contact set definitions.
This functionality is available for linear static, frequency, buckling, and linear dynamic studies.
To create a shell edge to beam bonded contact, in the Contact Sets PropertyManager, under Type, select Bonded. For Set 1, click Beams and select the beam from the graphics area. For Faces, Edges for Set 2, select the shell edge.
Use SolidWorks Models in an Apple iBook
Several months ago, Apple announced some major initiatives in electronic publishing, particularly for the primary and secondary school “e-textbook” market. As part of that initiative, Apple launched their free “iBooks Author” product. iBooks Author allows anyone with a Mac (sorry, PC
... ContinuedSolidWorks Materials: Manage & Customize
You can add materials you often use to your favorite list for faster access.
... ContinuedUse Luxology Appearance Files When Rendering in SolidWorks 2013
As far as favorite new features go for SolidWorks 2013, using Luxology appearances to render my SolidWorks models is one of my favorites.
... ContinuedSolidWorks Enterprise Licensing Made Simple
You’ve anticipated installing a newer version of SolidWorks Enterprise PDM for the last month. You’ve let everyone know of the impending update. You’ve downloaded the latest service pack from www.SolidWorks.com. You’ve made backups of your SQL databases. You’ve ensured the
... ContinuedCustomizing SolidWorks Flyout Toolbars
The other day while watching a video on some of the new SolidWorks 2013 features, I noticed that one of the Flyout Toolbars for Annotations had a command for Cosmetic Threads that I did not have in my Flyouts, so
... ContinuedIntersect – The Trimming Shears of the FeatureTree
Like some advanced part and surfacing features, I’ve struggled to know when to use them. Recognizing when and how to use a feature can sometimes turn your part from a tangled FeatureTree mess to a nice efficient tree. I knew
... ContinuedIncreasing Performance in SolidWorks Patterns
I had a customer send me a file recently because they were having issues with the performance of their part file that had several pattern features in it. When you look at the file from the surface you do not
... Continued“Set Document Property” for SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Users
Most people know that Sldsetdocprop can be used to make a SolidWorks Toolbox part behave like a normal part, but did you know you can use the same tool to make a normal part behave like a Toolbox part?
... ContinuedCutting All Ties: Best Practices for Removing External References
Designing parts using the Top-Down assembly modeling technique can be extremely useful. If a component is designed with the “top-down” technique, this means it is born in the assembly environment and it is designed using references to other parts within
... ContinuedWonders of Weldments
3+ Way Mitres in Weldments When building steel frames, particularly in circular tube you can strange results when 3 or more tubes come together and you and to trim them all back. You could end up with something like this:
... ContinuedSave time and money with our top five FREE tools for engineers
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do–everyone loves getting something for free. And if that free something can help you get your job done, even better. SolidWorks Product Marketing Specialist Jeremy Regnerus has put together a list
... Continued