3D scanning helps the Let’s Go Design team save time and effort
In the latest episode of Let’s Go Design Project 3, Jeremy Luchini gets some help from a SolidWorks reseller using a 3D scanner to scan a golf cart engine and transfer it directly into SolidWorks. This saved significant design time, by using an existing—and working—design to augment the new elements of the Hot Rod Baby Buggy.
Seeing that there's been some interest in the technology, I sat down with Jeremy to discuss his use of 3D scanning in the episode, what the future holds for this newest 3D technology, and how it helped to streamline design of the Hot Rod Baby Buggy.
3DVia Composer 2012
A new version of 3DVIA Composer has been released with a number of improvements for documentation, animation, interactive directories and publishing on the Internet.Let us address some of the news for creating images and technical illustrations. When creating images,
... ContinuedSubscription customers: SolidWorks 2012 beta testers wanted!
This is your opportunity to impact the quality, performance, and reliability of DS SolidWorks products. Our objective is to create a positive SolidWorks 2012 migration experience. By taking advantage of beta releases, you can avoid migration problems by alerting us
... ContinuedX-Fingers Replace Lost Digits, Empower Patients with New Function
SolidWorks Helps Make Replacement Fingers a Reality CONCORD, Mass., USA, May 10, 2011 – The question, “Hey, Grandpa, where’d your fingers go?” haunted the man featured in the YouTube video for months after he lost two digits to a table
... ContinuedReporting back from the SolidWorks Executive Forum in Minneapolis
I had the opportunity to sit in on one of our Executive Forum gatherings in Minneapolis recently. Despite unseasonal heat for Minneapolis, approximately 30 customers from our largest accounts in the area joined us for the day at the Walker Art center downtown.
If you’re not familiar with them, the Executive Forums are a fairly new program started last year and sponsored entirely by SolidWorks. They’re geared more toward managers than the power users who normally attend SolidWorks User Group meetings. The sessions are small, informal, and provide attendees an opportunity to hear the SolidWorks strategy as well as network with peers and exchange best practices (two users from Trail King in South Dakota earned the honor of having driven the farthest with a 4.5 hour road trip). Customers present as well – rather than a case study on WHY they picked SolidWorks, they talk about HOW they’re using SolidWorks products. For the SolidWorks employees in the audience, this is the best part.
You Saw it First Here – 3DVIA Composer V6R2012
In a slight departure from my normal blogging style, I'd like to take this opportunity to make an important announcement – the release of 3DVIA Composer V6R2012…and you can tell all your friends you saw it first here. 3DVIA Composer
... ContinuedLaser scanners, FEA, and tank treads (oh my)
It's that time again–a new episode of Let's Go Design has been posted to the website. This time around, Jeremys bring in an expert from one of our resellers to run a state-of-the-art laser scanner, gets some help analysing his
... ContinuedTaking the Certified SolidWorks Professional Test – Segment 2
Back In March I wrote about how I was challenged by Matt Lorono to pass the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) test, and in April I talked about taking (and passing) the first segment of the test. It has been nearly
... ContinuedSee how parts sticks together to one another
This can be done by selecting two elements in the consolidation and chose "Properties Tab"The Mates that are together are marked in bold. Another way to understand the relationships is to point on a detail and then the View
... ContinuedDesigning Dads: How Design Skills Translate to Dad Skills
With Father’s Day only a few days away (don’t forget to buy that classic tie), we wanted to take a moment to recognize all the Dads out there. Being a Dad means wearing multiple hats, and balance between this and
... ContinuedThe 2011-2012 SolidWorks Student Edition is available now!
If you're a student looking for something to do this summer, what could be better than honing your SolidWorks skills? I mean, you *could* hang out at the beach or go to rock shows, but are those going to help
... ContinuedSolidWorks Simulation and the fine art of skim boarding
I got to the beach at last this weekend. There was sun, sand, and the perfect family day out (with two kids under ten). I also brought along my nemesis—a skim board that I purchased in a moment of madness. I could surf in my youth, so I figured how hard could it be? Turns out it was very hard—what just call me “Mr. Face Plant.” To make matters more embarrassing, my 9-year-old son had a go, and after a couple of tries, he was successfully riding the board. That got me thinking. Apart from my son’s youth, stamina, flexibility, better balance, and all-around natural ability, what was keeping him up and me flat on my face?
... ContinuedGreen 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
... ContinuedMade in 3D: The 3D Printing Challenge
By now, I'm guessing that most of you know all about rapid prototyping and 3D printing, and how they make it infinitely easier to visualise your design concepts before actually making a working prototype. But if you're not familiar, imagine
... ContinuedTrip report: my SolidWorks User Group tour
As you may recall from my earlier post, I spent the week of May 23 driving through the southeastern US with SolidWorks User Group Network coordinator Richard Doyle, attending user group meetings and visiting customers. It is always exciting to get out of the office and meet with SolidWorks users, and I learn something new every time. Rather than give you a day-by-day retelling of my trip, I thought I would talk about some of the highlights.
Each of the user group meetings was different and enlightening in different ways. The first meeting was in Atlanta, Georgia, and was held at the Quickparts headquarters. The second meeting in Greenville, South Carolina, was held at Clemson University. At this meeting, several resellers set up a display of 3D printers for the 70 attendees to demo, and SolidWorks customer Redneck Engineering brought out a few custom choppers. Here’s a picture of me sitting on one of them along with Vince “Nobody” Doll, who runs the company.