{"id":35431,"date":"2017-09-13T14:30:30","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T18:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/?p=35431"},"modified":"2017-10-04T12:53:58","modified_gmt":"2017-10-04T16:53:58","slug":"whats-new-solidworks-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/2017\/09\/whats-new-solidworks-2018.html","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s New in SOLIDWORKS 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The demand for better ways to bring your ideas to life<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solidworks.com\/sw2018_launch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>SOLIDWORKS 2018<\/strong><\/a> includes new features and enhancements that respond directly to user requests and the needs of 21<sup>st<\/sup> century product development. Work more efficiently with an improved user interface that takes advantage of your touch-enabled devices, let SOLIDWORKS automatically generate the optimal shape of your design based on functional and manufacturing criteria, or let SOLIDWORKS automatically generate the NC tool paths needed to machine your parts. These capabilities are just some examples of how SOLIDWORKS is changing the way design and manufacturing is done.<\/p>\n<p><strong>SOLIDWORKS 2018 Enhancements: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>User Experience Gets Big Touch Ups \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>SOLIDWORKS 2018 supports a dedicated touch screen mode providing a powerful new set of productivity tools for working on touch screen devices. Freehand sketch with a pen and automatically convert pen strokes to shapes to quickly capture design ideas in the office or on the go.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"347\" height=\"195\" \/><\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"199\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Take the Guess Work Out of Optimizing Your Designs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Automatically optimize the shape of a design based on weight, function, and manufacturing criteria using the new simulation Topology Study. You can also improve product performance or reduce product weight based on function and manufacturing constraints.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Finally &#8211; Integrated, Intelligent CAM and Inspection Tools<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Powered by CAMWorks, SOLIDWORKS CAM provides \u2018rules-based\u2019 machining and automatic feature recognition to dramatically streamline NC programming. In addition, both SOLIDWORKS Inspection and SOLIDWORKS CAM support 3D dimensions and tolerances streamlining design, manufacturing and inspection without the need to create 2D drawings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>More Flexibility with Data<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Seamlessly work with file formats including STL, OBJ, ACIS, STEP and IGES. 3D Interconnect automatically updates your design whenever new files are received and now supports internal file information like custom properties, materials properties and reference axes. SOLIDWORKS 2018 also allows you to select faces from the imported mesh data, turn them into SOLIDWORKS surfaces and modify with features and geometry.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Drawing Enhancements?\u00a0 Of Course!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We can\u2019t list them all, but here is a sampling: insert 3D model views, automatic Advanced Hole callouts, layer support for cross hatching, new trailing zero display options, broken out section view support for Section View and Alternate Position View, and an \u201cAll Upper Case\u201d switch capability for text in tables.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" style=\"vertical-align: middle;\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"625\" height=\"554\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tab and Slot Feature \u2013 a Perfect Fit to Get Your Designs Built<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>SOLIDWORKS 2018 lets users automate the creation of tab and slot features used for self-fixturing of parts for welding.\u00a0 Other sheet metal enhancements include the new Normal Cut feature which ensures proper clearances are maintained for manufacturing, and the new Bend capability allowing users to create and flatten three-corner bends.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_4.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_4.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"878\" height=\"399\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Improved Project and Process Management<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>SOLIDWORKS Manage provides data management, project management, and process management all in one familiar package. It adds powerful project, process, and item management capabilities to SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"763\" height=\"547\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Convenience Comes to the Fore <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Online Licensing makes using your license on multiple machines easier than ever before. SOLIDWORKS Login moves customized content and settings to any machine SOLIDWORKS is installed on, while the Admin Portal allows easier management of SOLIDWORKS products and services.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_6.jpg\" width=\"720\" height=\"437\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Get the full scoop on SOLIDWORKS 2018 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s still more to see. Check out the full details and learn more about all of the new tools and enhancements in SOLIDWORKS 2018 by visiting <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solidworks.com\/sw2018_launch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">www.solidworks.com\/sw2018_launch<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solidworks.com\/sw2018_launch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/blog-assets.solidworks.com\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2017\/09\/sw18_main_launch_961x250_final.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"961\" height=\"250\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New features and capabilities bridge the gap between design and manufacturing, changing the way you design and build<\/p>\n... <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/2017\/09\/whats-new-solidworks-2018.html\">Continued<\/a>","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":35428,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,2641],"tags":[2380,2643],"class_list":["post-35431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solidworks","category-solidworks-2018","tag-solidworks-2018","tag-sw2018"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35431","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/107"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35431"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35431\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.solidworks.com\/solidworksblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}