There’s no need to lament any further over missed connections thanks to the SOLIDWORKS Electrical 2017 Connection Dots feature.

Missed Connections – Somewhere on Craigslist Prior to September 2016

Have you ever read those “missed connection” posts on Craigslist? I learned of them from a radio morning show, where the on-air personalities would read these tragic (yet hilarious) tales of lost love and near misses. These posts always delivered the melodrama and were filled with regret. If only the individual had possessed the courage to make that connection, so their whole life could achieve its true meaning and purpose. Like I said, M-E-L-O-D-R-A-M-A-T-I-C. But, I digress.

So, How Do Missed Connections Tie into Electrical Design?

I was helping a new user who was experiencing the same regret… over missed connections of the electrical kind. He had created new symbols and built a schematic, but he had empty reports. At a glance, everything looked OK but zooming in very close revealed SNAP had been turned off when placing the symbols and wires on their schematics. That meant nothing was connected! Maybe not quite the melodramatics of a Craigslist missed connection, but frustrating nonetheless. Significant rework was needed to move and replace all of his symbol and wire work on the grid.

How do you know you’ve made a proper connection point, especially as a new user?

And, how do you spare yourself the regret of a missed connection? This may sound like a stretch (get it!?), but in SOLIDWORKS Electrical the connection is key. By missing the link between components, you miss out on the power of the automation and reports. With SOLIDWORKS Electrical 2017, we now have a great way to graphically verify if you’ve succeeded in making a proper connection. You are now guaranteed good results on all your reports!

You can always use the DRC for terminals not connected. Or, place connection labels.

But, how do you know on the fly if the new symbol you’ve created had the proper grid spacing for its connection points? And, how do you know if you had your SNAPS turned on and set properly when you drew in your wires? We have a new way of doing just that by using something that was already there!

No More “Close, But No Cigar” or Guesswork and Rework!

In previous versions of SOLIDWORKS Electrical, connection dots were just a graphical indication of where a symbol’s connection points were lining up. The connection dots could be shown or hidden based on the symbol settings. That all still applies, but now any symbol with Connection Dots enabled, an intelligent feature can show or hide depending on if a connection has been properly aligned.

Not to mention that in SOLIDWORKS Electrical 2017 getting close now actually DOES count to make a connection! New users will also appreciate that confidence boost in their initial designs and the new symbols that follow key spacing rules (.25 inches or 5 mm) for wires and connection dots.

So, make use of those new functions in 2017, and steer clear of missed connection regret.

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GSC

GSC fuels customer success with 3D engineering solutions for design, simulation, data management, electrical schematics, PCB, technical documentation, and 3D printing, as well as the most comprehensive consulting, technical support, and training in the industry. As a leading provider of SOLIDWORKS solutions, HP, and Markforged 3D printing technologies, GSC’s world-class team of dedicated professionals have helped numerous companies innovate and increase productivity by leveraging advanced technologies to drive 3D business success. Founded in 1989, GSC is headquartered in Germantown, WI. For more information about GSC, please visit www.gsc-3d.com.