SOLIDWORKS Animation Tips and Tricks

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Join SOLIDWORKS® champions Yahya Khedr and Sean O’Neill for SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD Animation Tips and Tricks. Yahya is well known for sharing SOLIDWORKS Motion knowledge and insights with the SOLIDWORKS community.

 

Yahya demonstrates several key concepts that can help users of practically any version of SOLIDWORKS build better animations. Yahya’s tips include small modifications to animation workflow that make a big impact on an animation’s quality and wow factor that also help produce consistent, super smooth animations. Plus, you should be able to produce these animations using practically any version of SOLIDWORKS!

Yahya uses a Rubik’s Cube, an asthma inhaler, and a letter model to demonstrate his SOLIDWORKS animation tips and tricks. Read on for highlights.

Rubik’s Cube Model

Yahya features a 360-degree view of a Rubik’s Cube with turntable animation in SOLIDWORKS. Highlights include:

  • The power and precision cameras necessary for desired animation shots—you’ll want to see this!
  • Rotating the model around the screen axis versus the model axis to deliver a better animation.
  • Utilizing motion studies to fully customize how the Rubik’s Cube is animated.
  • And more…

 

Asthma Inhaler Model

Because the default inhaler model animation doesn’t spin on the visually centered axis, the animation looks lopsided and sways back and forth when rotated. Highlights for improving this animation include:

  • Yahya starts a new motion study and adds a motor.
  • SOLIDWORKS uses the new motor to auto calculate the rotation, position, and rate of the model.
  • The inhaler spins on the more aesthetically pleasing vertical cylinder axis.
  • How to center the inhaler model in the frame.

 

Letter Model

With rotation, the letter “d” is transformed into three other letters. Adding dynamic curved arrows emphasizes the movement and provides clarity for a viewer. Highlights include:

  • Utilizing mating capabilities to set origins to make arrows rotate with the letter.
  • “Tricking” SOLIDWORKS to get the desired shape of the arrow by having the software wrap based on a shallow cylinder.
  • De-activating the motor adds some emphasis to the animation.
  • Using Appearance settings to alter opacity for the arrow in the animation creates a more fluid-looking animation.
  • Calculations for rotations and frame rate.

If you’re looking to impress your customers (or managers) with animations, check out this episode to learn more about improving animations.

 

Be sure to subscribe to our SOLIDWORKS YouTube channel for more livestream content, and check out www.live.solidworks.com for more information on previous and upcoming streams.

 

Sean O'Neill

Sean O'Neill

As an Industry Process Consultant, Sean's role is to help amplify the 'best of' both our products and our community, via the stories we showcase on our livestreaming programs (like SOLIDWORKS LIVE) and other digital outlets. Sean is also the creator of both the SOLIDWORKS Champions Program and the SOLIDWORKS Influencer Program.