This is a great example of the benefits you get when you have a subscription contract with SolidWorks. A lot of people believe that service packs are just for fixing bugs in the software, but sometimes they also add new functionality to existing tools.
SolidWorks 2013 SP 2.0 comes with a few of such enhancements. In this video I am demonstrating the new relation which can be added between conics and splines.
Note: This relation works with all the conics sketch entities in SolidWorks: “Partial Ellipse, Parabola and Conic“
When you are looking for a fast way to save a SolidWorks sketch to a 2D format like DXF or DWG, without all the construction geometry, this technique will help you save time in purging all the construction geometry from that sketch.
My SolidWorks 2013 pick of the day is the new quick dimensioning mode in the sketch environment. Now you can dimension sketch entities as you draw them, while still being able to add inferred relations. Mastering this technique could generate huge time savings for most SolidWorks users.
If you want to have any chance at winning the Model Mania competition at SolidWorks World this winter, you need to watch this video for a comprehensive demonstration of the new functionality:
Reversing sketch dimensions is one of the best time saving enhancements introduced by Solidworks 2009. It applies to 99% of the driven dimensions at the sketch level.
At this time (SolidWorks 2012) the only type of sketch dimension which cannot be easily reversed is the Offset dimension. There is no Reverse button on the Property Manager of such a dimension and by entering a negative value you just get an error instead of reversing or flipping the dimension (fig. 1).
Fig. 1 Error received when trying to reverse an offset dimension
On the other hand, deleting the dimension will delete the offset relation, so that is not the best solution either.
What else can you do? Watch this video for a possible workaround to the reverse offset dimension challenge:
I have to confess, this is one of the new enhancements in SolidWorks 2013 that, at the first sight, I considered less important than the others. Why would I ever need to convert a drawing view to a sketch???
Well… guess what! The other day a customer of mine called asking if there is any way in SolidWorks to mirror a drawing view. He wanted to avoid having to create the model for the opposite hand part, since the only thing needed on his detail drawing was an extra ISO view, as a visual indication that the main part was to be produced in pairs.
His request got me thinking about a new functionality introduced by SolidWorks 2013…
I came across this tip at the 2012 SolidWorks World (exchanging tips and information is one of the many reasons to attend SolidWorks World). I wish I could remember the name of the person who gave me this tip so I could give him credit for the great tip.
The Short-cut Bar, which is accessed by pressing the “S” key (by default) on your keyboard, is one of my favorite ways of accessing SolidWorks commands. The commands available on the Short-cut Bar will vary depending on what you are currently doing. For example Assemblies, Drawings, Features or Sketches will all have their own Short-cut Bar. The reason I like using the Short-cut Bar, is that Short-cut Bar will appear where my cursor is positioned; this means there is no need to move you mouse to the Command Manager in order to select a command.
Fantastic… but the end step most sketches is feature creation; most often Boss & Cut Extrudes. Since the Short-cut Bar in a sketch only contains sketch tools, the Command Manager is still required to create the feature.
But wait…how about adding Boss & Cut Extrude commands to the sketch short-cut bar (yeah it was duh moment)
If I were to compare the SolidWorks Sheet Metal module with an Opera Company and you (the SolidWorks user) with the director, then the Loft Bend would be a wanna-be diva; a spectacular feature with lots of potential but also very temperamental.
The Loft Bend is unique among all the Sheet Metal features and, because of that, thinks very highly of herself. Her contract has to be “just so” in order to even consider appearing on the scene. For example:
She will sing in 2 acts only (2 sketch planes), no more no less.
She will wear only 2 dresses with hip high side slits (2 open sketches)
She will create a scandal if, after her first performance, critical reviews are less than stellar. Most times, if you ask her to change anything at all, she will throw ketchupand mustard (read errorsand warnings in the feature tree) over herself and some of her colleagues. She seems to hate in particular the baritone (the Flat Pattern), her most hard working colleague, and does not miss any opportunity to put him down.
There are very few people who can manage the Loft Bend effectively and most of them went through intensive training at Javelin.
Only the other day, a very distinguished director, Marcel Derks from Nexgen Municipal, was frustrated over his own Prima Donna. Apparently he just wanted to trim a bit the sides of the costume and the Loft Bend declared she does not want to sing anymore with the Flat Pattern. Marcel asked us to talk to her and see if we can reach an agreement.
We did talk to both his Loft Bend and Flat Pattern and even recorded the discussion. As you will see in this video, we separated their performances in two different parts of the scene (Configurations), leaving just the Mezzo Soprano, the Derived Sketch as the parametric link between the 2 stars of the show.
Pst, pst… come closer. I am about to give you the key to one of the few remaining SolidWorks mysteries.
You see, in the process of building the City of SolidWorks, its architects and constructors created huge blueprints for all the buildings, large maps for all the avenues and thick address books for all its citizens. These blueprints, maps and address books can be found now in:
Very little remains uncharted in the SolidWorks City, but this has not stopped a few very passionate archaeologists and explorers to dig deeper for answers to the handful of questions that remain mysteries. Let me give you some of their names: Edward Eaton, Charles Culp, Anna Woods, Mark Biasotti and Mike Wilson.
If I were to compare the SolidWorks Sheet Metal module with an Opera Company and you (the SolidWorks user) with the director, then the Loft Bend would be a wanna-be diva; a spectacular feature with lots of potential but also very temperamental.
