SOLIDWORKS Online Design with 3DEXPERIENCE Works xApps Series

As the workplace transitions to a remote setting naturally, or out of necessity, being connected with your team is more important than ever. 3DEXPERIENCE Works provides SOLIDWORKS online design xApps that allows your team to collaborate on a project during its entire lifecycle.

In this multi-part video series, we will be walking you through the design completion and stake-holder presentation of a circular saw prototype using only a web browser and SOLIDWORKS online xApps available with 3DEXPERIENCE Works. This will give you a great idea of how 3DEXPERIENCE Works can empower you and your team to create using a real-time ecosystem that connects people, ideas and data. Take a look at the video below for a quick overview of 3DEXPERIENCE Works:

Sample Circular Saw Project

Our sample project is almost complete but there are some last-minute changes that need to be made. The team is all working remotely and it’s not clear if the desktop computers they are using have the needed software installed. To solve these problems of time and resources we’re going to use the cloud power of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to virtually bring all the different team members together and give them instant access to the tools they need.

SOLIDWORKS 3D Creator

Why use 3DEXPERIENCE Works for this project?

Cloud-based tools are not like traditional software you install on individual computers or a shared internal network. Instead, they live on protected external servers that are accessed via a web browser and an internet connection. This means that your 3DEXPERIENCE tools can be accessed whether you’re on your work PC, home Mac or mobile device.

It doesn’t matter which operating system you are using, or where you are, like it does with traditional software that use serial numbers tied to a specific machine. To access your entire platform of cloud-based tools, simply log in via your favorite web browser using your individual user credentials, and everything is at your fingertips wherever you are.

SOLIDWORKS Online Design with xApps

With this series, we’ve broken up the project by the different 3DEXPERIENCE Works applications (SOLIDWORKS xApps) that best fit the stage of the project. Depending on how you want to configure your users within the platform, different users can have access to single or multiple 3DEXPERIENCE xApps, but most importantly everyone will be able to collaborate on the project with SOLIDWORKS Online Apps in a centralized location.

1. Kickoff with SWYM – SWYM (Say What You Mean) communities are a core feature of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform. They are places where the entire team, from concept to final production, can communicate on a project.
2. Project Planner – Establishing a centralized plan can significantly increase the success of a project, through better data visibility, improved collaboration and purpose-built project management applications.
3. 3D Creator with 3DP Prototyping – As we move further into our design, we’re going to work with the mechanical design using the xDesign xApp on a Macbook Pro (because we can).
4. 3D Sculptor and 3D Creator – Utilizing tools from the SOLIDWORKS 3D Sculptor and 3D Creator Roles we will create the handgrip component. The handgrip needs to be ergonomic, and therefore will require the main grip body to be a smooth, organic shape.
5. Sheet Metal Creator – For the redesign, we are going to take advantage of some of the tools available inside of the xSheetMetal xApp to add some features and complexity to the part, while ensuring manufacturability.
6. 3D Mold Creator – We walk through how the powerful mold tools in the platform can be utilized for functionality on our complex design geometry. All from the comfort of our hotel room (because we can).
7. Product Document Creator – We want to make a few modifications and create a drawing that can be shared with fabricators and other external members, so we will use the xDocument xApp.
8. Product Communicator – Communicating with the customer is key and we need to make sure that the instructions that accompany products are clear and concise. We will use the xHighlight xApp to generate technical illustrations that will be included in our User Manual..
9. 3D Render – Using xStudio, we can create photorealistic renders so we can create great-looking marketing material as well as make more informed decisions on the aesthetics and form of our designs.
10. Product Release Engineer –Now that our project design is complete, we’ll see how we can use Product Release Engineer to finalize the information about the components, release the parts, and generate multiple Bills of Material.
11. Wrap up using a 3DStory – Our project is coming to a close, but we want to end it with a flourish to demonstrate the success we have experienced. We are using the 3DStory xApp to share those wins with key stakeholders.

Interested in 3DEXPERIENCE Works?

Visit our website to learn how 3DEXPERIENCE Works provides an online SOLIDWORKS product development environment.