Javelin / TriMech Author
Jim Peltier, CSWE
Rotate SOLIDWORKS Drawing View to Align an Edge to Horizontal [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on March 21, 2015
Ideally when you are creating a part in SOLIDWORKS, you want to setup your sketches and features in such a way that the part is oriented as it would be when used in the assembly or how it would be naturally positioned in reality. This…
Sometimes when working with an assembly, it may be necessary to have something shown on your BOM which is not part of the model (non-visible items). A good example of this is paint, since you may need to purchase it for your assembly but it…
DriveWorks Tech Tip: How to make a Greyed-Out Transition Button [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on March 4, 2015
Making forms in DriveWorks is nice and easy, but getting the user to fill them out completely is….. also easy! I bet you thought I was going to say it was a different story, didn’t you? Well, you can prevent them from proceeding by making…
Missing the 5th tab in your SolidNetWork License Manager?
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on February 11, 2015
For much of the functionality of managing the license server, you need to go into the Server Administration tab of the SolidNetWork License (SNL) Manager. This can normally be accessed by going into the license server and going to Start > All Programs > SolidWorks…
Creating Threads in SOLIDWORKS for 3D Printing [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on December 30, 2014
For years, the ability to create a realistic thread in SolidWorks was something of artistic fantasy; a way to demonstrate your proficiency in SolidWorks. The rebuild times on a small assembly would be long enough to get a warm beverage, and on larger assemblies it…
How to Flatten a Hollow Cylinder [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on December 15, 2014
When dealing with Sheet Metal parts, a best practice is to define it as a sheet metal part sooner rather than later. This often means making your first feature a Base Flange, but it can also make use of the Convert to Sheet Metal command…
Flatten Sheet Metal Part That Has Intentional Interference [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on November 7, 2014
I was recently asked how to flatten sheet metal part in SolidWorks that interferes with itself. The short answer is that SolidWorks Sheet Metal is not designed to do this. Of course, as is often the case with SolidWorks, where there’s a will there’s a…
How to increase the Ambient Light in your SOLIDWORKS parts [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on September 18, 2014
It’s laundry day today, and when I took my white shirt from the wash, I noticed it looking rather grey. While I could just add bleach to my laundry cycle, it made me think that I notice the same thing happen in SOLIDWORKS. Of course,…
Hole Wizard Database File is not the Expected Version
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on August 14, 2014
The Problem: A question we often get on the support line is in regards to this error message: It reads: “Error: The database file ‘C:\SolidWorks Data\lang\english\swbrowser.mdb’ is not the expected version (16.02)” The file path and the number shown may vary. The Cause: Basically what…
DriveWorks Pro Server: What to Watch out for when Upgrading
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on June 17, 2014
Perhaps you’re considering upgrading from DriveWorks Pro 10 to 11, or perhaps you’ve already done this and have fallen into a little trap. The error message reads: “The group could not be opened, check that it exists and you have permissions to access it. Could…
How to Add a Welded Nut to Your Sheet Metal Part in SolidWorks using Move-Copy Bodies [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on June 9, 2014
If you’ve ever tried to tap an M6 thread into a 1.5mm sheet metal part in real life, you will find that the threads strip very easily due to the fact that you will not even get 2 full threads in the material. Clinch nuts…
Weldment Profile Orientation: Method to the Madness [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on June 2, 2014
I had a recent question asking me why weldment profiles are so difficult to control the rotation of and orientation of. They seem almost random. Admittedly, I had used mostly square tube for weldments in my time as a mechanical designer, but I tried to…
How to Isolate a Weldment Body Revisited [VIDEO]
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on May 28, 2014
Some time back, I had written a blog article about how to isolate a weldment body for detailing. While this method works well, there is one weakness: the part containing the entire weldment has no “knowledge” that the bodies have been saved out. This means…
How to Upgrade SOLIDWORKS Standard to SOLIDWORKS Professional or Premium Version
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on May 12, 2014
Firstly, congratulations on deciding to upgrade your SOLIDWORKS Standard version to Professional or Premium, or from Professional to Premium. Perhaps you’ve purchased a new seat or upgraded your existing one, or perhaps you are just wanting to switch who uses which type of license. Regardless,…
How to Show Part Colour in a SolidWorks Drawing HLR/HLV View
By Jim Peltier, CSWE on April 30, 2014
In a SolidWorks assembly, it is possible and quite helpful to have different parts shown in different colours (or colors if you prefer). It can help to symbolically distinguish between different parts in an assembly, it can be used to display the final colour after…