As we gear up for SolidWorks World 2012, we'll be running a series of interviews that shine a spotlight on our employees from different parts of the world, and why you might consider attending.

This time, we're talking with down with Kavita Aroor, marketing manager for SolidWorks India, to discuss CAD trends in her region and the reasons why her customers should attend SolidWorks World 2012. Kavita is one of the newest members on the SolidWorks team, but she comes to us with years of experience in the Indian CAD business.

This will be Kavita’s first SolidWorks World experience, so we look forward to seeing her and our Indian users in just a few weeks. If you see Kavita, be sure to say hello.

Q: What are the key trends in India? What are the business drivers?

A: The Indian CAD market has undergone a rapid transformation in the last few years. Economic growth, coupled with the high disposable income of the Indian population, has been beneficial for the manufacturing, construction and automotive industries. Availability of low cost and high quality labor has been instrumental in the growth of the engineering and automotive export market, thereby spurring the need for accurate designing. Additionally, the demand for CAD in educational and engineering institutions, and booming small and medium businesses, is aiding this growth. Further, the government's favorable policies for infrastructure development are driving the growth of the CAD market in the architectural segment.

 

Q: What is the impact of globalization on the SMB market?

A: Globalization is forcing the SMB players to meet stringent standards and face stiffer regional and global competition from large established players. Further, many SMB players are part of the supply chain of large global players, which is compelling them to adopt CAD for their designing requirements. This demand in the SMB segment is leading CAD vendors to provide a portfolio of design solutions, specifically designed for the needs of SMBs. The booming SMB segment, coupled with its need to maintain a competitive advantage is driving the growth of the CAD market in this segment. Today 3D CAD is becoming affordable, with more and more companies migrating from 2D-based drafting systems because of 3D’s inherent advantages. Not only that, these companies are also looking at a comprehensive solution to address their other requirements in engineering.

 

Q: What kinds of businesses/customers make up most of the market in your region?

A: Automotive design forms the largest segment, accounting for 65-70% of the market, followed by aerospace at 15-16% and electric/electronic machinery design at 10-12%. SolidWorks offers unique solutions to meet the requirements of these varied industries.

 

Q: Why do you think customers in your region should attend SolidWorks World 2012? Why should they spend the time and money?

A: SolidWorks World brings together numerous thought leaders from the designing industry to discuss and brainstorm the trends, challenges and new innovations to help manufacturers make more efficient and accurate products. It also provides a rare opportunity for solution providers to hear firsthand from SolidWorks customers and partners from industries ranging from aerospace and medical instruments, to consumer electronics and renewable energy. The event is also a great platform for networking and could lead to business opportunities.

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Kavita, thank you for taking the time to chat with us; we can’t wait to see you, and your customers, at SolidWorks World in February!

Don't forget, you can still save $100 if you register now through January 20, 2012. If you pay for two registrations, we'll throw in a third for free, and as always, CSWPs save $100. You can see all of our registration deals at the SolidWorks World website.

If you're coming from overseas and need help with a visa, be sure to visit the SolidWorks World website for more information.

 

I came across this ice cream scoop in my kitchen and couldn't resist modelling it. It is complete except for the torsion spring that adds tension to the lever. I did not model the spring because I did not want to complicate the assembly and prevent movement.  Otherwise, through use of fillets and a gear mate, this assembly looks quite accurate.  Thanks for viewing!

Dave Knight

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Mechanical Engineering, 2013

Download Ice Cream Scoop 

The SolidWorks Model Mania files are now posted in the forums.  Since we get so many requests for these models, we thought we would share with everyone the models from years past.  This is a great way to check out what the models were like previously and get you geared up and ready to go for this year’s Model Mania contest at SolidWorks World!

You might think that SolidWorks is all about business. But that's not really the case. Sure, most of you are using SolidWorks tools to design products, machines, vehicles and any other manner of things. But we know that some of you are using SolidWorks to design other things for your own amusement. From sway bars for your hot rods to decks for your houses, there are any number of things out there that were designed for personal use. And we're interested in seeing some of them.

So here's an offer for you. In the comments section below, tell us about something you have designed for your own personal use or pleasure, and include a link to a picture or video of the thing you designed. Tell us what you designed, and why you did it. And if you can, tell us about any problems or special design considerations you encountered along the way. When the contest ends, we'll take a look at all of the entries and pick a winner, who will get a free pass to SolidWorks World 2012 next month in San Diego (February 12 - 15).

Don't wait too long—the contest ends at 11:59 EDT on January 12, and we'll pick a winner on January 13. You can click here to read the full terms and conditions of the contest. In a nutshell, you have to be 21 or older to enter, and citizens of the USA, Brazil, China and Quebec aren't eligible (sorry). If you work for Dassault Systemes, or a DS/SolidWorks reseller or partner (or have any immediate family members who do), you can't enter. Residents of some countries may require a visa to enter the United States. You can visit the SolidWorks World website to learn more.

Don't forget, you can still save $100 if you register before January 20. And if you pay for two registrations, we'll throw in a third for free. And, as always, CSWPs save $100. You can see all of our registration deals at the SolidWorks World website.

Download the SolidWorks World 2012 Hobbyist Contest rules

Landscape Forms chose SolidWorks design software because it is easy to use, includes innovative design visualization tools, and provides excellent value for the price. The company later added other integrated SolidWorks solutions, including SolidWorks Simulation, SolidWorks Flow Simulation, and SolidWorks Enterprise PDM (product data management) software. By implementing SolidWorks solutions Landscape Forms cut its design cycles by 30 percent, shortened product time-to-market by 15-20 percent, expanded its product line by 350 percent, and reduced file search time by 15-20 percent.

OCC chose SolidWorks Premium software as its standard design platform because it is easy to use, includes design visualization and surfacing tools, and integrates well with MasterCAM computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, which automates machining on the company's HAAS CNC production systems. By implementing SolidWorks, OCC accelerated its time-to-market by 100 percent, shortened its design cycles by 64 percent, cut development costs by 50 percent, and eliminated seven rounds of prototyping.

Green vehicles were all the rage in 2011, with a heavy focus on reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Consumers are trying hard to be green at every turn – and this doesn’t end when they hit the road. Although that trend won’t be going away any time soon, many automakers are rolling out adrenaline-pumping sports cars that are set to turn heads in 2012. The model names may be the same, but some significant design changes have been made to old school sports cars, like the Honda NSX and Toyota GT-86, and the industry is abuzz.

With the sports car set to make a serious comeback in 2012, the timing is perfect for Donkervoort Automobielen BV, a Dutch automotive manufacturer, that recently rolled out its biggest and baddest model yet – the D8 GTO. Donkervoort relies on SolidWorks 3D design and simulation tools to produce hand built, lightweight, high performance vehicles that perform like Formula One racecars, but look like a classic roadster.

Similar to the changes Honda made to the NSX’s aluminum body, Donkervoort redesigned the body of the D8 GTO to ensure consistently high performance after adding more power and weight to the engine. According to Autoblog.com, the updates paid off, as they consider the D8 GTO the “best thing to come out of Holland since bitteballen and siropwaffelen.”

We’re excited to see the new speedsters, especially the D8 GTO, on the road in the coming year. What auto design changes are you most excited about? And more importantly, is a muscle car on your 2012 wish list? Tell us in the comments below!

World-Class Sports Car Manufacturer Reduces Number of Prototypes by Half for Newly Redesigned, Hand-crafted D8 GTO

Voting for the SolidWorks World 2012 Top Ten list is now open!

You now have the ability to vote each idea up or down by clicking on the arrows that appear next to number of votes on each idea. You can only vote on each idea once.

The company, including its German design group, chose to transition to SolidWorks Professional software because of its ease of use, advanced surfacing tools, configuration capabilities, responsive reseller support, and compatibility with Mechanical Desktop and 2D legacydata. By deploying SolidWorks software, Dauphin North America has cut its design cycles by 50 percent, substantially reduced its design errors, developed product families from a single design, and improved its datacompatibility with partners worldwide.

The company, including its German design group, chose to transition to SolidWorks Professional software because of its ease of use, advanced surfacing tools, configuration capabilities, responsive reseller support, and compatibility with Mechanical Desktop and 2D legacydata. By deploying SolidWorks software, Dauphin North America has cut its design cycles by 50 percent, substantially reduced its design errors, developed product families from a single design, and improved its datacompatibility with partners worldwide.

Many years ago, I had ambitions of being an architect. I worked at a firm, and even went to architecture school briefly, until I realized I didn't have the artistry needed for the job. If I had my way, every structure built today would be an angular Bauhaus affair. So I have something of a soft spot for anything related to building design, which is why I found it interesting that a French company called Domespace is now a SolidWorks customer.

Domespace International designs and builds dome-shaped, eco-friendly homes. According to the company, the dome shape is designed to be more in harmony with nature, takes advantage of solar radiation, and is less susceptible to seismic and cyclonic forces than traditional, angular designs. On some models, the exterior of the home actually rotates, following the sun in winter to take advantage of its warming rays, and the shade in summer for cooling.

Domespace uses SolidWorks Professional for concept development, SolidWorks Premium for structural design, and SolidWorks Flow Simulation for studying air flow and environmental conditions. They say they have cut time-to-market and development costs in half. In a case study on our website, Computational and R&D Head Benjamin Thoby discusses how 3D design and simulation technology is helping Domespace ramp up production of its world-class, ecologically sensitive homes. Even if you're not in the AEC space, it's worth checking out.

You can find it here.

 

 

In the spirit of winter I decided to make something that is familiar to everyone who has experienced snow; a shovel.  This is your classic shovel with a plastic handle and bucket and a wooden shaft.  For the handle, I used the loft feature with a center line in order to design the curves.  I was going to use a sweep but I wanted the base to be thicker then the upper part of the handle.  This did not work as well as I had hoped because the curve ended up being thinner than I expected.  To reinforce the handle, I created some ribs along the inside curves.  I used the rib feature to create the grips on the underside of the handle.  I used a number of extrudes to get the main contours of the shovel bucket.  For the strengthening ridges on the shovel I used a sweep feature as well as a boss extrude.  This had the condition up to next in order to get the sweep to taper away into the main part of the bucket.  I hope you enjoy this shovel and use it with your imaginary snow.  Happy Holidays!

 

Ian Jutras

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Mechanical Engineering 2013

Download Snow Shovel

One of the things we've heard from SolidWorks World attendees over the past few years is that you'd like to learn more in advance about the SolidWorks partners who set up booths in the Partner Pavilion. So now through SolidWorks World 2012, we'll be posting a series of blog entries about some of the partners you might think about checking out, and the people who will be representing them. Today we hear from the good folks at Barry-Wehmiller International Resources.

1. Tell us a little bit about Barry-Wehmiller International Resources.

Barry-Wehmiller International Resources Limited (BWIR) is part of the consulting group of Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc., a diversified company founded in 1885. BWIR is a global technology provider specializing in the creation, development, and integration of the industry’s most advanced PLM/EPDM technology and engineering solutions. With headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, and over 55 offices worldwide, BWIR offers world-class, cost-effective business process analysis, industrial machine design and engineering, new product development, and PLM/EPDM services.

 

2. What products do you sell that might appeal to SolidWorks users?

BWIR offers manufacturers a full suite of engineering and information technology services, bridging these two core areas with product life-cycle management solutions.

In Engineering services, BWIR helps manufacturers to maximize their output in areas such as product design, industrial automation, sustaining engineering and value engineering.  BWIR also assists manufacturers in identifying effective strategies for integrating their engineering functions with the rest of the company.

In the PLM space, BWIR provides EPDM implementation, integration, data migration, and customization. BWIR provides integrations with ERP platforms, such as Oracle, SAP, MAPICS, Syteline, and others. We also provide data migration for Pro/E Intralink, DBWorks, AutoCAD, SAP, Oracle, and others. Specifically, BWIR will provide the assessment, design, implementation, training, and customization for global and multi-site EPDM implementations.

 

3. How can your products or services help make a SolidWorks user’s life easier?

As part of continuous project innovation and sustained research and development (R&D) efforts, BWIR's PLM team has developed various SolidWorks EPDM add-ins to cater to the manufacturing industry. Christened as “EPDM+” it is a set of ready-to-use add-ins that can fix the most teething problems faced by EPDM users. Our Enterprise Product Data Management (EPDM) experts have identified six functions that address these challenges across the product development cycle through custom-built packages that can help many engineering organizations to unleash the complete potential of the Enterprise Product Data Management (EPDM) tool.

4. Why should SolidWorks World attendees visit your booth? What will be special or exciting?

In spite of advances in the product data management technology, the constant market pressures to decrease product development time and to utilize better the potential of product design engineers have led us to introduce EPDM add-ins that would increase productivity multi-fold.

Experience “EPDM +”– Multi-fold productivity a set of ready-to-use add-ins that can fix the most teething problems faced by EPDM users.

• Remember the instance where you released the assembly documents for the next stage of your development cycle when someone was still updating a part model?
• How many times you would have been keen to know the status of your document on the overall work cycle?

Many such small setbacks can drag the team’s productivity leading to repetitive tasks, unorganized execution and un-synchronized development ultimately resulting in the delay of the product’s launch.

Please feel free to drop in by our booth # 105 and experience the power of “EPDM +”– Multi-fold productivity that will increase the productivity multi-fold and you can connect with our EPDM experts to learn more about its features and functionality.

SolidWorks World attendees who drop in at our booth can also take advantage of benefits that include free basic engineering audits for the spot purchase of add-ins.

5. How can customers learn more about your products:

SolidWorks World attendees can find us at booth #105 in the Partner Pavilion. You can also contact us at 

Phone: 1 (800) 862-8020

Website: www.bwir.com

Email: marketing@bwir.com

Facebook page:

Twitter:

YouTube channel:

As we gear up for SolidWorks World 2012, we'll be running a series of interviews that shine a spotlight on our employees from different parts of the world, and why you might consider attending.

To kick off the series, we interviewed SolidWorks Area Technical Manager, Timoteo Muller, about design and innovation trends in Brazil, and why he’s looking forward to attending SolidWorks World this year. You may also know Timoteo from the SolidWorks Brazil blog.

Below are his insights, and we’re looking forward to meeting users from Brazil at the show.

 

Q: What design/engineering challenges are unique to your region?

A: In Brazil, more and more customers are designing large, complex datasets, so the challenge is always managing the massive amount of data. Another unique challenge is being able to integrate with current market technologies and complex workflows.

Q: Can you give a couple examples of how customers in your region are using SolidWorks in unique ways?

A: We have customers in the energy and oil and gas industries that are using SolidWorks’ products in interesting ways. It is amazing to see our oil and gas customers developing underwater equipment to explore the pre-salt in the Brazilian coast. Our customers in the energy industry are using our solutions like Enterprise PDM to develop complete projects around hydroelectric plants, which are critical to the region.

Q: What do you enjoy most about SolidWorks World personally?

A: The thing I enjoy most about SolidWorks World is the opportunity to learn about our product enhancements and to get a full preview of releases for the coming year.

 

Thanks to Timoteo for taking the time to talk, and be sure to check back in early January to read our next installment of the international blog post series!

And don't forget, you can still save $100 if you register now through January 20, 2012. If you pay for two registrations, we'll throw in a third for free, and as always, CSWPs save $100. You can see all of our registration deals at the SolidWorks World website.

If you're coming from overseas and need help with a visa, be sure to visit the SolidWorks World website for more information.

One of the things we've heard from SolidWorks World attendees over the past few years is that you'd like to learn more in advance about the SolidWorks partners who set up booths in the Partner Pavilion. So now through SolidWorks World 2012, we'll be posting a series of blog entries about some of the partners you might think about checking out, and the people who will be representing them. Today we hear from the good folks at Rapidform.

1. Tell us a little bit about Rapidform.

INUS Technology makes Rapidform 3D scanning software, which lets you reverse engineer and inspect parts faster and more easily. Since 1998, we have been providing technology and services that process 3D scan data for a variety of uses, from manufacturing and quality control to medical treatment and archeology. We have been a close partner of DS SolidWorks since 2003, and several of our products are tightly integrated with SolidWorks CAD.

 

2. What products do you sell that might appeal to SolidWorks users?

• Rapidform XOR is reverse engineering software that takes 3D scan data and lets you convert it into parametric solid CAD models.  The models that you create in XOR are real CAD with feature trees, and they can be transferred into SolidWorks as native part models.  
• Rapidform XOV is inspection software that lets you measure a part and quickly compare it back to a CAD model or drawing. You can automatically create, edit and share your inspection results, and perform trend analysis on multiple inspections.
• With the same powerful tools for point cloud, mesh and surface editing found in XOR, Rapidform XOS is the ideal solution when you don’t need a parametric solid model.
• The Rapidform.dll Software Development Kit enables developers to rapidly deploy industry-proven point, mesh and surfacing functions into their own software products with minimal effort.

 

3. How can your products or services help make a SolidWorks user’s life easier?

SolidWorks users that use 3D scanners can take advantage of Rapidform’s dedicated reverse engineering or inspection tools to complement SolidWorks. Rapidform XOR is “The Fastest Path to CAD”, since it’s the only software that integrates 3D scan data processing with parametric CAD capabilities.  When you transfer the data from XOR directly into SolidWorks, it includes the full feature tree.  This means you can edit the model just like it had been designed in your SolidWorks CAD software. 

 

4. Why should SolidWorks World attendees visit your booth? What will be special or exciting?

SolidWorks World 2012 will be the U.S. debut of our next major releases (XOR3 SP and XOV3).  Attendees will be the first to see the new semi-automatic solid modeling capabilities in XOR and the new probe based inspection in XOV.

5. How can customers learn more about your products:

SolidWorks World attendees can find us at booth #125 in the Partner Pavilion. You can also contact us at 

Phone: 1.866.727.4336

Website: http://www.rapidform.com

Email: marketing@rapidform.com or info@rapidform.com

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/rapidform

Twitter: @Rapidform http://twitter.com/#!/rapidform

YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/inustechnology

HSMWorks Breaks the Mold.

 

By Richard Williams aka Corporal Willy  December 2nd 2011

 

        Really good things don’t happen all that often these days but today the news came out that I want everyone to know about especially those students out there.  Heck this informational news break is so good that all users of SolidWorks should be made aware of it.  How about a FREE CAM Solution for your SolidWorks program?  Does that sound good and in keeping with the seasonal gift giving time of year?

 

       Well it is true.  The HSMWorks is giving away their 32 bit and 64 bit CAM program that will embed flawlessly into your SolidWorks program.  Talk about gift giving, this has to be the best thing I have heard of in many years.  Having close friends in many different industries associated with various vendors did not give me or allow me any pre-published information about this.  So it was a total surprise to me since I had no advanced notice about this. 
 My contacts were sworn to secrecy.  Rather than me telling you all about, it read this newsletter I got this morning from Mr. Charles Davis of the HSMWorks Company. http://www.hsmworks.com/download/hsmxpress

 

 

Now I hope I haven’t lost you right now as you rush to the download web site and grab this unbelievable gift.  http://www.hsmworks.com/download/hsmxpress   

 This puts a lot more value into your already valuable SolidWorks program.  Happy Holiday Season to All and to All a Happy learning of HSMXpress .  Take care.

 

 

This was quite a fun assembly to make. The gingerbread man was outlined using splines and a sketch picture. The model was decorated with liberal use of linear component patterns. The only difficulty was in creating the candy canes, but I was able to get them done using the split, flex, and combine features. Enjoy the model, and Happy Holidays!

 

Dave Knight

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Mechanical Engineering, 2013

Download Gingerbread House

 

Let’s Go Design’s Hot Rod Baby Buggy is almost complete. However, in episode 7, the team took on an incredibly important task: the design review. While we’ve been working on the design of the vehicle in pieces and developing the various parts over the course of a few months, we have been waiting for a complete design to really give the buggy a full scale review.

As designers, reviewing and testing the design is essential to the success of the final product. Upon review of the Baby Buggy, the team found that the structure was good and challenges with the motor could be overcome. However, the tank treads and tracks presented a challenge.

This issue highlights how important it is for designers to step back and take a critical look at a design. It’s easy to get caught up in the details of the design process and the vision of what a final product might look like. Many times, the best features in an overall design come out of a full review. Though it’s not always easy to accept feedback or change a design that has so much time and effort put into it, this is a crucial part of the design process.

Of course, the Let’s Go Design team is no different. It’s been a long road to the completed Baby Buggy, but we’re excited to make these final adjustments to the tracks and make sure the other features are ready to roll.

We want to hear from you! How do you approach design reviews? Any thoughts on perfecting the track design? Tell us below in our comments section. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the Let’s Go Design page in the coming weeks for our final episode – and the official unveil of the Hot Rod Baby Buggy!

Watching my son play indoor 6-a-side football (or soccer, as some of you might call it), is both an exhilarating and nerve-racking experience. The father in me wants him to enjoy ‘the beautiful game,’ the competitor in me wants him to win, and the coach in me wants him to play well. One of the skills the boys on the team are learning is to get the ball to curl by imparting the correct amount of spin.

Now, I can talk until I’m blue in the face about how the spinning ball creates a region of low pressure on one side, resulting in a sideways force which creates the curl, but it’s the doing and seeing of it that made it real for the boys. I started to wonder if SolidWorks and SolidWorks Simulation could help out, and in a cosmic sense of kismet, a colleague in France sent me a simulation of the ‘Perfect Free Kick.’

Julien’s model is the perfect example of how you can use Design Studies with Motion to solve complex multi-physics problems.  If we consider the ball in isolation, there are three sets of forces acting on it.

1. The impact force which determines the initial velocity and spin of the ball 
2. The aerodynamic forces, slowing the ball down and, partially, determining the path of the ball
3. Gravity, the other component that sets the path of the ball

Using the new motion function builder it is easy to apply the aerodynamic forces to the ball.

The motion analysis can now be run, and the ball dips and swerves over the defensive wall, beating the goalie and landing in the top left hand corner.

But that is only half the story. Using SolidWorks and Design Studies we can alter the both the position of the ball and the parameters of the ‘kick.’

The power of SolidWorks and Simulation is that you can run multiple versions of a design to determine the optimum configuration in the virtual world before you cut metal. But just as important as the optimum is the understanding of the design sensitivity, or how well your design performs ‘off optimum.’ 

The world isn’t perfect, and in the real world your design will have to perform over a wide range of loading conditions and environments.  The Design Study enables you to test for variation in geometric, environmental and loading conditions.  So in the case of the free kick, the robustness of the design can be measured by distance of ball center from the ‘ideal’ target center, and we can find many ‘correct’ solutions but only one robust solution.

By running an analysis on your design you not only gain insight to its current behavior but also its future behavior and how to improve it.  So I can now show my son how and why the ball bends, and that all he has to do is practice, practice, practice..