Planet SolidWorks

SolidWorks: .@grileymeyers reports on the benefits of SolidWorks Sustainability for @CleanTechnica http://t.co/CGA9Ny6Y

SolidWorks: Is Innovation Too Messy To Be Managed And Taught? Hardly. via @FastCoDesign http://t.co/8xASalY7

SolidWorks: Want to build a race-quality roadster? @designnews looks at @Donkervoort and their work with SolidWorks simulation! http://t.co/BCMATcG4

SolidWorks: SolidWorks World 2012 Partner Profile: Geometric Technologies #sww12 http://t.co/AoeHPk54

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 Geometric Technologies.

 

1. Tell us a little bit about Geometric Technologies.

Geometric Technologies develops cutting‐edge productivity solutions for CAD/CAM industry. Our products DFMPro and CAMWorks are seamlessly integrated within the SolidWorks® platform, enabling intelligence and automation in design as well as manufacturing processes.

 

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

CAMWorks® for SolidWorks is the first Gold Partner CAM solution designed exclusively to operate in SolidWorks. CAMWorks is an intuitive feature based CAM solution that helps manufacturers increase productivity and profitability through best-in-class technologies and adaptable automation tools that maximize machining efficiencies.

DFMPro for SolidWorks facilitates upstream manufacturability validation by helping in identification of areas of a design that are difficult, expensive, or impossible to manufacture. It automates the iterative design review process for manufacturability. Both the products are sold via a wide network of resellers  in over 40 countries.

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3. How can your tools help make a SolidWorks user’s life easier?

CAMWorks is seamlessly integrated within the SolidWorks environment, which facilitates automatic accommodating changes to the part model, thereby eliminating time consuming CAM system rework due to design updates and thus enabling true associative machining. It eliminates hours of complex programming through Automatic Feature Recognition (AFR) that automatically defines prismatic machinable features, while a Knowledge Database (Technology Database) defines machining operations to automatically generate accurate toolpaths at the click of a button. DFMPro covers design for manufacturability checks within SolidWorks environment. This saves lot of time and effort for design engineers as carrying out such checks is not only tedious but also requires re-design effort. The ‘Rules Based’ interface of DFMPro cover checks for manufacturing process like

• Injection Molding (checks for undercuts, bosses, ribs, wall thickness, draft angle etc.)
• Sheet Metal (checks for slots, hems, bends, holes, etc.)
• Machining (checks for machining processes like Drills, Mills and Turned models, etc.)

DFMPro also facilitates collaborative design review process by generating comprehensive 3D reports in eDrawings format. This capability is very useful for suppliers to quickly generate eDrawings reports and share it with the OEM for their review, comments and acceptance.

 

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

This year we are showcasing CAMWorksXpress, an easy to learn and easy to use SolidWorks integrated 2.5D machining CAM package for programmers and machinists. And CAMWorks Nesting, a new add-on nesting package integrated within SolidWorks to create optimized nested layouts of Parts or Assemblies. Using CAMWorks Nesting users can select single/multiple sheets, specify the part-to-part distance and sheet margin/collar. The package also allows associativity to the original SolidWorks part or assembly.

We also invite attendees to a presentation by Marc Bissell, Sr. Applications Engineer at Geometric on “Integrated Design and Manufacturing  - From Orders to Parts” in the Certified Partner Theater on Tuesday, 14th February, at 1:00 p.m.

We shall be displaying the new casting process capability of DFMPro, this will cover checks for wall thickness, undercut detection, fillet radii, etc.

5. How can customers learn more about your products?

SolidWorks World attendees can find us at booth #524 in the Partner Pavilion. You can also find us at:

Website:  www.camworks.com, www.dfmpro.com, www.camworksxpress.com 

Email address:  inquiries@camworks.com, product.sales@geometricglobal.com

Telephone number: 480.367.0132

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CAMWorks/56627691761?ref=ts

Twitter handle http://twitter.com/follow_camworks, http://twitter.com/dfmpro

YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/camworkstube,  http://www.youtube.com/user/dfmprouser

SolidWorks: Imagine a road bike that you pedal and ride like an elliptical ... It's been designed in Solidworks http://t.co/jAYfO7Ej (via @discovery)

SolidWorks: Certified #SolidWorks professional/expert? Check out this raffle to walk home from #SWW12 w/ a free BOXX workstation! http://t.co/vOpjOp2H

After what I’ve just seen, I feel as if I could point my hand at a simmering pool of metal and shape it with the power of my mind. Dutch Designer Jólan van der Wiel is practically doing just that. He’s created a process (and a machine) to pull a metallic-formulated resin from a liquid state, curing it into the forms you see below within a half hour. You’ll have to see the process Jólan goes through to truly appreciate it. It’s the most beautiful, organic formations of a small furniture piece I’ve ever seen.

Jólan van der Wiel’s Gravity stool

Jólan’s Gravity stool was a Graduate project that has gone on to win first place for the Interior Innovation Award for the D3 Contest at imm cologne 2012. The idea behind the stool is a departure of how everyting is affected by gravity, using magnetism against the natural law and with the opposing forces shaping the magnificent stools.

“It is the combination of the magnet machine with the plastic material, developed especially for this purpose, that enabled Jólan to start a small but efficient chain of production. The forms and products are characterized by the freakisch and organic shapes that are so typical of nature itself.”

From the activity on his site, he has in mind to make other gravity defying creations. I for one would like to see a larger magnet machine and the process of churning out a full size chair… or building.

via SpicyTec

Join us for one or more of this month’s featured webinars.
Each webinar is free and will feature a specialized 3DVision Technical Expert. For the full list of upcoming 3DVision events, Click Here.

Dynamic Balancing of Machinery
When: February 7, 2-3pm EST
What: Webinar
Rotating imbalance is a common source of vibration. In this webinar you will learn how to simulate this imbalance on rotating components using SolidWorks Motion. This imbalance can be graphed out over time or cycles. Design changes can be implemented using SolidWorks configurations, and the effect of these changes can be studied by duplicating studies.
To register for this free event, Click Here.

An Introduction to the Simulation Suite in SolidWorksWhen: February 17, 10 – 11am EST
What: Webinar
Do you constantly face engineering challenges and product quality issues? Are you fighting a lot of ECOs and warrenty battles? If so, come join us on a one hour introductory presentation on how to leverage functionality within SolidWorks that have helped a lot of companies score in these areas. Learn how much traditional analysis has progressed, and how it is no longer a specialist’s forte, but a tool that every engineer should have and use.
To register for this free event, Click Here.

Surfacing – Advanced Modeling TechniquesWhen: February 21, 9 – 10am
What: Webinar
Have you already mastered the basic SolidWorks modeling tools? Are you looking to take your modeling skills to the next level? Sign up for this webinar to break down the mysterious wall of surfacing modeling and learn practical tricks that you’ll be able to utilize on a daily basis.
To register for this free event, Click Here.

Solving Valve Problems using CFDWhen: February 28, 10 – 11am EST
What: Webinar
Join us for a webinar where we explore how to build a virtual flow bench to monitor the above parameters right inside SolidWorks. Leveraging the power of configurations and easy flow setups, the audience will learn how to determine these critical values in hours without building a single prototype.
To register for this free event, Click Here.

3DVision Technologies is committed to providing engineers, designers and their design teams with the products and solutions needed to design some of the world’s greatest products. For more information on 3DVision Technologies full suite of products and solutions visit us at www.3dvision.com or call us at 1-800-745-3136.

Carrie Patrick
Marketing Manager
3DVision Technologies

The Solid Edge version of SolidWorks World is now being called Solid Edge University, although Dave Ault is holding out for last year’s name, the Solid Edge Summit. Whatever you call it, you can get registered now.  It’s only $350 to attend if you register before Feb 24, that’s a serious bargain (SolidWorks World is a ridiculous $995 just for admission).

Read more on Solid Edge University 2012…

SolidWorks: @ffyonjohn If you're having trouble be sure to check out our user forums http://t.co/K0cdxwSJ & online help http://t.co/ujfGuorA

Are you all set to head to SolidWorks World 2012?  Ready for a chance to win a high end computer workstation while you're there?  Well SolidWorks Solution partner BOXX has stepped up to the plate.

The first thing you'll need to know about having a chance to win this powerful workstation is you have to be a Certified SolidWorks Expert (CSWE),or a Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP), and you have to be attending SolidWorks World 2012 and be present at the CSWE/CSWP party on Monday night February 13th.

If you meet those requirements, simply go to the entry website and fill it out: Boxx Tech SolidWorks Solutions.

The computer to be given away at the event is packed full of the latest workstation tech including:

• CPU: Intel i7 Quad Core Enhanced Performance 4.5 GHz
• RAM: 8GB DDR3 2133MHz
• Video Card: NVIDIA Quadro 4000 with 2GB memory
• Hard Drives: 20 GB SSD cache hard drive; 1TB SATA
• 20X dual layer DVD+/-RW Writer
• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Edition 64-bit 

And the best part?  The winner of this powerhouse computer will walk away with the actual computer from the event!  No waiting for this bad boy to be built and then shipped, you'll be plugging it in as soon as you get back to the office.

So how do you get in on the action to possibly win?  Well as stated before you must be a CSWE or CSWP, you must be attending SolidWorks World 2012 in San Diego, and you must be present at the CSWE/CSWP party on Monday night February 13th to win.

What if you don't meet those qualifications?  Well there is still time to register for SolidWorks World 2012, and you can even take and pass your CSWE or CSWP exam before you arrive!

We'd like to thank BOXX for stepping up to offer this great prize, and we hope to see you all in San Diego!  Find out more about their SolidWorks Certified solutions.

BOXX is the host of this contest, and is responsible for all rules and regulations.  You can find those rules here: Contest Rules

Imagine a Record Executive going over to a 3D file sharing site downloading a pair of patent-protected headphones, laughing as he jiggles and listens to his DRM’ed music list. Ironic. You may think ‘big deal’ when you hear it, but thePirateBay.org, a site infamous for file-sharing and online piracy is making torrent-tearing waves with the announcement of ‘Physibles’ – a category for physical objects you can download and print. Is this a bad thing?

The Future is a Pirate Bay 3D Printed Download Away… or Is It?

The Physibles category on thePriateBay is, at the moment, nothing more than a link hub for 3D objects that are already out there. In other words, there are already sites to get 3D models to print and they link to them. For example, if you go to GrabCAD.com, there are over 15 pages of files you can download and print. Thingiverse is just one other source.

Now, in my opinion, access to these files is great as being a great resource for people to collaborate on and share the objects they have created. But it’s funny. With the Pirate Bay announcing this they, in a way, legitimize the idea of being able to download and replicate objects while being one of the largest, illegitimate ways of gaining access to files. They’ve seen the future of copying though…

From Pirate Bay:
We believe that the next step in copying will be made from digital form into physical form. It will be physical objects. Or as we decided to call them: Physibles. Data objects that are able (and feasible) to become physical. We believe that things like three dimensional printers, scanners and such are just the first step. We believe that in the nearby future you will print your spare sparts for your vehicles. You will download your sneakers within 20 years.

Well, sneakers… nice. A lot of companies and content creators are worried about this because of the ease of uploading, downloading and accessing data. For some reason, that view is the extent of where the danger lies for products being copied and shared. But that doesn’t even get close to what it will be. Pirate Bay and similar sites are repositories of data. Those will still exist since we need somewhere to put stuff and like to share it with others, but what we’ll actually see is an immediacy that these sites can’t even touch, that will be even more difficult for regulators to touch. It will be a time where replication devices, yes printers and even ‘flash sintering’ devices, will bring an immediacy to products that we can’t even fathom, especially, if the digital data isn’t necessarily needed – a product produced with the original product or a digital code, in your hand with the speed of a text message.

What do you think? Is this a bad thing?

ZDNet via Slashdot. Thanks Ion!

SolidWorks: How did you get out of the SolidWorks World 2012 dog house? #sww12 http://t.co/EFwn9KdS

As many of you know, Valentine's Day falls over the four days of SolidWorks World 2012, and thousands of you will be with us in San Diego, away from significant others and children. And while phone calls, text messages, Skype and Facetime can help bridge the gap, we know that lots of you will be missed at home.

We're also guessing that some of you may have had to make special arrangements or deals with your significant others in order to join us. If you fall into that category, we're interested in knowing what you had to agree to in order to get out of the SolidWorks World dog house.

If you have a funny or amusing story, let us know in the comment section below. If it's good, CEO Bertrand Sicot may event mention it during general session on the first day.

And by the way, we'll have a special booth set up in the Partner Pavilion on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday that you can use to send a video e-card to anyone you like. Be sure to stop by.

Don't forget, 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.

SolidWorks: Next #MLB allstar? @kwagstaff reports that German scientists created a robot to throw and catch a baseball via @TIME http://t.co/MNKyQgK6

SolidWorks: Innovation contests can spur new products and boost worker morale. Up for a challenge? via @andymeekTN @IncMagazine http://t.co/VpwW9g2X

Different automotive brands stand for different values, such as efficiency, luxury, speed and performance. Donkervoort Automobielen BV, a Dutch automotive manufacturer, increasingly relies on SolidWorks^® advanced 3D design and simulation tools in its quest to produce the perfect sports car. This value was on display on December 17 when Donkervoort unveiled the newly designed model D8 GTO.

By incorporating SolidWorks Flow Simulation and SolidWorks Simulation Premiumto its existing SolidWorks package, Donkervoort created a single CAD environment for the redesign of its D8 GTO model, ensuring total integration of the design and simulation process. Donkervoort focuses on sports cars that are hand built, lightweight, high performance and perform like Formula One racecars, even though they look like classic roadsters.

Redesigning the engine to develop power resulted in added weight in the D8 GTO, causing Donkervoort to rework the body. The company turned to SolidWorks 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and advanced structural simulation solutions to ensure performance while staying on budget and delivering the car on schedule.

The story about how Donkervoort used SolidWorks Simulation to develop the D8 GTO was posted on Discovery.com. The article, “Donkervoort D8 GTO Supercar Does Zero-60 in 3 Seconds, First ‘Test Drives’ Done in Computer Simulations,” can be found here. For some background information, Discovery has 86,336,000 subscribers.

Read more >>>

Let’s say you want to start a business. The easiest way to start a business is to get other people to do the work for you. And even easier than that is to get other people to just collect stuff they find from anywhere and everywhere, and put it up on your site so you can say you’ve got a lot of cool content. Whew! Sure beats work, and having to know or do something! Brilliant business strategy. And no, I’m not talking about Megaupload. I’m talking about GrabCAD. Sorry, no link.

Read more on Why do they call it “GrabCAD”?…

One of the most enjoyable aspects of a new SolidWorks release, for me, is seeing old faces come in for new training. Whether it’s a one-day update class or a refresher on assembly modeling or even Essentials, I always look forward to the new release because I know I’m going to see people I’ve trained in the past come back around for more.

Something that strikes me is the people I see come in for updates every year are the ones that seem to be some of the best users; they are also the happiest users. They see SolidWorks as a tool and they want to make sure they are getting everything out of it. Sure, they could just do things the same old way they learned years ago, but instead of resting on their laurels, they come back and push themselves so they can in turn push the tool to work better for them.

If you come to an update class, one of the many new things you’ll learn is a new behavior in SolidWorks 2012 that rotates your model view normal to your sketch plane automatically when you create a new sketch; essentially the behavior you see when you make your first sketch in a SolidWorks part continues for your second, third, fourth, etc. If you want to turn this on (or back off), you’ll find the setting in Tools, Options, Systems Options on the Sketch page right at the top as shown:

 

 

Check our training calendar and see if you can’t improve your skills by coming back to school for a day or two. We have a lot of classes on the schedule for the first quarter of 2012 and I’m pleased to see how fast they are filling already.

As for me, I’ll be going back to school as well by attending SolidWorks World in February. I can’t wait to learn some new things from other users and instructors and bring them back with me to share with my students throughout the coming year.

SolidWorks: Ever wonder how to design a fire extinguisher? Our #SolidWorks teacher blog takes you through the interesting process http://t.co/SGBJs9BB

SolidWorks: RT @SWUGN: Need some advice on your #SWW12 presentation? Check out this forum thread - http://t.co/YTHAzSGf.

SolidWorks: RT @Entrepreneur255: Has anyone had a look at the new @SolidWorks for 2012 yet? If so what do you think? I’m amazed by the quality.

SolidWorks: RT @SolidWorksWorld: Three people get into #sww12 when you pay for two – send the whole team! - http://t.co/qW0HgdNU

Who loves wooden gears? We do! We do! Wooden hand high five all around for a tool that helps you create the gears and the templates to crank those creations. The Gear template generator from woodgears.ca is a magical web-based tool (probably) using little wooden mathematical gears on the back end to output a 2D downloadable file, that you can also print, slap on a piece of cardboard, plywood, acrylic or other material and cut out.

Gear Template generator and How-to

The gear generator is just one resource on the site you’ll want to use. They also have a stand-alone gear generator that will export formats such as SketchUP, DXF, CSV, PDF and BMP. There are also a plethora of examples and other resources on making gears out of plywood.

How to Make Wooden Gears

via Ponoko

Polyplus propel potentional power, providing pertinent p…oh…nevermind.  Polyplus new technology will allow for “ultra-high energy density [lithium] batteries ” to...

Going through and testing 3D formats is kind of a wild ride. 3D pdf works, except in Chrome because Chrome uses the Foxit viewer (which I also had installed separately), and Foxit doesn’t display 3D PDFs. You can disable/enable the Foxit/Adobe plugins by typing “about:plugins” in the address bar, and just clicking the right links, which should be obvious. But the weird thing about the finished PDF is that it is backwards (opposite handed) from my original, and seems to rotate backwards as well.

Read more on Testing, Testing, thmb thmb thmb Is this thing on?…

SolidWorks: @DawnEquipment Thanks. We hear that often, and have a relatively new cloud-based product called n!Fuze that's meant to serve that market.

SolidWorks: RT @DawnEquipment: @SolidWorks EPDM definitely helps you gain some composure in a fast paced engineering environment.

SolidWorks: SolidWorks World 2012 International Series: Talking Shop with Ba-Thong Phan http://t.co/2pTl6OwA

As we gear up for SolidWorks World 2012, we're 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. Next up on the SolidWorks World 2012 International Series is Ba-Thong Phan, senior area technical manager, for SolidWorks in Asia Pacific, India and Korea.

Ba-Thong is a SolidWorks World veteran, so we wanted to sit down with him in advance of the show to discuss the customers in his region and the unique ways they are using SolidWorks. Check out Ba-Thong’s thoughts below:
 

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

A: The Asian market is well known for being a manufacturing hub since the 80’s. Most of our customers focus on machinery automation, mold making and consumer products. The services industry has been booming in recent years, serving customers from North America and Western Europe.

 

Q: Can you give an example of how customers in your region are using SolidWorks in unique ways?

A: I attended a meeting organized by the SolidWorks user group in my region and I saw one customer using SolidWorks and Flow Simulation for a toilet bowl. The customer used Flow Simulation to optimize the water usage.

 

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

A: This SolidWorks World will be my 13^th event and I’m excited to go to San Diego, even though it’s a 20 hour flight from Singapore! It’s the one annual event where I can meet my resellers, my colleagues, my users and partners. I’ve also learned a lot in past years from the breakout sessions.

 

Thanks to Ba-Thong for taking the time to talk, and don't forget, 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.

AutoDesSys is peeling back the flexible underbelly of form-Z 7 and stuffing in a slew of new features. Form-Z has been around a while. It’s always had great features for architectural modeling, but this new version brings even more to the freeform table. New features increase the options you have for dynamic modeling of roofs and stairs and also deliver an array other geometry shaping goodness, including direct modeling with new parametric features, updated deformation tools and new NURBS functionality that makes fixing up those forms a lot easier. Here’s a look.

form-Z 7

Other features in form-Z 7 include a new single-click workspace setup with tools specific to the task of modeling, drafting and visualization. You also get a new favorites panel for the tools you use the most and the modeling tools have so many updates, it might as well be a entirely new product. If interested, you can access the free, public beta from the form-Z product page and to see a preview of the new features coming at ya, check out the webinar video below with Matthew Holewinski showing you just what’s so great about form-Z 7.

The video below covers:

• A quick overview of the most significant new features in form-Z 7.
• How the new intelligent smart interface guides you through your design.
• How the new reshaping tools let you effortlessly sculpt your design ideas faster than ever before.
• Easier Nurbs modeling with new and updated tools which make complex shapes a snap.
• Powerful new tools that help create fabrication details of your design.
• New methods for changing your design using either dynamic “free-form” manipulation and/or numeric “parametric” based features.

SolidWorks: RT @SWSuper: SolidWorks World 2012: Things to do in San Diego http://t.co/J9aG4bWi #sww12

SolidWorks: RT @gupta9665: SolidWorks World 2012 "Model Mania Contest" http://t.co/IpCALaFS #SW #SWW12 #ModelManiaContest #Prizes

SolidWorks: Sundance film, Robot and Frank, shows the softer side of robo-helpers via @TheUnderwire: http://t.co/C4kQ6OlN

SolidWorks: Our own @Asheen discusses the three-part approach to corporate sustainability on @ELDaily: http://t.co/VGQ1RLIz

Tony Fadell. You may have heard of him. At the very least, you’e seen, or let sweet sound emanate from the device he is know as the father of. Tony was Apple’s senior vice president of the iPod division as well as adviser to Steve Jobs. He’s now CEO of NEST, a company that reinventing the Thermostat, making it more intelligent and you more comfortable in your own abode while putting a lower impact on that electrical grid we can’t live without. He’s this year’s keynot speaker at SolidWorks World 2012.

Tony Fadell & Nest

There’s a great story on the Verge about Tony Fadell and Nest. The Nest Thermostat is basically a a re-imagining of the device to make it more simple, more efficient and intelligent enough to know when you’re home, not home, asleep or having a particularly hot day. You can learn more about it at Nest.com.

SolidWorks World 2012

SolidWorks World 2012 runs February 12-15th (Sunday to Wednesday) this year, in San Diego, CA. You can see the conference schedule, a full agenda and don’t forget, Wednesday is the reveal of what’s to come in SolidWorks 2013.

Source: SolidWorks Blog
Image source: The Verge

Due to the relatively good weather in San Diego all year long, family attractions don’t have to close for the “winter”.  Here are some of the places you may wish to visit while in...

The Freeze Bar was my favorite feature in 2012. Until, that is, I started using it. It was one of the things that was supposed to show up in 2011, but reportedly wasn’t ready. It got a lot of scrutiny in the Beta forums, but what was delivered is not, in my opinion, usable in real-world modeling.

Read more on About the Freeze Bar…

For today's post I decided to make a fire extinguisher.  This was a really fun project to build.  I was not sure exactly sure how the inside of the fire extinguisher worked but with some research and some designing on my end this is what I came up with.  My idea is there is a CO2 canister that when the handle is squeezed it punctures the canister releasing the CO2.  This then compresses the fluid that is in the can.  When the handle closes this also open a value.  The extinguishing liquid travels up the tube and out towards the fire.  The tank was created using a revolve feature as the entire part was symmetrical about the vertical axis.   The top of the extinguisher was created using a number of extrusions and a swept feature for the threads.  This part was rather fun to make as there were a lot of different contours and cuts that I needed to make so that it would be functional.  The hose on the inside and outside were both created using sweeps with the thin option.  This allowed me to create just the outside profile and then set the thickness that I wanted for the entire tube.  Another part that was a challenge was the part that connected the CO2 canister as well as the inner hose.  This part needed to have ports that would let the CO2 out as well as a hole for the hose.  The ports were created using a revolved cut so that they would be tangent to the dome on the inside of this part.  The dome was made so that the escaping CO2 gas would be channeled out through these ports.  I included a section view of the model so that you would be able to see the inside.  Feel free to download the model and take a closer look.  Enjoy!

 

Ian Jutras

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Mechanical Engineering 2013

Download Fire Extinguisher

SolidWorks: We have a winner in the second SolidWorks World 2012 Trivia Contest #sww12 http://t.co/rAICzefy

We kicked off and ended our SolidWorks World 2012 contest season with trivia contests. For the last one, all you had to do was guess how many Australians attended SolidWorks World 2008, the last time the event was held in San Diego. Guesses were all over the place, from 12 to 4000. The correct answer is 17, and the person who came closest was Bob Prochnow with a guess of 18. Can't get much closer than that.

So congratulations to Bob, who will be attending SolidWorks World 2012 on our dime. And don't forget, you can still save $100 if you register by midnight tonight, so hurry. 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.

SolidWorks: Last chance--save $100 when you register by midnight tonight. CSWPs save an additional $100. #sww12 - http://t.co/H48J3Fgt

SolidWorks: 5 innovation lessons from a breakthrough brand aimed at aging Americans via @fastcodesign: http://t.co/6whbcugY

Not often is free training offered but DriveWorks Solo is offering a live online class being presented by a DriveWorks Solo Applications Engineer next week.

What is DriveWorks Solo?
DriveWorks Solo allows you to create custom products quickly and easily AND generate all the detailed manufacturing information automatically in SolidWorks.

What are the benefits of DriveWorks Solo?
- You can create customizable forms to aid selections
- Preview Results – 3D Models, Drawings and Document
- Re-use Existing Company Data
- Template Documents for Responding to Sales Inquiries
- New Files Created Automatically

Session Schedule:
Session 1 Covers: Model Capture, Creating Forms, Building Rules, Running your Project, New File Names and Locations
January 24 11am – Noon EST

Session 2 Covers: Replacing Files, Tables, Form Navigation, Improving your Forms, Driving Replacement Files, Controlling Custom Properties
January 25 11am – Noon EST

Session 3 Covers: Documents, Controlling Drawings
January 26 11am – Noon EST

Sign up for all three sessions to get the full training course. Register today!

Carrie Patrick
Marketing Manager
3DVision Technologies

SolidWorks: Survey says that kids want robots for friendship, and help with homework via @popsci: http://t.co/7bt215XG

Vapor rolled from the jaw of the ice glazed face. There were literally hundreds spread throughout the forest floor. Some behind trees, other frozen mid-stride, and still others frolicking in the leaves, with all signs of mischief pointing to these links.

Mark Molnar – Concept art and illustration. Vehicles, characters, creatures and more are all in the mix.
Rescuetime – Where is your time going? What are you doing? Find out and get it under control.
Glacier fields – If ever you wanted to see big, fat photos of spectacular looking galcier fields, today is your day.
Onepager – Create a slick looking business website… on minutes.
Apocalypse Later, Surf Now – What would you do if the world were ending? Surf. This puts the end time epic in full cataclysmic perspective.
PressPausePlay – You give something to a human and they can make something with it. This excellent documentary explores art, creativity and how it has changed.
Dunhill Case – If you love fine, handcrafted goods and the sound of them being made, you will love this.

SolidWorks: @STEMRacing Yep, Marie does a great job of running our education blog. Thanks!

SolidWorks: “Father of the iPod” to Keynote SolidWorks World 2012 #SWW12 http://t.co/MDTqWkoF

Just a few years ago, the iPod revolutionized personal electronics worldwide. Tony Fadell, the designer who spearheaded the team that brought the iPod to market, will keynote SolidWorks World 2012.

Known as the “Father of the iPod,” Fadell made his mark via his former positions as Apple’s senior vice president of the iPod division and adviser to Steve Jobs. Today, Fadell is changing the game again as founder and CEO of Nest, a hot startup that’s introduced the world’s first learning thermostat. The Nest Learning Thermostat™ learns about you and your home to automatically turn itself down when you're away, guide you to energy-efficient temperatures when you’re home, and free you from programming hassles by creating a customized temperature schedule. Nest has been dubbed the “iPhone of thermostats” by Wired and The New York Times describes it as “gorgeous, elegant and very, very smart.”

“To create a game-changing product, function and design must go hand in hand,” said Fadell. “We certainly put that principle to work when developing the Nest Learning Thermostat, and I’m excited to share more about that experience with the thousands of passionate, designers and engineers who will attend this year’s SolidWorks World.”

And don't forget, you can still save $100 if you register today. 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.

I know I’ve posted 3D-enabled blog posts here before – one using 3Dxml from DS and one using a tool from Autodesk. They were both pretty slow. With everybody messing their pants about mobile computing, it really confuses me why we don’t see a lot more of this – why can’t we just put 3D content into a website as easily as a 2D image? With both of those methods I used, the person viewing the website had to install a special viewer plugin. The web and 3D seem like a great match, but you don’t see it much out there.

Read more on The Web and 3D…

Indent is one of those features that has been out for several releases, but you don’t hear too much about it. To me, it is one of those magical features that I don’t use much, but when I use it, it usually saves me a load of time. I can’t say that I’ve taken the time to understand everything it’s supposed to be able to do, but when you need to create a shell or thin wall feature around a shape, this is a great tool.

Read more on Features I like today: Indent…

SolidWorks: SolidWorks World 2012 Partner Profile: Objet 3D Printers #sww12 http://t.co/UIiV6t1D

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 Objet, Inc.

 

1. Tell us a little bit about Objet.

Objet produces and markets high quality 3D printers and 3D printing materials, mainly for the rapid prototyping needs of design, engineering and manufacturing companies. As a company, Objet has its headquarters in Rechovot, Israel and has been operating worldwide for nearly 13 years. Our technology background is based upon inkjet printing principles, but using resin photopolymer based materials to create the actual models and prototypes.

 

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

Objet offers 3 different lines of 3D printers and almost 70 different 3D printing materials today. Our 3D printers fall into 3 families: Desktop line, Professional Eden line and Objet Connex line. In total we have 9 different printers, ranging from the smallest, Objet24, able to print our very reliable Objet VeroWhitePlus, to the Objet Connex500, able to print 68 different materials, including two at the same time.

Our range of 3D printing materials is constantly growing. As of December 2011 we have 68 different materials with different families including the rigid opaque ‘Vero’ family, rubber-like ‘Tango’ family, 2 transparent materials, an ABS-like material, a high temperature material, a bio-compatible transparent material, and 51 ‘composite’ materials that can be created by combining some of these materials together to produce new materials, what we call ‘Digital Materials’.

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3. How can your Objet printers help make a SolidWorks user’s life easier?

First of all, Objet’s 3D printers are workhorses. Unlike many of the other technologies out there today, Objet machines are extremely reliable and our users regularly leave them running overnight, without supervision. This is vitally critical when time is short and deadlines are waiting. All our systems are office compatible and office friendly – they don’t need any particularly special operating environment, something that is also of great benefit to users.

Also hugely useful - Objet’s Connex range of multi-material 3D printers enables designers and engineers to really simulate the true look, feel and function of an end-product, even complex assembled goods. And with its simultaneous multi-material technology, it’s possible to not only print mixed-material models, but you can also print different color/texture versions all at the same time thus cutting waiting times between design iterations and even serving multiple users all at once.

 

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

Stop by our booth where you will see many cool and exciting printed parts on display that feature our new materials and new technology, including the Halo figurine that was printed on our Objet Connex printer in a single print with no assembly.

 

5. How can customers learn more about your products?

SolidWorks World attendees can find us at booth #500 in the Partner Pavilion. You can also find us at:

Website  www.objet.com

Email address  info@objet.com

Telephone number – 1.877.489.9449

Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Objet-Geometries/107459773052

Twitter handle http://twitter.com/3d_printers

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

Company blog http://blog.objet.com/

SolidWorks: Another chance to win a free pass to #SWW12! Enter by answering the bolded trivia question in the comments section http://t.co/UiYXRRHe

Moore’s Law (or rather Kryder’s Law) has just been decimated. Researchers at IBM just tore out those Wikipedia pages, sneered at them, then proceeded to show the world how five years of work has lead to new possibilities for mass data storage.

Atomic-Scale Storage

Really, all storage is atomic-scale, but what these researchers have done is reduce the amount of atoms it takes to store your data. They’re doing this with the creation of the first ever atomic-scale magnetic super-cooled structures. With this atomic-scale magnetic memory they have successfully shown that a single bit of information can be stored in as few as 12 magnetic atoms. This increases storage capacity by nearly 100,000 times over the currently available hard-disk drives, which use about one million atoms to store a single bit of information.

Being able to increase the data density of devices means more storage in a smaller space: specifically, storage that is 100 times denser than today’s hard disk drives, 150 times more dense than solid-state memory. An entire music and movie collection could fit on a charm-sized pendant around your neck. Almaden physicist Andreas Heinrich explains how he and his teammates started with 1 atom and a scanning tunneling microscope and eventually succeeded in storing one bit of magnetic information reliably in 12 atoms.

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You could literally house all of your 3D data on a device as small as a fingernail and probably still have room for more. There’s no information on when the tech could become more commercially available, but there is this fancy infographic you can download to show your friends.

Source: IBM. Thanks Danny Tas!

Often times when getting really down and dirty with SolidWorks Enterprise PDM, I need to know a document’s ID value in hex format. Back in the old days [yesterday] I would do a SQL query on the document’s table and then manually calculate the hexadecimal value.

However I found a SQL function that will do the conversion for me:
CONVERT(varbinary,<value>)

Cool eh? Thus a SQL statement like this:

SELECT DocumentID, CONVERT(varbinary,DocumentID) as IDHex, Filename FROM Documents where Filename like 'Big Tuna%'

Returns:

Yeah, SQL rocks.

Jeff Sweeney, CSWE Engineering Data Specialist 3DVision Technologies