Let’s start with the enhancements that SolidWorks users
appreciated or liked most during the SolidWorks Innovation Day. Out of 200+
enhancements in SolidWorks 2013, presenters at Innovation day tried to cover
maximum within the given time slot during event. In this post let’s cover what
influenced users most, those features which have an impacts on the day to day working
of design engineers. Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks
Corp not only makes enhancements in their MCAD program but also add new
tools to their data management, simulation software every year.
View Selector: Previous versions of SolidWorks already have a quick
access to commonly used front, side and isometric views. This feature would add
up to make users life much easier. Hitting spacebar the orientation dialog
comes up, it has ‘View Selector’ option that switches the model into a
wireframe cube from which standard views can be selected with various angles.
The View Selector option can be turned ON/OFF by hitting button or using
Ctrl+spacebar.
Center of Mass:
This new feature has ability to include CG in mass properties calculations.
User can see a point on the part, can add reference points. Any change in the
part reflects by change in CG location accordingly. It is easy to update it at
drawing and assembly level.
Quick Filter:
This is a big time saver for users; it quickly filter the type of file required like part, assembly,
drawing or combination. It also provides quick access to top-level assemblies.
SolidWorks Costing: This tool now calculates the cost required to manufacture a turned
part.
Assembly:
Breaking All External
References: It was very tedious job
while working with previous releases. Now there is no need for user to go
through each part killing references. The feature allows user to break all external references in an entire assembly
hierarchy or subassembly at once.
Any Component as
Envelope: Sometimes designers add some part
of assembly for the sake of reference. But, it sometimes misleads to error in
calculation of center of mass also it might start an argument between client
and vendor for not delivering all the items included in drawing. In SW 2013
user can now set any part or assembly in an envelope. This is great way to
exclude required components. Components are automatically excluded from BOM in
drawing. New options let you adjust envelope visibility and load
envelopes as lightweight or read-only.
Intersect: When working
with complex models one can use this command to add and subtract materials at
the same time by intersecting solids, surfaces, and/or planes. It performs
multiple solid geometry interactions simultaneously.
SolidWorks CAD Admin Dashboard: This enhancement is for CAD managers, they can now
directly monitor the performance, hardware/machine configuration of SolidWorks
users at a glance. It can be accessed from anywhere through the SolidWorks
Customer Portal.
Parts and Features:
Varying Dimension Patterns: This tool allows users to vary dimension and
locations while creating pattern. This speedy tool automatically varies
spacing, length and width of the part features. Also, allows user to modify
individual instances as they wish.
Sketching:
Conic Curves: Most
MCAD programs use spline curves from surface modeling to draw irregular shapes.
In SolidWorks 2013, it let user draw elliptical, parabolic or hyperbolic curves
using Conic sketcher, that are driven by end points and rho value.
Drawings and Detailing:
Section Views:
The new options in SW 2013 allow users
to create production drawing faster with more consistent section views, aligned
section views, and half section views on a drawing. Supports ASME, ISO, and other standards.
Simulation:
Submodeling: This
feature allows user to improve the results at critical areas without having to
rerun the analysis for the whole model. Refining the mesh for a selected
portion of the model and rerunning the analysis for specific areas of large and
complex models saves computation time.
Overall 2013 is a solid
release. Stay tuned for more on SolidWorks 2013 articles!
