If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Since the dawn of time, man has contemplated the frustrating effects of the big read error icon and has come to the conclusion that, yes, veins can indeed pop out of your head whether your sitting down or standing in a defensive crouch in front of your computer.
Computer errors pretty much feel like being hit repeatedly in the face. Errors in a SolidWorks parts and assembly feel like the repeated face hits but with missing the face and popping you square, and very annoyingly, in the ear.
But look here. There are ways to get rid of those errors quickly and dodge a ton of others that come flying at you.
Continue reading ‘5…No Wait, 6 Tips For Fixing SolidWorks Errors’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
I’m liking this topic, so we’re gonna keep going with it till it breaks into a million tiny pieces. Here’s why. I get a bit of emails asking questions about SolidWorks and a lot of them are really good questions that I’d love to turn into posts. So, here’s your chance again to have your question answered.
First Person to Ask a Question!
The first person to asks a question about SolidWorks in the comments below will turn this post into a 100% grade-A tip for everyone to join in on. All I ask, is that it’s not a question like, why does SolidWorks suck or can I put milk in an envelope… this is serious stuff people.
So ask away, chime in if you know the answer, and we’ll crank out another topic that will send people home to their families in a pleasant mood.
The Mystery Question IS…
UPDATE! Chris Chastine asks…
“Does anyone else have trouble motivating their users and getting them to use some more common features? It continues to baffle me why my users still don’t use patterns or hole wizard so that when time comes to work on the assembly they can save themselves hours of sheer torture by not having to place (and keep updated) hundreds of fasteners. I still have users that draw and dimension each and every hole instead of making them all “equal” or using relations to force the design intent.
Before you ask - no, we don’t have modeling standards. And no, I am not a full time CAD Admin, I design during the day and mysteriously transform into an admin during my slower periods.”
Chris, sounds like a tough situations. Let’s see what everyone has to say!
Continue reading ‘SolidSmack Mystery Tip: Motivating SolidWorks Users to Use More Features’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Oh to have ways of creating models faster. Moving your mouse around really fast-like doesn’t help, gripping your neck and squeezing real hard doesn’t help much either. Sometimes, it’s just what you have in your bag o’ tricks that can get you moving along… or in our case, a library of tricks.
In SolidWorks, you may use the Design Library to store everything from common features to standard assemblies, but what it’s rarely used as, is a library of surface features; surfaces that can be used to aid design. This may feel a little soupy if you’re unfamiliar with surfacing in SolidWorks, but I think you’ll be able to pick up some ideas even if you don’t use surfacing.
To explain, picture this example.
Continue reading ‘Create Models Faster with a Library of Surfaces in SolidWorks’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Well, last weeks mystery tip about PhotoWorks DOF. I get a bit of emails asking questions about SolidWorks and alot of them are really good questions that I’d love to turn into posts. So once again that’s what we’re gonna do.
First Person to Ask a Question
The first person to asks a question about SolidWorks in the comments below will turn this post into a 100% grade-A topic for everyone to join in on. All I ask, is that it’s not a question like, why does SolidWorks suck or can eyes really pop out of their socket… this is serious stuff people.
So ask away, chime in if you know the answer, and we’ll crank out another topic that will send people home to their families in a pleasant mood.
The Mystery Question IS…
UPDATE: Steve Calvert ask… “Will Solidworks follow Siemens (UGS) with more direct modeling techniques or are we just stuck with history based modeling?”
Whoa Steve, you are opening up all sorts of debate! 
Continue reading ‘SolidSmack Mystery Meat: Will SolidWorks Implement Direct Modeling Techniques?’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
If you’ve been using SolidWorks 2008 for any length of time, you’ll notice that the RealView setting, along with other view settings, are front and center on that dang on-screen toolbar.
Do you like that toolbar?
I know there’s lots of opinions both ways about it. I actually don’t mind it too much. For one, It’s never once been in the way of my work, and two, I have it completely turned off… except for the Apply Scene button for RealView. Looks a bit silly, but I can’t find a flyout anywhere to add to my shortcut bar (S).
I’m lovin’ the Glow
If I remember correctly, RealView is on and has the Light Cards scene applied by default. Real View is what makes faces and edges glow really pretty like when you select them (thanks for the correction Brian). I have no idea what the term light card means, but I like that scene the best. I don’t have the best graphics card, but using RealView makes my job easier in ways I really like… and people… it makes things glow. Glowing stuff = cool… or something you catch on a warm summer night and smear across the wall. (poor lightning bugs. you’re so mean.) Here’s a RealView quick tip and a bit more.
Continue reading ‘SolidWorks Real View: Light up Your Life’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Ok, I’m gonna try something here. I get a bit of emails asking questions about SolidWorks and alot of them are really good questions that I’d love to turn into posts. So that’s what we’re gonna do.
First Person to Ask a Question
The first person to add a comment below that asks a question about SolidWorks will turn this post into a 100% grade-A tip for everyone to join in on. All I ask, is that it’s not a question like, why does SolidWorks suck or can monkeys use SolidWorks… this is serious stuff people.
So ask away, chime in if you know the answer, and we’ll see how this goes. If you like it, we can turn it into a regular type of thing on this here blog.
The Mystery Question Is…
UPDATE! Jeff (at 7:22 am CT) asks - “In Photoworks, do many people use both the depth of field and indirect illumination? I find the two don’t work together well- turning DOF on causes indirect illumination to make little difference. I know this isn’t the most exciting question, and maybe a better one will be sparked from this.”
Help him out in the comments!
Continue reading ‘SolidWorks Mystery Tip: PhotoWorks DOF!’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
This is the grandpa scenario in full-effect. Whenever my brothers and I would go over to my grandparents, there would be Twix and Twizzlers in the top cabinet over the stove. I’m completely convince my gut is lined with whatever Twizzlers are made from. There were also giant chocolate chip cookies that made it seem grandma was the head ringer of the cookie cartel.
All those good memories become sadly obscured with the emailin’ and taskin’ and blog writing, but I’ve managed to harness 6.5 ounces of good ol’ grandparent wisdom and turn it into a blog post with some helpful tips about getting the most out of SolidWorks Training. A stretch? Only to the cabinet over the stove.
Continue reading ‘How to Make Learning SolidWorks Tasty: The Grandpa Effect’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Just when you thought you knew everything about SolidWorks Explorer, Devon Sowell gives us his first post discussing tips to make your venture into the abusive and murderous world of data management easier to handle.
Some Things you’ll learn:
- What SolidWorks Explorer is for
- If parts are open when a drawing is open (Hmmm…are they?)
- How to set up references
- How to make Windows Desktop Search not suck
This little program has more uses that a bowl of rice pudding and looks wonderful on the screen when the boss walks by. Here’s what I like about SolidWorks Explorer and some additional things to keep in mind.
- When using Pack-and-Go on big assemblies, uncheck and collapse the first item, then expand it and pick the items you need.
- You can use Rename to fix “built-in-context-of…” references that have been lost. Rename to the assembly it’s built in-context of, then name it back.
- You can use SolidWorks Explorer to Rename configurations, but it will not update the Design Table it’s linked to.
- You can’t change properties on components you have opened. Just shut that sucka down and change away.
- You do have some SolidWorks Explorer Options. It’s the third circular icon on the top menu. I would set-up some common where-used and search locations there.
How do you use SolidWorks Explorer?
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Assemblies people! Not assemblies of people, which can have you going through more gallons of fake blood than a remake of the Re-animator, but assemblies of inanimate chunks of 3D data.
You can make really, grossly huge assemblies but there’s a point where people start whispering about you behind your back. Instead of spending your morning talking gossip with the office manager while your models load, split them suckers up and do a little dance that will also have people talking behind your back.
Continue reading ‘SolidWorks Assemblies: Four Furious Ways To Split ‘em Up (and Why You Should)’
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
It’s amazing how simple this is. You can actually do this in less time than it takes you to learn how to trap small animals and sell them outside Wal-mart.
Draw a cube
This is like the multi-tool of CAD. If you don’t know where to start, draw a cube.
Use the annotation tool
This is the tool that pretty much knocks out all that unnecessary detail. Overuse it because it’s easier to change text than it is to change a parametroid shape thing.
There you have it. No surfaces. No lofts. Just some good ol’ primitives junk.
Note: I realize this is completely useless and while it’s fun to draw cubes and 3D stuff, there’s a real problem with the amount of time people spend trying to sell animals outside of businesses and on the side of the road. I can understand selling watermelons or turnips, but leave the cats to coating every living thing with a fine layer of fur. Please, that’s all I’m asking.
If you haven't already, consider subscribing to SolidSmack so you can easily receive updates when new articles are published or announcements are made.
Recent Comments
RSSRichard Williams, Josh, Edmund "Butch" Lively
Oleg
Rob
Josh, Daniel
Thomas Gray, Josh, Neil, Glenda, Rob, John, Glenda, Alex, Tom Gray, Rob [...]
Bruce Buck, Kyle Mason, Jason Raak, Marijn