SolidWorks Tutorial: Create a Part, Assembly and Drawing in One Fell Swoop

27 Jan, 2009 by in CAD

front-top-rightSo, you love your cushy design engineer job, but part, assembly and drawing creation is an assembly line of repetitive horror and the screams are about to come blasting out.

If you’re like me, you love the design process, but starting everything from scratch, especially on similar components uses up a lot of extra time that could be spent supporting co-workers with meaningful conversations on the repercussions of defeating robots with lasers.

Interested in saving time and adding some automation to your part, assembly and drawing creation? Here’s how to create a SolidWorks Part, Assembly and Drawing with one step.
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Product Visualization? Augmented Reality? It Goes a Little Sumthin’ Like This LEGO Man

26 Jan, 2009 by in TECH

lego-digital-box-3dYou’re running down the isle, pouring consumer goods into your buggy and in the crazed rampage you wonder exactly what that boxed ham slicer is gonna look like sitting on your counter. It’s hard to imagine, but the first word you think is HIDEOUS.

You move on to the LEGOs and there, shining in brilliant digitized glory is the LEGO Digital Box interface. You hold the box out and instantly you see the product 3-dimensionally in it’s completed state. *gasp*

You must have it.
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Engineers and Designers of the Future? You Can Help.

26 Jan, 2009 by in ROCKIN'

orangewood-childrenHave you ever been working through a design – finding solutions, working with others, getting sick of IT problems when suddenly you realize you would like to give someone else the opportunity to experience all the wonderfully nurturing engineering you’ve done? You can.

Alex Ruiz, The SW Geek, was given that opportunity and he wants to pass it on to all the boys and girls that are in the same spot he was so many years ago. And ya know what? It couldn’t be easier for you to help out too.
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Friday Smackdown: Explosive Meat

23 Jan, 2009 by in SMACKDOWN

chiu-illustration-350Did that really just happen? That tree just spontaneous combustulated, a thousand woodland creature crawled out of the hole left behind, followed by Burt Bacharach and these links.

Weird little creatures – The illustrative creature works of Bobby Chiu. Simply the coolest, most surreal creature illustration imaginable.
Tilt Shift Photography – Everything you wanted to know about tilt-shift photography and how to do it.
Ace of Mace – A fun little game that will have you flickin’ away for hours… or until completely frustrated.
Tim Ferriss Interview – Famed author of ‘The Four Hour Workweek’ gets questioned by Mr. Leo ‘productivity’ Babuta.
How to Hedge with your Personal Finances – Those prices will be a’fluctuating and you could always save for that boat. Here’s how to do it smooth.
FontPicker – Reads the fonts on your computer. You enter text to see all the glorious way it will look.
Fighting Giraffes – If you do that again, I swears you will get a face full of neck.

I(heart)Sketch Shows What 3D Design is All About

22 Jan, 2009 by in CAD

ilovesketch-ship-demoSpeaking of touchscreen display technology you’ll want to take a look at this. Found at Joe Moak’s, Hey, That’s a Great Idea via Develop3D, a revisit to the I(heart)Sketch. INDEED.

You’ve seen I(heart)Sketch on SolidSmack before, but this actual demo of a ship being created is glorious. It’s even more amazing than the normal touchscreen silliness, because it actually applies design in a semi-3D environment via a touch interface.

Video after the jump.
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22″ Touchscreen Ready to Rock. Fingerprints not included.

22 Jan, 2009 by in TECH

albatron-optical-monitorI bet all of you are anxious to have someone stick their donut fingers all over your monitor screen as soon as these touchscreen displays start showing up. And showing up they will. March 2009, marks the month Albatron Technology will debut their 21.5″ Full HD multi-touch display.

This sneaks in right on the heels of a Windows 7 Beta release that sports multi-touch capability. This could mean big changes in the future for desk and CAD jockeys alike.

Oh and this isn’t just any old touchscreen monitor…
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Ramping Up for SolidWorks World 2009. What Do You Want to See?

21 Jan, 2009 by in NEWS

solidworks-world-09While all the bloggers and SolidWorks people are busy freaking out about SolidWorks World 2009, I imagine there’s quite a few unable to go to. So instead of posting boring photos of wiring bundles behind exhibitor booths and other stuff you may not be interested in, you get to have your say about what shows up on SolidSmack. It’s cuz we luv you.

So. Technical Sessions? Partner Pavilion? Keynotes? Events? Totally Random Stuff?

What most interests you about SolidWorks World? If you have another suggestion just hit the comments. We’ll probably listen intently and think you are extra cool for doing so.

{democracy:7}

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Eat Your CSWP For Free

21 Jan, 2009 by in CAD

eating-paperWhy, it was only a few days ago you were enticed to get your Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) certificate. Now, however, SolidWorks is elevating the enticement by offering the exam to current subscription customers for the rest of 2009… for FREE.

Customers wishing to take the exams must redeem their code no later than December 31st, 2009, and all the exams must be completed by July 31st, 2010. – Mike’s CAD Blog

Where do you get the code?

Log into the Customer Portal and the offer will be on the right hand side. Here’s more details on the various SolidWorks Certification Exams offered. Need some reasons to get it? Here’s what some CSWP’s say:
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6 Ways to Improve the Heck Out of This SolidWorks Parts

20 Jan, 2009 by in CAD

improve-solidworks-partsOh, the joys of using a really poorly modeled part and trying not to tear someone’s head off. Quell your rage with this. We’re going to deconstruct a simple part to show you exactly how to optimize part building in SolidWorks.

The part is simple but each tiny facet hold the possibilities of wrecking havoc on your assembly rebuild times. Why does how a part is modeled play such a big role? It creates a standard for you and others to maintain consistent result.

Get these basics down and your co-workers will not feel the need to smash each other. Now, let’s improve the heeeeeeee…ck out of your parts.
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Designing a Hubless Bicycle. From Rhino to SolidWorks – Your Input?

19 Jan, 2009 by in CAD

waugh-bicycle-tnThis bicycle concept has been on the web… A LOT. You may have seen it, but you may not know that it was designed using 3D. Yes, I know, it’s almost obvious. The design is also being refined in SolidWorks and that’s where you come in.

Brad Waugh has a cool idea. A hubless bike. It challenges the ideas of motion and all that nonsense of how things should actually rotate. The form is excellent, but how can he make it functional? Maybe more pratical?

Here’s the concept rendering and a bit more from Brad.
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