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‘surfacing’

Forget Hybrid Modeling, Delcam Has the Solid-Surface-Mesh Tribrid Modeling Paaa-nache {Video}

09 Sep, 2009 by Josh Mings in NEWS
3D Human CAD Models

How many types of CAD modeling can you stack atop your chest before collapsing a lung? Most draw the line at two, solids and surfacing, and even then, aortas start rupturing. Little do people know there’s a third that can be applied to give you, YES, TRIBRID MODELING.

Delcam has had Tribrid modeling capabilities in their PowerSHAPE Pro product since the 2008 release, but many people haven’t had a chance to see it, let alone even fathom what it could possibly be.

Fortunately for you, Al Dean, of Develop3D is on site in South Korea at the Delcam Asian Technical Summit to get all the meaty details on the power of PowerSHAPE and what Tribrid modeling is all about. Al explains it all and even caught the demonstration on crisp 4:3 SD video. Sweet.

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The iPhone 3G Model, Take 2. Plus Surfacing Resources and Coolness from Mark Biasotti

19 May, 2009 by Josh Mings in CAD

Five days and five version later the original iPhone 3G model has been slapped around and optimized to use some of those best practices we all tuck away in our back pockets from time to time.

On top of that, we have a image-rich “here’s how you go about doing this”, some important SolidWorks and general surfacing resources, plus a version of the iPhone model done by none other than Mark Biasotti of SolidWorks. Exciting stuff I think.

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‘Fairly’ Smooth Surfaces in SolidWorks: How to Create the 3G iPhone *Updated*

13 May, 2009 by Josh Mings in CAD

Since we’ve been talking about viewing SolidWorks files on an iPhone, how about we talk a little about viewing an iPhone in SolidWorks. Better yet, how about we model up the back of one to see how we can get those continuous smooth shapes in SolidWorks.

We’ll be using surfacing, and the fine art of visual analysis, to create the shell of the first touch-screen device to be held in our sweaty palms. It’s fairly simple and we’ve even included the file for you to download.

Update:This post is one way of approaching a design problem and not intended to go into complex surfacing. Only an example of creating a ROUGH surface model for creating iPhone accessories. As read in the comments, there is a MUCH BETTER way to actually model the part for manufacturing. That post can be found at this link (iPhone 3G model Take 2). Thanks to everyone that commented on how NOT to model this part. :)

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What’s in the Box?! If Only Surfacing Was This Easy.

24 Mar, 2009 by Josh Mings in ROCKIN'

A very kind reader and master of SolidWorks surfacing technology sent me a really fun link that plays on the idea of ‘unboxing the box’ – as in, removing the notion that surrounds cars of being boxy and inefficient.

It’s from Audi and produced by 1st Ave Machine. They make shaping cardboard look way easy, like babies could do it. If you’ve actually worked with cardboard however, it can be quite difficult to shape. Painful even, especially when that box cutter slips.

Anyway, what I think is especially cool and significant to our 3D CAD interests, is the idea of creating 3-dimensional geometry around us, or rather on us… or us on the 3D geometry. Sound odd? Watch the video to see what I’m talkin’ about.
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Will You Miss the Shape Feature in SolidWorks 2010?… The What?

10 Mar, 2009 by Josh Mings in CAD

solidworks-form-featureIf you’ve upgraded to SolidWorks 2009 SP2.1, you might notice a message for an obscure feature that helps you make lil’ bumps on faces. The Shape feature. Turns out, this particular feature will not be available in SolidWorks 2010.

Yep, so now, you and that one guy in South Dakota who use it to make fake indentations on sheet metal parts are going to have to move on to another feature. What could it be?
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Parametric Model INSANITY: 5 Ways to Capture Change in SolidWorks Parts

10 Dec, 2008 by Josh Mings in CAD

Cut, trim, copy, paste, delete, trim, spin, slap, aRRRG! It’s the same teeth-gritting routine to get one edge to match another edge, one face to move with another. What we need is an easier way to get multiple parts to capture change and make that model rock your bosses eyes out of his ever loving skull.

SolidWorks makes this absolutely possible. There’s a handful of ways to do it, but they all require a little knowledge as to how they work.

So guess what? examples. Five of ‘em. Ripe and juicy, oh, and simple.
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SolidWorks Surfacing and Complex Shape Modeling

14 May, 2008 by Josh Mings in RESOURCES

Yesterday my copy of SolidWorks Surfacing by Matt Lombard arrived in the mail from Amazon! My boy likes all the colored images in the book… and I like the colored images in the book. We discussed boundary surface and debated lofting conditions.

From first glance, this book is full of insight that will get you up to speed fast on terminology and how surfacing works inside SolidWorks. I really like the sections on Using Specialized Techniques and Matt goes into the process of setting up the model, or rather, what to consider and the important information needed to start a more complicated shape.

It also uses a lot of real world type examples. I see a plastic bottle that looks like something in my cabinet. Congrats to Matt for getting this out. Go buy it and learn something today!

Create Models Faster with a Library of Surfaces in SolidWorks

13 May, 2008 by Josh Mings in CAD

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.
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