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‘workflow’

How To Enhance Your Project Scope

09 Sep, 2011 by Bradley Derry in CULTURE, DESIGN, RESOURCES
3D Human CAD Models

Ah, the project scope. The crucial document many of us follow as a guideline while we’re designing or engineering the next greatest thing. Its entire existence is to keep the focus by describing in detail the new product’s soon to be features, costs, and milestone dates. Love them or hate them, many of us couldn’t work without one. I’ve written dozens of scopes and over the years I’ve learned how to make them even better. Here is a way to bring more meaning to this famous document and consequently the work we produce. I call it… the Last Page.

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Workflow Slammin’, Render Bammin’ modo for SolidWorks Kit is ON

18 Apr, 2011 by Josh Mings in RESOURCES

You may want to stop suckin’ that SolidWorks model through the regular old modo SolidWorks import for a few days. Why? You’re about to get a stronger, rockin’er, suckin’er solution to bring all those bits and bobs into modo.

It’s the modo for SolidWorks kit. It’s coming soon along with more materials, more compatibility, SolidWorks-like UI enhancements, training video and, and, and… SO MUCH MORE! If you want the low down, there’s a webinar Tuesday, April 19 and Thursday, April 28th.

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Behind the Design: Making Machines that Eat Cars

20 Jul, 2010 by Josh Mings in DESIGN

We all know it. There are at least six programs that go into design process. That is, when there are more than five programs used. And with that, there’s a workflow that needs to be beat into submission. You’re about to see one that has been dealt with thusly.

You remember the design arsenal poll last week, right? The comment about using six different programs in the design process, which inspired that poll, came from none other than Bruce Buck, SolidSmack reader from the great city of San Antonio, Texas.

Now, he lays the process out for us – the design, the management and the rendering inside the company he works with, Metso Texas Shredder. As the name implies, they make machines that shred things, big things. Cars, for example. They have offices around the world that coordinate with each other on the engineering of the massive structures and they use NX, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Teamcenter, Keyshot and Shot to do it all.

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Ask The Reader: What Mix of Programs Do You Have in Your Product Design Arsenal? [Poll]

15 Jul, 2010 by Josh Mings in CULTURE

It’s been a while since we’ve asked this. Plus, when I was talking to a friend about mixing cheese sauce with green paint and throwing it into a fan, he suddenly slapped me and mentioned this:

“I’m currently using SolidWorks, NX, AutoCAD, TeamCenter, KeyShot, Shot, and Photoshop as my design arsenal.”

I dropped the cheese sauce. I was shocked and amazed. “That’s a lot of different programs.” I said. I imagine some of you live in the same cornucopia of deisgn and management bliss.

For instance, I use SolidWorks, AutoCAD, a homegrown PDM system, Photoview 360, modo and Photoshop.” Quite the list as well, I must say. So now, I’m wondering about you. How crazy is it?

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How to Use a SpeedPak to Crank up Assembly Performance in SolidWorks

28 Apr, 2010 by Josh Mings in CAD

At the center of all that is possible within a SolidWorks assembly model sits the standard bearer of complicated surface geometry villainy… a component that won’t let the darn thing load.

Who knows what it is – CPU, OS, RAM, imported parts, geometry bunions or maybe a new user that patterned his name on every surface. Regardless, there are times when you need to load an assembly model, instead of watching it load and crash. There are a few things you can do. A SpeedPak is another.

SolidWorks SpeedPaks can alleviate the deep emotional abrasion of big-ass assembly modeling and make those assemblies perform more like you want them to. Here’s how to rock it.

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SolidSmack Promo Week: Vuuch For Discussing Things About Design.

22 Mar, 2010 by Josh Mings in NEWS

vuuch-sceneWell, would you look at that. You’ve put on the ‘nice shirt’ to start the week off and nobody has said a thing. Well, TEAR. IT. OFF. and as you do, scream VUUCH! at the top of your lungs.

Sure it will get attention, but even more important, it will shred the vocal cords and remind you that this Thursday, they are having a very rare web preview to show you what Vuuch is and what it actually does for you. So, if you’re having trouble pronouncing words with two ‘U‘s in them or curious about what Vuuch does, here are the details.

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5 Reasons Why Werewolves Will Take Over 3D Product Design

18 Feb, 2010 by Josh Mings in DESIGN

Seriously, no bullets are gonna help, no alliance with the undead or any sort of blunt object or girly scream. The end… is near…. and where ever you run, the werewolf hordes are approaching.

Fortunately, you’ve already been bitten and eventually you’ll feel a a sharp bone shifting jab as technological morphotypes wrap their corpuscular DNA around your innate engineering ability and suave design sense, whereby transforming you into a new breed of something to be FEARED. Really, I wouldn’t lie to you.

So, I’ve gathered what’s making it happen and 5 reasons why. Time to feast.

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How to Egg Sack SolidWorks Part Configurations Like a Parasitic Alien

06 Oct, 2009 by Josh Mings in CAD

It’s a well-know fact that parasitic aliens love highly optimized part files in SolidWorks. It makes their job of attacking your nerve bundles to gain control over your salivary glands much, much easier.

And like parasitic aliens, configurations give you control over the parts that show up in your lovely ‘nerve bundles’ of SolidWorks Assemblies. So, we’re gonna show you how to plop that egg sack of configuration control into your workflow.

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Friday Smackdown: Armadillo Jiggle

04 Sep, 2009 by Josh Mings in NEWS

I peaked around the corner and you wouldn’t believe it. 808 blarin’! the people they starin’! popped my caddies back-a’latch and tossed in a bowl of cornflakes and these here crazy links.

Stefan Morrell – Not only is his website cool, he’s got a knack for creating cities and worlds with intense depth.
4 Lessons for an Optimize Workflow – If the ol’ workflow is something you need to optimize, this may help force that strayed mentality into submission.
TactX Mouse/Keyboard – Need customizable backlit peripherals for the ultimate gaming experience? Alienware now deals, $99 a pop though.
Woo Windows – The idea is simple. Dress up the windows of empty shops. Apparently there are plenty in York, UK.
Defendor Trailer – Woody Harrelson is a super hero. Combines Crazy Uncle with criminal underbelly of the city. Perfect.
Get Good at Photographing One Thing – Like taking pictures of food, or taking pictures of your mug, or toothless people.
Living, Growing Architecture – I love me a root bridge, nothing like it, expect maybe a Vine Bridge or a some Gourd shaping.

Bonus!
Doublecheck your Head – Best Beastie Boy Mash-up EVAH. you gotta download it, crank it, juice it.