Have you ever noticed how disorganized all your default SolidWorks files are (document templates, sheet formats, BOM’s, cut lists, custom property templates, etc.)?  After a default installation, they are all randomly crammed into a handful of directories including but not limited to the locations listed below:

• C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\data\
• C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\lang\english\
• C:\ProgramData\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\

There’s something extremely dangerous about storing your customized files in directories like the ones listed above.  What happens if you upgrade?  Uninstall?  Reinstall?  Files in your ‘Program Files’ directory are not safe, so why store all your customized templates there?  How are you going to share your customized files with the rest of your co-workers?

SOLUTION:

Download and run:

This executable file will automatically extract a ‘SolidWorks Files’ directory to your C:\ drive with a host of sub-folders that mimic the list of file locations available in your system options (see image below).  I’ve already organized these folders to include all of the default 2012 template file sets.

To finish the setup, a PDF file will automatically open explaining the finishing touches that need to be completed.  Pay attention to the fact that the instructions you need to follow vary depending on whether you’re setting up the files for multiple users or just a single user.

BONUS:

You’ll also notice that I’ve included a handful of bonus files along with the file set:

• Document Templates
• Sheet Formats
• Drafting Standards
• Custom Property Tab Template
• My personal keyboard shortcuts, mouse gestures, and toolbar layout

You can read an explanation of these additional files by clicking here.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also be interested in:

• Default SolidWorks System Options Reviewed
• Mouse Gestures that Save Time

Well, this is quite a spoiler to anyone that wakes up in the morning overwhelmed with curiosity of what each day’s SolidWorks tip is going to be, but here’s the complete list. Just be aware that this list was pulled from a 2012 installation, so there is exclusive 2012 SolidWorks functionality referenced in some of the tips.  Enjoy all 163 of them!

Well, SolidWorks 2012 SP0 (which was officially released earlier this week) has introduced an enhancement that will probably fly under most peoples’ radars, but it will finally get me using mouse gestures on a daily, hourly, minutely, and even secondly basis.  The enhancement is simple – you can now assign the ‘OK’ and ‘Cancel’ commands as mouse gestures (you also now have the ability to assign custom macros to gestures).  The ‘OK’ command as a mouse gestures saves me from stumbling my left hand all the way across my keyboard to the ‘Enter’ key which may or may not have been recognized as the ‘OK’ shortcut.

This enhancement is too great to be overlooked.  If mouse gestures were too much trouble for you to use in the past, try giving my ultra-simplistic mouse gesture mapping a try in 2012.

Save a rotated 3D view

• When you go to View>Modify>3D Drawing View, you can choose any view and rotate it any direction.  When you choose a view that you like, it will stay like that.  That way you can get a great view on the drawing with a short amount of time.

Combine notes

• If you have multiple notes on your drawing but you want to combine them, before you would need to copy and paste the text.  All you really need to do is just drag and drop one note to another.  They get combined.  If the main note is numerically indented, when you drop the other note on it, it will follow the same order.

Edit multiple dimensions at once

• If you select a bunch of dimensions, you can edit them all at once.  You can add tolerance information, text, precision, etc.

I hope these tips help keep you productive.  If you have any questions about these, please contact 3DVision.

All you need to do is double click in the cell of the BOM and then you will get a message about keeping or breaking the link.

You will have to choose “Keep Link” to update the property.  Now whatever you type in the cell will show up in the component’s properties.

Let’s start with the first part of that, “What is Instant3D”.  It lets you quickly create and modify geometry by using drag handles and scales.  You can use Instant3D in parts and assemblies.  To turn it on, select the “Features” toolbar and select “Instant3D” which is on the far right end of the toolbar.

The second part of the question, “Why would you want to use it” is a little more subjective.  If you need to change a dimension, you have the ability to just select the model face which will show the dimensions making it very quick to modify the model.

 This option is great when you are not “sure” of the design and you have some dimensions on the model.  The dimensions have a small blue dot at the end of the extension line which is what you left click and hold on.  Then a scale will show up that you can “drag-n-drop” on for your new dimensional value.

Another great way that you can use Instant3D is when you want to create an Extrude.  When you are done sketching and exit, select a segment of the sketch which will activate an arrow. 

This arrow will allow you to drag it away from the model, creating a boss extrude, or into the model creating an extrude cut.

This is just the basics of Instant3D.  I suggest you try it out and see how it can help you be more productive.

This is a really quick video demonstrating a basic workflow to create one part that closely references another part utilizing multi-body modeling techniques in SolidWorks 2011.  I created this video for a customer and figured I’d share it with the rest.  Some tips to pay attention to…

• Don’t judge me on the design, I wanted to keep it simple.  : )
• Ignore my non-use of the RMB (right mouse button) to exit commands.  I try not to use this shortcut in videos to keep things easier to follow.
• Leaving the ‘Break link to original part‘ check box in the ‘Insert Part’ command unchecked will allow changes made to the iPhone to propagate to my case design.
• I do not click in the graphics area to insert the part.  Instead, I simply click the green check mark to have it dropped precisely at the origin of the new part file (this works in assemblies too).
• I insert a ‘Weldment‘ feature so that my future part features do not automatically ‘Merge result’ and blend the solid bodies together.
• RMB’ing an edge and selecting ‘Select Tangency‘ can be a big time saver.
• A lot of times, people forget that you can shell outwards.
• When working with multi-body part files, always make sure to pay attention to the ‘Feature Scope‘ of your cut features.
• You can window select multiple corner points when using the ‘Sketch Fillet’ tool.  You can also drag the yellow preview to resize the radius.
• I could have added the 0.03125″ fillets more quickly by typing “1/32″ and by selecting the top face of the case and the cut face of the ‘Cut-Extrude2′ feature rather than selecting each individual edge.  Selecting a face will always apply a fillet to the face’s perimeter edges.
• In SolidWorks 2011 SP4, you can accelerate the PhotoView 360 preview rendering by scrubbing your mouse across the areas of interest.

What I noticed is that the plastic arm that suspends the cups under the water flow may require a design change.  The issue arises due to repeated addition of force in the arm from my son. Although the arm is plenty sufficient to hold the plastic cups as designed it is not equally as designed for a 1 year old to repeatedly pull down on the end of the arm to remove the cups.  Repeated addition of this force has caused plasticity in the arm at the connection to the base.

Let’s examine the geometry to better understand the issue.

The larger ring accepts the cups.  The arm runs between the large ring and the small ring that mounts to the inlet shaft.  A small fillet is used to blend the interface between the arm and the small ring.  In my opinion this fillet is too small.  Here’s why.  Stress = Force / Area.  The smaller the area (fillet size) the higher the stress.

• The arm was modeled reconstructing the dimensions using caliper and a scale.  Note the dimensions are approximate.
• The first model has the original fillet size.

• As a design change the second model has a larger fillet added to distribute the stress.

• The model material was assumed to be ABS standard with the SolidWorks Library. A more accurate material definition is needed for any real design changes to be recommended.

The problem statement is as follows:

My son takes a bath every night. On average the arm is bent 4-5 times during the course of the bath.  Based on the one month the toy has been in use 30 X 4.5 = 135 applications of force applied so far.  I will analyze the existing and the proposed  geometry for stress based on a specific displacement.  Next perform fatigue analysis on the existing and proposed design for the arm.

The arm is fixed at the recessed ledge where the collar meets the inlet shaft.  A specified downward displacement of 1.75″ based on my sons actions is applied to the outer most portion of the large ring.

Due to large displacement in the model and the nonlinearity of the material Simulation Premium was used to analyze the geometry. Note the material specifications are not exact and a generalized S-N curve was used for the fatigue analysis. A zero based loading was used for fatigue.

Results:

Original Design Showed 20000 PSI of stress at the fillet area.

 A fatigue life of 890 cycles for the same area.

The modified larger fillet showed much improvment Stress of 10000 PSI and a fatigue life of 4000 cycles.

If the geometry is modified with a larger fillet the toy will be enjoyed a great deal longer.  From the design change a life of 4000 cycles, my son will be 4.  Before then, I am sure it will be passed on to a little brother or sister.

So now you have to go over each file and unsuppress it.   Don’t start yelling and getting mad about how long this process is going to take.  All you need to do is left click on the top level assembly and then navigate to Edit>Unsuppress with Dependents>This Configuration.

Now everything is unsuppressed with about 3 mouse clicks.  Now that’s pretty easy.

You should be careful about doing this.  If the assembly has a lot of components and your computer does not have enough RAM, you could have some performance issues.  This is because when you unsuppress all the components, they get loaded into RAM.  So you have been warned.

Lets Discuss Convergence In a Simulation Model:

In Finite Element Analysis (FEA) the results are an approximation.  The way a user becomes comfortable with the stress, strain, and deflection calculated by an analysis depends on convergence.  A recommended variation of 5% stress between runs usually indicates good stress convergence.

To reach convergence a user can apply multiple methods, over the course of their analysis studies.

Global Mesh Refinement

The Global mesh refinement method indicates that a user over the course of three or four studies tightens the global mesh size incrementally until the calculated results are within the users specified convergence range.

Plus: Easy to adjust the setting of global mesh size.

Minus: Larger run times due to areas of low stress having the mesh refined as well.  The more elements in the Finite Element Model the longer the computing time.Mesh Control

Mesh control allows a user to specify mesh refinement in localized areas of high stress leaving the global mesh density larger.  This is the recommended method.

Plus: Allows user more control over the mesh in areas of high stress. Keeps computation time shorter as only areas of interest are being refined.

Minus: This takes more time to setup and identify areas to add mesh control.Adaptive Meshing (H Method)

Adaptive meshing allows the users to apply “mesh cruise control”.  Simulation looks for convergence based on parameters the user specifies, usually a target accuracy for the Strain Energy Norm.  Simulation automatically adds mesh control in areas of calculated high stress. It is important that the original mesh starts at default settings, and it is recommended this method be used with standard meshing. Five iterations is usually a good starting point.  Note that H Adaptive is only run once, as the software completes the mesh refinement and runs for you.  Remember that if the target accuracy is not achieved, you can re-run the H-adaptive study again and it will continue from the last iteration.

Plus: Simulation automates the process.

Minus: Additional analysis setup time is required.When adding mesh control or mesh refinement always take small steps.  Mesh density should be adjusted in small increments. For example if a mesh control starts at 0.25″ the next change would be 0.2″.  We generally recommend a 20% reduction in mesh size with each successive analysis for applied mesh controls.

Let’s discuss Standard versus Curvature based mesh:

The Standard Mesh has been used from the beginning of SolidWorks Simulation.  The Standard mesher uses the Voronoi-Delaunay meshing scheme for subsequent meshing operations. The Standard mesher incorporates a global size that reads the thinnest area of the component and dictates at minimum cross section at least two elements define the thickness in the mesh.  This may lead to mesh refinement  in areas that may not be required.  Manual mesh control can then be applied to refine specified areas.

The Curvature based mesh creates more elements in higher-curvature areas automatically (without the need to apply mesh controls).  Typically curvature based meshes do not need additional user applied mesh controls, and take less steps to achieve convergence.

Mesh Quality

The output from any simulation is mesh dependent.  An analysis of a model with a  good quality mesh will have different answers than the same model with a poor quality mesh. It is always important to look at the mesh plot and investigate the aspect ratio of the mesh.  Aspect ratio is a measure of the skew of an element, defined as the ratio of the longest edge/ shortest edge.  For a high Quality element, the Aspect Ratio should be less than 3.  Overall 85% to 90% of the elements in a mesh should have an Aspect Ratio of less than 3. A high Aspect Ratio will cause higher stress to be calculated in that element than surrounding cells.