Replace Model in Drawing (New in SolidWorks 2014)

We can use the Replace Model tool to change file references for individual drawing views while the drawing is open.

You can use the Replace Model tool to change file references between parts and parts, assemblies and assemblies, and between parts and assemblies. If you create drawings that have iterative changes or similar parts that require similar dimensioning schemes, this tool allows you to reuse a drawing in the new context.

Let’s understand this with an example. Here we have a drawing of a part with few dimensions already placed. We will try to replace this with an assembly.

 

Now we will right click any view and select Replace Model as shown below.

 

Now it will ask us if we want to replace a selected view or all the views. Also here we need to browse for the file with which we want to replace the view.

Once the file is selected it will ask us to confirm it as shown below.

 

 

Now as we can see below all the views have been replaced and the parameters are still there. None of the dimension lost the reference.

 

 

 

 

 

Smart Mates - SolidWorks 2013 vs SolidWorks 2014

 

SMART MATES

The SmartMates functionality saves time by allowing you to create commonly-used mates without using the Mate PropertyManager.

To use the SmartMates command in SolidWorks 2013 and older version of SolidWorks, you can access it from Move Component on the Assembly toolbar. In the PropertyManager, under Move, click SmartMates as shown below

 

To do the mates you need to double-click a component and then click a valid mate partner. As shown below when you double-click the first component it becomes transparent indicating Smart Mate.

Now we select the other mating component and the Mate pop-up toolbar appears as shown below.

 

 

We can do the same procedure for the other mate. Double click the first component and then select the other mating component.

 

The mate toolbar pops up as shown below.

 

New in SolidWorks 2014

You can include the SmartMates command when customizing the Assembly toolbar or the Assembly CommandManager as shown below.

To include the SmartMates command in the CommandManager:

1. Open an assembly.

2. Click Tools > Customize, or right-click the CommandManager and select Customize.

3. On the Commands tab, select Assembly.

4. Drag the SmartMates command to the Assembly CommandManager, and click OK.

 

 

Delete Feature without deleting the child features - New in SolidWorks 2014

When you are working in your feature tree and want to delete certain feature without deleting child feature is not possible in SolidWorks 2013. Both the parent and child feature will be lost when you delete certain feature.

With the latest realease on SolidWorks 2014 you can delete certain feature without deleting their child features.

Let see how we can use the new feature in SolidWorks 2014.

When you delete a parent feature that has child or absorbed features, you can select which features to delete. As shown below when you select a feature to delete, you get the Confirm delete dialog box.

Before we see the advanced option let us see the other options for the Confirm delete dialog box. As shown below you can select the option to delete the absorbed features. So if you delete the feature the sketch also gets deleted automatically.

 

 

The other option is to delete the Child features. In SolidWorks 2014 version you have the option to delete the Parent feature without deleting the child features.

 

 

The last option is to select the Advanced Confirm Delete dialog box and as shown below, it lets you selectively delete child and absorbed features. The features that you retain might display warnings or error messages in the Feature Manager Design tree. You must manually resolve any errors.

 

What's new in SolidWorks Simulation 2014

With every year's major release in SolidWorks, the enhancements that is made in all modules of  SolidWorks Simulation 2014 (SolidWorks Simulation Professional, SolidWorks Simulation Premium and SolidWorks Flow Simulation) is truly outstanding.

The SolidWorks Simulation 2014 release focus on four important theme:

Boost Productivity with Intelligent Tools

• Automatically convert Toolbox Fasteners to bolt connectors
• New Bolt Connectors Symbol

Benefits :

• Easier Simulation setup time
• Leverage CAD Simulation
• Improve productivity of Product Engineers

Perform comprehensive simulations across consistent solution

Leverage ECAD thermal properties

• Import thermal properties from Circuit Works in SolidWorks Flow Simulation
• Import PCB layers definition from Circuit Works in SolidWorks Flow Simulation

Benefits:

• Streamline product development process
• Enhance the user experience with SolidWorks Solutions.

Import Residual Stress from SolidWorks Plastics

• Import In-Molding Residual Stress (the stress generated before ejection) from SolidWorks Plastics.
• Perform Structural Analysis taking in account molding stresses.

Benefits:

• Provide complete performance test capabilities.
• Consistency of the global simulation tools.

Acheive greater insight with Simulation results

Mirror results about planes of symmetry

• Allows user to mirror results about planes of symmetry (planar,cyclic)

Benefits :

• Ease post processing of Complex symmetrical models
• Facilitate the sharing of simulation results with people unfamiliar with Simulation.

 

Results Comparison Across Configurations

Allow the user to compare simulation results across different configurations.

Benefits :

•  Ease comparison of design scenarios 
• Enable user to focus on his research to best design

Better eDrawings support of CFD results

Save multiple SolidWorks Flow Simulation output charts in a single edrawing.

Benefits:

• Ease Communication with CFD results 
• offer consistency with solidworks simulation

Performance

SolidWorks Simulation Performance Enhancements to :

• Faster file open with Simulation Active
• Large problem with Large problem direct sparse solver - Multi -Core Support
• Direct Sparse solver - upto 40% seep up for in-core problems
• Large speed up in the Interactive Solver (FFE +) - Multi-Processor, Contact convergence

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual First Look

At SolidWorks World 2014, the world got the first look at SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual.
SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual is more than just a CAD tool, it delivers truly collaborative design environment that enables design teams, customers, and suppliers to communicate, work together (interact) and develop products whenever they want and where ever they are located.

SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual is built on four pillars

CONCEPTUAL -

This is one of the interesting and brilliant feature in SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual. It allows you to see how the design would move and interact in a dynamic way giving you the ability to get much deeper insight as compared to a static sketch.Most concepts start as 2D sketches, involving multiple parts in one sketch, SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Conceptual minimizes rework with intuitive 2D to 3D tools that feature automatic mapping of sketch relations into assembly mates and motion drivers.

INSTINCTIVE -

Most concepts start as 2D sketches, involving multiple parts in one sketch, SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Conceptual minimizes rework with intuitive 2D to 3D tools that feature automatic mapping of sketch relations into assembly mates and motion drivers.

SOCIAL -

SOLIDWORKS Mechanical Conceptual uses familiar social collaboration tools in an interactive environment to harness the collective intelligence of your company, customers, and vendors. By creating online communities you can assemble the complete design story in one location — design requirements, concepts, and decisions from all key stakeholders — capturing the collective intelligence of your entire community to improve your design.

CONNECTED -

Mechanical Conceptual enhances collaboration by automatically saving design iterations to keep data safe and up-to-date. You design data is saved to a secure online collaborative space allowing you to connect, access and work on concepts anywhere at any time.



To know more about SolidWorks Mechanical Conceptual read this post

Sheet Metal Bent Lofted Bends:New in SolidWorks 2014

SolidWorks 2014 introduces new sheet metal tools to make your design process easier than ever. You can create a Bent Lofted bend to create physical bends, rather than formed geometry and approximated bend lines in a flat pattern. Bent lofted bends form a realistic transition between two parallel profiles to facilitate instructions for press brake manufacturing.

 

As shown below starting SolidWorks 2014, you have the option to select the Manufacturing method, if it’s going to be Bent or Formed. Not only that if you select Bent as the manufacturing method, you now have the option to select the different Faceting options as shown in the red box.

For example as shown below if you select Number of Bends as the faceting option you can specify the number of bend lines (Facet value) in our case 10.

 

 

The other thing that’s new is you can control the Faceting options for each Bend independently. The options are shown by clicking on the Magenta color dot. In our case we select the Segment angle as the option and specify the value to be 25 deg.

 

 

  The result is shown below.

 

Shown below is the Flat Pattern using the Flatten command

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Configurations to Equations - What's new in SolidWorks 2014

In SolidWorks 2014, the ability to apply configurations to equations and global variables is enhanced. You can configure equations and global variables in the same way as you configure dimensions. Previously, you could only configure equations and global variables by suppressing or unsuppressing them in selected configurations. Now you can create variations of equations and global variables, and apply them to configurations using the Equations and Modify dialog boxes. You can also configure equations and global variables in design tables and in various PropertyManagers for parts and assembly features. You can then edit the equation and assign it to different configurations using the Equation or Modify dialog boxes. You can also specify a different unit of measurement for each configuration. You cannot use configurable equations and suppression/unsuppression in the same model.

Red Box- You can select a specific configuration for which you want to see the equations.

Blue Box- You can select if you want an equation for just this configuration, all configurations or can select specific configurations.

Green Box- You can select a Sketch Equation view filter.

 

If you created a model with SolidWorks 2013 or an earlier version, you must remove all suppressed and unsuppressed equations and global variables, before adding configurable equations and global variables. You must also remove design tables, then save and re-open the document file with SolidWorks 2014.

 

Stick Fonts - Whats New in SolidWorks 2014

You can use stick fonts when applying sketch text to parts or assemblies for laser engraving, water jet, and for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining.

Stick fonts are also called single line, stroke, or open loop fonts. Use the OLFSimpleSansOC regular font for all stick fonts as shown below.

 

 

 

 

Below is the output you get with this fonts.

Note: This font will only work for 2014 version. Even if you copy and paste the font, you won’t get the below result for 2013 and lower version of SolidWorks.

 

 

What`s New Features in SolidWorks 2014

SolidWorks 2014 delivers new and improved design tools to enhance collaboration, speed model creation, and simplify the product development process. With the 22nd release , checkout what's in store in SolidWorks 2014.

ADVANCED SHAPE CONTROL - 

• Fast and easy creation of complex geometry with new Style Spline functionality.
• Better simple control over spline geometry
• New Conic Fillet controls create smoother transitions for fillet.

BENEFITS: Create complex surfaces and organic shapes faster, easier, and with more precise control.

SKETCH ENHANCEMENTS -

• Replace sketch entity
• Set Sketch and Sketch picture scale when adding first dimension
• Fixed length Dimension for 2D Splines
• Path length dimension for multiple sketch entities - belts, chains, perimeters, cable etc.

BENEFITS: Conceptualize and design faster and easier with more robust and powerful Sketch capabilities.

ENHANCED ASSEMBLY PERFORMANCE AND VISUALIZATION -

• Create assemblies faster with new in-context Quick Mate toolbar
• Section View - Include/Exclude slected components
• Significantly improved Section View performance
• Create part Slot features with Hole Wizard and speed up assembly creation with new Slot Mate
• Add rotation in Explode Steps so parts will automatically rotate

BENEFITS: Create and view assemblies faster and easier

DESIGN COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION -

• Experience your 3D designs in real world in Augmented Reality with edrawings and edrawings Prodfessional iOS mobile apps.
• edrawing mobile support for Android devices (4.0 and later)
• Create an eDrawings file of your SolidWorks Electrical schematics with a single click

BENEFITS: Experience and communicate your design ideas in a more lifelike way - anytime , anywhere

NEW SHEETMETAL FEATURES-

• New Sheet Metal  Gusset feature for creation of stiffening ribs
• Improved control over sheet metal corner treatments
• Sheet Metal Lofted- Bend includes information needed for press brake manufacturing

BENEFITS:  Create sheet metal geometry faster, with improved data output for manufacturing

STREAMLINED SIMULATION SETUP -

• Toolbox fasteners definition, with position, bolt materials, and preloads, for Bolt Connectors in SolidWorks Simulation
• Thermal properties and PCB definition from electrical components in SolidWorks Flow Simulation
• In-mold residual stress and temperature data from SolidWorks Plastics in SolidWorks Simulation

BENEFITS: Streamline simulation and eliminate duplication of effort to enable concurrent engineering.

FASTER DRAWING DETAILING

• Create angular running dimensions
• Set automatic limits for rows in tables
• Turn part drawing into an assembly drawing without losing references
• Slot callout notes

BENEFITS: Perform faster and more automated drawing  detailing.

SOLIDWORKS ELETRICAL IMPROVED INTEGRATION AND PERFORMANCE

• Single-button publishing of schematic and assembly files for review in eDrawings
• One click check-in/check-out of electrical project files to SolidWorks Enterprise PDM
• Enhanced wire/cable/harness development capabilities with optimized routing

BENEFITS: Optimize, share and track electrical designs more easily for improved project collaboration.

SOLIDWORKS ENTERPRISE PDM STREAMLINED WORKFLOW

• Customize the user interface with custom data columns for company-specific data
• Automated cache management to cache and clear specified folders at user log-in and log-off
• Enable vault operations directly in Microsoft Office user interface for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

BENEFITS: Make faster, more accurate documents actions and get the latest file versions automatically .

STREAMLINE COST ESTIMATING AND REPORTING

• New options enable section and control of cost estimation methods
• New estimate type based on average cost of material removal simplifies  Costing setup
• Microsoft Excel integration and output of more Costing Custom Properties improve cost data sharing

BENEFITS: Cost parts faster and with less setup, then share cost data more effectively with downstream applications.

EXPLORE SOLIDWORKS 2014