THE RIGHT WAY TO REVISE DRAWINGS IN SOLIDWORKS ELECTRICAL

SolidWorks Electrical comes with an integrated library database that provides numerous symbols and over five hundred thousand manufactured parts which you can use in your design.

Overall, SolidWorks Electrical schematic design capabilities ease the process of developing embedded electrical systems for both machines as well as other applications. This is something it does by using single-line and multi-line schematic tools which assist you in planning your electrical systems.

Here, in today’s blog, we shine some light on the method of revising drawings and projects in SolidWorks Electrical.

Considering that you are using one of the standard project templates that are installed in Electrical, you would be able to see, on the very first page, a revision block.

If the project is in the initial revision, you will find the revision number to be zero. You can add revisions at the individual drawing level or even at the book level.

We say, begin at the project level by right-clicking on the Document Book. Once selected, a revision box will open. Feel free to add information in any of the boxes that has dots. If required, you can also click Customize to alter any of the data fields.

Next step is to click on Validate for finalizing the revision. Follow that up with a click on Verify, which will lead to a dialog pop-up asking whether you want all the book documents to be set to similar revision. Click yes in case you want them to start at zero. Then, click Okay and proceed. 

You will find the Print Book option on the screen next. Use it to print your drawings or export them to a PDF. Whichever option you choose, your revision block would update accordingly and you can freely move on with your design.

There, you see, adding revisions to your project and drawings is a pretty easy task. All you need to do is simply follow the above procedure.

To learn more about SolidWorks Electrical, feel free to take up SolidWorks Electrical Training at FEA Training Consultants.

Application of Loads in SolidWorks Simulation

Simulation:  Application of Loads

 SolidWorks Simulation allows users to set up and run tests using finite element analysis (FEA).  The manner in which a user sets up a test will determine whether the results are an accurate result of real-world conditions.  (Also Read:Symmetry in SolidWorks Simulation -Guide to applying loads and restraints appropriately)

Consider the electrical component shown below.  The main grey surface consists of ceramic porcelain whereas the small red parts indicate components that generate heat on the board.  We are interested in the heat distribution for this part under working conditions.

In order to set up the problem we define the material properties for each component.  This includes the red electrical components as well as the grey ceramic porcelain.  Following material definition, we define heat generation power of 0.2W for the red components and convection of 0.2 W/m^2 K for the outside surfaces.  The convection is a mechanism of heat transfer used to dissipate the heat.  

It is important to pay attention to detail when defining a simulation study.  Consider the definition of 0.2W heat generation for the red components.  The user must differentiate whether the heat generation is generated for each component or whether it is generated across the sum total of components.  This is an important distinguishing factor.  In this case it is set to “Per item” which is correct.

Furthermore, as a tip, if the user were to use symmetry to divide a heat generating part in half and the heat generation is defined in terms of Watts, it follows that the Watt value must also be divided by half since Watt is a total heat generating value.  The relationship is similar to that of force and pressure.

Once the analysis is successfully set up we need to mesh the component.

Once the component is meshed, we may run the analysis.  According to the conditions set for this thermal analysis we are seeing a maximum value of 460C occurring on the inner components.  The heat generated from the components travels outward to a temperature of 427C towards the outer edges of the ceramic porcelain.  

The manner in which the simulation analysis was set up can greatly affect the results.