Greetings everyone! Welcome to Symmetry Solutions Inc’s Blog. As we all work through the worst economy since the Great Depression, it’s pretty easy to get a bit down. However, this time also affords us an opportunity to do some soul-searching and take a look at how we operate. And in doing so, we have launched a number of projects, including our new website and blog that we know will help our customers.

Jeff Ray, SolidWorks CEO, spoke at SolidWorks World 2009, and he mentioned some great inventions made during the Depression: nylon, the car radio and Spam! We particularly love Spam, as it is one of many great products from Hormel Foods, a leading SolidWorks and Symmetry Solutions customer.

In closing this entry, I want all of our customers to know Symmetry Solutions is here for you during these trying times. It’s easy to do business in outstanding economic times. However, this is when it’s most important for everyone to know we are here for you.

Enjoy the blog and I hope it provides you valuable information.

I was watching TV the other day, saw some radio-controlled helicopters and thought, “I want one!”  So $200 later, I’ve got a fully capable heli in my untrained hands. Not sure why I ever thought I knew the first thing about how to fly a chopper…

Much to my dismay, it was destroyed within 1 minute of installing the battery. Not very encouraging.  Back at the hobby shop, I spent nearly $40 in repair parts.  This time, though, my natural copter ability didn’t let me down. I managed to hover.  It was an amazing show of skill that lasted almost 2 seconds before a wall got in the way, resulting in the “wallet reach”, a crushed ego, and the reinforcement that I have no idea how to fly a helicopter. Things worked out better for my buddies who now have a funny story to tell. 

There’s got to be a better way, a cheaper way, maybe a virtual way?

SIMULATION

Right, can’t believe I didn’t buy the simulator first.  For starters, it’s fun. When I crash I don’t do the “wallet reach” I hit reset.  I can’t imagine what it would have cost to learn to fly with the real heli. I’m sure I’ve crashed at least $100,000 worth of remote-controlled choppers.  Best of all, within one week of simulation practice I was able to hover my real model through an entire battery. 

The simulator cost $100. I had already spent $80 after flying (if you call it that) for a total of 3 seconds.  It makes so much more sense to try things virtually before committing to the real thing, and it’s so much cheaper. 

Anyway, I wanted to share how we’re using simulation everywhere.   Time to get back to it. I’ve got to figure out the Idle-Up mode, inverted flight.