National Instruments and SolidWorks Collaborate on a Virtual Prototyping Solution

National Instruments has begun shipping the production release of NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks, a pioneer mechatronics tool that helps mechanical and control engineers work together to lower the cost and risk of motion system design. Seamlessly connecting NI LabVIEW graphical system design software and SolidWorks® 3D CAD software, the new virtual prototyping solution helps engineers and scientists design, optimize, validate and visualize the real-world performance of machines and motion systems before incurring the costs of physical prototypes.

NI SoftMotion for SolidWorks requires SolidWorks Motion Simulation, included with SolidWorks Premium, SolidWorks Simulation Professional and SolidWorks Simulation Premium. Additional LabView modules may also be required.

National Instruments has an extremely information website with webcasts, whitepapers, getting started guides, etc. Check it out: http://www.ni.com/digitalprototyping/

As mentioned in a previous blog posting, Rockwell Automation is collaborating with SolidWorks on a very similar solution that will integrate RA Motion Analyser software with SolidWorks Motion Simulation. This software should be available later this fall. More info can be found at http://www.ab.com/motion/software/analyzer.html and http://www.rockwellautomation.com/partners/dassault.html

SustainabilityXpress Available NOW from SolidWorks Labs

SustainabilityXpress is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool for SolidWorks 2009.   When determining the environmental impact of a product, LCA looks at everything that happens in the production, use, and final disposal of the product. This even includes all the transportation that occurs between the stages. Decisions on the material used, how it is manufactured, … can result in vastly different effects on the environment. SustainabilityXpress shows you these impacts and helps you to improve your design.

SustainabilityXpress is the first fruit of a technology partnership between SolidWorks and PE International, a global expert in sustainability and materials science.  The Xpress version if free and is limited to evaluating single parts.  A full-fledged assembly analysis tool will be introduced along with SolidWorks 2010 later this month.

SustainabilityXpress prompts the user for information about materials used, manufacturing method, where it will be manufactured and where it will be used.  Once the information has been gathered, SustainabilityXpress interrogates PE’s huge database and provides four to five pages of data on teh environmental impace of sourcing the material, processing it, shipping it, using it and then disposing it at the end of its life.  Finally, the system will help you evaluate alternative materials that may have a lesser environmental impact. 

SustainabilityXpress requires SolidWorks 2009.  Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available.  For more information and to download the software, please visit http://labs.solidworks.com/

Hi folks – I’m pleased to announce DS SolidWorks Corporation has sent a customer satisfaction survey again in 2009. The bonus is that this year I am able to provide a URL in case you missed the email (probably due to spam filters).

As always, Symmetry Solutions encourges your feedback and welcomes ways we can improve your customer experience. At any time feel free to contact us and please, before completing the survey, if there is anything you can not enter as a positive experience contact us so we may try to help you.

Here’s the survey URL:

http://vp-nri.com/take?i=150538&h=BW5p0Za5u8OmrsbDyaQ3kA

SolidWorks Over the Million Mark

DS SolidWorks Corporation recently sold its one millionth license of SolidWorks. Thanks to all our loyal customers over all these years (I’ve been working with SolidWorks Corp as a value-added reseller since 1995).

Read more and see a few videos of the one millionth customer and and discussion with Jon Hirshtick, a SoilidWorks founder, here . Moving on to two million…

While the “Everything Goes Green” bandwagon rolls, it is important to distinguish the environmental impact of specific industries. Going green is often overused these days, however what could be better for the manufacturing industry than a tool that predicts environmental impact PRIOR to production?

SolidWorks Project Sage refers to the development of a new add-on product for the SolidWorks software that will allow designers to quantify in real time the projected environmental impacts of the parts and assemblies that they create.

Here are links to various press releases, articles, etc:

http://www.tenlinks.com/NEWS/PR/solidworks/021209_sage.htm

http://www.pe-international.com/gabi/gabi-inside-tools/solidworks-sage/

http://www.fcsuper.com/swblog/?p=165

http://www.designnews.com/blog/CAD_CAM_Corner/11141-SolidWorks_Gets_Sage_About_Environmental_Impact.php

 A preview of Sage will be made available through SolidWorks Labs this summer.

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.