It is now 2012 and this release is a couple service packs in. So it may be time for you to start looking at upgrading.

There are many things that you need to consider before you deploy and making sure your models work is top priority. What else may need to be considered before you decide to upgrade? This is a question you should ask yourself before any upgrade be it a new version or even just a service pack.

1. First find out if your current files have any conflicts with the new version as somethings do change with the new release.
2. Make sure customer and vendors will be compatible with the new version.
3. See that you are still running a supported OS this will be important for the 2013 release as Windows XP will not be supported.
4. Then look at the graphics card and driver. Every year SolidWorks does test card and driver combinations but not all cards make the list for testing. So if you have an older card and do not find it on the testing website you may need to get a new one. But if it is still being tested you may just need to update the driver.
5. Other things to consider are peripherals and software to see if they are compatible with the new version. This could be CAM software, printing drivers and even partner products. These may need to be upgraded as well and may keep you at an older version longer.

Those are just a few things to keep in mind before doing any upgrade. It would be best to have a procedure in place with a check list so you know what has been finished.

In the words of SolidWorks, “Sensors monitor selected properties of parts and assemblies and alert you when values deviate from the limits you specify.”  They come in handy when creating optimization studies.  (Check out this week’s blog.)

To create a sensor, right click the “Sensors” folder in the feature manager tree.  Then, select “Add Sensor”

Next, select your sensor type.

Simulation Data: Monitors simulation results like stress and displacement

Mass Properties: Monitors things like mass, volume and surface area

Dimension: Monitors any dimension you select

Interference Detection: This option is only available for assemblies.  It will warn you if any parts (of your choosing) interfere with one another.

Proximity: This option is also only available for assemblies.  It is similar to interference detection.  It will warn you if your parts cross a line.

Motion Data: This option is only available with the motion add in turned on.  It will monitor existing result information from a motion study.

Within these options there is much to explore.  Happy hunting!

I once wrote an optimization program which found the best fillet size, thickness and angle of a two dimensional cantilever beam with a given load. It took three days to write. What I’m about to show you took me 30 minutes. It makes use of real geometry and doesn’t require programing! Enter simulation automation…

Let’s consider a scenario. You work for an amusement park ride manufacturer. Your company has begun to streamline their design process. (Good idea if you ask me.) The company would like your team to design components which will be interchangeable (like Erector Set parts). The designer you work with calls himself an artist. He wears leather pants. His ideas are nutty. It’s up to you to make real decisions. He comes to you with the part seen below and says, with a blank stare, “To date, this is my best work. Try not to taint it.”

The company will be making thousands of these parts which will be made from cast carbon steel. It is designed to hold pipes and should carry at least 3000 lbs.

Decision: you decide that the part should have a safety factor of two. (The stress should not be higher than 120 MPa.) This means that the part should be able to hold at least 6000 lbs. without failing.

You setup an initial study to benchmark the current design.

You might not know this, but SolidWorks includes FEA tools with every package it sells. Chances are you probably don’t use these tools. You might think they’re too complex. Or, maybe, you’re on the other side of the fence and think these Xpress tools are too limited. Let me show you why you should be using these tools all the time.

To illustrate my point, let’s use a simple example of a link as seen in the picture above. Is it going to be strong enough? Wait, strong enough for what? What material should it be made of? Shouldn’t I know these things before I begin a simulation?
The answer is no! None of that matters. Actually, these are the wrong questions.
Don’t get me wrong. Down the road, these things will matter. But for right now, we shouldn’t be too concerned with these questions. Instead, let’s look at this in a different way. So, what are the right questions?
Answer: How can we make this part stronger?
When you boil static simulation down, the only two variables to play with are geometry and material. Since we aren’t concerning ourselves with material, let’s see how we can make changes to the geometry to improve upon what we have.
First, let’s create a simulation to get a baseline stress result. Startup Simulation Xpress and go through the wizard.