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

Mechatronics – The next big thing?

Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems thinking in the design of products and manufacturing processes. It relates to the design of systems, devices and products aimed at achieving an optimal balance between basic mechanical structure and its overall control. While not new, mechatronics is still in the emerging technology stage and early adopters are still struggling with the widely disparate nature of the development tools used by mechanical and electronic controls engineers. That is about to change…

At SolidWorks World 2009, both National Instruments and Rockwell Automation previewed motion control simulation software that is integrated with SolidWorks Motion Simulation software to provide a unified simulation environment. This will enable mechanical engineers and electronic controls engineers to build digital prototypes of complex machinery and collaborate on optimizing designs early in the product development process.

I confess that much of this went over my head, but when two of the leading motion control and simulation vendors are involved in a multi-year collaborative development projects with SolidWorks, I sit up and take notice.

Desktop Engineering has published an excellent two part article on mechatronics in general and the NI LabView/SolidWorks solution in particular. See http://www.deskeng.com/articles/aaapmg.htm.

The presentation by John Pritchard of Rockwell Automation is included in the SolidWorks World 2009 Proceedings on the SolidWorks Customer Portal.