One of my favorite new features in SOLIDWORKS Visualize Professional 2019 is the ability to create decals using video images. We can now apply decals using *.mp4 and *.avi files, just as we would with static image files in the past. This functionality makes simulating screens in animations, like the video below, incredibly easy. Notice that in this video, the animated decal actually emits light into the scene. Just like standard decals, we can control appearances, mapping, and more with […]
The new release of SOLIDWORKS 2019 is now available and the Computer Aided Technology Tech Team is excited for this release and all its new features. At the beginning of September, we started documenting the best new features of SOLIDWORKS 2019 from Part, Assembly, and Drawing tools to the new features in the SOLIDWORKS family of tools like Simulation, EPDM, SOLIDWORKS Electrical, and SOLIDWORKS CAM. We have been sharing them with you and the SOLIDWORKS community thru the CATI Blog. We have since published 83 different articles […]
For quite some time in SOLIDWORKS we have been able to SELECT IDENTICAL COMPONENTS in an assembly with the “selection” toolbar (the one with New, Open, Save, etc). New in SOLIDWORKS 2019 is the ability to use SELECT IDENTICAL COMPONENTS while you are in the middle of the following commands: Component Patterns (Linear, Circular, Curve Driven, Pattern Driven, Sketch Driven) Component Mirroring Collision Detection or Physical Dynamics Feature Scope (assembly level features) Defeature Exploded View While you are in these […]
If you’re like me, you rely on Convert Entities in SOLIDWORKS sketches to help capture Design Intent. Now, how many times have you converted entities and then decided that you want to change them? It never happens, does it? SOLIDWORKS 2019 introduces great new functionality that allows you to fully modify any converted spline and using it couldn’t be easier. But first, let’s look at SOLIDWORKS 2018 so we can fully appreciate this new functionality. When we use Convert Entities, […]
Controlling the precision of dimensions in SOLIDWORKS has always been integral to capturing design intent and ensuring the finished part will be manufactured within tolerance. In certain cases, a critical dimension and/or tolerance might require different precision from one configuration to another due to a change in material or manufacture method. Previously, this information would have required two separate parts to capture. In SOLIDWORKS 2019, you can now directly configure precision. From the Dimension PropertyManager, specify a desired tolerance and […]
For the SOLIDWORKS 2019 release, you’ll find changes in Flow Simulation related to pre- and post-processing functionality that should make analysis of your designs quicker and easier. Let’s see what’s new for Flow! Associate Goals with Boundary Conditions (BCs): We sometimes find it necessary to add a goal associated with a boundary condition to help with solution convergence and allow monitoring the solution progress. This has previously required a separate step but is now available during the boundary condition definition. […]
In SOLIDWORKS 2019, you can now Rebuild Component Patterns while in Lightweight Assembly Mode. When you edit a feature, you can now change the pattern parameters. For a component pattern that is driven by an unavailable entity, **Lightweight** shows as a prefix to the entity name. SOLIDWORKS 2019 will rebuild the pattern in lightweight mode by using the last-used definition. To employ this functionality, you need to save the component that has the driving feature in resolved mode and the […]
New enhancements to SOLIDWORKS MBD (Model Based Definition) in 2019 allow you to you to create and share 3D PDF’s of your SOLIDWORKS designs safely, knowing that your Intellectual property is secure. One of these enhancements is a new option to “show only graphical data” in the 3D PDF. This is a great way to ensure that the recipient is still able to view and interrogate the model, without the PDF including the full BREP geometry embedded in the background, […]
With the introduction of SOLIDWORKS 2019, SOLIDWORKS Inspection users will now have integration with SOLIDWORKS PDM. This will include variable mapping, reference management, and a new SOLIDWORKS PDM ribbon in the stand-alone SOLIDWORKS Inspection application. With all these new tools, SOLIDWORKS Inspection users will start to see the same ease of use as SOLIDWORKS, Office, and Draftsight users in SOLIDWORKS PDM. Here is a closer look into the capabilities of these three new components: Variable Mapping: This new update will allow for mapping into two SOLIDWORKS Inspection blocks: SWIPrjProperty and SWICustomProperty. The SWIPrjProperty block will define mapping for the SOLIDWORKS […]
Over the last few releases of SOLIDWORKS, there have been several enhancements that help us increase productivity with assemblies. SOLIDWORKS 2018 introduced the Assembly Open Progress Indicator and new visualization tools for folders in the Design Tree. SOLIDWORKS 2019 introduces some great tools to help you organize your assembly mates and increase productivity. As we all know, the number of mates in our assemblies can increase exponentially and may get difficult to manage. My trusty RC helicopter model isn’t a […]