SOLIDWORKS just announced that the Beta version of SOLIDWORKS 2020 is scheduled to go live near the end of June. Like previous years, SOLIDWORKS will have a Beta program that will allow users to test the new software. What is the Beta Program? As a Beta Tester you have the opportunity to impact the quality, performance, and reliability of this new version before it is released. All Beta Testers submit their feedback to win different prizes and awards. The only […]
Last week I tried to find out a little more information about a feature. To do so I tried to use the SOLIDWORKS help so conveniently provided in the top right of the screen. And right after I typed in my subject to research, I got this message: “Failed to connect to SOLIDWORKS Web Help. This failure is likely due to a lack of internet connection.” Not connected to the internet? Oh, really? Am I not connected to the internet? […]
Did you know that SOLIDWORKS gives you double vision? You can even have quadruple vision, if that’s what you’re into. It is very easy to spin, zoom, and rotate your 3D models to focus on the specific areas you are working on. After modifying your part, you probably zoom out and look at the geometry from various angles. Maybe, you have custom views created to make this even easier. Another approach is to use additional display windows, shown at the […]
SOLIDWORKS Visualize Standard is a powerful photo rendering tool that is included with each seat of SOLIDWORKS Professional and Premium on subscription. Visualize is a standalone application that requires its own serial number for installation. Want to install SOLIDWORKS Visualize and start creating stunning renders? Read on find out where to locate products attached to your SOLIDWORKS Professional or Premium license. 1) Log in to the SolidWorks Customer Portal (customerportal.solidworks.com). If you don’t have a SOLIDWORKS ID, check out this […]
Have you just successfully installed your SOLIDWORKS Network License Manager on a server computer and when you launch SOLIDWORKS on a client computer get this message? The most common reason the client computers cannot communicate with the server is because Windows Firewall is blocking the required communication ports. Tech Tip: A quick way to troubleshoot if the Windows Firewall is causing issues is to temporarily disable the Windows Firewall on the server computer and try to launch SOLIDWORKS on a […]
I hope that everyone reading this post is aware of the SOLIDWORKS Design Library and how useful it is. If you don’t, it an easy way to save SOLIDWORKS features for reuse. If you’d like a refresher of how to create Library Features, take a look at the post below. https://www.cati.com/blog/2015/06/creating-solidworks-library-features-from-scratch/ But did you know that they are just as useful for Drawings? Just about any drawing annotation can be saved to the Design Library. This allows the quick creation […]
SOLIDWORKS simulation allows users to take advantage of beam elements in order to simplify studies using structural members like pipes, angle iron, etc. We will begin by defining what a beam element is and then defining beam joints. Followed by showing a tip on how to create joints for structures with welding gaps. Finally, we’ll conclude by releasing degrees of freedom at the joints and observe the changes in a displacement plot. Beam definition In SOLIDWORKS Simulation there are 3 […]
A common question I have received on support is, “How do I rotate my Hole Wizard slot to be vertical or to be at a specified angle?”. To place a Counterbore Slot, Countersink Slot, or Slot, you must first select Hole Wizard and choose the Hole Type on the “Type” tab of the Hole Wizard command. After specifying the appropriate Standard, Type, Size, Length, and End Condition as you would for any other Hole Wizard hole, select the Positions tab […]
Have you ever received a STEP file from a vendor and tried to open it in SOLIDWORKS, only for it to yield the warning: “Encountered Invalid Record Index”? If you have received this frustrating warning, you clicked on the right blog because I am about to show you how to bypass this warning to get that STEP file open! First, you are going to need to make sure 3D Interconnect is NOT turned on by going to SOLIDWORKS System Options […]
When creating drawings in SOLIDWORKS, you may have noticed two types of Dimension Types available when inserting Drawing Views: Projected and True Dimensions. So, what exactly are the difference in these two Dimension Types? The two different Dimension Types, Projected and True, can be found in the Drawing View PropertyManager when inserting or editing a Drawing View under the Dimension Type section. Typically, True Dimensions are accurate model dimensions. If you create a model and measure the length of an […]