In the past couple of days Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS has released it’s latest version of the Portal. The site has quite a different look and feel to it. There are New Training Courses which include preparation courses for SOLIDWORKS Certification.! A new My VAR section and a “coming soon” MySolidWorks Manufacturing Network.It is now starting to align itself more with your SolidWorks Subscription and is now to be broken into “packages” of MySolidWorks, MySolidWorks Standard, MySolidWorks Professional.
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Greater details of the announcement and the site can be found on theFor me the most interesting part of the new version is My SolidWorks Drive. My.SolidWorks Drive is the ability to connect and view your Solidworks and eDrawings files via Dropbox and/or Google Drive Accounts to a integrated eDrawings Viewer. It was at this years SolidWorks World 2014 that we saw hints of a online eDrawing Viewer and it appears that it may have morphed into this feature.When you go to the Portal there is the new Drive Section. When the Drive Folder is first selected it brings up the options to connect and then authorise the connection to your Dropbox and Google Drive accounts.Once authorised (and in future Log In) your Dropbox folder are displayed. Which importantly includes your “shared” Folder.
The SOLIDWORKS online trial is by far the easiest way to test drive the world's most. All you need is a computer with an internet connection. If you have Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive, simply connect your cloud storage account from your. We’re updating our Terms of Service. Get to know our new Terms before they take effect on March 31, 2020. Review Got it.
Selecting any SolidWorks or eDrawings open the integrated eDrawings Viewer directly in the browser.At this stage it is just a Viewer with the ability to rotate, pan and zoom.There is the familiar options of Display Styles along this View OrientationThere is the same functionality of animation as with all version of eDrawings. The Explode function has quite an interesting interface.It incorporates a slide bar.
The distance that the components project is directly controlled by the movement of the slideHere is the kicker! The files can also be downloaded direct from the viewer or the Drive Home page. Which makes it a very simple way of viewing and share files across a range of people, computer and devices.The My.SolidWorks site is set up for devices and touch. I could access the site via Firefox on Android (Nexus7) and have the same functionality as in any browser.Whilst I can’t see it replacing either eDrawings on Desktop or eDrawing for Mobile (which must be due for a update, for both iDevices & Android, as neither appear to open file generated in SOLIDWORKS 2015? ) it is a very usefully tool. I’ve accessed the files and generated the images from three different computers and two different mobile devices, all shared via Dropbox for this article.It will be interesting to see. If like the progressive releases of eDrawing for Mobile it will gain the desired additional functionality of Measure, Section and Mark Up.
Time will tell! Search Categories. (1).
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(1)Archives Archives.@ @ @ Oh I can see that!. ?.?.@ @ @ Your parents look content with what's happening but I have concerns for Tracey.User Groups (the virus way) upcoming Virtual meeting.@ Yes you do, it's way to nice to be on the floor. Reinforce wall to hang artwork!.@ That's way too much multitasking going on there! You are making the rest of us look bad!Follow via EmailEnter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.Follow.
Solidworks on the Cloud?I have not found anyone usingthis feature. I do know it is available for evaluation.I was hoping a customer or associate would let me use itduring the off hours.
If anyone is using it regularlyplease give me a call or send an email and tell me howyou are using it.Solidworks Moves to the Cloud!I saw this announced on Linkedin. I jumpright on it. This is Solidworks on the cloud. There is nothing to evennote about it, it is the complete package.It takes a bit to getloaded, not a big deal since it is beta. But once it is up it behavesincredibly well. If you want to load existing projects you have toconnect to a Dropbox, Box or Google Drive cloud storage account. You canalso save your work within Solidworks on the cloud.No problem, I copied and pasted a Solidworks assembly to my Dropbox,connected and opened the assembly.
Yes, that simple.I findSolidworks very unintuitive, even though I have used it casually in thepast. But that was years ago.
I started editing parts. I have to tellyou there is not much to say about the operations: It is Solidworks!It didn'thave any import options.
I am always looking for interoperabilty, Ilooked to Onshape. Youneed a pack and go to import a native Solidworks assembly into Onshape.That worked fine, from Onshape I exported the bracket as aSolidworks part (Nope, will not export Solidworks as an assembly). Ithink Onshape is the only package that exports parts as a nativeSolidworks file, but note, it is still a 'dumb' file.
Onshape is a great way to translate parts from thenative files of most of the popular CAD programs to neutral files, forfree.Thebracket came in with the option to proceed with feature recognitionHere is the part with feature recognition.andwithoutI thought I would do a few modifications. I had to set the units toinches. The complete help is seems to be available.There you go. There is not much to write home about. This is Solidworksin the cloud. Now an experienced Solidworks user may find somedifferences but it looks pretty good to me.So What?Who benefits with Solidworks onthe Cloud?Only theSolidworks user with a current annual maintenance in force.This really doesn't enhance the industry. It is still the same old datedcumbersome constrained sketching program with the separate part,assembly and drawing files.
You have to have your files accessible incloud storage. It is more of a bit of fluff than a truly productiveenhancement. Most of the Solidworks users are employees and if they workat home, I think they can have a home license, the same with a laptop.It is funny I just got an email pertaining to another article from anassociate that referenced a fellow that left his Solidworks up at workand he couldn't get Solidworks running at home, so I might be wrongabout home licenses. Iam sure some will be fooled in the hype that this offers hugeproductivity. But it really doesn't, when you do a bottom line analysis.With the limited access to your files I am sure most companieswill stick with locally loaded Solidworks.
It makes you wonder if a companywould want Solidworks in the Cloud available to the employee? Is there away to block access? Hmm, there seems to be more to this than meets theeye. Hmmm, what if I have a friend with Solidworks, could I use hislicense? This is getting very interesting. I am sure they will not allowtwo users on at once.
But what about the local user, wouldhis/her system be affected?There is one place where Solidworks inthe Cloud could be very influential.EducationSolidworks could release a version that allowsno file transfer and watermark the AIDs (Associated InformationDocuments (drawings)) for education. I have to say this is the mostviably potential. Years ago, Solidworks had no copy protection until2007. They created thousands and thousands of users. Sadly, thecompanies I represented did not understand this. This is anotheropportunity.
Just like Onshape all they need is a computer (PC or Apple)and a browser!! Again, this is a very dated CAD system, with manyproblems, further locking the industry into a very unproductive system. Theindustry has suffered for over 30 year with this paradigm. But readymade users is very interesting to the industry!We are in for a interesting ride,folks!!CostYou have to have the current version of Solidworks since it saves in thelatest version, so you have to keep your annual maintenance up to date.So, if you want Solidworks in the cloud, you will pay for it.
I think the annualmaintenance is $1600.00 and almost equals a subscription to Onshape.That is, of course, if this is not an option! But Solidworks, even in mytainted opinion, is much better than Onshape. You will wait years foreven a limited parity.Evaluation NotesIt was a bitstrange.
I would have to disconnect from my dropbox and reconnect to make the latestfiles available and it would crash on the second time.I am sure I was missing something, so I am sure it was not a big deal.They also would keep asking if I wanted to continue the evaluation eventhough I was only on a couple of hours. I amnot sure if there is a set time frame. But a couple of hours is all Ineeded. I would never use Solidworks even if was free.
But I might rentit by the day! Do you have Paypal? LOL Hmm, do I see anopportunity here?
Rent it and then re-rent it. Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, getyour Solidworks here!!What happens to Onshape?With Solidworks, you can work in the cloud with, in my case, Dropbox. Thisis a bit of a hassle, but over comes one of the huge deal breakers with Onshape,by still having local Solidworks files available.Onshape might as well close itsdoors as it related to a CAD solution.
They spent a fortune making Onshape a similar package to lurethe Solidworks user. I gave them a demonstration of Ironcad and all ofits many innovative benefits, sadly, I was very disappointed when I saw they justcreated another Pro/e clone, thereby extending this dated paradigm evenlonger. Yes, it has a multi-object environment butthat alone does not over come the lack of saving files locally. If Onshape wouldhave done what Solidworks did, it might have had a fighting chance. Now it has none.If they would have added some of IronCAD's incredible innovation, they might havehad something to offer. But it, again, is just another clunkyconstrained sketching system.
But, what do you expect from thefounders of Solidworks, that were the first to copy Pro/e to the PC,actually creating more problems than solutions for the industry. Arethey are now reaping what they sowed?? LOLBut there is hope! Onshape is so much morethan Solidworks.Solidworks is only a mechanical design program!Period! It offers little to those that are not professional users. Itcannot be used casually.Onshape is a much, much different and a very innovative product.While the CAD portion is mediocre, the collaboration and documentcontrol potential is unique and offers a huge opportunity.
I personallythought they were wasting their time creating a CAD package and shouldhave focused on those other two features. Just some robust direct editfunctionality would have done the job. Let's take a look.ColaborationOnshape, if used as a collaboration tool has no limits. Its abilityto have any form of data to review in one webpage location is huge.
Allof the engineering and documentation could be reviewed by everyoneinvolved (No I won't use 'stake holders', LOL). Every format of digitaldata can be uploaded and stored on Onshape plus you have a view of themodel.It is a bit tough to monetize. But they already know that. If they tiedthis with the document control below, the engineering world would beat apath to their website, at a cost much less than the popular failedconvoluted PLM system.
It wouldn't matter what CAD system you use, itwould be the end of the CAD centric engineering documentation world andPLM. Hurray!Document ControlI suggest the Onshape folks start focusing onthis area before Dassault, Siemens, Autodesk or some innovative folks(draftsman) deliver a cost effective system. The failed PLM systems of todayare designed to lock the users into a single CAD package. Onshape'sincredible ability to store any file and display the 3D model isinvaluable in developing a cost effective document control system thatcan be standardized. This truly is the next movement in 3D CAD as itrelates to the industrial/mechanical engineering and manufacturingindustry.While there are many obvious assumptions made with a CAD program inthe cloud, most are of them are probably wrong. Now, of course, theseconsideration are only with the beta and may be worked out. They are notin any specific order.1.
Solidworks in the cloud has tohave specific cloud storage.2. How do you manage the usage inthe company?3.
Anyone can use it. You could rent or loan itafter/before work hours.I like this, Istart work at 4 am and work most everyday!!Do you take paypal??4. Can usage be checked?5. Youmust be licensed for the current Solidworks6. Is there anadditional fee tied to this function?7.
Will there be importcapabilities?8. It only benefits Solidworks users.9.Could this completely replace the locally loaded system?10. Can oneinstance be shared for collaboration?11. Can the Solidworks cloudstorage be accessed without Solidworks?ComparisonsSadly, you can put Solidworks on the cloud, but it is still the same old Pro/e dated clone, which is a clunker todesign in. So I thought I would take this opportunity to include a comparison of our products toSolidworks.IronCADThe biggest benefit of IronCAD isthe single model environment. I can import the Solidworks native filedirectly.
As you can see it comes in as an assembly with all the parts,linked parts, sub-assemblies and linked sub-assemblies in one file. This is the most productive feature of any CAD system.
Youcan have referenced parts, it is your option. The single modelenvironment is the very best for designing fabrications and inseparableassemblies. You just turn the tubes that make up a frame into anassembly. No special process necessary. You can even have a Parts listwith the tubes defined by lengthsYou design bydragging and dropping shapes, parts and assemblies from a standard or custom catalog (shownbelow the works space).
I have a hard time getting the Solidworks userfrom going to sketching first. I would say you do about 60% drag and dropand the rest sketching, which is mostly creating mating faces orfeatures with other parts.It offers the only functional integratedhistory/direct edit modeling and you use it in your design process.
It ismuch different than Solidworks that adds a step for every face move,which can become a royal mess. IronCAD will consume any feature that isaffected by the move and incorporate it as a brep in the history.IronCAD offers productivity increases of 5X in conceptual design and10X with changes.Iwould hope that IronCAD will offer a cloud base system.
It would offer abit more flexibility since we have four levels of operation, Compose,Draft, Inovate and IronCAD. There are rumors!It truly is thevery best conceptual design program.You can download it fora fully functional 30 day evaluation, more if you need it.ZW3DZW3D is very similar to Solidwork. But has three features thatincrease the productivity 30%. It is the multi-object environment,designing with primitive shapes andthe integrated drawing.The multi-object environment is verysimilar to the single model environment but each part is referenced inthe same file. Having top down design a part of the basic system makes conceptual design, much, much faster.Designing with primitive shapes reduces much of the tedioussketching.Thereare only a few 3D CAD products that have an integrated drawing. This, ofcourse, solves a multitude of PDM problems.It also addsprimitive shapes available for use in your design process. Imagine thereduced need for the time consuming sketching and constraining.ZW3D also can importa native Solidworks file including PMI.Eventhough neither of these package have cloud versions they easilyoutperform Solidworks in their own unique ways.
Give them a try.I have actually operated both IronCAD and ZW3D over the internetwith Teamviewer and it works marginally well. It was just a test with aWindows tablet. I have no need for this function, since I have bothloaded on my laptop. But it would be fun to check out on another desktopwith a decent monitor. 3D CAD on a laptop, even 17', is not the bestexperience.
I think I will use my sons, computer if I can get him offhis games. LOLTake a look at these exercises to see the advantages ofIronCAD and ZW3D.This is one of the more blatant examples of feature based modeling ascompare to extensive sketching.Here are some more interesting comparisons with IronCAD and ZW3D andSolidworks.
It started as product comparisons and quickly moved to astudy in modeling techniques. I introduce you to the incredibleincreased productivity of Streamlined Sketchingand Feature Based Modeling. Be sureto review both package comparisons, it truly is an eye open er.We sell andsupport IronCAD and ZW3D Products andprovide engineeringservices throughout the USA and Canada! With 53years ofexperienceinengineering,17 yearsinmanualboarddesignas acontractengineer,36 yearsin 3DCADdesign,sales,support,trainingandprovidingengineeringservices,I have ahighlevel ofunderstandingoftoday's3D CAD engineeringworld.For manyit is inchaos.If youarehavingproblemsor justinterestedin thissubjectpleasefeelfree tocall andwe candiscussthem.Thereare somanysimplersolutionsavailablethatwillsave youtime andmoney.See youonline.JoeBrouwer206-842-0360or [email protected].
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