Solidworks 2010 optimises product design functions

Dassault Systemes (DS) Solidworks Corporation has unveiled the Solidworks 2010 product line: a set of software products that optimises and bullet-proofs core product design functions.

The company claims that, through the use of computer-aided design (CAD), simulation, data management, documentation and environmental impact assessment, organisations will transform their inspirations into innovation, supported by a community of CAD users, content, technology and expertise.

This Solidworks product line also features a number of new enhancements.

Wayne Tiffany, senior machine designer at Automatic Systems, said: 'Now that I'm using Solidworks 2010, I'm already seeing some payback.

'The new drawing enhancements have helped speed up drawing creation while the new DXF export and preview capabilities have helped make data output for manufacturing faster and more efficient.

'Most important, using the new assembly visualisation functionality, I found a mistake where I had assigned the wrong material density to one of the parts in a recent design and was able to quickly remedy the issue,' he added.

The Solidworks Premium CAD software improves productivity with a range of new capabilities.

Patent-pending rapid dimensions, for example, display new dimension placement alternatives and rearrange existing dimensions to make room for the selection.

A configuration publisher allows users to publish a model configurator interface to the 3D Contentcentral service - a web-based marketplace for 3D parts, assemblies and other content - to facilitate the selection of model alternatives.

Another feature is patent-pending heads-up mouse gesturing.

Solidworks 2010 also provides enhanced reference plane creation methods, sheet metal functionality, weldment performance, component mirroring capabilities and direct editing tools.

Photoview 360 is claimed to make it even easier for novices to render photorealistic images.

Solidworks Simulation Premium provides tools to validate design decisions, uncover hidden problems before they affect production and save money.

The new version adds capabilities such as event-based motion simulation, which mimics the way that machines really work, as well as proximity sensors and automatic edge-weld sizing.

The overhauled simulation advisor, part of the Simulationxpress software included with every licence of the Solidworks CAD software, guides novices through their first few successful simulations, shortening the learning curve and adding a layer of protection against errors.

The Solidworks Enterprise PDM software includes productivity features for preparing models and drawings for distribution.

A new convert, publish, print and plot capability, for example, automatically converts hundreds of manufacturing drawings into neutral formats for quoting, collaboration, batch printing and sharing with other systems.

The new Solidworks Enterprise PDM streamlines collaboration with a single centralised Solidworks Toolbox library and introduces a suite of rapid implementation tools for a quicker return on investment.

3DVIA Composer automatically creates product documentation and keeps it updated with every design change.

It helps organisations repurpose 3D assets to quickly create product manuals, brochures, catalogues, assembly instructions and training videos.

3DVIA Composer 2010 further reduces documentation time by repurposing Solidworks configurations and exploded views, thus putting intelligent design data to work.

It includes a time-saving ability to automatically create explode lines for multiple exploded views.

Users can also create richer, more informative documentation with scalable detail views, BOMs in 3D, a shadow caster and photorealistic background objects.

The Solidworks Sustainability software helps users determine the carbon footprint, energy consumption and air/water impacts in a product design's raw material sourcing, manufacture, use and disposal.

An assembly visualisation tool colour-codes parts based on their total environmental impact.

Configuration support in the software also lets users compare multiple design iterations for sustainability concerns.

Included with every licence of the Solidworks software, Solidworks Sustainabilityxpress enables users to immediately determine the environmental impact of any part.

Solidworks Sustainability products include an environmental impact dashboard, customisable reports and a tool to find alternative materials to compare and improve the sustainability of a part.

Both Solidworks Sustainability and Solidworks Sustainabilityxpress draw on the expertise, research, development and data of Germany-based partner PE International, a network of sustainability specialists, and PE Americas, its US division.

Together, the new products are claimed to give the Solidworks community a way to make a significant collective impact on the environment by incrementally improving every design.

Integration Solidworks 2010 supplies single-window, fully associative integration with all of DS Solidworks' software products, including Solidworks Simulation, Solidworks Enterprise PDM, 3DVIA Composer and Solidworks Sustainability.

This integration means that users can leverage the same 3D model in all of the operations that make their product a reality.

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