COMMON UPDATES
Let's start with reviewing the updates which are common across all CAD platforms primarily been driven from today’s Industry requirements.
- Augmented Reality (AR):
- Cloud Capabilities:
- Model Based Definitions (MBD):
- Interoperability:
It is a technology that enables us to interact with virtual models in real life. With AR, there is no need to guess or imagine how the product will look in different real-life places. A 3D object can be superimposed in real-life places to see the aesthetic appeal of the product, ensuring sizing relative to other objects, etc.
Image Courtesy: Siemens PLM Automation
Local workstations have limitations in terms of performance due to hardware, space, cost, etc. Cloud computing is the way to overcome those limitations. The tasks that require high specifications hardware can be assigned to a remote server which will perform the task and the results can be seen on the local workstation. Cloud capabilities also include storing of files so that they can be accessed anywhere and anytime required. In 2019, most of the CAD packages started to offer Cloud services and in 2020 it has become a norm. Cloud-based CAD & simulation has reduced the design cycle time due to its speed and accuracy.
MBD has been around for quite a while and it has recently started to gain popularity within enterprises. In the latest update, all the CAD packages have focused on improving and simplifying MBD so it can be easily implemented and used.
Image Courtesy: PTC
With collaborations from multiple organizations to enterprises, it became evident that working with the data from multiple sources required a needless hassle of conversions. Interoperability means working with different data without the need for conversion. In 2020, all the major CAD packages have improved interoperability to work with data from other CAD packages.
SOLIDWORKS
SolidWorks is the leading middle-range CAD package which offers CAD, CAM & CAE. Since its inception in 1996, the main focus of SolidWorks is to simplify the modeling. SolidWorks 2020 will offer the following features that will help in designing.
- Flexible Components:
- STL Modification:
- Additive Manufacturing:
- 3DExperience Platform:
Assemblies can have rigid, moving as well as flexible components such as springs, ties, belts, cables, live hinges, etc. For showing various positions of flexible parts, number of configurations has to be created in individual parts. In SolidWorks 2020 parts can be assigned as flexible components. Flexible components will change their shape according to the assembly position. This feature reduces the time of creating configurations as well as processing power required for loading these configurations. It will help in visualize and validate parts and assembly quicker while reducing time and maintaining the Bill of Materials.
Image Courtesy: Javelin Tech
In our Reverse Engineering blog, we talked about different STL file modification processes. Of which, one of the process is convergent modeling offered by Siemens NX & Solid Edge. Similar to that, SolidWorks 2020 also incorporated Direct Mesh Editing to work directly with mesh models such as STL files. In this latest version, fillets, chamfers, holes and similar features can be added or removed directly from STL model.
SolidWorks 2020 includes a comprehensive list of 3D printers to generate a sliced model for 3D printers. With this, the model can be sliced without translating it into a tessellated geometry file such as STL or OBJ. Also, with 3DExperience marketplace designs can be uploaded to get a quote for 3D printing.
Dassault Systèmes announced its revolutionary platform 3DExperience in 2018. 3DExperience aimed to bring all of the Dassault's software under the one roof. It categorizes software into four types according to their functions: 3D modeling, Simulation, Social & Collaborative, and Information Intelligence. These are process-oriented and can be tailored to the need of organizations according to their industry.
