SOLIDWORKS

Solidworks

Solidworks

Introduction

SolidWorks is a 3D mechanical CAD (computer-aided design) program that runs on Microsoft Windows and was developed by Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp., a subsidiary of Dassault Systèmes, S. A. (Vélizy, France). SolidWorks is currently used by over 3.4 million engineers and designers at more than 100,000 companies worldwide.

SolidWorks is a parasolid-based solid modeler, and utilizes a parametric feature-based approach to create models and assemblies.

Parameters refer to constraints whose values determine the shape or geometry of the model or assembly. Parameters can be either numeric parameters, such as line lengths or circle diameters, or geometric parameters, such as tangent, parallel, concentric, horizontal or vertical, etc. Numeric parameters can be associated with each other through the use of relations, which allows them to capture design intent.

Design intent is how the creator of the part wants it to respond to changes and updates. For example, you would want the hole at the top of a beverage can to stay at the top surface, regardless of the height or size of the can. SolidWorks allows you to specify that the hole is a feature on the top surface, and will then honor your design intent no matter what the height you later gave to the can.

Discussion

The first overwhelming conundrum facing any beginner is that eternal question - what program should one begins with? The reply to this is tricky. This is because every person is different, and has different ways of approaching things. While one artist may totally swear that the program they are using is the best, it might not necessarily be the ideal package for another artist. Of course all programs have their advantages and disadvantages, but when it comes to the most popular of the mid-to high end packages, most of them are pretty much capable of the same things, which means that at the end of the day it really comes down to the individual artists themselves. Someone who has no skills will not be able to produce anything of any worth, no matter how "good" the program they are using is. Once one has grasped the basic fundamentals of 3D, one can always move to another package since the basic principles apply across the board. It is great to be able to utilize the strengths of a number of different packages that each compensate for the shortcomings of the others.

Since 3D programs are generally quite expensive, this also ensures that one will not spend an obscene amount of money on some program just because somebody recommended it, only to find out that one hates it. Would one buy a car without test-driving it? Generally it is wise to always give things a whirl before handing over one's cash. Trying out all the programs that seem interesting to one and seeing if any of them suit one's style and workflow is a wise thing to perform. Most demo versions come with tutorials (or links to tutorials) that one can use to explore the capabilities and toolset of the ...