Disqus - Latest Comments for brianmcelyea

Re: PDMWorks for the solo user?

brianmcelyea — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:29:18 -0000

Dude, you should be using PDM!

I always tell folks that even if I was working on my own, I would be running at least Workgroup PDM. It makes it so easy to keep everything organized, have your design history, and be able to try out "what if" scenarios without having to worry about copying folders or overwriting work.

I would install it local and just back up the VaultData folder. If the company grows or whatever, it is easily moved to a server.

Re: SharePoint

brianmcelyea — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:30:26 -0000

Chris,

Do you mean using Sharepoint as a PDM tool for SolidWorks? If so, I would highly recommend against that, as Sharepoint knows nothing of SolidWorks file relationships.

Talk to Rich Hall, his company was trying to force them to use Sharepoint instead of a SolidWorks/CAD-centric PDM solution.

That said, Sharepoint should work well to share data with customers/vendors or to manage PDF's or whatnot after you "toss your design over the wall".

Re: Undercover SolidWorks Geek – Autodesk University Day 1

brianmcelyea — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:33:59 -0000

Interesting. I look forward to hearing what you think about Autodesk Inventor. There are still a few features from Inventor that I really miss, and that I wish SolidWorks had...

Re: 3D In AutoCAD

brianmcelyea — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:19:34 -0000

I agree with Sean and kellings. As someone who has done 3D modeling in AutoCAD, I feel it is definitely the wrong tool for doing 3D compared to packages like Inventor and SolidWorks.

Does Autodesk even need to try to use resources to add more 3D capability to AutoCAD? I definitely don't think so! I would tend to agree with this "interesting person" that most folks who want or need 3D are already there. If not, I don't think starting out with 3D in AutoCAD is the right direction to take.

As far as shortcuting the design process and letting the shop guys figure it out, that is just plain lazy crap design, IMO. Sure, it may work for them now, but what if it has to be sent out for some reason to another shop? Some way or another, this will come back to bite you in the butt. (I am glad that you recognized that, Deelip!)

I think eventually Autodesk will consolidate their products; there are inroads already, with being able to detail Inventor models in Mech. Desktop. (Possibly even more now, I am several years out now of Inventor/AutoCAD experience.) But I think it will be later rather than sooner to see an all-in-one package.

Re: New SolidWorks Help Site - SolidJott!

brianmcelyea — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:05:23 -0000

Lisa,

Sorry I haven't responded sooner. I have been out of pocket lately, and am now trying to get caught up on emails.

I know it's probably too late, but I would try to create simplified configurations of all the subassemblies and parts. For example, if you have a subassembly that has a lot of components that are not shown at the top level, create a new configuration and suppress those hidden components. If you have a complicated part, suppress some of the features that do not show up at or really affect the top-level, such as fillets, internal ribs, etc.

Brian

Re: SolidWorks As A Service – Part 1

brianmcelyea — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:40:19 -0000

Deelip,

I'm interested to hear your opinions. I can definitely see SaaS as an option of working with SolidWorks in the future. I can think of situations where SaaS will absolutely not work or not be an ideal model, but it could still be an option for some users.

Technologically, it should not be much of an issue to run a CAD application such as SolidWorks as SaaS... If OnLive (http://www.onlive.com/) can work at delivering high-end games in a SaaS flavor, CAD should not be that difficult to get up and running (I wrote about this on my blog back in April - http://www.cadfanatic.com/2009/04/onlive-unveil...).

And Jeff Ray is not the first from SolidWorks I've heard speak of this; maybe you should have emailed Jon Hirschtick. He spoke of looking into SaaS at SolidWorks World 2009 during his Tuesday keynote this past February in Orlando.

Brian

Re: What Really Happened in Concord

brianmcelyea — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:10:45 -0000

Well, this was more of a press event for the upcoming release, like what they had last year in Barcelona.

They have had a few events in Europe, including a SWUGN Summit and a smaller 1-day World conference (within the last one or two years, I believe).

If you are a member of a local user group, maybe get together and hit up Richard Doyle to see about trying to get a SWUGN Summit in your region next year...

Re: 3 Ways To Model The Same Thing

brianmcelyea — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:27:44 -0000

All of the methods but one shown in my post above and including the groove in the main revolve are equally easy to modify with a double click on the sketch or feature or a click and drag with Instant 3D on. The only exception is for the offset cut; AFAIK, that one would require going into the feature definition to change the location.

Re: 3 Ways To Model The Same Thing

brianmcelyea — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:46:20 -0000

As far as modeling reflecting real world procedures; I would not necessarily agree with this. If you modeled everything as it would be actually be made, you would start with a billet and start cutting away - not that there is anything exactly wrong with that, either. I've actually done a few models this way when dealing with structural shapes, and know others that have too.

I suspect that in this particular case, most folks would just model the groove in with the original revolve...

Re: New SolidWorks Help Site - SolidJott!

brianmcelyea — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:52:21 -0000

You can change a part into a weldment with a few steps...

So, I take it that you didn't create it using weldment tools? I'm also assuming you mean the relationships between the features...

If you have the part created as one body, you can break the bodies out manually by editing the respective feature definitions and uncheck the "Merge result" box. This will create the multiple bodies.

To get the Cut List, you will have to add a Weldment feature at the beginning of the Feature Manager.

Re: Changing Times for the CAD Media

brianmcelyea — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:29:11 -0000

Deelip,

I doubt that you would find any CAD vendor that would agree with your interpretation, however close it might be to the truth!

I agree with you that not all CAD press types fit that stereotype.

Re: What Really Happened in Concord

brianmcelyea — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:53:02 -0000

Steve,

We got a coffee cup and water bottle. Things you would maybe see at user group meetings as doorprizes...

We also got a student copy of SolidWorks 2009, which I gave to a coworker who homeschools their children.

Re: What Really Happened in Concord

brianmcelyea — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:54:26 -0000

No problem, Matt. Go ahead. :)

Re: Bound, Gagged and Pissed

brianmcelyea — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:51:59 -0000

Deelip,

Just to be clear, all the bloggers that visited SolidWorks were (as far as I know) Beta testers, and the NDA from that applies.

I think one of the reasons for the "veil of secrecy" is that they could decide at the last minute to pull a feature for some reason...

Re: 3 Ways To Model The Same Thing

brianmcelyea — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:41:49 -0000

Agreed...it would be nice if you could access the offset from a double-click. Enhancement request?

Re: 3 Ways To Model The Same Thing

brianmcelyea — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:47:19 -0000

Me too! I am using it more and more...it really cuts down on work features.

Re: New SolidWorks Help Site - SolidJott!

brianmcelyea — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:10:09 -0000

Are you trying to print from the model or a drawing?

Yes, I did misspeak on the 1:1 setting; it is 100%

There is not a way to ensure a print of 1:1 from the modeling environment ARAIK, but if you are printing from a drawing, the 100% setting should print your drawing 1:1 scale for the selected paper size (i.e., D-size drawing to D-size sheet).

If you are wanting a 1:1 print of the model, you can put a full size view of it (1:1 scale) in a drawing and change the drawing sheet size to encompass it and then print at 100% with the custom sheet size specified in the printer settings.

Re: New SolidWorks Help Site - SolidJott!

brianmcelyea — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:43:50 -0000

The HP drivers have always worked fine for me plotting to large format from SolidWorks. You can set 1:1 scale in the printer driver settings.

Re: Oil Rig Replica. You Could Use 3D CAD… Or Four Million Matchsticks

brianmcelyea — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:42:20 -0000

Wow...it's beautiful! But, WOW...

Re: ALL NEW SolidWorks Community (Forum)

brianmcelyea — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:51:19 -0000

Thanks to Websense, I just see a big white nothingness where the YouTube goodness should be! I will have to try to remember to check them out at home...

Since changing jobs, I can't log into the forums with the profile that I had been using. I am reluctant to create another one as I would lose connection with what little bit of history I have there.

Re: Deelip.com Moves to WordPress

brianmcelyea — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:26:24 -0000

Congrats on the move to WordPress, Deelip! I'm sure you will enjoy it.

One plugin I would recommend in Disqus for commenting. It is great having one login for commenting on blogs, and the spam and moderation capabilities are very nice. You can even moderate through email. (And don't worry - the comments are entered into your WP database in case you ever wanted to quit using it.)

Re: Paper Pilot Game In The Press

brianmcelyea — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:12:13 -0000

The workflow between 2D & 3D is definitely different. It takes some time to retrain your brain, but I think that you will find that designing in 3D will become easier and faster. I liken it to working in the real world - you design and build each part just as you would in real life. I definitely recommend taking some training, such as the SolidWorks Essentials courses to help.

The online tutorials are very good, but when trying to make the jump from 2D to 3D, it helps to have someone there to ask questions of (of course, there are really good online sources too, like blogs such as this one and the SolidWorks forums).

With SolidWorks you will also end up with multiple files; I think that is something you will have to deal with with almost any 3D modeler. SolidWorks added Virtual Parts (in 2008 I believe) that will allow you to create part files that exist only in the assembly environment (i.e., there are no actual part files), but I have noticed that there are a few issues with PDM and virtual components. You would still have a separate drawing file.

If you only need to provide the actual drawing file, you can save a SolidWorks drawing as "detached" which will allow you to send only that file and everything still be viewable. There is also the ubiquitous PDF...

Re: Free SolidWorks Certification - Offer Extended!

brianmcelyea — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:26:28 -0000

They changed the CSWP a couple of years ago. It is no longer a proctored 8-hour exam, it is a 3-hour exam that is taken online, similar to the CSWA and all the other exams.

If you look closely, it is now called CSWP-CORE, and I believe that the advanced discipline problems that you choose from at the end are no longer there (note that I haven't taken this new 3-hour exam). They seem to be breaking the advanced disciplines out into their own exams.

There is now Surfacing and Sheet Metal certifications as well as Simulation, and I believe there is a Mold certification in the works.

Re: Paper Pilot Game In The Press

brianmcelyea — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:32:37 -0000

While I do not do any tool design, I would think that SolidWorks would be more than capable of doing the job.

Re: 2 Years, 800 Posts and a Fab New Look.

brianmcelyea — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:21:52 -0000

Upon refreshing, the sidebar seems to have moved up some, but there is still some blank space. And the 3 adds right below the header seem to be floating out where they shouldn't be. I just sent you a screenshot.