| Solidworks is a computer-aided design program that | | | | is how the designer of the part wants it to adapt to |
| is developed and distributed by Dassault Sytemes | | | | changes and additions. When you take into |
| SolidWorks Corp. The software is presently | | | | consideration that changing a design can occasionaly |
| employed by over 100,000 businesses the world over | | | | result in redoing the whole project (on computer) this |
| for various research and development, design and | | | | is an important function. SolidWorks will work around |
| production purposes, but SolidWorks and sheet metal | | | | any other bit or parts of a design that have been |
| manufacturing remains our primary concern. | | | | programed in. For example, if you were to design a |
| SolidWorks and sheet metal manufacturing have a | | | | suitcase with a handle that is eight inches long and |
| solid marriage on a fundamental level. By using this | | | | raises three inches from the case, altering anything |
| all-in-one design program the possibilities of going | | | | other dimensions, for instance the size or height of |
| from design to manufacturing right away exist in a | | | | the briefcase, does not affect the status and criteria |
| very real sense. | | | | of the handle. Because of this, adjustments can be |
| Essentially, SolidWorks is a three-dimensional modeling | | | | affected more easily than with other computer-aided |
| program with the capacity to provide a "virtual | | | | design software. |
| environment" for testing designs before the | | | | Parameters can inputted to define design intent. |
| manufacturing process begins. This is a time and | | | | Parameters can be either numeric or geometric |
| money saver. Engineers no longer need to wait for a | | | | parameters. Numerical parameters include details |
| prototype to be manufactured, thus time is saved as | | | | such as the length of a line or circle diameters. |
| well as the cost of labor and materials typically | | | | Geometric parameters would be concentrics, |
| associated with building a prototype. | | | | tangents, parallels, horizontal and vertical lines etc. |
| Building a model with SolidWorks is a pretty seamless | | | | One advantage of SolidWorks is in that numeric |
| job. In relation to SolidWorks and sheet metal | | | | parameters can be related to each other. This use |
| manufacturing, generally a two-dimensional drawing | | | | of relations is a major part of the ability to capture |
| would comprise of geometric lines, arcs, conics, and | | | | of design intent. |
| splines. Extra dimensions can be brought to the plan | | | | When the design for a part has been saved, it is |
| to define the size and location of the geometry. | | | | catalogued and can be reopened at any time, |
| Relations are used to determine properties like | | | | modified, used as a guide for a new design or added |
| parallelism, tangency, concentricity and | | | | with another drawing to form an assembly drawing. |
| perpendicularity - however many of these attributes | | | | These extra features alone increase the value of the |
| would not be needed for typical sheet metal | | | | software in relation to SolidWorks and sheet metal |
| fabrication. Using SolidWorks in this way ensures that | | | | assembly. For custom jobs, having a filing system in |
| the first test run has a better probability of success | | | | place for all finished jobs as well as the ability to |
| as the dimensions in the plan can be modified | | | | quickly and easily alter those drawing to meet |
| independently, or by their relationships to other | | | | individual requirements is a huge advantage. For new |
| parameters of the sketch, and adjustments can be | | | | jobs the ability to quickly draw, render and create a |
| programmed easily. | | | | prototype quickly will help to ensure customer |
| Design intention is important in production too. Intent | | | | satisfaction and efficiency in production. |