One of the most exciting parts of 3DEXPERIENCE World was the Playground, which was previously known as the Partner Pavilion. It's exciting to see how different SOLIDWORKS solution partners gather to showcase their newest products and technologies and how we can do some networking with other folks within the industry.

Stratasys just released the newest addition to their J-series family of PolyJet 3D printers, the Stratasys J826, an entry-level printer for the enterprise design world. Just like the J850, the J826 has been created using Stratasys' best-in-class PolyJet technology and is part of the only family of printers currently available that can print full-color, multi-material models in a single print. It provides the same end-to-end solution for the design process and ultra-realistic simulation at a lower price point.

Almost everybody loves chocolate, right? That’s exactly what I was thinking when I was working on some models for our previous Halloween and Christmas candy articles. As I was working on those projects, I came across a surprisingly quick and easy way to apply full-color patterned textures to CAD models for 3D printing on the Stratasys J750 and J850, using SOLIDWORKS Visualize, and had the idea to use this method to make chocolate bars for Valentine’s Day!

We had an amazing time at 3DEXPERIENCE^® World 2020 and in the blink of an eye it was over! Today, everyone was very excited during the general session as multiple Dassault Systèmes partners shared some of the neat projects and ideas they are working on. It really is exciting to see how these companies and individuals are coming up with new products that are impacting our world. 

I can’t believe it is already day three of 3DEXPERIENCE^® World. This conference has been just as amazing as prior years and still has elements of SOLIDWORKS^®. Today, I got the chance to explore the Playground, formerly the Partner Pavilion, which is the are where you can walk around and check out products and demos from different partners, like you would in a tradeshow.

After two years of using SOLIDWORKS^® and almost two years of working with TriMech as an Application Engineer, I was finally ready to go to my first 3DEXPERIENCE^® World! Many of my team members have described all the events and seminars that are held and I just knew I had to go. As a SOLIDWORKS engineer, I’m always interested in learning new tools and techniques to share in the demos and classes I host.

For me, day one of the very first 3DEXPERIENCE^® World started with a short early morning flight. This year, I was selected to present and wanted to make sure I had my presentation backed up in multiple places. My mind is put at ease because as soon as I connect to any WiFi, I can access it through my laptop or through my phone via 3D Play on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. I am so excited to learn so much more about this platform at 3DEXPERIENCE World.  

Undo and Redo are core functionalities we use without a second thought. It’s part of the reason we can model without a care in the world, right? We can always undo whatever potential mistake we might make. Even the most basic, fundamental and core functions can be improved. In SOLIDWORKS 2020, Undo and Redo have been improved, but you might not have noticed yet if you haven’t really needed it.

Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is the additive manufacturing process of creating 3D shapes using composite layers of heated resin, which also contains non-metallic fibers. This process can result in 3D printed parts that are two times stronger than steel at one-fifth of the weight (which is excellent); however, the technology traditionally requires million-dollar AFP systems (which is not great). Desktop Metal has recently launched its new Fiber™ platform, which utilizes a technology they call “micro” automated fiber placement (μAFP), that radically reduces the structure and cost of the typical AFP process .

In this digital age, customers are more informed about the products they buy than ever before, resulting in the desire for a more memorable experience. Everything from the opening of the packaging, to where suppliers source their materials and even a sustainable disposal plan, are now factors that impact consumer decisions. Consumers not only want to be sold to, but they want to influence their manufacturers to help shape their own experience.

Mixed mesh quality could be the most impactful addition to the Simulation toolset in many years. It enables you to specify areas of your model where you need accuracy and areas where you can save time. In other words, you can have accuracy and time savings all in one simulation. This is possible because you can use both high-quality and draft-quality elements in the same model. This is a game changer for simulation, you no longer have to decide between what you want to draft or high-quality elements because you can have both. 

PolyJet technology uses resins that are dispensed onto a build tray in very small droplets and cured between passes with ultraviolet light in order to create a 3D shape or shapes. PolyJet 3D printers use this process to create parts with a high level of detail and realism because they can print in multiple materials/colors at once and at a higher resolution than other print technology like Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Stratasys PolyJet machines can blend anywhere from two to six resins in order to obtain features like soft touch points and full range of color in a single printed part. This makes the technology very attractive for multiple industries when needing to create realistic prototypes and tactile end-use-parts. In this blog article, we highlight some of the most common blends of these composite or "digital" materials and how they are made.