TriMech Blog

Building assemblies and getting them to move is one of the most satisfying aspects of designing in a CAD environment. After designing all those parts we can assemble them and start to see just how they will act and react before the first part is ever manufactured. Analysis of movement gives us insights we otherwise would not have access to without producing a part or prototype. Are parts colliding? Do they fit together as intended? Can it be assembled and does its assembly require special tools? How much space near our machine is required for it to perform its task? The list of questions goes on. In this blog article, we will go over how to use tools within SOLIDWORKS to virtually test robotic movement without any physical mock-ups.

Stratasys 3D printers offer two main technologies through which multi-color printing can be accomplished. PolyJet technology is the most widely known that allows you to 3D print multi-color, multi-material parts and is known for its detailed and realistic results. Surprisingly, many people do not know that single-print, multi-colored prints are also possible when using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology. Using Stratasys 3D printers and GrabCAD Print software, the process is actually very simple.

You’re working away in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation when you run into this message, “Fluid volume recognition has failed because the model currently is not watertight.” Ugh. It can really put a cramp in your workflow. Even the tiniest holes keep SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation from detecting your fluid region making it impossible to run a study. Luckily, you don’t have to scrap your work and start over. Since SOLIDWORKS 2013, there’s a tool that makes it extremely easy to locate these frustrating gaps and holes in internal studies. It’s called Leak Tracking and it shows you exactly where the problem areas are so you can finish setting up your model for an internal flow study.

With so many software options out there, it’s hard to know which combination is right for your custom manufacturing needs. With the SOLIDWORKS family of integrated products we’re spoiled for choice, but that doesn’t make understanding all the options any easier to someone looking at it for the first time. We’ve taken a look at all the options and put together a summary of what we think is the “ideal” manufacturing bundle. In this blog post, we’ll go over all the top-level benefits for each product and what you’ll be taking with you.

The VeroFlex and VeroFlexVivid family of materials are an unbelievably unique set of new materials available on Stratasys J Series 3D printers, which are capable of producing parts that have improved strength and flexibility while retaining great shape memory. Similar to how our simulated rubber-like Agilus material works, parts produced in either VeroFlex or VeroFlexVivid do not need to be handled as gently as other material parts and will hold up with little fear of them breaking. However, unlike Agilus, this material produces parts that are rigid and will snap right back to their original shape after being flexed in any direction. This makes them a great material to print high-quality full-color parts that are thin, like eyewear and small action figures, so today we’re going to show these new materials in action as we make some incredible Fourth of July sunglasses!

SOLIDWORKS Education Edition is the perfect solution for preparing students for a career in engineering. With more than 200,000 jobs posted a year seeking employees with SOLIDWORKS experience, investing in their training will not go to waste. There are many questions regarding the Education Edition and what all is included. Let's dive into those questions as well as the updates to the 2019-2020 version. 

It is important to design products that are strong yet light in weight while resisting damage against impact or unanticipated shocks and vibration. The static analysis assumes that loads are constant or applied very slowly, ignoring the effects of inertial and damping forces. For many practical cases, loads are not applied slowly. In fact, they change with time or frequency. To simulate such conditions, a dynamic analysis is required.

Over the years, I’ve dabbled in many surface editors. I have spent too many hours creating human faces, cars and other complex geometries only to have the most extravagant shapes not make the jump to hyperspace from surfaces to solids willingly. Perhaps, you know from experience, the let-down in creating something with surfaces that looks great in CAD, only to fumble into getting in a solid form so it can be 3D printed.  

In our previous blog post, we walked through the process of setting up an airflow study over the front of the Thunder Roadster. We used SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation to set up a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis to verify that incoming air is adhering to the surface of the car and entering the hood scoop at racing speeds. With the results verified, the next step is to design new inlet components to route as much of that air to the engine as possible to improve performance.

Manufacturing technology seems to catch on much slower than other technological leaps; it’s 2019 and I still train students every month coming from 2D drafting into the 3D world! Is this because of the companies, the designers, the machinists or none of these? There is a huge difference in how a job shop, or even a large-scale production facility, work versus how we think. We’re going to take a look at this much too common disconnect and what options are out there to improve shop communication and efficiency.

SOLIDWORKS is not just a CAD application. The integrated add-ins and supporting applications make it a complete engineering solution. I recently took advantage of these tools to complete a project that has been at the back of my mind for some time. It was a great opportunity to show how to use the SOLIDWORKS integrated platform from design all the way through the manufacturing and post-manufacturing process.  

In our previous blog post, we walked through the process of gathering usable data by 3D scanning the entire outside of Ryan's car. TriMech's Project Engineering Group helped us convert the scanned data into a usable SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD model of the Thunder Roadster. With this model, we'll be able to make, evaluate, verify and even modify the vehicle for ultimate performance!