TriMech Blog

Yesterday, we released the first video blog of our five-part series showcasing our process of designing and 3D printing a skin-on-frame kayak. We theorized that with SOLIDWORKS solutions, designing and testing a skin-on-frame kayak would be much faster and cheaper than building physical prototypes. This allows us to ultimately 3D print and build a full-size kayak, with relative ease, to test on open waters. In the first video segment, we completed the initial design in SOLIDWORKS, allowing us to move on to testing, which is part two of the series.

A popular question among SOLIDWORKS users is “How do I determine volume marking levels in containers?" Perhaps you have run into a similar scenario in the past. This is easy if the container has a regular shape (like a cylinder or pyramid), but it becomes a bit more challenging when the container has an irregular shape.

The end-use of a product should be at the forefront of your mind when you're in the design process. However, consumer products are often able to be used for multiple purposes which makes prototyping an important step. But did you know that before you print out several mock-ups you can look at each stage of design validation utilizing simulation software? Lucky for you, we have a three-part webinar series where we demonstrate and explain this all for you. 

Look out Wilson—TriMech has rendered our own NCAA official basketball for March Madness this year. Check out what TriMech thinks about this year's bracket, our favorite teams and how we used SOLIDWORKS to get our logo on the game ball. 

One of the best aspects of SOLIDWORKS is that it’s not just a 3D CAD tool, but that it's a complete engineering solution. Tools like SOLIDWORKS Simulation help us analyze our designs and test them for critical attributes such as strength and fatigue. In SOLIDWORKS 2017 and previous versions, Simulation Professional even included a tool that would allow us to optimize our design for a set goal while varying many of our design parameters. This took a lot of the guesswork out of creating the best possible design and reduced the number of iterations that were required in the design cycle. SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional now includes Topology studies.

Did you know there is a major untapped resource within SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation? And it may be the answer to all your metal casting problems! Say goodbye to fits, restarts, re-tooling and launch delays with Thermal Flow.

As SOLIDWORKS' involvement in the product design process continues to grow, one area that shows significant potential is virtual design analysis. From basic finite element analysis (FEA) and tolerance stack-up analysis using intuitive wizards, to mold flow analysis, to streamline plastic mold design and advanced simulation studies using premier simulation tools, SOLIDWORKS offers a complete range of tools to make product design more efficient and productive. 

Our QA blog series looks at different members of our team, their passion, 3D CAD specializations and a piece of content they’ve developed. This month’s QA features Sam Skinner and SOLIDWORKS Simulation.

There are many ways to validate your designs. However, to avoid over-engineering your parts and making costly design errors, SOLIDWORKS Simulation tools are some of the most reliable resources available.

New England is a great place to go mountain biking. Besides the amazing scenery, the fresh air and the seemingly endless supply of technical trails to ride, it’s also the only place where you can get away from the notorious New England traffic jams. Typically, when I mountain bike I don’t shy away from roots, big rocks or drops, resulting in some real stress on my bike.

Have you ever been reluctant to try something, wishing that you could test for safety or durability first? SOLIDWORKS Simulation has the power to virtually set up real-world environments to test product designs before they are sent to manufacturing. With simulation, you have the ability to test designs against parameters such as static, dynamic response, assembly motion and heat transfer. 

Using a scaled version of a knuckle design, SOLIDWORKS Technical Manager Mike Sande demonstrates how to get the most out of your design to cut materials, reduce mass, increase confidence in the durability of your design and better understand the life cycle your product will endure. In just 15 minutes, he uses three iterations through Simulation to create a good design, a better design and the best design for this product.