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SolidWorks 2011 Measures Up
9 Sep, 2010 By: Bill FaneThe latest release from Dassault Systèmes features automatic dimension re-arrangement, a part de-featuring tool, and simple sharing of parameter values and equations between parts.
Well-known CAD writer Ralph Grabowski produces a weekly e-mail newsletter called upFront.eZine. A while back he asked his readers if the use of CAD was resulting in poorer drawings, and the response — especially from his older readers — was a resounding "Yes!"
My personal beef comes from sloppy dimensioning. Engineering drawings are a form of language, used to communicate ideas. If in a sentence in the sequence wrong the words are then harder much it becomes read and comprehend to. Huh?
The same is true of engineering drawings. If dimensions are poorly placed, they become harder to understand, and it is more likely that mistakes will be made. The problem is that most schools and institutes these days turn out "CAD operators"; they may know every command in a particular brand of software, and have a certification to prove it, but that doesn't make them good drafters. Dimension placement is a prime example, especially in 3D parametric modelers that automatically bring dimensions forward from the 3D model to the 2D working drawings.
Fortunately, one of my favorite new features in SolidWorks 2011 pretty much solves this problem. (Dassault Systèmes unveiled the new version at the beginning of this month, and invited members of the CAD media to get a first look at the software; I'll discuss some of the most intriguing updates here.)
After you place or retrieve dimensions into your 2D working drawing, they can be automatically re-arranged according to "traditional" drafting rules. They are placed:
- Outside the part
- Spaced from smallest to largest
- Aligned and centered, if possible
- Equally spaced
- Adjusted to avoid overlapping
- Staggered, if necessary
A typical drawing "as produced" (above left), and the same drawing a split-second later, after the dimensions have been automatically re-arranged (above right).
As you can see, the resultant drawing is easier to read and less likely to yield reading errors.
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Comments
on: September 17, 2010 - 11:47pm