Improving Large Assembly Design Using SolidWorks Step-by-Step Learning Guide

A self-study guide to improving your large assembly productivity with SolidWorks® software. Learn the tools and techniques to more efficiently design large assemblies and projects using SolidWorks. Learn at your own speed as you explore the different elements that comprise efficient assemblies.

Book Features

• Unlock the full power of SolidWorks tools and techniques to more efficiently design large assemblies with the helpful instructions and tips available only from technical training experts on staff with Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation.

• Explore the elements that make assemblies more efficient and the practices that can speed up your work.

• Examine the different hardware choices that contribute to a more productive design environment.

• Learn at your own pace – review each lesson as often as you want or quickly move on to the next lesson.

• Follow along with more than 100 full - color images and screen captures that serve as easy-to understand visual cues.

Course Outline

Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview

• About This Book
• Overview
• In Search of the Magic Bullet
• How Much Will It Cost Me?
• Root Causes
• Best Practices
• Previous Training
• Goals
• The Bottom Line

Chapter 2: Planning and File Management

• Large Project Design Planning
• How to Implement a Strategy
• File Management
• Product Data Management
• Goals of Data Management
• Where Used
• The Manual Data Management Method
• SolidWorks Workgroup PDM
• SolidWorks Enterprise PDM
• The Choice

Chapter 3: Software Settings

• Performance
• SolidWorks Options
• System Options
• Document Properties
• SolidWorks Add-ins
• Windows Options
• System Maintenance
• Running Other Programs
• Virus Protection
• SolidWorks Rx
• Saving Settings

Chapter 4: Components

• Parts 
• Part Origins
• Symmetry
• Features
• In-Context Modeling
• Creating In-Context Features
• InPlace Mates
• Alternative Method
  
• Common Tools
• External References
• Part Configurations
• Simplified Configurations
• The Simplify Tool
• Patterns
• Templates
• Additional Consideration for Parts
• Level of Detail for Purchased Components
• Feature Statistics 
• Fasteners and Toolbox 
• Errors

Chapter 5: Assemblies

• Assemblies 
• Issues in Large Assembly Management
• Opening Assemblies
• External Reference Search Order
• Referenced Document Search Path
• Recursive Searches
• Loading Assemblies
• Loading Files into Memory
• Other Methods to Reduce Loaded Information 
• Other Selection Tools
• Solving Mates
• Other Performance Enhancement Techniques
• Converting Files
• Appearance Performance
• Assembly Features
• Purchased Components
• AssemblyXpert
• Fasteners
• Layouts

Chapter 6: Drawings

• Drawings
• Drawing Performance
• Quick view
• Lightweight
• SpeedPak
• Open to a Specific Configuration or Display State
• Detached Drawings
• eDrawings
• Drawing Templates and Sheet Formats
• Organizing Your Templates
• Performance and Display Issues
• Making a Backup Copy 

Chapter 7: Hardware

• Hardware
• Choosing Hardware
• Operating System
• How Much RAM
• Storage
• What’s Important?
• Type of CPU
• Cores/Threads
• Video Cards
• Networks 

Chapter 8: Planning Large Design Projects Using SolidWorks

• Introduction to Large Project Design
• Planning Your Project
• File Storage 
• Stage of the Design 
• Level of Detail
• Components of a Large Assembly
• Structural Steel Design 
• Routed Systems
• Models from Outside Vendors or Sources
• Visualization
• Collaboration
• Document Control
• Detailing (Drawings)

Chapter 9: Review

• Performance by the Numbers
• Bottom Line
• Summary
• Hardware