Creating Animations with SolidWorks Step-By-Step Learning Guide

A self-study guide to animating 3D CAD assemblies. Learn the fundamentals of SolidWorks Animations at your own speed, as you progress from simple to more complex animations.

Book Features

• Unlock the full power of SolidWorks® design tools with the helpful instructions and tips available only from technical training experts on staff with Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.
• Build your skills and confidence quickly with 24 easy-to-understand tutorials and practice exercises, each building upon the previous lesson.
• Reinforce your new skills with the accompanying CD, which features time-saving project files for tutorials and practice exercises.
• 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 400 full-color images and screen captures that serve as easy-to-understand visual cues.

Course Outline

Chapter 1: Introduction

• About This Book
• The SolidWorks MotionManager
• History of the MotionManager
• Motion Study Types
• Animations
• Basic Workflow
• What is an Animation?
• Building Animations
• Animation Results
• Types of Motion
• Which Motion Study To Use
• Motion Drivers
• MotionManager User Interface
• Getting Help

Chapter 2: Creating Simple Animations

• Animation
• Point to Point (Key Point) Animations
• Case Study: Exploded Views
• The Animation Study Type
• Animation Wizard
• Stages in the Process
• Case Study: Animation Wizard
• View Orientation
• Interpolation Modes
• Recording Animations
• Dragging a Component

Chapter 3: Editing the Timeline

• Editing the Timeline
• Case Study: Editing the Timeline
• Timeline Symbols
• Editing Key Points

Chapter 4: View Orientations

• View Orientations
• Viewpoints
• Positioning the Viewpoint
• Named Views
• Perspective View
• View Orientation States
• View Orientation Changes
• Case Study: Viewpoints
• Perspective View Effect
• Case Study: Visual Bloom

Chapter 5: Animating Appearances

• Animating Appearances
• Changing Displays and Appearances
• Case Study: Component Visibility Changes
• Display States
• Case Study: Changing Appearances
• Animating Lights
• Lighting
• Shadows
• Spot Lights
• Lighting Characteristics
• Lights in Animations
• Case Study: Lighting
• The PhotoWorks Buffer
• Case Study: Rendering An Animation
• Saving a Series of Images

Chapter 6: Free Component Motion

• Overview
• Free Component Motion
• Keys
• Motion Study Properties
• Case Study: Free Component Motion
• Move and Rotate Component
• Triad
• Mates
• Reverse Path
• Case Study: Alternate Solution - Motor
  
• Duplicate Study
• Case Study: Alternate Solution - Mate

Chapter 7: Motion Drivers

• Motion Drivers
• Dragging Components
• Mates
• Animating Robots
• Part 1: Mates
• MotionManager Filters
• Motors
• Part 2: Distance Motor
• Constant Speed Motor
• Part 3: Constant Speed Motor
• Interpolated Motors
• Part 4: Interpolated Motor
• Sub-assemblies
• Case Study: Sub-assemblies
• Simulation Motion Drivers

Chapter 8: Animating Parts

• Animating Parts
• Case Study: Animating In-context Parts
• Animating a Spring
• Case Study: Create a Spring
• Case Study: Wheel Assembly

Chapter 9: Basic Motion

• Basic Motion
• Animation through Simulation
• Driving Motion
• Motion Study Properties
• Case Study: Ball Sorter
• Gravity
• Contact
• Limitations
• Case Study: Impact
• Case Study: Geneva Wheel
• Combining Motion
• Case Study: The Bouncing Ball
• Springs
• Translational Spring
• Importing Simulation Results
• Physical Dynamics
• Capturing the Screen
• Case Study: Fly-ball Governor
• Storyboard

Chapter 10: Alternate Methods

• Alternate Methods
• Case Study: Fly Ball Governor
• Alternate Approach
• Case Study: Bouncing Ball 
• Oscillating Motors
• Motors Driven By Expressions
• What is the Best Way to Animate?
• Case Study: Arbor Press

Chapter 11: Introduction to Cameras

• Introduction to Cameras
• Camera Options
• Adding a Camera
• Case Study: Introduction to Cameras
• Camera Position and Target
• Editing a Camera
• Multiple Cameras
• Cameras in an Animation
• Case Study: Camera Lenses
• Apparent Depth
• Case Study: Apparent Depth
• Standard Lens
• Depth of Field
• Case Study: Setting Depth of Field

Chapter 12: Using Camera Sleds in Animations

• Using Camera Sleds in Animations
• Using a Camera Sled
• Case Study: Camera Sled
• The Camera and Camera Sled
• Case Study: Focal Length 2

Chapter 13: Walk-through Animations

• Using Cameras in Animations
• Case Study: Walk-through Animations
• Case Study: Walk-through with a Fixed Location
• Case Study: Walk-through Using Only a Camera
• Case Study: Camera Aimed Along a Path

Chapter 14: SolidWorks Motion

• Chapter Scope
• SolidWorks Motion
• When to Use SolidWorks Motion
• Case Study: Fly Ball Governor
• Review
• Summary of Motion Drivers

Chapter 15: Post-Processing

• Post-Processing
• Video Editing Programs
• External References
• Timelines
• Video Compression
• Transitions
• Titles and Annotations
• Looping
• Parallel Processing
• Rendering Efficiency
• Case Study: Post-Processing 
• Windows Movie Maker

Chapter 16: Advanced Topics

• Advanced Topics
• Configurations for Animations
• Case Study: Hand Punch 
• Clip 1: Assemble the Punch 
• Clip 2: Show Assembly Action
• Dynamic Section Cuts
• Clip 3: Change Punch Tip and Die
• Changing Configurations
• Clip 4: Cut Sheet Metal
• Post-Processing
• Producing The Movie
• Case Study: Animating Sub-assemblies 
• Procedural Appearances 
• Case Study: Stroboscopic Effect
• Case Study: Pencil Sharpener

Chapter 17: Large Assembly Animations

• Large Assembly Animations
• Assemblies for Animations
• Case Study: Large Assembly Animations 
• Working in the Assembly

Chapter 18: Tips and Tricks for Better Animations

• Animation Length
• Storyboards
• Viewpoints/Cameras
• Separate Assembly for Animation
• Post-Processing
• Rendering Efficiency
• Do It The Easy Way
• Consistency
• Animation Tips
• Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks