http://blog.capinc.com The CAPINC Technical Blog - SolidWorks Tip & Tricks Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:35:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 en hourly 1 http://blog.capinc.com/2010/02/dxf2/ http://blog.capinc.com/2010/02/dxf2/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:47:57 +0000 Michael LaFleche http://blog.capinc.com/?p=273 This is the second blog post in my manufacturing series. This scenario of outputting parts to DXF format for laser, waterjet, punching and so on should be used for parts with sheet metal bends. When creating parts using the Sheet Metal functions, SolidWorks will calculate the flat pattern. New in SolidWorks 2010, users have the capability of automatically creating a DXF file without creating a detail drawing and exporting from there. This snuck into SolidWorks 2009 if you had a sheet metal part as well, but it was not as robust as the 2010 method. In 2009, you need to have a sheet metal feature in your part and then you would go top the File… Save As… Menu and choose DXF or DWG. Then you would go ahead and clean it up by removing the bend lines and any other geometry in DWGEditor, so as not to confuse the CNC software. In SolidWorks 2010, the solution is much more elegant. Follow the gallery below for a full description of how this works, but essentially, you can right-click on the “Flat-Pattern” feature in your FeatureManager Design Tree, then choose “Export to DWG/DXF” Then it will ask for a file name. You will then be presented with a PropertyManager that shows a Sheet Metal radio button as the default choice. Then you can decide if you just want the geometry “Arrow A” or if you want to include the Bend Lines “Arrow B” You would use automatic bend line if you have automated bending equipment and your CNC software can interpret it. Save out he file and you are all set!
Another nice thing in 2010 is the quick toggle for a flat pattern. Especially in the light that you can have more than one flat pattern for a sheet metal fabrication. Right-Click on any sheet metal body in your design and you can choose “Toggle Flat Display”. Here you will see a preview of the flat pattern on your screen available until you move on to the next command.

]]> http://blog.capinc.com/2010/02/dxf2/feed/ 0 http://blog.capinc.com/2009/09/solidworks-sustainability/ http://blog.capinc.com/2009/09/solidworks-sustainability/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:47:49 +0000 Michael LaFleche http://blog.capinc.com/?p=73 SolidWorks Sustainability is around the corner. This will make it easy for engineers to make decisions about product process, material selection and environmental impact.  To see Rick Chin of SolidWorks discuss and demonstrate a preview version of this, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts3EtsfM0QM.  This is available as a Sustainability Xpress download for SolidWorks 2009 on http://labs.solidworks.com/ if you want to give it a go.  We will have much more discussion on this at our SW 2010 rollout events in October.  To sign up, go to:  http://www.capinc.com/pages/seminars/SolidWorks-2010-Events.cfm ]]> http://blog.capinc.com/2009/09/solidworks-sustainability/feed/ 0