HOW TO USE SOLIDWORKSSolidworks is an example of a 3D CAD modelling Software, 3D means that you can draw parts using 3 Dimensions. Still haven’t got a clue ? Well think about it, you draw on a piece of paper you can go side to side, and up and down which is 2 Dimensions (X and Y).
Ok now imagine a cube of stone you can use a chisel to carve out features. You have an extra plane, known as Z. You can carve side to side, up and down, and backwards. This is 3 Dimensional. You can show everybody something by using three Dimensions.
CAD Software has undergone some major changes in its relatively short life time. First drafting wasn’t possible on a Computer and you had to draw by hand. Then the first CAD Programs started being adopted by Industries.
At the start Computers were huge Machines that were located in one office it was the only office that had air conditioning! Only a very few people could run these Machines.
Today there are Computers on every desk in every office, mainly that’s because they’re a lot smaller and cheaper. Today Computers are capable of doing a lot more than they were back then.
The Technology behind CAD Software has been changing at an extremely fast rate. This is mainly due to the fact that Computers are becoming more and more powerful.
Every year the processor speed gets faster, the processing speed means that the Computers can do more and more calculations per second year on year. The latency and amount of RAM in our Machines is increasing.
Remember when 16 MB RAM was standard, and 32 MB was considered excessive! Now 512 MB of RAM is considered the norm, anything below this is not enough. Faster Computers make it possible to do more things with them 3D CAD is a very interesting area.
With 2D CAD you had to Design each component individually, and the drawings only represented what you were drawing. These were Technical drawings any 3 dimensional objects had to be flattened out into a Flat Drawing. Now this just means thinking about it, it’s not that difficult.
What if you want to see how things fit together?
Well unfortunately with 2D CAD Software it’s not possible. What you used to have to do is make a Scale Model in 3D and see how everything works.
Now let us consider 3D, by drawing with the extra Dimension you can make components that really behave like the real thing. Solidworks is capable of creating such 3D models. But what’s the use of 3D.
Well Solidworks can take these components and fit them together how they will be assembled. This helps Designers because it will highlight any areas where the Design is wrong.
If you are building two covers to fit together around a pipe then it’s not uncommon for them not to match. Human error can easily cause such a problem. But using 3D modelling provided by Solidworks it is possible to see how the actual components will be assembled.
Solidworks allows Designers to test out their Designs before they are made. The Manufacturing Industry often sees a lot of waste due to human error. Using Solidworks or another 3D CAD Package can help reduce the number of mistakes to an absolute minimum.
Solidworks also allows Designers to analyse stress upon the components. You can even put the item in a Virtual Wind Tunnel so you can improve the design to accommodate for drag. 3D CAD Packages allow businesses to show clients exactly how something will work and look. If it is a Machine then they can even run the Machine to prove that there won’t be any problems.
The use of Solidworks or another 3D CAD Package is necessary in many Industries so that they can compete. However implementing such a System can be expensive, and would also require retraining of staff.
What are 3D CAD Packages useful for ?
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