CATI Tech Notes

Help with Help files !!

We often tend to look up help of software for information that either isn’t intuitive or we are confused about. But more often than not we have to access the software itself to get to the help menu.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have help at your beck and call as it should be.

You can have the help menu show up in Start \ All Programs menu \ SolidWorks 2009 \ Help \

 

To do this

1.     browse to C:\Documents and Settings\” user name on machine ”\Start Menu\Programs\

2.      Right click and create a new folder called “Help”

3.     In this folder create a shortcut to the help file (*.chm file) for Solid Works Help. This is usually where the software is installed. C:\ProgramFiles\SolidWorks\SolidWorks\lang\english\sldworks.chm

4.     Similarly create shortcuts to all the help files you might want in there.

 Eg COSMOS works  C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\COSMOSWorks\Help\cworks.chm

 

Now you can drag and drop the Help menu created in the Program files menu under SolidWorks folder.

Machine specifications

Many a times users need to know their machine specifications in a quick and easy manner. If you hit windows button on the keyboard+ Pause key; machines System Properties of coming up.  The other method to bring this up is right click on My Computer and click on properties. 

Rajat Trehan

Product Manager – Design Validation

Computer Aided Technology Inc.

A Positive Negative?

Negative Dimensions

Did you know that it is now possible to use negative dimensions in a sketch?  If you want to move a feature from one side to the other, you no longer have to delete the dimension, just move the feature to the other side and add the dimension back in.

Double click the dimension of the feature you want to move.

Type in the negative value of the dimension and watch the feature flip to the opposite side.  Also, the dimension will be displayed correctly and not with a minus sign in front of it.  This was a great little enhancement in 2009 that makes our lives a little easier.

 

Flow Simulation to meet your goals!

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has helped develop some of the latest aircrafts, help us work more efficiently by maintaining our environment at a specific temperature, or help chill beer for superbowl !!!

Floworks takes a goal based approach to help us make these complex calculations. Floworks initially considers any steady state flow problem as a time-dependent problem. The solver module iterates on an internally determined time step to seek a steady state flow field. Floworks has an algorithm to stop these calculations once convergence has been achieved.  It is better a user uses his own criteria to determine where the solution should be stopped.  User specifies Goals as physical parameters of interest, so their convergence can be considered as obtaining a steady state solution from engineering viewpoint.

Specifying Goals not only prevents possible errors in calculated values of these parameters, but in most cases allows user to shorten the total solution time. Users can monitor Goal convergence behavior during calculations. They can then decide to stop the solver if solution is diverging or if necessary goals have been achieved. Goal progress bar is a qualitative and quantitative characteristic of the goal convergence process. For each goal user can choose to use the goal for convergence control or not. Goals that are not used convergence control will not influence finishing the calculation. 

Users can specify the following types of Goals

Global Goal is a parameter calculated within the entire computational domain.

Point Goal is a parameter calculated at a user specified point.

Surface Goal is a parameter calculated on a user specified face of the model.

Volume Goal is a parameter calculated within a user specified space inside computational domain, either in fluid or solid.

Equation Goal is a mathematical function defined using specified goals (either Global, Point, Surface, Volume) to monitor key parameters that Floworks does not calculate by default. They play an important role in the overall calculation as values important to the engineer. Eg. Efficiency of fan, co-efficient of drag / lift, Pressure gradients at a location.

It is recommended to specify appropriate goal with the specified condition. Eg: If user specify a pressure opening it makes sense to define a mass flow rate surface goal at this opening. Floworks allows you to associate a type of condition (boundary condition, fan, heat source or radiative surface) with goals, which will be automatically created with the condition if the “create associated goals” check box is selected in the conditions dialog box.

Rajat Trehan

Product Manager - Design Validation

Computer Aided Technology Inc.

SolidNetwork Licensing (SNL) Activation Update and FAQ’s

SolidWorks recently announced that the pilot program of SolidNetwork Licensing (SNL) Activation has been very successful. We here at CATI have had no reported problems after putting over 20 of our SNL customers in the SNL Activation pilot program.

Because of this success SolidNetwork License (SNL) server activation will be implemented as the standard licensing methodology for commercial network licenses with the SolidWorks 2010 release.  Also all new SNL orders will be licensed utilizing Activation starting on July 20, 2009. Please note: SolidWorks will stop shipping dongles for new SNL orders starting on July 20, 2009

If you are unfamiliar with what SNL Activation is you can look at it as a natural extension of Standalone License Activation that has been in place since the release of SolidWorks 2007. SNL Activation will completely eliminate the need for USB dongles, which will greatly streamline the installation process, shorten the delivery cycle, and reduce the technical issues caused by the dongle licensing.

So rather than plugging in a physical dongle and importing a license file matching the dongle, a CAD administrator will simply launch the SNL Administrator on the license server, enter the serial number, and press an ‘Activate Now’ button. Once all of the business rules pass, the customer’s SolidWorks assets will be loaded to the SNL Manager for sharing with the client computers within the company.

You may find more details on SolidNetwork Licensing (SNL) Activation from the attached FAQs or from CATI’s previous Blog postings.

http://blog.cati.com/2009/04/coming-soon-solidnetwork-licensing-with-no-dongle-no-file-no-fuss.html

http://blog.cati.com/2009/05/snl-activation-error-invalid-solidnetwork-license-serial-number-29.html

Download SolidNetwork Licensing Activation FAQs

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Josh Altergott

CATI Support Team Leader

FYI - Want to know what that Windows Installer error code means?

Doing some digging I ran across this cross reference list in the Installation FAQs along with some other useful information that you might have wondered about in the installation process. It is often heard on the support lines that there isn't enough information about SolidWorks installs out there. Mostly I think it is overlooked, (I am at fault as well) so I have put the list here for a sneak peek at some of the good info out there. To see the full list click on this link:

https://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/FAQ-installation.html

Question: What are the common SolidWorks related WI (Windows Installer) error codes?

Answer: The following are common SolidWorks WI (Windows Installer error codes). The KB (Knowledge Base) links require a log in to the SolidWorks Customer Portal and Subscription Service membership.

WI Error Code	KB (Knowledge Base) Solution
1303	S-07981
1304	S-01648
1305	S-03380
1311	S-00584
1315	S-02808
1324	S-07596
1327	S-019667
1335	S-02595
1374	S-05098
1402	S-00385
1402	S-04760
1402	S-01664
1406	S-03256
1406	S-04760
1602	S-05216
1603	S-014608
1606	S-03797
1633	S-016790
1642	S-01631
1720	S-04978
1722	S-021528
1722	S-010746
1722	S-03048
1904	S-02148
1904	S-01546
1913	S-00583
1920	S-03123
1923	S-00303
1926	S-017440

 

Don’t forget to join the BETA Program!!! You can’t complain about the release if you don’t!!!

John Van Engen

CATI Applications Engineer

SolidWorks 2010 Beta is now available for Download

SolidWorks 2010 Beta is available for download on the SolidWorks customer portal. If you are  interested in participating in the beta program, have at it, but wait until my download finishes first ...

Information is available at the Beta Home at: http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/subscription/betaprograms.htm

You will find the download files at:
http://customerportal.solidworks.com

Go to the download section. The version defaults to 2009, but you can use the pull down to select 2010.

If you are interested in finding out more about 2010 as the information becomes available, watch this blog, or sign up for our mail list in the right margin.

ARE YOU USING THE RECOMMENDED VIDEO DRIVER?

It's very important to use the recommended/certified video driver for SolidWorks.

FIRST: What do you have?
1. Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Information.
2. Check and Note:
---- System Summary:
---- ---- A. OS Name
---- ---- B. Version
---- ---- C. System Manufacturer
---- ---- D. System Model
---- ---- E. Processor (how many and speed. IE. 2 @ ~2330Mhz)
---- ---- F. Total Physical Memory
---- Components, Display
---- ---- A. Name
---- ---- B. Adapter Ram
---- ---- C. Driver Version (IE. 6.14.11.7575)

SECOND: What does SolidWorks Recommend?
1. www.solidworks.com
2. System/Graphics Card Requirements Link
3. System/Graphics Card Requirements Window
---- 1. Certified - leave it selected.
---- 2. System Vendor - VERY IMPORTANT!
How did the card get here? With the PC or separate? There are some differences between NVIDIA from Dell version from somewhere else.
---- 3. SolidWorks Version
---- 4. Operating System
---- 5. Card or Vendor
4. Pick the Show button
5. What Driver version do they list? Are there any notes, what do they say?
Note: Newer version drivers are not guaranteed to work better, and sometimes don't!

THIRD: Get that certified driver.
1. From the Recommended list, select the Blue text for the driver version to download the driver.

FOURTH: How to install that certified driver.
Per SolidWorks
Solution Id: S-033561
Question: When upgrading video card drivers, what is SolidWorks’ recommended process?
Answer: In several cases installation of video card drivers by update rather than as a fresh installation have been found to generate a variety of problems from SolidWorks not starting to black screens and intermittent abnormal terminations.  When installing video card drivers we recommend:

First uninstall the video card driver and revert back to the default Windows VGA / SVGA driver.  After the triggered reboot, reinstall the tested video card drivers.

1. Right click on your My Computer, Properties, Hardware, device manager, display adapters.
2. Then right click the video card, choose uninstall.

This will force you to reboot, then upon restarting disable anti-virus and install the new driver from the downloaded folder. On occasion this will state that it can't find any hardware that matches your driver. If this occurs. Right click on your My Computer, Properties, Hardware, device manager, display adapters. Then right click the video card, choose update driver and browse to the proper location of the new driver.

STILL HAVING PROBLEMS?: It's time to capture the issue with SolidWorksRx

START->All Programs->SolidWorks->SolidWorks 2009 SPx.x->SolidWorks Tools->SolidWorksRx
---Note: Shut SolidWorks down before starting SolidWorksRx---

1. Select Problem Capture
2. a. Describe Problem - Complete this the best you can.
3. b. Re-Create the Problem - Pick "Begin Recording".
4. Recreate Problem Window - Select Re-create the problem in SolidWorks, Start new session, Record with video.
------You can leave the Options button alone.
5. Pick Ok.
SolidWorks will launch, do what you would to make the problem show up or crash etc.
After a crash you'll be returned to SolidWorksRx.
If there isn't a crash and you've recreated the issue, just close out of SolidWorks.
Again you'll be back to the SolidWorksRx window.
6. Package - Please select Add Files under Related SolidWorks File.
7. Package Files.
The filename will be long, it starts with your SolidWorks serial number then the date. {SN}_{Date time group}.  It will be located in My Documents\SW Log files.  Locate the file and send that to us.

If the zip file is less than 5MB's e-mailing it to CATI should be fine.
If it's bigger than 5MB we should have you FTP the file to us.

This Rx zip file will give us a great deal of information to go on as we troubleshoot the issue further for you.

Thank You,
CATI Technical Support
888-285-2284

Northern Indiana SolidWorks User Group

Northern Indiana SolidWorks User Group

Do you live in a 260, 574, 219, 269 area code and want to learn more about SolidWorks?  Join us at the Northern Indiana SolidWorks User Group meeting where you will meet many of other excited SolidWorks users and learn a wide variety of information about SolidWorks. 

http://niswug.org

Date: June 23, 2009

Time: 5:00pm to 8:00pm

Where: Lake Michigan College Room #109, 1905 Fountain Drive, Niles, Michigan

Agenda: “The Fast Five”

1. Utilization of New 2009 Features

2. Intro to DWGEditor for SolidWorks Users

3. Smart Mates

4. Tools for Top Down Assembly Design

5. Basic Design Tables Usage

Food is provided

RSVP http://niswug.org/contact.html

Leslie Lougheed

Regional Technical Manager

Computer Aided Technology, Inc.

 

Static Weldment Analysis

Anyone who has come across the dilemma of sizing welds has wondered if FEA can help? So why is that no software on the market claims to have perfected this art so pertinent to manufacturing industry.

 

FEA with all its calculative functionalities has certain whims that need to be precisely catered to. FEA prefers all parts are gravity cast blanks with polished surfaces free of any imperfections. Moreover, FEA assumes all structures are heat treated to remove any residual stresses. The manufacturing process in itself should be numerically controlled. All these assumptions are obvious to produce consistent and predictable part to part performance.

 

Weldments on the other hand never have any sort of consistency. They vary due to change in temperature, chemistry of weld beads, chemistry of base materials, weld geometry, residual stresses etc. Hence many consider sizing welds an art and often end up with under-sized or over sized welds. Anyone who has actually attempted in sizing welds using FEA has observed several “hot spots” or stress singularities at the transition from weld bead to geometry. One obvious question then arises are these stresses controlling? What values have to be taken into consideration?

Throat Shear Method

 

The Throat shear method eliminates the need to estimate initial weld size. This method accounts for allowable strength per unit length in a weld based on weld type, and electrode used. These standard allowables are based on physical tests and hence account for variability. Moreover obtaining forces and moments from geometry are easy compared to stresses. Loads are less sensitive to local geometry and mesh independent. So if you mesh a component with three different mesh sizes, reaction loads from all three would be same, unlike stresses, which would vary.

 

This methodology does not require you to model weld geometry if using shell geometry. For solid models, there is some extra work required. One can simply build mesh with welded parts intersecting.

In the areas you need to size welds, place split lines to force evenly spaced vertices along the weld seam. Solve using draft quality elements for boundary conditions applied. Extract forces at the vertices; convert them into per unit loads. Compute weld size by dividing resultant load by allowable strength. Allowable can be obtained using standards AWS D 1.1. Force values are easily available if “Compute Free Body Forces” option is checked under study properties. FBD forces are available for vertices, edges, faces in Solid works 2009.

Rajat Trehan

Product Manager - Design Validation

Computer Aided Technology Inc.

VISTA -- What's in it for me?

Well I have made the move!  I'm now on VISTA, and boy is it pretty!!

But That's about it.  At least for me.  I have taken the time to play with the new environment for a few weeks now and have found that while being a bit easier on the eyes, it really doesn't do much else for me.

I'm an engineer.  Performance and functionality excite me.  I'm not big on pretty pictures, video clips for my background, or security options that are more intrusive than helpful.  I don't however, want to give the impression that it's all bad.  Here are few neat little items that I like:

Snip-it --Many of us have been using the print screen method along with Paint to to take screen images and place them into presentations, reports and other documents but that is a fairly slow process.  If you ever used Snag-It for taking screen shots you know what Snip-It can do for you.  While not as powerful as the Snag-It, it does everything that I generally need, it's built into the OS, and extremely easy to use.

This tool allows you to create screen shots and clips of Windows, or free form sections of your screen that are easily pasted into Word, Excel, or SolidWorks documents. 

Unfortunately, it turns out you cannot take shots of the snip-it window itself or of pop-up menus that disappear when your mouse is no longer hovering on them or when you click outside of them.  For most screen shots, however, it works perfectly and is extremely useful.

Resource Monitor -- This new addition to the OS is very useful.  I have been wondering why every time I boot my laptop I can hear my disk getting crushed with activity.  That does not help my performance at all and I could not find what was causing it through the task manager.  Until I found the resource monitor in the Performance tab of the task manager.  The tool let me see more detail about what's going on on the machine.  Utilization of Disk, CPU, RAM, Network are all charted here, but more importantly, they each display details of what files, processes, programs, etc... are causing the resource utilization.  In my case, the majority of my disk activity was caused by the Windows Search tool.

Go to Service(s) -- In previous versions of Windows what processes were really doing was generally a mystery.

Now with VISTA we get the option to right click a process and select go to Service(s).  This takes us to the services tab and highlights all the services that a process is running.  This has been particularly enlightening in regards to the svchost.exe processes running on my machine with no known reason.  Turns out there is a reason.  For more information on this feature read this article.

The Windows explorer has added some helpful functionality as well.  We now have the ability to create favorites directly in the left panel of the Explorer.

To make a favorite available just drag and drop the actual folder into the favorites panel.  This has been a great time saver for me because the 8 or 9 folders that I use most are buried pretty deep in the folder structure.  Now they are constantly at my fingertips.

Another aspect of the explorer that is useful as well is the address bar defaults to a horizontal list of folders that represent the path to the folder you are in.  Now I can skip back 2 or 3 folders in the list just by selecting the folder name I want rather than hitting the parent folder button 2 or 3 times.  Windows Vista also takes longer to log in than XP does so this give me the opportunity to go get another Mountain Dew and "Network" with my coworkers which I consider productive.  You never know what you'll learn when talking to those guys.

I know the list doesn't seem too long and it's not.  But this is what I have found so far.  There's not a lot of reasons in my opinion to jump off the cliff and dive into Vista.  However, there are not a lot of reasons to run screaming through the hills from it either.  I have not had any real trouble with the OS.  Stability seems to be fine, and speed is passable for what I do.  Remember though that SolidWorks takes a lot of resources and so does Vista.  If you don't have enough to go around (ie. RAM, Processor, Hard Drive space, Video RAM and Processor, etc..) they will battle it out and cost you time.

Adrian Fanjoy

Technical Service Manager

CATI