Continue to Site

Welcome to MCAD Central

Join our MCAD Central community forums, the largest resource for MCAD (Mechanical Computer-Aided Design) professionals, including files, forums, jobs, articles, calendar, and more.

Register Log in

Just Started a 13 week SolidWorks Class

R

RMS1

New member
Hi, just wanted to say hi and that this is my first class for parametric cad software. I also bought the student version of the software to help get up to speed fast. Really looking forward to it! I am really just an AutoCAD user (10 years worth) with some nesting back ground too.

smiley4.gif
 
You will probably love using SolidWorks. But you will have to start thinking in terms of design parameters and using constraints in your work. This is really cool, once you get your head pointed the right way. Consider yourself fortunate: SW is very user-friendly. Just remember: don't leave any blue lines in the sketch, and when in doubt, right-click. The option you are looking for is probably right there in the pop-up menu.


smiley32.gif
 
Mindripper said:
You will probably love using SolidWorks. But you will have to start thinking in terms of design parameters and using constraints in your work. This is really cool, once you get your head pointed the right way. Consider yourself fortunate: SW is very user-friendly. Just remember: don't leave any blue lines in the sketch, and when in doubt, right-click. The option you are looking for is probably right there in the pop-up menu.


smiley32.gif
Click to expand...

Yeah, I do like it a lot for solids but what I am finding out is that for 2D work I would still rather use AutoCAD. Again I think SW is great but one thing that bugs me is when you are dimensioning a 2D sketch for a 3D job the part will change in shape and some other dimentions move that you may not notice.
 
Make relations (dimensions, contrains) between your sketches and planes or origin.
Do not put your sketch any where in space.

Nucu
 
nucu said:
Make relations (dimensions, contrains) between your sketches and planes or origin.
Do not put your sketch any where in space.

Nucu
Click to expand...

Right, I will work on that for sure. Do you know of any examples on-line about doing that?? Like a mini tutorial?



Edited by: RMS1
 
Watch your constraints. SolidWorks (like all parametric solid modelers) will make certain assumptions as you create lines: most of them are reasonable, and will save you time. But there will be occasions when you must eliminate constraints: get used to this. Be meticulous with your constraints, esp. early in the model. As RMS1 is suggesting, use a template with three orthogonal planes and a coordinate system. Use these rock-solid entities to start your first feature from, and use them whenever possible and appropriate.
 
Mindripper said:
Watch your constraints. SolidWorks (like all parametric solid modelers) will make certain assumptions as you create lines: most of them are reasonable, and will save you time. But there will be occasions when you must eliminate constraints: get used to this. Be meticulous with your constraints, esp. early in the model. As RMS1 is suggesting, use a template with three orthogonal planes and a coordinate system. Use these rock-solid entities to start your first feature from, and use them whenever possible and appropriate.
Click to expand...

Nucu suggested that.

Good advice I agree.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsor

Articles From 3DCAD World

Back
Top