Revision Clouds: What else is new ( Tip/Trick )

This entry is part 6 of 12 in the series New in SolidWorks 2013

As noted in a previous article, revision cloud is a new annotation in SolidWorks 2013.    Well, here’s a little trick not mentioned in the What’s New that you can use on revision clouds once you’ve placed them on your drawing.  Highlight the revision cloud and goto Tools pulldown>Sketch Tools>Rotate.  The Rotate tool will allow you to rotate your revision cloud annotation.

Rectangular revision cloud just minding its own business.


Gah! Someone has started the Rotate tool and is rotating  the revision cloud.


Well, the cloud was successfully rotated and just left there to highlight the change at its new angle.

Preparing for the SolidWorks Profession Specialty Exams CSWP CSWE

This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series SOLIDWORKS Certification

{Updated: 01/17/2015}

There is a lot of interest in getting certified as SolidWorks Expert (CSWE).  Through there are no official accolades that go long with passing the CSWE, the certificate can garner industry recognition of your established skills.  Even as the number of Certified SolidWorks Professional grows (CSWP) due to the online accessibility, the number of those with the higher CSWE certification is still small by comparison.  Right now, there’s just over 1000 CSWEs {update: still under 2000, as of Jan 2015}.  Please see this Certified SolidWorks Professional infographic for additional details.

To earn the opportunity to take the CSWE exam, you have to pass the CSWP and also pass three four advanced exam modules from the selection of topics: Weldments,  FEA, etc. Surfacing, Sheet Metal, Drawing Tools and Mold Tools.  {FEA is no longer included as a option to fulfill the CSWE prerequisites.}

Applian Way Technologies has a blog with several articles that are brief preparation guides for various exam modules.  A Very Swell Idea, Inc has some good advice for taking the modules in their discussion of CSWP Weldment exam.   3D Dimensional Engineer also has a great series on CSWP Preparation.

SolidWorks website itself has great information for each exam, including the core and the expert exams.

Don’t fight the future of 3D Printing

Chris McAndrew makes a great case for industry to embrace the explosion of 3D Printers and the new business opportunities that are coming, including criticism of those forces that would seek inhibit the use of 3D printing to protect old business models.  Check out his article:  Why I’m Not Fighting Back Against Developments In 3D Printing.

SolidWorks World 2013: What’s in Orlando, FL besides Walt Disney World Resort?

Dothan, AL is the Peanut Capital of the World.  Salinas, CA is the Lettuce Capital of the World.  Alma, AR is the Spinach Capital of the World.  Though Orlando’s nickname is The City Beautiful, some might call this sprawling area in Florida the World Capital of Amusement Parks.  There are so many, it’s hard to think of other things to do there.

Guess what!  There are other attractions too!

And, other stuff to do too, depending on your interests.

If you are staying an extra few days after the end of SolidWorks World 2013 with or without kids, there’s plenty to do for all sorts of interests in the greater Orlando area.

SolidWorks World 2013 just weeks away

Breakout Sessions

SolidWorks World 2013 is only a weeks away!  It’s shaping up to be a great convention!  The session schedule is filled with great topics.  These are a small sample of what is on the schedule as of January 1, 2013 (schedule is subject to change):

  • Advanced Motion Simulation Techniques in SolidWorks by Shrikant Savant.  Learn about advanced simulation techniques using SolidWorks Motion, such as control design, event-based motion, exporting motion loads to SolidWorks Simulation, etc.
  • Think Differently! — Multibody Techniques in SolidWorks 2013 by Alin Vargatu.  See how SolidWorks 2013 adds new and spectacular tools for creating and managing multibody parts. We can even call them “game changers.”  Once mastered, these multibody techniques will open up surprising possibilities for saving time and shortcuts.
  • IAW ASME Y14.5 – Use It Only if You Know It by Rustin Webster and Jeremy Clark. Explore the right and wrong way of creating drawings (IAW) ASME Y14.5M. Attendees will learn fundamental drawing rules concerning view orientation and position, tolerancing, interpretation, dimensioning, accuracy, simplicity, and clarity.
  • Automate Your Design with Equations by Don Van Zile III and Frank Ruepp.  Get a closer look at equations. SolidWorks 2013 has significant enhancements to equations, and we will learn how these enhanced capabilities can help you to speed up and automate your design process.
  • Fifteen Years of SolidWorks Tips and Tricks by Phil Sluder.  Learn how to use SolidWorks 2013 in the real world in this fast-paced session of tips. These will not be found in the help file, they come from years of learning, teaching, and using the software daily in a small dynamic design environment.
  • Power Surfacing by David Gill.  Demonstrate how to easily create and import organic, free form surfaces in SolidWorks. Demonstrate new Sub-Division surface modeling plugin for SolidWorks.
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Getting ready for the new year

It’s that time of year again. You know, the end.  2012 had a lot of changes in my life which happen to coincide with changes in SolidWorks in various forms for various reasons, some of which I control, much of which has nothing to do with me whatsoever.

I moved from California and from industry to take a job as a Definition Product Manager for SolidWorks drawings In Massachusetts.  As I write this, I’m snowed into my home, or at least my car is.  I can get outside and leave a trail of 2 foot deep holes anytime I want.  I just won’t get to anywhere useful very quickly.  Contrary to popular conceptions, there is snow in California.  The difference is that the snow is limited to the hills and mountains.  Great for skiing and for going about your daily life without weather getting in the way very often at all.  I will say that I prefer to be walking about in light snow rather than light rain.  It’s the blizzards that are annoying.

Surprize, suprize, the world didn’t end 5 days ago.  The next prediction for the end of the world has already been floating around and was being promoted in the weeks leading up to December 21, 2012.  Sir Isaac Newton predicted the end of things to be 2060 based on his interpretation of Bible prophesy.  We cannot get more creditable than that!  Here’s some others: Yup, there’s others.

2012 was particularly busy for me, with all the changes and the fairly new job.  Can you believe that I’ve already been in Massachusetts about 1 and a half years?  Still seems like yesterday.  A very special Thank You goes to my wife for being a good sport and indulging me in this grand change.

I do have a prediction for 2013.  It will continue to be very busy for me.  There’s a lot of cool stuff going on right now.  I’m very proud of my role in SolidWorks 2013, eDrawings for iPad, and eDrawing Pro for iPad; not to mention all the new stuff planned for 2013.  Keep an eye out at SolidWorks World 2013.