Better Modeling using Pencil and Paper

I am finding more and more posts on engineering related forums as well as discussions with industry professionals that cannot believe that designers and engineers have little to no idea how to sketch using a pencil and paper.

Personally, sketching helps me reduce my modeling time anywhere from 20-50% while at the same time increasing the simplicity and accuracy of my model.  In my Advanced Modeling course at NTI I start off the course by asking the students to define advanced modeling.  Those who do not know me yet will answer with functions like Surfacing, Sweeps, Lofts, Sheet Metal, Weldment so on and so forth.

Then I pull out my soap box and tell the students that these are actually industry specific standard tools.  If you are working on sheet metal day in and day out then those are generally the core set of tools you use son on and so forth.  Same goes for Mold Tools.

The next part of my presentation talks about advanced modeling being about modeling using the most basic tools possible to accomplish a manufacturable component, assembly that 2 years down the road the next newbie can immediately open and make the necessary changes for the next design.  I talk about taking the time to model as best you can in a manner that will allow you to import you model dimensions to the drawing to save time in the detailing process.  Model so that your drafts, fillets, chamfers (dare I say it “extruded text”) are at the bottom of the feature manager tree so they can be easily suppressed.  Use the hole wizard to aid not only in assembly but also use you companies standard hole callout format.  Try to limit the parent child nightmare by relating back to datum planes, origin or you base feature.  These are tangible items in which i can immediately show the results and demonstrate the value.

Being able to sketch your part before modeling is proving to be more of a challenge.  I cannot tell you how much time I have saved throughout my career by sketching before I model.  It is a great way to spend those countless hours in drawn out design reviews (cat fights).

What value do I find in Sketching?  It allows me to envision how my model will be constructed (is this a cast to machined part? will this become a progressive die stamped part? how can I ensure my design intend in understandable?), add notes to features that may associate to other parts of the assembly (this hole is related to part B, the connection is a shaft the will be pressed into 2 bearing what was that fit again?  Oh yeah it is right here in my sketch), list our drafts, minimum radii, wall thickness, materials to select from, I can add all kinds of research to a sketch that will reduce my time at the computer and increase my productivity while I am at it.

This is proving to be a challenge to convey to students.  They want to work on the computer all the time.  I even talk about my time in Florida (the highest number of lightning strikes per inch capital of the world) and how there is often times you can not have a computer with you.  Or how about when one of your machines is on the brink of failure but we can only take it offline for a given amount of time to reverse engineering the no longer existing replacement parts needed to over haul the machine.

Anyone else in the Legion have some examples of how they use sketching to improve modeling productivity?  Any one out there think that sketching is the dumbest thing next to the pet rock.  Let me know.  My student will benefit from all views.

User Interfacing with SolidWorks (Make it faster, stronger, better)

Setting up one’s computer for using SolidWorks on a regular basis is a matter of personal preference in the extreme.  There is almost literally as many ways to set up a SolidWorks station as there are SolidWorks users.  SolidWorks provides many methods for user interface, including toolbars, peripherals, shortcuts keystrokes, menus, command manager and other assorted on-screen functions.  The most important element is the human in the real world using SolidWorks in the electronic realm.  The following is just some of my thoughts about things that can be done to make interfacing with SolidWorks easier.

Monitors

For me, I have found that two monitors works well.  I set up one monitor as my primary where I run SolidWorks and other high-end software.  I use the second monitor for reference and interfacing, to run such programs as Adobe Acrobat (PDF), PLM/ERP software, Internet, MS Office applications, commonly accesses desktop icons for these and other links of various type, etc.  I also place less frequently accessed SoildWorks toolbars on the second monitor.  Additionally, I place my SolidWorks command manager just on the edge of the second monitor where it is close enough for quick access, but removed from the main screen.  This opens up space for my model view pane.  It should be noted that I’m currently using SW 2007.  Moving the command manager is currently not possible on SW 2008, from what I understand.  I would like the ability to move the FeatureManager pane from the primary monitor as well.  I hope this is a feature that will be added in SW 2009 or 2010.  The goal for me is to have as much space as possible on my primary monitor dedicated to the view pane.

Also, I now recommend new widescreen flat LCD monitors of the 24″ variety or bigger.  The prices have fallen drastically, while the quality has improved radically.

Mouse

I have found that a lot of people are perfectly happy with very low movement settings on their mice.  This I cannot understand.  It amuses me that people will drag a mouse halfway across their desk surface just to have access to a corner of their Windows desktop.  They move their mouse 8″ just to click a toolbar icon, and them move their mouse another 8″ to get back to were they where.  This is a bad time waster.  It is also horrendous ergonomics, for which they will ultimately pay the price.

A mouse should be set to as sensitive a setting as needed to give the cursor arrow access to all portions of your monitor(s) within a very slight movement.  I have my mouse set so that I can access any point on my primary monitor within a 2″ diameter of movement using a medium threshold.  The threshold is the speed one moves their mouse to trigger faster movement of the cursor arrow.  More detailed local movement of the mouse should also be as sensitive as possible.

This allows the user to control their entire desktop with very little movement.  It increases speed of operation.  It is also more ergonomic, being better for a person’s long term arm, wrist and hand health.

Shortcuts

To reduce the need to move the mouse around even more, use a lot of single stroke shortcut keystrokes.  A lot of people may not like shortcuts for various reasons.  I believe one of the most common reasons is that they are too hard to remember.  However, they are worth remembering.  The time savings from using shortcuts verses moving the cursor arrow around is tremendous.  With the right sort of shortcuts set up, you can be working on one particular portion of your model and access several functions without having to move your cursor arrow back and forth from the toolbar back to your operating area.  You can be in a sketch, switching from line to dimension to circle to trim, all without having to move your cursor arrow off of the view pane.  This allows for much greater efficiency.

To make it easier to remember shortcut keystrokes, only add one or two at a time.  When familar with those, as a couple more based on what you use the most.  This allows you to learn/remember a couple at a time instead of a bunch all at once.

Of course, programming functions into the mouse itself will save even further movement of both your hands.  This usually requires setting up shortcut keystrokes in SolidWorks that are then mapped to the peripheral.  In this case, use very complex shortcuts such as CTRL-SHFT-F1.  It doesn’t matter how complex because it’s still just a push of a button on your peripheral.  Save the single stroke shortcut keys for other functions.

Strategy for Good Interfacing

A way of looking at interfacing with CAD software (particularly SolidWorks) is to think of functions in terms of how often you use them.  The more often one uses a function, the easier and quicker that function should be accessible.  One methodology is to work in the following way.  The top 5% of functions used should be accessible with very little movement.  If possible, they should be mapped to buttons on your mouse or other peripheral.  The next 15% of functions should mapped to single stroke shortcut keystrokes.  The next 25% of functions should be accessed through actual clicking of on-screen icons.  Any remainder functions should be accessible through the pulldown menu scheme.

Also, if you find yourself using a series of functions routinely, then create a macro that accomplishes those tasks.  Map that macro to a single or multistroke shortcut.  Always be mindful of repetitive tasks and the ways they can be simplified to save time and improve ergonomics.

Knowing how to implement this strategy doesn’t come over night.  It comes from working with SolidWorks over time.  As you work with the software and pay attention to your own actions, you will become aware of what can be done to improve your efficiency.  For me, if I repeat the same action over and over, I work to reduce the number of the steps it takes to perform that action until I get it to a point where it doesn’t bother me anymore.  Use whatever means necessary to this end.

SolidWorks World Presentation Ownership Poll (Link)

Matt Lombard has a POLL about access to the presentations at SolidWorks World 2008.  Right now, all the presentation materials are behind a login.  Theoretically only attendees of SWW8 have access to it.  Do you agree with this?  Once the poll is closed, I’ll state my opinion here.

Jumping Toolbars, Cadman! (Toolbar changes not saved)

With SolidWorks 2007 and prior, most commands are available through on-screen toolbars.  These toolbars are highly adjustable, both in content and placement.  Sometimes, their adjustability in placement can cause issues that may make it seem as though SolidWorks isn’t saving toolbar placements.  In my experience, SolidWorks does a good job at saving placements of toolbars.  The issue many have with saving toolbar placement is often related to the fact that SolidWorks allows the same toolbars to be placed in different locations for each document type (drawing, model and model assembly).

It should be noted that some people do experience a real problem with toolbar placements not being saved.  This problem is caused by a corrupt install or registry.  To correct this issue, use regedit.exe to rename/delete the SW registry key (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Solidworks).  This allows SolidWorks to establish a new registry key, and hopefully eliminate the corrupt information.  (Note: this will clear all Solidworks settings, so use this method with caution.)

But, before that method is attempted, try this less drastic method first.  As stated above, sometimes the issue is caused because different document types are using the same toolbar, but that toolbar is in different locations for each.  This causes them move around when switching between document types.  As they move around, they push other toolbars around too.  Each time this happens, they can cause toolbars to shift into even more different locations.  The solution is to have a drawing, model and assembly all open at the same time, then switch back and forth between them to see what jumps around. Adjust locations of the toolbars with each document type active.  Switch back and forth from that document type to the other types.  Do this for each of the three document types.  Keep doing this until all toolbar locations are stable, no matter which document type is open, and to which document type is switched.

Then here’s the most important part: exit SolidWorks normally.  It is the exiting of SolidWorks that saves the toolbar placements. The process can take about 5 to 30 minutes.

A side note, if SolidWorks crashes at any time after toolbars are changed, but before exiting normally, any changes to the toolbars will be lost!  This is important to note, it is it a third reason why toolbar changes aren’t saved.

Blog Squad Aboard

Perusing the Blog Squad sites, I have found an interesting point.  A lot of us seem to be travelling in some fashion or another recently.  Mike Puckett is in Europe.  Jason Raak was on a road trip.  Rob Rodriguez is somewhere nice.  Josh’s Solidsmack recently had a naked day (OK, this isn’t a vacation for Josh, but kinda one for his blog :-)).  Speaking of the blogs themselves taking vacations, it appears that Matt Lombard’s blog took a vacation from him in a major meltdown.  Oh, and a few of us (who shall remain nameless) haven’t posted anything since early March or even February.  :-) 

calloutformat.txt not calloutmethod.txt

I would just like to note a quick correction to a couple of earlier articles.  When modifying how SolidWorks callouts internal threads on drawings, the file to modify is calloutformat.txt, not calloutmethod.txt.  Thank you to “Brain” to catching this error. 

The affected articles are:

Drill and Tap; and calloutformat.txt (Part 1)

Drill and Tap; and calloutformat.txt (Part 2)

I apologize for any confusion the original error may have caused.

The example files uploaded to Lorono’s SolidWorks Resources were correct all along: SW 2005 and SW 2007.  By the way, if someone has a 2008 (or any other) version they would like to make available on the resources website, please contact me with your file.