any solidworks gurus?

[hiluxmad]

im trying to learn how to use solidworks 2008(and i did say trying )

I cant work out how to get it to show the dimensions that i used to set the model up?
mainly when i print.

[raptorthumper]

Yep. Use it or Pro/Engineer everyday.

You need to create a drawing and then dimension it from here. It sound like you are trying to print the 3D model file and haven't created a drawing with a format around it (Titleblock).

_

[KiwiBacon]

The sketches in the tree on the left can be set to show or hide. Right click gives you the option.
If shown they will appear grey.

You can also place dimensions on the model itself.
However, you probably want to be creating a drawing as raptorthumper mentioned.

[hiluxmad]

so when i convert from a 3d model to a drawing i have to re do all the dimensions i already set to define the object in the first place?

on a diffferent topic how do i get it to put a fold in in the object?
tried the sheetmetal function but wont let me click on the fold option?
i know im doing something wrong.
BTW did they ever do a Solidworks for Dummies book?lol

[-Scott-]

I don't know about Solidworks, but in ProE (up to Wildfire 2, or thereabouts) you had to choose either "solid" or "sheetmetal" before you started. Couldn't fold "solid" (or whatever the term was) parts.

Again, in ProEngineer, there used to be a function to cause model dimensions to appear on the drawing. However, we used to find that a well designed part (which captures design intent i.e. relationships between key features) has model dimensions which aren't appropriate for manufacturing - so the "show dims" function (or whatever it was called) wasn't often useful.

[KiwiBacon]

so when i convert from a 3d model to a drawing i have to re do all the dimensions i already set to define the object in the first place?

on a diffferent topic how do i get it to put a fold in in the object?
tried the sheetmetal function but wont let me click on the fold option?
i know im doing something wrong.
BTW did they ever do a Solidworks for Dummies book?lol

Yes there is a solidworks for dummies book. But a google search will probably find you something better. I think Matt Lombard's books are well regarded.

In the drawing you can import model dimensions. This gives you too many dimensions so you spend some time deleting and reorganising them. But it's quite handy if you're specifying tolerances etc in the model as you know they get pulled through to the drawing correctly.

Sheetmetal bends can work in several ways. Shell a solid and convert it to sheetmetal, build sheetmetal from a base flange by adding edge folds. You can draw a sketch line across a surface and use that to create a bend. That's called the "sketch bend".

Lots of little things to know and the layouts/names aren't that logical.

Here's my solidworks CV.

http://users.actrix.co.nz/dougal.ellen/ ... rangie.jpg
http://users.actrix.co.nz/dougal.ellen/ ... 0small.jpg

[85lux]

re bends.
you must create a base feature first before you can bend anything off it.
try sketching two lines, joined at an angle, then click the tab button(again on the sheetmetal toolbar) this will ask you what thickness and bend parameters, then create the bent sheetmetal.
have you tried the tutorials?
pm me for more info if you like as i probably wont visit the thread again

[85lux]

ps, sheetmetal and 3d sketching(to create tubework) is probably the most valuable tool for car stuff as we rarely make billet parts, mostly sheet and tube.

[joeblow]

try to stay away from flanges, they are prone to being a pain in the arse. make your model, work out how it will unfold and add split lines etc if you have to. if working with a solid model, say 3mm in thickness get the rads right, or to cheat do a surface knit then a body delete, do all the rads you want and then thicken. play around with the drawing views also, these are very handy. make sure your auto dimension tab is clicked on, this will make it a little easier.

[hiluxmad]

you guys make it sound easy.......
most of the time i cant get the sheetmetal tool bar to let me do anything (all options in grey)
ill have to keep looking for more tutorials on the web hopefully i can find some that deal with sheetmetal stuff.
if that fails then its back to the cardboard and sticky tape

trying to learn this stuff so i can create my own .DXF etc and would like to get to the standard one day so i can model my modifications so i dont have to build them only to find it wont work

doing tube work as mentioned is wayyyyyyy beyond what i am capable of at this point but would be cool one day.....

thanks for all your help guys
outers does know everything!!!!

[KiwiBacon]

try to stay away from flanges, they are prone to being a pain in the arse. make your model, work out how it will unfold and add split lines etc if you have to. if working with a solid model, say 3mm in thickness get the rads right, or to cheat do a surface knit then a body delete, do all the rads you want and then thicken. play around with the drawing views also, these are very handy. make sure your auto dimension tab is clicked on, this will make it a little easier.

If you're modelling to convert to sheetmetal (either solid or surface) then a square corner will be converted to the bend radius specified in the sheetmetal properties. If you make a round corner it *may* treat it as a round corner instead of giving it the default bend radius.

If the sheetmetal toolbar is greyed out, then you haven't yet got a sheetmetal part.
Insert > sheetmetal > baseflange
to start it off.

[grazza]

Perhaps another option is to use Google SketchUp

Its free and has plenty of tutorials.

I have only had a brief look but will try it to makeup a drawing of a rear bar I want to make.

Perhaps a solidworks pro can have a look and see if its suitable for non-pros for small DIY jobs.

[hiluxmad]

i already have solidworks 2008.
got it for the right price

[lump_a_charcoal]

Looked for youtube tutorials?
I watch heaps of tutes for CS4, it is really helpful.

[joeblow]

if you can make the model you want adding sheet metal towards the very end is one of the better ways to go. it is alot easier to make alterations to the model with sheet metal down the bottom of the tree.








edge flanges suck.

[bigbear]

The help files in solidworks are some of the best. Sheetmetal in SW is a bitch yet can be quite powerful once your familiar with its limitations.

For sheetmetal:
Once you have selected a plane to draw on and made a 'closed' sketched profile (no need to exit the sketch yet) hit the base flange on the sheet metal toolbar. Not the extrude on the other toolbar. This will set it up for sheetmetal work.

Ive been using SW for 6 years now and still use it everyday, along with Autocad and a few others.

[KiwiBacon]

i already have solidworks 2008.
got it for the right price

SW2008 was the least stable release I've worked on. They got it working well from about SP4 onwards.
SW2009 is the same feel as 2008 but with big stability and speed improvements, unfortunately it took SP5 before SW2009 had ironed out all the bugs that prevented it from working properly.

I have 2010 but will stick to 2009 SP5. Too much greif with 2010 including service packs only being live downloads (i.e. can't download the files for later install). I spent 2 days trying to get it working and gave up.