CAD Atomic Blog

They say a picture paints a thousand words. So to find out how many words video paints, do we multiply that by the frames per second multiplied by the number of seconds the video runs? I think we will all agree that seeing a video of something done on the computer with a narrator is much more efficient than looking at static images with a few strings of text attached. I wanted to pass on some free tools that I have found that will allow you to capture your PC screen while your using it and create a playable movie from it. The first tool is Window Media Encoder ( http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/default.mspx ). Works OK, but settings are confusing and best screen capture quality still leaves shaded surfaces banded. Output is a WMV file. This tool has a lot of other capabilities besides just screen capture so if your into encoding other video sources such as from a camera, you might want to check this out. The other tool is Jing from TechSmith ( htt...

So, on April 22nd, Siemens PLM Software released a bomb on the CAD world about a new modeling paradigm. There looks to be a lot of promise to this new technology, and I have high hopes for it. One problem I regularly see today with the sketch/feature/history based modelers is that concept modeling and production modeling are at odds. What I mean by this is: An engineer while in the concept modeling phase is concerned about creating geometry to fill a needed form. They may make many variations of this model, some with minor differences and some with major differences. They do not care about building in design intent or making the model easy to modify, so they use what I term "hack and whack" modeling. What is left when they are done is a model with a feature tree that would put Frankenstein's monster to shame. After the concept phase comes the documentation phase. This is where ease of modification and design intent is a concern. This usually results in a model being...

I apologize to all whom have been awaiting new content on my blog. I have been preoccupied with other stuff, but am still here. Things I have been working on in the Solid Edge world: Solid Edge V20 implementation - Went extremely smooth with little to no problems. Spec'd a couple of new workstation PCs for the campany - switched from Dell to HP, running the xw4600 and the 8510w. Trialing TeamCenter Engineering - this has been taking all my time. I will try to post more often.

Solid Edge does not associate itself with DWG files or any other neutral file format by default. You can however create this association yourself by following the steps below. In Windows Explorer (not Internet Explorer), click on the Folder Options command found under the "Tools" menu. In the Folder Options form, click on the File Types tab. Depending on whether another product is installed that associates itself with DWG files (like AutoCAD) or not, you may or may not already have an entry in the "Extensions" column for "DWG". If you do, click on the entry. If you do not, click on the "New" button and type in "DWG" in the File Extension field. On the FileTypes tab with DWG highlighted, select the Advanced button. If no Open entry exists select New... If it does exist, highlight it and select Edit... In the resulting form, make sure the Action field states "Open" and the Application used to perform action: field sta...

I have finally gotten Solid Edge V20 and the Viewer deployed through my organization on Sept. 27th. We deploy SE to over 100 users and the Viewer to over 400 users across about 10 geographic locations in one night over a couple hours. All went well considering this was the first deployment since the new Packaging Specialist started, and it was done on a brand new version of the deployment system we use. We use Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) which was just upgraded from SMS 2003. http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/configmgr/default.mspx . It allows inventorying PC's throughout the org, as well as pushing software to the PC's. To be able to push the software, you must use the MSI supplied by Solid Edge and repackage it as an EXE. Since the MSI is used, you must also install .NET and ISSCRIPT separately (which can also be added to the EXE package). We found that the ISSCRIPT.MSI must be modified to work with SCCM due to the fact that it insta...

I have been trying to deploy Solid Edge V19 for approximately 6 months in our organization. Due to personnel changes, the method of deployment, and the high number of seats needing to be deployed, I'm still waiting. I have now made the decision to go straight to V20 given it's stability and timing of release. The new person in charge of application deployment has figured out how to deploy Solid Edge through our deployment system, so aside from some volume testing, we are just waiting on released code (I'm still testing V20). Now I'm going to be on the hook for training our users on 2 versions instead of 1. I better get started on pulling together some documentation :)

To pull Solid Edge hole or thread information from a model that has been placed in a drawing, you can use the Callout command. The Callout command provides several Hole Reference "code" buttons to allow automatic extraction of the hole or thread information. Hovering over each will explain what it is for if you can't get the hint from the graphic on the buttons. You will also notice a Hole Callout "code" button. That is explained below. The Hole Callout button inserts a code which allows one Callout to annotate the 3 types of holes (with or without threads). It uses the information on the Hole Callout tab from the line specific to the type of hole your annotating. Each line contains the codes for several of the Special Characters and Hole Refernce buttons and are formulated for the specific type of hole they are meant to depict. These can be set up/changed from the Style form found under the Format menu. To make these available in all new files, make the change ...

Solid Edge V19 can open AutoCAD files up through version 2004. To open them, all one must do is start Solid Edge, invoke the Open command, change the Filetype to DWG, and select the file. Solid Edge also has a wizard based option form that allows you to configure how the AutoCAD file is converted. To access the options, select the desired DWG file with a single click and the Options button found on the lower left of the Open form will become active. Click it. The Options form consists of 8 pages that deal with specific translation options such as DWG element color to SE line width mapping, hatch mapping, font mapping, etc... All of these settings are written to an INI file, and multiple INI files can be kept and a different one specified for specific translation jobs if desired.

To include Reference Plane or part edges from Peer parts in the part you are designing, you need to be editing that part in the context of an assembly. This is achieved in one of three ways: Create a new part "in place". Double click on a component part (In Place Activate). Right click on a component part and choose "Edit". Once this is accomplished, you will also need to insure the command "Peer Edge Locate" is active (shown at left). If the Reference Planes on the Peer part are not shown, you can use the Assembly Select Tool (found under the Tools menu) to turn them on.

Welcome. I have decided to set up a BLOG dedicated to Solid Edge ( www.solidedge.com ) related topics. I was kind of feeling left out in the world as it seems everybody and their brother has a BLOG (especially on some of those other 3D systems). Now I feel a little better, and I hope that I can post to this frequently enough, and with enough relevant information, that you will find it usefull and will revisit often. A little history about me: I am a CAD Adminstrator for a large window and door manufacturer who happens to use Solid Edge (my working for them in this capacity was no coincidence). I have used Solid Edge since it's infancy (also used it's predecessor, I/EMS, and it's predecessor, IGDS) when it was still a part of Intergraph ( www.intergraph.com ). I attempt to be active in Solid Edge's development through frequent BETA testing and remaining in contact with the many wonderful individuals that make up the Solid Edge portion of UGS ( www.ugs.com ). I also tr...