SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 309 - SolidWorks Xperts

SolidWorks Xperts:

This podcast covers the SolidWorks Intelligent Feature Technology (SWIFT) tools/utilities that have evolved in the product over the past 4 releases.  Topics covered:

- Xpert toolset overview

- AssemblyXpert

- DimXpert for Drawings

- DimXpert for Parts

- DraftXpert

- FeatureXpert

- FilletXpert

- MateXpert

- SketchXpert

Since SolidWorks 2007 there has been a steady introduction of the SWIFT tools in every release, some of which just fade into the background and never get used.  Some of these tools can be used in an "on demand" fassion to evaluate a situation that may arrise like a slow assembly rebuild or an over defined sketch relation to assist in finding a solution.  Other Xperts are baked in and will pop up when a feature fails offering up an "Easy Button" to fix it.

Depending on who you ask, skilled users tend to not use or like utilities that are baked in or offer a closed form solution without sharing the steps to fix the issue.  New users like these tools, if they do use them or even know they exist, since they offer a solution to fill in the skill gap they face.

Personally I like that these tools are there as a last resort when things go wrong and really cut down on the troubleshooting time when SolidWorks doesn't like what you give it.  It is possilbe you have used many of these tools (SketchXpert, MateXpert, DimXpert) but others you might want to try out or give a second chance. ~Lou

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