SolidWorks:HEARD! - Episode 419 - CAD Admin Dashboard

CAD Admin Dashboard:

This podcast covers the new service offered inside the SolidWorks Customer Portal that finally takes the "Performance Email" that we all used to disable and gives a full history of usage and specs to help any CAD admin or curious user.  Topics covered:

- How to find the new CAD Admin Dashboard (C.A.D)

- What tools from SolidWorks assist the C.A.D.

- Navigating the C.A.D. interface

- Customizing warnings

- Setting up baselines

- Tips and observations

For years we all would see the "Would you like to enable Performance Logging" after we install a SolidWorks service pack and most would check "NO" since it appeared to be sent into the DS abyss only to never be seen again.  Despite countless assurances from SolidWorks that this information was very important to improving and understanding usage, saying "No" to stop the phoning home might have more draw, even by those of us who knew this was put to good use by R&D.

SolidWorks 2013 finally gave users a selfish reason to turn it back on....VISIBILITY... and then some.  Building on the importance of SoildWorks to better understand its users, the new CAD Admin Dashboard is a user-facing tool that takes the information about your SolidWorks session history, options, hardware specs, etc.  This gives those of us supporting SolidWorks (both internal and external) to get a wider understanding of what is really happening.  

Understanding this is the first year this has launched, I'm sure pressure testing from the user base will probably reveal needs to make the offering exceptional.  Currently the service is available to all users with a login to the account and not a restricted group or external groups like resellers and support staff.  This is a great start and a service I think all users will benefit from. ~Lou

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 363 - Utilizing LDR

Utilizing LDR:

This podcast covers how to take advantage of the new assembly performance mode for reviewing large assembly data sets without loosing access to necessary tools in SolidWorks. Topics covered:

- Recap of LDR features

- LDR workflow

- How to use LDR for more than just review

- Limitations to features

- Other tips and tricks

Since Large Assembly Review was revealed on stage at last year's SolidWorks World, I wanted to really dig in and see not only how the performance of LDR was, but what limitations and other uses this lightweight power tool had in store.  Although there is a limited toolset, the tools that are available can help in understanding the "big picture" when it comes to the overall project.

Having talked to a few customers that have extremely large top-level assemblies that even their work-horse, 64 bit workstations could not open, were excited to the possibility of not only being able to open but be productive with these projects.  Although LDR has replaced QuickView, a previous method of selectively opening components, there are a number of other methods that can help in large assembly management, none of which have the performance benefits of LDR.

I want to make sure users know about this new mode that SolidWorks has and how to take advantage of the limited toolsets in it to get the most out of those performance-draining large data sets they have.  It would be ashame if this was a feature that fell outside of the user rut we all tend to get into! ~Lou

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 333 - Multi-Threading Madness

Multi-Threading Madness:

This podcast covers the common question of "Does SolidWorks utilize multi-threading or multi-core processing?".  This question is consistantly asked due to the mass adoption of muli-core processors in the PC market.  Topics covered:

- Overview of Multi-threading (MT)

- Knowlege base articles that generally address the MT questions

- General layout of SolidWorks applicaiton processes

- Areas in SolidWorks that do/don't utilize MT

- Areas of focus where SolidWorks continues to utilize MT

- A list of areas across all SW properties that do/don't utilize MT

Back when I first starting using CAD, all our PCs were built with one CPU but with today's PC shipping with multi-core processors and in some cases multi-core/multi-processor, the question of how much SolidWorks takes advantage of these processors is more common today.

SolidWorks, in general, is very linear and utilizes only a single core, however I believe the list of what utilizes MT is growing and has been introduced in the high-demand area of SW.  With the SW Backgroud process taking on the redrawing, loading, viewing and other low-level functions does take some of the load off the processor running the sldwks.exe.

To date there is no "Official Document" of the exact features that take advantage of MT but in places like rendering (PV-360) and Simulation (Solving, Assembling Meshing, CFD and batch running) have been under the MT microscope in SW R&D over the past few releases.  I would love to know how SolidWorks V6 will take advantage of MT even though it's processing power is hosted. ~Lou

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 303 - Benchmark Resources

Benchmark Resources:

This podcast covers options to measure the performance of the hardware to run SolidWorks and related CAD activities.  Topics covered:

SolidWorks Benchmark website:

- PassMark Performance Test

- SPECCapc for SolidWorks 2007 

- Anna's SolidMuse

- Windows Experience Index

- SolidWorks 2011 Rx Performance Test

SolidWorks users are often asking me at rollout event and other meetings how to get the best performance out of their hardware or what new hardware to purchase.  Some decisions can be made easier with resources like the graphic card site that SolidWorks has or reading through the SolidWorks forums to hear the reviews of a user's new system.  The trick is measuring your system with those who have similar uses and needs and a way to see what differences in hardware have the most impact on performance.

SolidWorks' benchmark site has a few resources, some more useful than others, to assist in the ongoing quest for better CAD performance.  One listed is Anna's SolidMuse, a longtime user here in Arizona, who has made a name for herself in the SolidWorks community as the CAD hardware guru. Her benchmarks range from surfacing, complex parts and other file sets and allow capture of a number of variables to really parse performance gains.

In SolidWorks 2011, there is now a performance test build right into the installation folder (Programs -> SolidWorks 2011 -> SolidWorks Tools -> Performance Test). The test uses a variety of parts, assemblies and drawings (some of which are thanks to Anna!) that run through a routine 5 times each to measure rebuild times, zoom and pan performance and rendering times.  These are then computed and can be shared among the community to really help understand how your hardware stacks up.

Both SolidMuse and the new 2011 Performance Test can give you great insight into why some systems perform better than others. I hope that now that one is built into every install of SolidWorks, more users will opt to share their results to help us all make wise hardware decisions in the future! ~Lou

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 290 - SolidWorks 2011 First Impressions

SolidWorks 2011 First Impressions: This podcast is a discussion between Josh Mings of SolidSmack and myself discussing the overall first impressions of SolidWorks 2011 publicly since SolidWorks lifted the beta NDA. Topics covered:

- General overview on the type of release 2011 seems to be

- Defeature tool and common uses

- Assembly features and weld prep

- Global variables in a text file

- Performance and display enhancements

- System requirement changes and XP's soon to be exit

- Installation improvements and background downloading

The buzz around a new SolidWorks release has changed so much from 10 years ago now that the Internet is in play. The VAR rollout events used to be the place people went to see what was being launched but now you can go to http://solidworkslaunch.com and get the rundown, not to mention the 50 or so blogs that will also post updates and screenshots.

Now that DS SolidWorks has lifted the embargo on SolidWorks 2011 Beta, the flurry of posts and reviews has begun. Josh and I talk mainly on how SolidWorks 2011 seems to be staying the course of performance and tuning existing features. SolidWorks 2011's What's New PDF seems to be about 40 pages shy of last year's so it appears to be scaled back. I think as long as bugs get fixed and performance increases, adoption will be high.

Personally, I have a list of files and features that I try to perform that have had issues in previous betas from year's past and 2011 was the first in a long time that some basic functions didn't give me issue at first glance. I have also, unofficially, noticed that a list of long lasting bugs that I have reported were closed so maybe this is an indication that 2011 is digging into the SPR list and addressing as many as it can. ~Lou

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 271 - Hardware Performance 101

Hardware Performance 101:

This podcast covers common specs and questions that come up with the selection of desktop/laptop hardware for SolidWorks and other CAD applications.  Topics covered:

- Processors (Core, Core2, i3/5/7)

- Threaded processes in SolidWorks' products

- RAM amounts and why

- 64 vs. 32 bit operating systems

- Video card selection and common video related issues

- Hard drive selection (mechanical vs. solid state, rpm & read times)

I am constantly asked questions on hardware recommendations, whether it be manufacturer or specs, everyone wants to know what to buy to run CAD.  Things on the high-end hardware front are changing by the week and in order to stay on top of the technology I rely on reading and listening to tech blogs and podcasts.

With the new "i" series here from Intel, there are some great technologies that can be leveraged by threaded CAD platforms and it is important to understand what performance gains there are with respect to price.  64 bit is also something who's compatibility shortcomings have faded and with Windows 7 being embraced by many IT departments, the question arises quite a bit.

The other area, besides which video card to choose, that is sometimes missed by many is the selection of the right HDD. Now that solid state drives are making their way into many systems from manufacturers, the access speeds and quick launch benefits are within financial reach and can boost performance related to disk access up to 10X.  ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!