SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 309 - SolidWorks Xperts

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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

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

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 276 - Direct Editing Tools

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Direct Editing Tools:

This podcast covers the "Direct Editing" toolbar and other editing tools in SolidWorks 2010 including Instant3D and FeatureWorks.  Topics covered:

- The SolidWorks "Direct Editing" implementation

- Move Face and FilletXpert tools

- Instant3D and associated tools (Sketches, Features, Assemblies)

- Live Sectioning and modificaiton

- FeatureWorks 

With the release of SolidWorks 2010, the appearance of the new Direct Editing toolbar made it's debut but contained no new features.  With SolidWorks being a history based modeler, it was probably their way of highlighting their hybrid (history based/direct editing) editing tools.

Even though all the tools have been in SolidWorks for a while, there are a few that warrant their place in this toolbar, others, not so much.  Underlying technologies, like Instant3D, remove the overhead of the history tree when performing model edits.

So, the Direct Editing toolbar, marketing checkbox or worthy toolset? I think there is truth in both statements! ~Lou

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