SolidWorks:HEARD! - Episode 454 - WN2014 - Configs, Composer & Costing

WN2014 - Configs, Composer & Costing:

This series of podcasts dissects the What's New PDF, outlining all the new functionality in SolidWorks 2014 with tips, tricks and insights into the new major release of SolidWorks' product line.  Topics covered in this show:

Chapter 7: Configurations:
- Additional Properties for Toolbox Components
- Applying Configurations to Equations
- Selecting Configurations from the Context Toolbar

Chapter 8: SolidWorks Composer :
- Automatically Hiding Annotations
- Composer API
- Coordinate Labels
- Wrapping Annotation Text

Chapter 9: SolidWorks Costing:
- Converting Circular Cut Paths to Drilled Holes
- Costing Options
- Costing Reports
- Creating a Limited-access Costing Template
- Custom Properties in Costing
- Generating Costing BOMs
- Including Precent Scrap in Sheet Metal Costing
- Modifying Machined Part Setup
- Adding Template Comments to Drill, Mill, or Turn Operations
- Organization of the Setup Folder
- Setting Model Materials
- Simplifying Cost Estimates
- Updating Template Material Cost Data
- Using Multibody Parts to Define Removed Material
- Volume Features

SolidWorks Configurations, Composer and Costing, covering chapter 7, 8 and 9 of the What's New PDF,  outline changes/enhancements to the SolidWorks product line since the previous release.  If you have not done so, please download this PDF and walk through the areas that are most important to you.

The goal of this series is to provide a portable, audio version of the 2014 What's New, providing an efficient way to evaluate new features that have been changed/added/removed in the SolidWorks product line.  We all fall victim to the "ruts" of using SolidWorks from release to release and knowing what's to come brings awareness early.

I will be releasing an additional show a week as well as the usual monthly Tech News shows (up to 3 a week) in order to cover the entire What's New PDF before FCS (First Customer Ship). Between the podcast, blog and other posts around the web, there will be no shortage of SolidWorks 2013 content to come!

Check out the SolidWorks:Heard! Blog and follow us on Google+, Twitter and  Facebook.

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SolidWorks:HEARD! - Episode 409 - WN2013 - CircuitWorks, Configs & Costing

WN2013 - CircuitWorks, Configs & Costing:

This podcast dissects the What's New PDF, outlining all the new functionality in SolidWorks 2013 with tips, tricks and insights in the new major release.  Topics covered in this show:​

Chapter 7: CircuitWorks:​
- Importing and Exporting ECAD File Features

Chapter 8: Configurations:
- Design Tables
- Managing Configuration Data
- SpeedPak
- Transferring Custom Properties When Inserting Configured Parts

Chapter 9: SolidWorks Costing:
- Converting Simple Drilled Holes to Milled Pockets
- Multibody Parts
- Turned Parts
- User Interface
- Volume Features

​CircuitWorks, Configurations and SolidWorks Costing, covering chapters 7, 8 and 9 of the What's New PDF,  outline changes/enhancements to the SolidWorks product line since the previous release.  If you have not done so, please download this PDF and walk through the areas that are most important to you.

The goal of this series is to provide a portable, audio version of the 2013 What's New, providing a quick way to evaluate new features that have been changed/added/removed in the SolidWorks product line.  We all fall victim to the "ruts" of using SolidWorks from release to release and knowing what's to come brings awareness early.

I will be releasing an additional show a week as well as the usual monthly Tech News shows (up to 3 a week) in order to cover the entire What's New PDF before FCS (First Customer Ship). Between the podcast, blog and other posts around the web, there will be no shortage of SolidWorks 2013 content to come!

Check out the SolidWorks:Heard! Blog and follow us on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!

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SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 361 - SolidWorks Costing

SolidWorks Costing:

This podcast covers the new evaluation tool in SolidWorks 2012 known as SolidWorks Costing. This tool can be a great inline analysis tool to help bridge the gap between engineering and manufacturing. Topics covered:

- Overview of Costing

- Machined vs. Sheet metal tools

- Navigating the template manager

- Qualitative vs quantitative feedback

- Feedback interface

- Incorporating other operations

SolidWorks 2012 had many new little features sprinkled throughout the release but SolidWorks Costing was one of the features that many of us remember seeing at SolidWorks World last year.  Costing is dependent on templates that outline various aspects of the operations required to make the part loaded in SolidWorks. Templates can be challenging, especially if you don't have this expertise in-house.

Whether you have in-house manufacturing or use vendors, this information should be collected from the parties responsible for quoting out machining or sheet metal operations.  This might require you paying them for the information but the accuracy will help dial in the numbers if the bottom line accuracy is required.

If you simply want to know if a change to the part makes the part go up or down, then some of the stock templates might get you pretty far.  Template-dependent tools like this require the understanding that some up-front time will be needed before the real benefits start to shine through.  

For a baked-in tool, it can give another vector to help make decisions that can be just as important as the "Fit, Form and Function" questions we may ask everyday. If tribal knowledge is how your costing is currently done, it may be time to document that knowledge into these templates so design decisions can be made early, when they are cheap! ~Lou

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

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 355 - SW2012 What's New - Evaluation Tools

SW2012 What's New - Evaluation Tools:

This podcast dissects the What's New PDF, outlining all the new features in SolidWorks 2012 along with other tips, tricks and tidbits in the new software. Topics covered in this show:

Chapter 7: SolidWorks Costing

- Overview of SolidWorks Costing

- How it works and what's entailed

- Sheet Metal & Machining Features

- Editing Templates

- Graphs, charts and reports

Chapter 21: Sustainability

- Customization options

- Granular deatils on reuse, MFG/Assy details and assembly processing

- Travel distances, part & assembly parameters, bult to last information (good for possible replacement parts) and EOL (End of Life) disposal methods

- Environmental Impact UI updates

- Adding materials (update and requesting additional materials)

Evaluation Tools, covering chapters 7 and 21 of the What's New PDF, outlines changes/enhancements to the SolidWorks product line since the previous release.  If you have not done so, please download this PDF and walk through the areas that are most important to you.

The goal of this series is to provide a portable, audio version of the 2012 What's New, providing a quick way to evaluate new features that have been changed/added/removed in the SolidWorks product line.  We all fall victim to the "ruts" of using SolidWorks from release to release and knowing what's to come brings awareness early.

I will be releasing an additional show a week as well as the usual monthly Tech News shows (up to 3 a week) in order to cover the entire What's New PDF before FCS (First Customer Ship). Between the podcast, blog and other posts around the web, there will be no shortage of SolidWorks 2012 content to come!

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