Intercad , the specialist 3D computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) distributor, will launch the latest version of 3D CAD/CAM software, SolidWorks 2010, at a series of customer events in Australia over the next two weeks.
Starting in Newcastle and Adelaide, the events will be spread across nine cities to give SolidWorks users the opportunity to see the software first-hand, and to meet the team of specialist training and support experts at Intercad to discuss the benefits of the software for their business. In addition, customer case studies will give attendees an insight into the real-world uses of SolidWorks and the added services available from Intercad.
SolidWorks 2010 includes more than 200 new and improved features, mostly those requested by the large global user community. Headline improvements include intelligent automation and significant speed improvements, an improved user experience, reliability and functionality enhancements, and, for the first-time, a built-in lifecycle assessment module that takes the guesswork out of designing greener products.
Intercad is the leading distributor of SolidWorks in Australia and has more than 20 years experience in the design, engineering and manufacturing industries. This knowledge, combined with the company’s training and technical support programs, puts Intercad in a position to strategically assist its customers not only meet their design challenges but also their business objectives.
Usability enhancements include a mouse gesture-aware user interface that allows users to assign popular shortcuts to mouse ‘gestures’ making repetitive tasks much quicker to complete. These enhancements are backed up by an optimised simulation engine, and file operations can now be completed significantly faster than was possible with SolidWorks 2009. The new Rapid Dimension tool automatically spaces dimensions evenly, saving time and effort, and a new MirrorComponent, which maintains the position of mirrored components relative to seed components, simplifies workflow and management. SolidWorks 2010 users can also create motion simulations based on events and actions, in addition to time, with new event-based motion simulation features, improving design flexibility especially in the early stages.
“For several years we’ve been helping our customers not only improve their designs, but do so more sustainably,” adds Piper. “Environmental awareness is multi-faceted; not only is it mandated by most governments, but smart organisations have also taken advantage of the huge cost reductions available to them through environmentally-attuned designs.
“Designers can see in real-time where raw materials can be sourced for a specific part, and not only reduce the carbon emissions involved in purchasing and transporting the part to the local manufacturing plant, but also reduce the cost of the design by sourcing similar materials closer to home. Working with our consulting team, customers can draw on our experience to create a more sustainable, cost-effective production system, without having to purchase any additional software or learn any new tools.”
Other key features and enhancements in SolidWorks 2010 include:
- Multibody support for sheet-metal parts: SolidWorks 2010 simplifies the creation of complex sheet-metal designs. This new functionality lets the user incorporate designs that include other sheet-metal or weldment parts.
- Sheet-metal export to DXF/DWG enhancements: the new DXF/DWG PropertyManager exports sheet-metal files to .dxf or .dwg files, speeding the creation of files for manufacturing operations. This tool allows you to confirm and edit what will be contained in the export file so you can quickly remove unwanted items, such as bend lines or the edges of countersunk holes.
- Configuration Publisher: the Configuration Publisher lets you use rules to define the configurations of a model. This improves flexibility and lets you create more configurations on the fly. Automatically uploading designs to 3D ContentCentral® allows suppliers to quickly share their product models.
- Improved configuration support in SolidWorks Enterprise PDM: SolidWorks Enterprise PDM now facilitates revisions of multiple part numbers within a single file by using configurations as unique part numbers. Enhance collaboration and improve efficiency through the flexible revisioning of configurations.
- 3DVIA Composer support for SolidWorks configurations: SolidWorks configurations are now supported in 3DVIA Composer, enabling you to easily repurpose your SolidWorks data to create content-rich documentation.
Intercad will be launching SolidWorks 2010 in the following cities, venues and dates:
- Newcastle, Monday October 12, Noah’s on the Beach
- Adelaide, Monday October 12, Mawson Lakes Technology Park Conference Centre
- Sydney, Thursday October 15, Rydges Hotel Parramatta
- Melbourne, Thursday October 15, Novotel Glen Waverley
- Canberra, Friday October 16, Olims Hotel
- Bendigo, Wednesday October 21, The Foundry Complex Hotel
- Perth, Friday October 23, Bentley Technology Park
- Brisbane, Tuesday October 27, Brisbane Technology Park
- Toowoomba, Wednesday October 28, Metro Café & Events