GeoTol of Models in SW 2014/2015

[Keith1029]

Hi All,

We are currently running SW2011 and considering getting back on subscription in order to upgrade to 2014/2015 and add in the SW EPDM for document control. Before I make the investment I wanted to check in and see if anyone has any insight or strong negative feelings that would cause me to postpone or re-evaluate the decision.

Regarding EPDM: I have taken the class on administration and it looks good on the surface, but implementation can be another beast entirely. Does anyone have any specific horror or success stories? Or is it pretty much what you see is what you get (stories on how to minimize mistakes with implementation and process control are welcomed as well)?

Regarding SW 2014/2015: I have been keeping up on the enhancements but is there anything that is especially buggy/crashy about them? I am also particularly interested if the functionality for embedding GD&T into the models has been enhanced. On the 2011 version it is cumbersome and difficult (maybe impossible, maybe I am just not trained properly?) to fully dimension my part in the manner I want to (as supported by the standard); has the interface/technology come far enough that this is a viable alternative to paper drawing creation?

Thanks

 

[JMirisola]

I can't really speak to EPDM, but I'll weigh in on 2014/15.
Buggy is in the eye of the beholder. Depending on your workflow, workstations and experience, you may encounter what you believe to be 'bugs'. Or, you may not. While there have been a couple of actual bugs (behaviors experienced by a large segment of users), there hasn't been anything crippling that I've heard of. The only bug I've experienced is an issue with auto-relations of sketch points to other sketch entities. This was fixed in SP1 though. Outside of that, 2015 has been great.
With regards to GTOL, how you need to create a part in SolidWorks will often differ from how it will actually be manufactured. Is this where you're finding the disconnect? Or is it with the DimXpert?

Jeff Mirisola, CSWE
My Blog

 

[Keith1029]

The Dim-expert was what I was referring to although it blends with the other issue; I model for robustness and often, as you allude to, the dimension scheme on the model will not match the reference frame (or contain numerous extra/different dimensions) required for inspection and manufacturing. Additional to this is that all the geometry driving dimensions are created based on direct tolerancing (at perfect form/alignment etc. even to theoretical perfect points). This creates the need for GD&T control, as well as a new dimensioning scheme in some cases, to be overlaid on the model information to me used for manufacture and inspection. Our workflow has always been to create the model, then create a drawing based on the model dimensions, with the GD&T/dimension changes added at the drawing level.
I would like to be able to incorporate this information into the model and avoid the need for a drawing completely (even better if it was mostly automated as it seems Dim-Expert has tried to attempt). The problem I am having is, at least on the 2011 version, the Dim Expert (at least at my competency level for using it) does not allow me to do the things I need to like proper pattern tolerances, continuous features (and CF as datum references) etc. Is anyone successfully applying GD&T at the model level (do I just need to play with it more and take some training)? Or is it a case of the technology not being at the point where it can be successfully applied (and was that improved in newer versions).

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I'm not sure of it's current status but you may want to investigate the SOLIDWORKS MBD module.

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/products/technical-communication/solidworks-mbd.htm

http://www10.mcadcafe.com/blogs/jeffrowe/2014/09/04/communicating-pmi-with-new-solidworks-mbd/

Some good discussion points also at

https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/56419?start=0&tstart=0

 

[Keith1029]

Thanks CorBlimeyLimey, I didn't even know about this new product. Seems a tad on the greedy side to me for them to release it as a stand-alone product, but warrants further investigation.

 

[ctopher]

Upgrading from 2011 to 2014/15, make sure your server is up to date.
We had to update ours to make 2014 work.
Link

Chris, CSWA
SolidWorks 14
SolidWorks Legion

 

[AnnaWood]

Also make sure your computer hardware and video card meets the current requirements for 2015.

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/SystemRequirements.html

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/videocardtesting.html

Windows 7 x64 systems, at a minimum, are needed for SolidWorks 2015.

Anna Wood
SW2014 SP2, Windows 7 x64