Slow assembly drawing

[dklarz]

I have an fairly small assembly drawing (only 4 main components). I have embedded 2 components - a gasoline engine and a reciprocation pump - imported from vendors that were transferred to me as surface models. The assembly drawing I created is ridiculously slow during zooms and pans. We're talking 20-30+ second delays before the command takes action. Model rotates and such are slow and choppy. The engine is saved as a part, pump is an assembly. Is there anything I can do to speed things up a bit? SolidWorks 2015, 12GB ram, Quadtro 4000 w/2GB onboard.

Thanks


Contractin' Dave
Mechanical Design Engineer
25 years in the contracting world

 

[SBaugh]

My guess its the surface model slowing you down. I get imported Diesel engines all the time and they are nearly all surface models. Those models are usually HUGE in file sizes, 300+MB is not uncommon. The only way to help with slow open and save times is to repair the engine models the best you can or ask for a different file export type. Also try exporting the model out through IGES and back into Solidworks. That will help to weed out the bad surfaces. The other thing to be looking for within a surface model is "General Faults". Found by using Tools\Evaluate\"Check". These will kill your speed and performance. I usually do a "Delete face and Fill" (all in one) command and that usually will fix them, but not always. Your going to have to get more familiar with surface modeling if your going to be dealing with imported data, if your not already.

Also I have found saving the engines as a single part makes the files even larger. Your better off keeping them as an assembly if possible. I was able to change an engine that was saved as part (175 MB) as different surface bodies and some solid bodies. I changed it to an assembly that was made up of mainly solid bodies, a couple of surface bodies, but all separate components and it was a total of 32MB. It opened far quicker than as part.

Scott Baugh, CSWP
CAD Systems Manager
Evapar

http://www.evapar.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376