Tubing Package - positives / negatives??

[Boathouse]

Any thoughts from users on the available Solidworks tube routing and design package? We are considering this as a time and effort saving device since we do design a lot of airborne tubing systems here - fuel and hydraulics primarily. I have also heard that the new package has a harness routing capability - does it work well?

Just fishing for users input, thanks in advance for any replies.

 

[JNR]

I am interested in the feedback on this too, as we do ome complex harness routing inside some ugly shaped packages. Anyone used the new stuff much rom cables?

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

A hobbit's lifestyle sounds rather pleasant...... it's the hairy feet that turn me off.

 

[marnett]

The new piping, tubing and wiring package has been renamed to SolidWorks Routing. There has been a lot of work done to the product in the last 6 months. I do recommend you look at it. The released version (SolidWorks 2004 SP2.1) has piping and Flexible/Rigid tubing in it now. They are adding auto route options to this are in an upcoming service pack. As for Wiring I have seen that in a presentation, not out until about March 2004, should be in SolidWorks 2004 SP3) if you own the Routing option. I think you will like how the wiring works.

There is a Harnessing option coming in the upcoming months also, may be an option when SP3 releases. Not sure on that. Routing is all 3D layout. Harnessing takes the 3D Routing and creats 2D Drawings (Peg Board) drawings with complete BOM and cut lengths. This area seems to be very robust for a v1.0 type product.

I thinks if you look at this over the next couple months, give the dealers a little time to get/learn the new products since SolidWorks and certian beta testing companies have it right now.

So you know why I know so much I work for a reseller and have just seen these new modules at the recent SolidWorks World 2004 User Meeting in Boston, MA. We see a big push by SolidWorks into the routing area. Should be great move for everyone.

SolidWorks is required to use Routing & Harnessing application. Routing and Harnessing are sold separate options if needed and not part of the base package.

I have used the Routing (formerly SolidWorks Piping) application for sometime and I can see SolidWorks is now spending a lot of development in this area.

I hope this helps in your questions.

 

[Boathouse]

We ahd the routing package demo'd via a webex meeting a couple of days ago. The package appears to work well but shows its civil/construction engineering roots. It lacks the ability to automatically monitor minimum distance to first bend, minimum distance between bends, give tubing length when using flared type end fittings. It would be nice to input these kinds of parameters that our CNC bending machine has to work with anf have the system check for correctness.

Probably its major drawback was the lack of a pertinant library of fittings for the aerospace industry - AS, MS, SAE etc which would mean lots of man hours to build the desired fittings. We are trying to find out if any other companies have blazed a trail and are willing to part company or sell their end fitting details.

All in all, a pretty promising package which will gain from getting the next round of updates that, I believe, will add auto routing, clash detection etc.

 

[DesignSmith]

Boathouse,
The tubing functionality added in SolidWorks Routing was intended for applications like yours. To improve performance flared ends and similar treatments are not modeled, you add an end treatment value to your fittings, and the those extra lengths get automatically added onto the reported tubing cut lengths. The fittings are also where the minimum straight length value is stored, and you could edit the design tables for the parts to make it a larger value.
From one of the property managers for the tube, you can choose to create and export a tube bending file in *.txt format or as an *.html report. That file will show your lengths between bends, even thought the product doesn't yet provide a way to automatically limit it during the design stage.
To get more fittings you can download some free ones from the user section of 3D Content Central. The catch is that those are single configuration items and you will have to edit the parts to manually add the connection point that the SolidWorks Routing application uses to automatically connect and route tubes. (about 2 minutes per item)
If you still need more fittings, a web search can turn up the few independent CSWPs that do contract part content creation.

DesignSmith

http://www.DesignSmith-Services.com

 

[Mandrake22]

Parker.com has most of their fittings available in solid form. Dealing with their site is a pain but the results are worth it.

 

[EdDanzer]

Back in 1997 we developed a smart part parts concept. The difference between this concept and all other parts libraries is interchangeability. When designing a product using plumbing one is never sure what fitting will be used over the life of a product. So our fitting library has straight, 45°, and 90° fittings of most sizes of pipe, o-ring, and JIC, that can be substituted with out mate problems. The template is the same for all fittings, just measure and adjust. I went to SolidWorks and demonstrated the idea and reason for part interchangeability, but if fell on deft ears.
As in many cases the best solutions is not the one chosen for political or financial reasons. In order for them to make this work they would have to do the file maintenance, and distribution for all the models, on each major release.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Good news!!

Solid Digital Digest reports that Harnessing Module is now released.

http://www.d-digest.com/soliddigitaldigest/v4i11/productnews.html

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[MadMango]

This is strange, as my VAR just contacted me last week (02/26/04) to ask if I wanted to beta test the new harnessing package.

How can SW ask for beta testers and do a release? Or maybe the question should be, "Why?"

Ray Reynolds
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[pdybeck]

From SolidWorks directly, according to the press release this new functionality will be available in Q2 of 2004. It wasn't a statement claiming the release, just that this will be available to customers. Check out

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/news/viewrelease.html?prid=184

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Sorry about that, the SDD article stated "Enhanced SolidWorks Routing and Harnessing Software Now Available". They failed to include the bit about the 2nd quarter release date.
Should know better than to trust the press

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

OK, so….what's the speed of dark?
faq559-863

 

[JNR]

I think this is a sloppy journalism issue (well, fancy that happening today!!!).

The heading says "now", but the text only says SW announced the enhancement (is going to happen?).

We forgive you, CBL - you were mislead by the media (well, fancy.......)

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Thanks JNR, as always, the voice of ... compassion ?

from (the City of) Barrie, Ontario.

If everything is going well, you have obviously overlooked something

 

[JNR]

Well... kinda..... actually I think that media is merely a money making machine these days - all they care about is throwing something out there (often as sensational and inaccurate as they deem necesary) to get us to read the revenue generating advertisements liberally sprinkled between the "articles". That and feeding their own overpaid celebrity ego's.....

Let's face it, virtually all the good journalists are deceased these days....

....yeah, and I'm pretty cynical about this subject.



Billy was half right... Don't just kill all the lawyers - put 'em with all the media types and give 'em a choice - death or go after SPAMMERS and virus queens for minimum wage and a bonus every time they catch and destroy one - heck I'd help fund that one! (For the uninitiated, it's an Eagles thing - "Get Over It")

Sorry to sound off - will try not to do it again.

I guess the point is we have to be careful even what we read in our own speciality technical press. Even they can be misleading sometimes (I'm sure accidentally in this case). So the best thing is to VERIFY with your VAR or the your SW regional manager. Not too difficult for us because she always shows up for our user group meetings - heck SW funds the eats and drinks - so we get pretty good support in that area.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.