2D in SWX 1

I hear a lot of people that complain about the 2D capabilities of SWX. I won't get into the whole "Why'd you get a solid modeler if you want 2D" argument, or the "AutoCAD vs SWX" argument. Those can be started/continued by someone else. This is all basic stuff, but if you don't know about it, how are you suppose to use it? I just hope it helps out newer users of SWX.

I just wanted to share what I have done to accomplish a few things that were rather simple in AutoCAD, and rather challenging in SWX.

1) Hydraulic/Piping/Wiring Diagrams: What I have done is I create Blocks of the standard symobols and save these. When I have to create one of these 2D drawings, I Lock the Sheet Focus, draw out all my lines (paths, etc). Then I Unlock the Sheet Focus, and insert all my Blocks, or vice versa, insert my Blocks first. Granted its not efficient like AutoCAD, but it's not that hard to do.

What I really like is that if you draw lines that share a common point, it acts like an anchor. So I just have to select that line segment, and drag it to the proper location or size. Once I have everything set, I just Unlock the Sheet Focus and I'm done.

2) Tables and Notes: I work in a medium company (1,200 employees) and even though they try to standarize all of there software, there are still many poeple using different operating systems (WinNT, Win9X, MAC OS), software and software versions (Office 97, Office 2000). Due to this, we have been directed to NOT use Excel to create and insert BoMs in SWX (crazy).

Anyways, I like to create Blocks of the most common things I use, and insert them where needed. Part Lists are easy to make, and once they are done, you can edit them to add or delte the number of lines/columns that you need. Once in the SLDDRW, it's a simple double-click to be able to edit the text.

Same can be done for Tabulated Drawings, Revision History Blocks... almost anything. Anyways, if anyone has other tips and tricks for this topic, please feel free to add to them. I know some companies had to scrape the money together to purchase just 1 seat of SWX, so they might like these free alternatives to purchasing other software from SWX Partners.

That is some wonderful advice. But, if you're running SWX 2K1, have you loaded Visio to do your 2D schematics? That would probably be even easier than your number (1) example above. Since it came free for subscription customers, all those people that use it should get the same version.

Personally, since the BOM is not mature enough is SWX to be convenient, I prefer to make them by hand. This way I spend less time going back to all the parts and updating their Custom Properties and spend more time making sure all the parts are listed. Many times we don't model parts that we need to appear on the BOM and once you manaully change the SWX BOM, then edit something else so the BOM automatically updates.... Oh, what a mess. I like to import the BOM with all the lines and "filler" text I need. Try to locate the block coincident with our sheet format border. (I really wish we could contrain to sheet format elements.) Then I explode the block and run from there. Keeping it as a block has some benefits, but I prefer to explode it.

Thanks again for the post, MadOrange.

Thanks for posting the info on Visio. I was hoping to list "work arounds" within SWX to accomplish tasks without resorting to external programs.

BTW, I've noticed you have a hard time typing MadMango...

Mad...,

Sorry, couldn't resist.

I'm a little more curious about your blocks. Do you have the blocks fully defined? Or fixed? This would be in the definition of the block, not the inserted block in the slddrw.

The reason I ask is because I also want to know if you later explode your block in order to attach lines to it, or if you just place the block near the lines and if the blocks print slightly off (lines appear joggled), so be it. It seems to me that if the block definition was fully defined, then exploded, you can constrain your lines to control points on the block elements. If you need to move a block, just click an element of the block and drag, the lines drag with it. Otherwise, if the block is not exploded, just dragging the block wouldn't adjust the lines; if the block is exploded but not fully defined, then the block elements would skew.

I remember creating electrical symbols in ACAD R10 which served me through R14. (I no longer do schematics, so I haven't had to worry about doing this in SolidWorks.) We created each block as a 1X1 square with attach points at all locations (small lines): i.e. resistors, diodes, capacitors each had 1 line at each end; transistors had 3 connecting lines; IC chips had as many as needed. We set the grid to .25 inch and snap to grid. Schematics came out beautiful every time. You could do the same in SWX with the grid and snap to grid. Then you wouldn't need to constrain the lines to the blocks in order to avoid the printed joggle. Of course, later modification (dragging) would still be a pain.

I don't do many schematic drawings now either, but when I did, I did NOT fully define my blocks. This allowed me to have the freedom to move them where ever I needed them to go quickly, and also allowed a simple double-click on the block to edit any text.

I hate snapping to Grids so much, that option never entered my mind. Great idea, I'll have to remember that.

Can you do a 2D layout sketch in assembly mode and later extrude the individual components from the layout? Or do you have to go back and forth from a 3D assembly layout and part,(making measurements from the 3D assembly and then going back to designing the part).

You can create in-context sketches and turn them into parts if you've built your assembly with this in mind. What i like to do (found these tips elsewhere) is the build assemblies so my 3 planes are in the center of the part, and constrained using Distance mates. They are much easier to edit down the road than Coincident mates.

These a nice option called Edit-Part when you are in an assembly, that will let you modify the part while it's in the assembly. There's no needs to switch back and forth between Parts and Assys. "Happy the Hare at morning for she is ignorant to the Hunter's waking thoughts."

I laid out several 2D circles in a 2D layout assembly. I made the relation of the circles tangent to lines (like a serpentine belt) and tried to extrude the circles. I cannot get that to go. What step am I missing?