ian

10 Minute Workout – Day 1

Warm up

This is essential for any workout. 3 simple and quick exercises that will make the main workout flow without any pulled muscles!

1. The first thing to do is to create a folder where the workout files will be stored. I have just created the following folder structure on my C drive: -

   C:\DriveWorksXpress\10 Minute Workout

2. Next, in SolidWorks, model a very simple part. A circle for example, and dimension the diameter – don't worry about the size. Extrude it to a depth; again don't worry about how much. Save the part in the workout folder created above with a suitable name – Cylinder. Insert the part into an assembly and save the assembly into the same folder. Give it a name - Cylinder Assembly.

   Note it is important the assembly has a different name to the part! Inserting the part into an assembly will allow the example to be expanded if needed.
   

3. Finally create a DriveWorksXpress database. In SolidWorks select DriveWorksXpress from the Tools menu.

   YOUTUBE LINK

   By default DriveWorksXpress will create and open an Access database called DriveWorksXpress.mdb in your user profile\Documents\DriveWorksXpress location. It is OK to create a new database in any location you want if your user permissions allow.

Workout

With the warm out done we can now get down to some good exercise. I have broken the exercise down into 3 key stages: -

• Let DriveWorksXpress know what you want to manipulate with rules –this is the CAPTURE stage
• Build a form that allows the requirements to be entered – this is where we CREATE the user forms
• Apply the links between the captured information and the requirements – I have called this stage CONTROL!

Capture

This is where we tell DriveWorksXpress what we want to automate. This starts with checking the models within the assembly that change and then the parameters of those models (dimensions, features, properties etc.), any drawings are also captured. To begin with we'll just get used to controlling models and dimensions.

If you still have the DriveWorksXpress wizard open from #3 in the Warm up section above you should see this: -

If the DriveWorksXpress wizard has been closed, make sure the Cylinder Assembly file is open in SolidWorks and then launch the wizard (SolidWorks Tools menu>DriveWorksXpress), click the capture tab.

With the option to "Use current open model" selected click Next on the wizard. This will capture the Cylinder Assembly for automating.

Follow the video to capture the elements that need to be controlled.

Create

Now we have something to automate we need an area where we can enter the inputs. The inputs define our requirements for the assembly being automated and are presented on a Form.

Follow the video to create the Form.

Control

Finally we link the items we want to automate to the inputs; we tell DriveWorksXpress how the parameters are controlled in relation to the inputs. This is usually done by defining rules (which we do another day) but to show the link in its simplest way we will just connect the captured parameters to the inputs directly.

Follow the video to control the parameters.

Now you can enter your requirements on the form and generate the new models.

10 minute workout!

There is nothing like a good workout to clear the mind and see things in a different light. And as much as your body needs that workout sometimes you can benefit from giving your designs a little exercise.

I'm talking about automation. Flexing the processing power of your computer and letting it take some of the workload away from you.

The first problem is to understand the tools available to you. But finding the time to learn new tools can be difficult.

We have many tutorials available for learning DriveWorksXpress. But you still need to set aside an hour or so to go through them. Some may not have that hour to dedicate, so over the next few days I am going to break that time down into 10 minute slots.

10 minutes of work out time that you can pick up and put down with ease, without affecting your workload.

These work outs will be totally unrelated to any specific product; they are just intended to give you an insight into how to control your models.

So grab a coffee, open your lunch box and let's get exercising!!