Guitar maker speeds design process
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is a leading manufacturer of stringed instruments, including electric, acoustic, and bass guitars as well as guitar amplifiers. While the company handcrafted guitars and used 2D AutoCAD design tools for many years, the 2002 acquisition of the JACKSON guitar brand brought more complex geometry challenges that required 3D design technology to... Read More
New software slated to change the workplace
CAD software vendors have touted product usability for a long time. However, they haven’t really delivered on that promise until recently. There were a few software debuts in 2011 that changed that premise. True user usability could lead to a broader CAD audience and a bigger market share.The product development team at PTC came up with the idea of a creating single program... Read More
Recreated USS Missouri
SolidWorks user Donn McKinney’s dream is to construct a Hollywood-quality fleet of battleships for museums and ports. He is part of a team engaged in producing operational replicas of the Iowa Class Battleships USS Iowa, USS New Jersey, USS Missouri, and USS Wisconsin. The goal of the project is tto put these ships on display for education and enjoyment of the general public in... Read More
AAC Engineered Systems
The company focuses on heavy-duty applications and advanced material handling. The company was using a 2D design package and decided to move to a 3D CAD system to gain greater flexibility in designing equipment to meet customer requirements.AAC’s engineers attended the Chicago Machine Design Show and reviewed every CAD system being demonstrated. They were most impressed with... Read More
Analysis linked to CAD
Comsol’s latest update to its flagship multiphysics software Comsol 4.2a includes enhanced LiveLink capability. The new associativity to between Comsol and Creo packages means any changes to a feature in the Creo CAD model automatically updates the geometry in Comsol Multiphysics while retaining physics settings.All parameters specified in Creo can be interactively linked with... Read More
Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers (OCC) started designing and building custom motorcycles in 1999. The company selected SolidWorks Premium software as its standard design platform because it is easy to use, includes visualization and surfacing tools, and integrates well with MasterCAM software which automates machining on the company’s HAAS CNC production systems. “Every bike we... Read More
SolidWorks models on an iPad
CadFaster, the simple, free application for collaborating on SolidWorks 3D models is now available on the iPad App Store. CadFaster lets you access your projects on the move and allows your whole team to markup and co-view models in real time.You can export models as EXE files for Windows users and to cloud service for iPad users. You can also manipulate models to create unique... Read More
20th release of SolidWorks wins kudos
There are new drawing tools to help create better looking and more accurate images. For example, changed dimensions are automatically highlighted and show previous values to help with revisions. Sequential balloon ordering and magnetic lines automatically help order and position balloons. So you may not have to spend as much time detailing and aligning drawings.SolidWorks’ Sustainability’s... Read More
Fly record speeds in the v-44 Albatross
When Verney Yacht founder Tim Clarke read about the record-setting preparations by the hydrofoil-design trimaran, I’Hydroptere, he knew a technological breakthrough was the key to winning the challenge. He decided to design his own racer. He started to create a single-hull and equip it with two rigid wing-sails. The wing sail has the ability to switch both position and function... Read More
SolidWorks announces winners of Green Design contest
SolidWorks officially announces its first grand prize winners and runners up of the Green Chair Design. The contest kicked off on April 22, 2011. Contestants used SolidWorks 3D CAD software to design a low-impact airport terminal chair. Other rules: the designs had to be tested with SolidWorks SustainabilityXpress. The contestants were asked to measure the design’s carbon footprint,... Read More
