Discover how to predict potential failure points and optimise product designs to enhance durability and provide peace of mind to the consumer with this SOLIDWORKS Simulation tutorial.
What's the difference between a glued contact and a touching contact? Read on to find out! You didn't think we'd spoil a punchline here, did you?
Can SOLIDWORKS Motion help to improve your bowling accuracy?
Improve the performance of your simulations in MSC Nastran with this simple trick!
Discover how to boost your efficiency by chaining simulations together.
Discover how MSC Marc can simulate welding to help you make informed design decisions.
Determine static loading of closed containers with MSC Marc.
Discover the latest enhancements to SOLIDWORKS Simulation and SOLIDWORKS Plastics for 2024.
Learn how to create custom toolbars in MSC Apex
Discover who uses SOLIDWORKS Simulation for CFD and FEA analysis.
Discover how the MSC.One porfolio can help calculate the durability of products and assess fatigue.
Element deactivation is the removal of elements during an analysis. Learn what it's used for in this blog.
How does SOLIDWORKS use CPU cores and how many do we recommend?
Are you a lazy engineer? This hack will save time with post-processing data…
How reliable is SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation for Thermal Analysis? The results will surprise you!
How reliable is SOLIDWORKS Simulation for FEA? The results will surprise you!
SOLIDWORKS Simulation can be used to calculate a wide range of studies using real-world physics in a virtual environment.
MSC CoSim allows us to couple simulation solvers to solve multi-physics problems. We couple FEA with CFD to explore how this can be achieved.
Comparing SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation against physical test data is an excellent way to validate and have confidence with the software as it proves that it can replicate what happens in a real world scenario.
The stress/strain curve below is for a synthetic rubber in uniaxial tension/compression.It's very clear from this plot that the behaviour in tension and compression are very different and the response is not linear. Representing this with a linear el....
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can be used to analyse lift force induced by the observable fluid flow phenomenon known as the Magnus effect.
Choosing the right orientation and build parameters can reduce wastage in 3DPrinting, but doing so through trial and error by printing physical parts can be costly.
Simulation is a vital and complex engineering need. Fortunately, SOLIDWORKS makes it easy to test, correct mistakes and obtain accurate results.
MSC Adams Gear ModelGear ModellingBefore Adams Machinery, we had a few options for simulating gear meshing within a system. We could specify a couplerbetween two rotating shafts that coupled their motion with a specified gear ratio. It's quick and di....
An example from my own career while I was working in the US for US-Canadian client with a vague approach to unitsconsistency (the Americans used inches, slugs etc and the Canadians mm, N and so on) I managed to build an FE modelwith the overall dimen....
Zoom modelling is a classic technique uses two (or more) models to achieve a detailed stress field for a small feature or features in a large model, when done correctly this can help save your a huge amount of computing time, read on to find out how!
A Superelement is a method of representing an entire structure with a single entity within our FEA model, using them correctly could help you to speed up solution time or design iterations, improve motion dynamics models or preserve IP.
Learn how to accurately predict curing times for composite structures with MSC Marc.
How to find SOLIDWORKS Xpress product codes in 5 simple steps. Xpress tools come with every seat of SOLIDWORKS and can be unlocked using a product code.
SOLIDWORKS Costing enables manufacturers to estimate costs of producing a product and provides a breakdown to allow easy identification of where any cost savings can be made.
In this blog we'll share one of the best kept secrets of simulation, if you have problems with your trickier non-linear problems, like degrading the fidelity of the solution or compromising on aspects you really want to model but that cause convergen...
I’ve given a number of training courses in the last few years and have discovered that there are some simple modelling techniques that can save time that are falling out of use through lack of knowledge. I’m not sure what’s behind it, perhaps the wid...
SOLIDWORKS helps us to find resultant forces through simulation studies. These virtual tests reduce the need for physical prototypes and give us an accurate answer.
The relationship between fluid flow and mechanical performance of a system can be complex. The shape of the structure affects the flow pattern around it, while the pressures from the flow can deform the structure thereby affecting the flow. Think of ...
SOLIDWORKS simulations gives users four options for solvers, these are: FFEPlus, Intel Direct Sparse, Direct Sparse, and Large Problem Direct Sparse. When setting up a simulation, many users have questions about which solver is best for their study a...
Optimisation in the FEA sense of the word is using a series of iterative simulations to achieve an improved design. In this blog we'll look at how different optimisation techniques in MSC Nastran work, when to use them and what they're capable of.
SOLIDWORKS Motion is a kinematics/dynamics simulation environment for moving assemblies, embedded within the CAD system. It does a great job of using assembly constraints to automatically create joints in a mechanism and allows you to simulate the ra...
RESHAPING TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION In Pantin, a suburb at the gateway of Paris, the local Art Deco Leclerc swimming pool has been transformed into a modern, dual-purpose facility for art and sports. The extensive renovation involved restoring th....
From Industrialisation to Productisation: The Next AEC RevolutionUntil the Industrial Revolution, craftsmanship was the sole solution for creating goods, including buildings. Each product was developed by hand, with the potential for quality to vary ....
The era of winning by being reactive, stemming significant costs and curbing schedule disruption is ending. Now is the time to begin transitioning from problem-solving and move toward Future Testing.
Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) is how innovators will rise to meet unprecedented construction industry challenges. Owner-operators, urban planners, architects, engineers and building product manufacturers are cultivating a clear competiti...
Staht is a UK-based start-up that is enhancing the safety of the built environment by revolutionising on-site testing and measuring equipment throughout the construction industry.
With growing environmental concerns and sustainability requirements, progress towards net-zero is underway with many companies investing significantly to revolutionise their traditional ways of working. Discover how Lifecycle Assessments can help dri...
Unlock the power to innovate with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform which powers industry-leading applications for Design & Engineering, Manufacturing & Production, Simulation, and Governance & Lifecycle.
While space travel continues to be the next big race for tech giants and disruptors across the globe, start-up SuperSharp Limited is looking at how going into space can help us better understand and care for our planet.
It's no surprise that electric cars are defining the next era of the automotive industry. Because of this, car manufacturers now need to navigate new challenges, such as the need to maximise the power of electric motors while reducing their mass and ...
Everrati is an automotive agency that passionately redefines the most iconic cars and makes them relevant to the world today. While making a conscious effort to maintain the ‘soul’ and unique characteristics of modern classics, Everrati gives these c...
For our second challenge in our Rugby Lions themed competition with South African reseller MECAD we modelled an adjustable kicking tee, now we want to take things a step further and make sure our design is prepared for manufacture. The kicking tee co...
Following on from our first blog where we discuss how we modelled a scrum machine, as part of our rugby inspired competition with seller MECAD in this blog we'll take a look at analysing our scrum machine with SOLIDWORKS Simulation.
In our first webinar series since Design Rule Ltd. became part of the Solid Solutions Group, we welcome both Design Rule and Solid Solutions customers to this series of webinars focusing on the latest Simulation technology available. Every Wednesday ...
Live Introduction to SIMULIA for SOLIDWORKS Users. Powered by Abaqus and other industry-leading SIMULIA technologies, SIMULIA gives you the power to perform structural, fluid and optimisation analysis tasks with confidence: from the simplest linear s...
The SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation tool called ‘Free Surface’ is a capability with many useful and practical applications. For instance, it can accurately predict the flow rate of a liquid out of a tank and also the time taken for the tank to drain. As a...
In 2018 SOLIDWORKS introduced a new capability to their Flow software. This is called ‘Free Surface’ and opens up many more applications for users who need to simulate fluid behaviour where a gas and a liquid (or two immiscible liquids) share the sam...
SolidWorks 2020 has now been officially released and Simulation has seen some great, new enhancements. The user interface, solving performance, and the quality of results have all had been added to. We have listed below the 10 major enhancements to c...
The need for additional protection in cricket helmets was made clear after the tragic death of Phillip Hughes, who suffered a blow to the back of his head from a cricket ball in 2014. Designed in SOLIDWORKS by Alan, Masuri Helmets have releas....
As huge fans of the show we have been wanting to model something from it ever since the last episode aired. Check out this video to see how SOLIDWORKS could have been used to help design arguably the most impressive piece of engineering in Westeros -...
Alex Hall, our Technical Manager, is back with another custom solution using SOLIDWORKS and a 3D printer. This time we're looking at how he created a personalized iPad stand. The pattern shown was created using the new 3D texture tool and the design ...
Within SolidWorks PCB, you can access components from online sources and obtained libraries, but you can also create your own components for use within designs. This consists of a number of elements, Schematic Symbol(s), Footprint, 3D Model, Simulati...
‘How do I know when to stop my calculation?’ and ‘How do I know my mesh is good enough?’ are questions often asked when running SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation studies.The answer is to ensure the solution reached is both fully converged AND mesh independe...
SOLIDWORKS Simulation is an affordable 3D design simulation solution with powerful engineering capabilities that help you predict your product performance before you even consider prototyping.
In this short 4 minute run down, Jamie will explain the key differences between SOLIDWORKS 2019 Standard, Professional and Premium, helping you determine whether an upgrade is right for your business and which one. For a more in depth look at the dif....
Have you ever wondered whilst using SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation - “How do I know where the minimum and maximum values are on my model?”If so, then you're in luck as this blog will explain how to easily find these extreme values.
Discover the top 10 enhancements in SOLIDWORKS 2018.View the Video here
Applications Engineer Chris Boyles explores the accuracy of SOLIDWORKS Simulation.
A look at the new Free Surface feature coming in SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation 2018.
How accurate is SOLIDWORKS Simulation? Elite Applications Engineer Chris Boyles investigates.
Can you take advantage of the Coanda Effect & can SOLIDWORKS Flow simulate it? Applications Engineer Romel Cumare investigates in his latest blog post.
Applications Engineer Jassim Alali presents 'SOLIDWORKS Motion – Dominoes'.
Jassim Alali presents 'Getting to grips with setting up a simulation study'.
Technical Manager Andy Fulcher explores 'Radiation in Flow Simulation, Part 2 : Refraction'
Technical Manager Andy Fulcher explores 'Radiation in Flow Simulation, Part 1 : Reflection'
Idealisation Error Within SOLIDWORKS Simulation by Applications Engineer Tom McHale
Applications Engineer Rodion Radchenko, delivers this weeks webcast on 'Submodelling'.
Elite Applications engineer, Rodion takes us through his motion study.
Applications Engineer, Chris Boyles experiments with SOLIDWORKS Frequency Simulation.
Applications Engineer Chris Boyles shows us how SOLIDWORKS can calculate velocity changes and pressure losses in piping.
Last month, I built a six-metre rowing boat in SOLIDWORKS. I was interested to know just how much I could find out about this boat using Simulation- for example, how many people could fit in here before it sank?
A first look at running a stress analysis on part documents using the simulation package available with all levels of SolidWorks.
Robot wars returned this year to the BBC with great excitement and destruction. See how you could use SOLIDWORKS to design your own Robot in this Blog.
SOLIDWORKS Simulation (dynamics) can help us predict the effects from earthquakes, the resultant stresses and displacement ultimately show us whether the structure is fit for purpose. We will look at how to use the response spectrum analysis within a...
Taking the data collected from SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation we will process that into an FEA study to see what stresses can appear from the results obtained from the Flow Simulation.
Now the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio is over, we can reflect on the strength and determination athletes require to compete and be the best in the world. Using SOLIDWORKS Simulation we'll take a look at how an Olympic barbell is loaded for world record...
University Of Cambridge student Jonathan Pawson updates us on his placement progress with Solid Solutions. Week 3
A typical static analysis simulation starts off by first choosing the material, selecting fixing points, applying loads and finally running our set up. However, what if we could change this type of workflow and continue with our design when some basi...
In this Blog post SOLIDWORKS Simulation has been coupled with the ‘Design Study’ tool to run a batch of static studies and optimise a quadcopter frame.
SOLIDWORKS 2015 introduced two great enhancements for Simulation. The Load Case Manager in Simulation Professional to create load inout variations and the shell manager to better handle analyses of thin walled parts. Learn more about these features i...
Generating high quality results and reported outputs is the key to communicating your analysis results- there are many formats available so learn some of the options and how best to extract key results.
SOLIDWORKS simulation can be a powerful means of validating your designs. Discover the general processes and tips to get the best results in the most efficient time.
Simulation Standard is a new package of Simulation tools from SOLIDWORKS that enable engineers and designers to test their parts and assemblies, not only for strength and stiffness, but now also for FATIGUE failure (repeated cycling loading) and rigi...
Last week there was a cosmic conjunction in my thinking! The partial solar eclipse in the UK coincided with my son needing help with his "Gravitational Field Theory". Could SOLIDWORKS help me understand both?
The new “Intel Direct Sparse” solver was an enhancement that didn’t receive much attention at the 2015 launch event this year, but running some in-house tests has shown this new solver is over 40% faster than the standard Direct Sparse.
This wasn’t included in the release notes for Flow and is just another example of the really cool gems that SOLIDWORKS give away when you start digging around!
The 'Periodic' computational domain option in Flow is little known - but it can be a great tool to use and a real time saver. This blog gives an example of a rack of PCBs in an electronic enclosure to illustrate how it works.
Have you recently broken your new phone by sitting on it accidently? SOLIDWORKS Simulation can help prevent design flaws by stress testing components in a virtual environment to prevent the costly process of trying to correct faults after manufacture...
This blog describes how to add a transient time step into a Simulation Design Study. This enables users to graph stress results across time steps to see worst case.
An easy way to monitor stress values in critical areas of your model.
This blog has 6 very useful links to You Tube videos for anyone wanting to know the basics of material science and, in particular, any SOLIDWORKS users who want a refresher before attending a Simulation training course.
Putt too slow and you will leave the ball short - putt too fast and it will skip the hole. What are the max and min values for a successful putt? Is there an optimum speed for the ball to easily fall into the centre of the hole? This blog shows how S...
Robotics isn’t an area many of us are familiar with, but on a recent SOLIDWORKS Motion Simulation course we had someone who was very interested in the subject! One of our customers from Loughborough University has dedicated many hours of research to ...
Radiation is an important means of heat transfer. This blog explains how to set radiation up so that heat can be transferred from one body to the next. A customer recently emailed in a Thermal simulation study to our Technical Support help line with ...
Rigid Groups in SOLIDWORKS MotionSOLIDWORKS Motion is a great tool for simulating the movement of complex mechanisms. It allows engineers to quantify kinematic and dynamic performance parameters such as velocity, acceleration, energy, torque, power e....
Many engineering applications require the use of pins which hold components together by an interference or friction fit. Knowing how much force it takes to make the pin slip is a key area of the design. This can be obtained in using ....
Even after the hype of launch events has died down, we’re still spotting little nuggets of improvement that SOLIDWORKS have put into their latest release. When using simulation to create a 2D shell mesh, it is now possible to “previe....
Guy Martin and the 112 mph Push BikeSince I am fascinated by this type of crazy stunt and was involved a few years ago in a similarly crazy project to propel a lawnmower at 100 mph (watch this space!), I couldn't resist checking out the fluid flows f....
Dynamiq Engineering Ltd, were tasked by the production company to develop a suite of modifications to Dave Jenkin’s racing truck to create the largest possible slipstream, hence eliminating the aerodynamic drag that Guy Martin would have to ove....
SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation can be used to create transient studies where the fluid boundary conditions vary with time. This means that inlet and outlet parameters such as velocity, pressure or temperature can vary over a defined time period. An ....
Crash helmet makers have stringent safety requirements when designing new helmets. Often this can take many design cycles to get right; which means a lot of time and money is spent on practical testing! SOLIDWORKS Simulation Premium can be....
The SOLIDWORKS 2014 discs now have content for multiproducts on them as standard! New additions to the installation manager include SOLIDWORKS Electrical and SOLIDWORKS Composer, so there is no need to download these separately any more! Simply tick ....
Christmas is getting close and the pressure to produce the turkey and stuffing whilst getting those little pigs in blankets on the table before the Queen’s speech is mounting and for those with lots of family coming over it’s a certainty ....
HOWZAT!!! Our nation will soon be in mourning when the Australian cricket team claw back those coveted ashes. How can our acclaimed 11 be blown away with such ease by the Aussie bowlers? It is tempting to be critical when you see the ultra-slow-mo of....
SOLIDWORKS Plastics is able to calculate and illustrate the phenomenon of ‘Jetting’ within injection moulded parts. ‘Jetting’ occurs when there is a large amount of empty space in the mould cavity at, or close to, the injectio....
Buoyancy Calculation in SOLIDWORKS I have added this blog as it might prove useful to anyone who wants to work out how far beneath the water surface an assy will float. This came up in a training course with our customer Manuplas of Plymo....
If you have ever run a SOLIDWORKS Simulation study with a large number of parts you will be aware that it can take a little time to assign the correct materials to each part. A useful, but often overooked, technique is to drag/copy materials f....
This is a really useful gem that is hardly noticed or used - but can come in very handy, especially for anyone doing an animation or Motion study. Suppose you want to illustrate a movement of an assy - some sort of mechanism. Obviously you wil....
What is it? Most users will be aware that the Toolbox included in SOLIDWORKS Professional allows for user to quickly add bolts and connections to assemblies, with automatic sizing and mating applied, however the Toolbox also includes some additi....
A new feature has been added to SOLIDWORKS Simulation Professional and Premium 2013. Submodelling allows you to improve the results at local regions of large models without having to rerun the analysis for the whole model. Refining the mesh for selec....
Just discovered this useful nugget! This is not in the Help files nor in any training course so SOLIDWORKS have hidden it well :) My discovery relates to the input load to a 'Modal Time History' study in Linear Dynamics (Simulation Pre....
It is surprising what you discover when you browse the SOLIDWORKS Knowledge Base! Today, whilst searching for an answer to a customer problem, I came across a useful article that clarified for me how friction works in Simulation. I had sometim....
Recently several customers have commented that Simulation Reports are fantastic - except for one annoyance: that you can't show a bespoke orientation or zoom state for the results images. I understand their point as often you need to show ....
HiDesign Studies and Optimisation are great tools for exploring how you can improve the design of a part. Design Studies allow you to make changes to Simulation parameters (e.g. loads, materials etc.) as well as dimensions and then monitor the b....
Just found a new capability while teaching the Simulation 2013 training course. This seems to have skipped my attention and is not in any of the 'What's new' documents. The new capability is that you can use the Symmetry Fixture on shells as wel....
Previous to SOLIDWORKS 2011 modelling carbon fibre in SOLIDWORKS Simulation was pretty limited. Practically, if the component was anthing other than flat, fibres weren't able to follow the contours of the surface!Since then, model laminated mat....
If you're interested in efficiency with SOLIDWORKS, check out the new Dell Precision M6700!! Running a performance test in Flow Simulation compared against a Dell Precision M6500, the M6700 gives around double the speed!The tests were car....
Do you worry about the cost of fuel? I drive a Honda Civic with a diesel engine that gives me about 45mpg - not bad - but not brilliant. Recently, when driving up the M6 I had a little extra time so I decided to stick to 60mph and see how the consump....
SOLIDWORKS eDrawings for iPad was a long time coming but was well worth the wait. Now, eDrawings Professional for iPad adds to the functionality you have available, including measure and mark up, viewing exploded views in SOLIDWORKS files and al....
HiA customer recently asked me if there is a way of combining stress or displacement results in SOLIDWORKS Simulation. The reason you might need this is as follows. Suppose we have 3 load cases: A, B and C. If we solve these we get 3 sets of results ....
Every struggled to get some good material data from the internet when trying generate accurate simulation models?I found a great page in the SOLIDWORKS help files which has a few websites I didn’t even know about! See below…Metals (gener....
In SOLIDWORKS Flow Simulation there are a number of ways in which you can display Result Plots and show them simultaneously on screen. You can simply Right click on each plot and select show from the menu then arrange the plots on screen for bet....
I have been teaching SOLIDWORKS Motion for the best part of 10 years and yesterday was surprised to discover a new capability that I had no idea existed. It is not covered in any of the training material and I haven't seen it used by a customer - so ....
Attention all Flow users!!!I have just been experimenting with the brand new 2013 Flow streamline capability - and am very excited :) This is a brand new way of showing flow lines on surfaces or cut plots. The benefit is that it gives the user a deta....
The bolt connector in SOLIDWORKS is a bit of a mystery if you've never used it. However here is a quick guide to what the options do if you're ever Simulating an assembly with a bearing in it...Craig HudsonApplications Engineer
Graham Harris from Blatchford Products explains how SOLIDWORKS Simulation helped them design a state of the art carbon fibre leg for Stuart Hughes, a torch bearer for the London Olympics.What does an Oscar Pistorius-style blade feel like?www.bla....
I have just discovered a neat extra in Simulation 2012 that is not described in any of the 'What's New' literature - but could save you time.In a nonlinear study there is often a need to report the Reaction Forces across all the time steps. For insta....
How symmetrical is your part? If you knew, then you could work on the smallest segment and mirror the body after you've made your changes for easy part modifications. Or for Simulation, you could work with that segment alone to speed up an ....
I discovered this by accident recently and can't think why I haven't used this before. If you want to show off an animated simulation result and at the same time be 'inside' the plot, just use a camera view. The workflow is this:1. Create a simulatio....
I was teaching the SOLIDWORKS Motion course recently and was surprised by a comment made by a trainee. He said he had not appreciated beforehand how sophisticated Motion was as a tool for solving engineering problems. Other trainees agreed. It seems ....
If you missed our launch events across the country, this Wednesday there will be a live Webcast going through the highlights of the 20th release of SOLIDWORKS. To register for this webcast, go to http://www.solidsolutions.ie/solidworks-Training/We....
You may have seen my last blog about Simulation reports. Great! But what about reports in Flow Simulation? Well we can also create very neat custom reports in Flow. The report writer is different from the FEA Simulation but also produces great report....
SOLIDWORKS Simulation has a report writer that generates great looking Word documents - complete with formatted tables, coloured result plots etc. However, did you know you can customise this? Recently I was with a customer who commented he had to ke....
Our 2012 training schedules are currently being uploaded to our website. We are aiming to run more courses than ever next year to ensure you have the best opportunity to attend training as locally as possible. Continue to check our training....
SOLIDWORKS 2012 is now available to download from the SOLIDWORKS Customer portal (http://customerportal.SOLIDWORKS.com)Want to see what's new? Register for a Solid Solutions Launch Event by clicking the banner above or if you can't wait unt....
Many simulations require repeated reruns when you want to change a value. I was doing a Flow simulation of a racing car for an Educational customer who wanted to see the drag forces at varying speeds. Drag force does not vary linearly with velocity s....
Registration for the SOLIDWORKS 2012 Launch events are now open!Here at Solid Solutions, we are proud to announce registration for the SOLIDWORKS 2012 Launch events is now open. This year we are pulling out all the stops to make the events for the 20....
As more and more SOLIDWORKS products are developed to meet the design world's needs, have you ever thought, can't someone just give me an overview of what it's all about, in, say, 10 minutes?We thought so, so I did just that:Enjoy,Oliver Duncan - Eli....
Have you ever wanted to add mesh controls to a beam and been disappointed? No longer. I recently discovered this useful capability by accident and was surprised that it quietly slipped into SOLIDWORKS 2011 without any fuss or me noticing in the ....
This is a really neat way of getting a great mesh on thin parts. We all know that if we have thin parts we can use shell elements. However, sometimes you might want a solid mesh but one row of elements through a wall thickness isn't really adequate; ....