After teaching 1000’s of students and writing about SOLIDWORKS for over 25 years, David Planchard, emeritus WPI, is exploring xDesign.  Through the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson series, David helps educators understand the differences and similarities between xDesign and SOLIDWORKS through simple examples. He also introduces new apps in the engineering design process.  

Dashboards organize apps (Widgets). Depending on your license, (academic, student, maker, or commercial) you will have a default Dashboard. For academics, your IT administrator or instructor will create a default Dashboard for a class.

Below is an illustration of a Dashboard.

Create a Dashboard if you have the rights.

Insert three Widgets into the Dashboard. A Widget is an extension of the app that allows you to use it in the Dashboard.

Instructors will not use most of the available apps (Widgets) in their classes. In this lesson, create a new Dashboard with three important apps (Widgets) for a classroom environment (xDesign, 3DSpace, and Bookmark Editor).

The xDesign app creates components in a single modeling environment. The term component is used because both parts and assemblies are treated the same. Use this app in a class to create components.

The 3DSpace app creates a Collaborative space. The default location defines the Collaborative space (cloud storage) where your components are saved. This also makes it easy to communicate and share designs with class members and others, regardless of location.

The Bookmark Editor app provides the ability to view and manage your cloud data in a Collaborative space, create Favorites, and Bookmarks in a tree environment. Bookmarks are organized as Bookmark Workspaces and Bookmark Folders. An important use of Bookmarks is to delete a single component or entire groups of data (assembly or subassembly).

Login to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

View the Dashboards in the My Dashboards area. Your Dashboards will be different than the ones in the lesson. If you do not have rights to create a Dashboard, click My First Dashboard as illustrated and skip ahead to insert three Widgets.

Add a Dashboard.

Click Add Dashboard.

Accept the default – Empty dashboard.

Enter Name and Description.

Click Create.

SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons is displayed in the My Dashboards area. This is the active Dashboard. Tabs are associative with a Dashboard. Delete a Tab, you will delete the contents of the associative Dashboard. Note: If you do not see a created Dashboard, make sure you are on the correct tab. I create multiple Tabs with similar Dashboards for various sections of my classes.

Insert three Widgets (xDesign, 3DSpace, and Bookmark Editor) into the Dashboard. A Widget is an extension of the app that allows you to use it in the Dashboard. An app cannot be used in a Dashboard.

A Widget is displayed with an arrow in the upper right corner of the icon as illustrated.

An app is displayed with no arrow as illustrated. Apps cannot be dragged into a Dashboard.

Click the center of the Compass as illustrated for Roles, Apps & Solutions portfolio.

An empty Dashboard is displayed.

Drag the xDesign, 3DSpace, and the Bookmark Editor Widgets into the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard Work Area.

Slide the My Apps vertical bar downward until you see the xDesign Widget.

Drag the xDesign Widget into the Dashboard Work Area. The xDesign app creates components in a single modeling environment. The term component is used because both parts and assemblies are treated the same.

Drag the 3DSpace Widget into the Dashboard. The 3DSpace app creates a Collaborative space. The default location defines the Collaborative space (cloud storage) where your components are saved. This also makes it easy to communicate and share designs with your students, and others regardless of location.

Drag the Bookmark Editor Widget into the Dashboard. The Bookmark Editor app provides the ability to view and manage your cloud data in a Collaborative space, create Favorites, and Bookmarks in a tree environment. Bookmarks are organized as Bookmark Workspaces and Bookmark Folders. An important use of Bookmarks is to delete a single component or entire groups of data (assembly or subassembly).

Three Widgets are displayed in the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard, xDesign, 3DSpace, and Bookmark Editor.

Resize and position the three Widgets. In this lesson, xDesign is the largest window on the left side.

Click inside the Widget to resize and reposition. Note the resize and reposition icons.

Position the 3DSpace and Bookmark Editor Widget to the right as illustrated.

Position the xDesign Widget to the left and extend the length as illustrated.

The active Dashboard is SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons. Each Tab (New Tab) is associative with a Dashboard. Later in the lesson, you will rename the default Tab and create a new Tab.

Return to the My Dashboards area.

Click the Dashboards and cockpits list.

Below is an example of a created Dashboard.

Three Widgets are displayed in the Work Area xDesign, 3DSpace and Bookmark Editor.

The Dashboard displays a Collaborative space named Quick Start xDesign.

Recent Components created in a Collaborative space are displayed.

The default Tab was renamed to Quick Start xDesign.

A new Bookmark was created with the Bookmark Editor app. The Bookmark name is David Bookmarks.

Return to the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard.

Click SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons in My Dashboards.

Note: You can delate any Widget in your Dashboard. Click the menu down arrow in the Widget and click Delete.

Resize a Widget to full screen at any time.

Rename the New Tab.

Click the menu down arrow next to New Tab.

Click Rename.

Enter Class ES-1310. As an instructor, I name my Tabs with class numbers. Tabs are associative with a Dashboard. In this example the Dashboard is: SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons.

Click OK.

View the Rename Tab.

Add a New Tab.

Click Add tab.

New Tab is displayed.

Click the New Tab as illustrated. The New Tab shows an empty Dashboard.

Return to the Class ES-1310 Tab.

Click the Class ES-1310 Tab. Three Widgets are displayed.

In class, some of my students accidently delete important things. Below is an example of deleting a Dashboard and recovering it from the Recycle Bin.

Delete the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard. This is your active Dashboard.

Click the down arrow in the Menu bar.

Click Delete.

The Delete dashboard box is displayed.

Click Delete.

The SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard is deleted.

Recover the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard from your Recycle Bin.

Click the down arrow in the Menu bar.

Click Manage.

Click Recycle Bin from the Manage box.

Click the drop-down arrow from the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard.

Click Restore.

Click Close from the Manage box.

View the restored SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard.

Note: Double-click the Thumbnail to access the Recycle Bin from the Manage box.

Academic Community: After you create a 3DEXPERIENCE ID, Educators, can get more information on xDesign and SOLIDWORKS.  Request to join the 3DEXPERIENCE Academic Community for free at go.3ds.com/academiccommunity.

Student Community: Students, join the student community for free at go.3ds.com/studentcommunity.  Check out great posts on Mechanism Mondays, Heritage Tuesdays, FEA Fridays, and Solid Saturdays (animations).

Stay tuned for David’s next SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #5: Views and Orientations.

To review the previous lessons, go to:

• SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #1: Getting Started
• SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #2: Mouse Control and Collaborative Space
• SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #3: Sketch Planes

Design well, Marie

Marie Planchard

Senior Director, Early Engagement, 3DEXPERIENCE Works at Dassault Systemes

Marie Planchard is an education and engineering advocate. As Senior Director of Education & Early Engagement, SOLIDWORKS, she is responsible for global development of content and social outreach for the 3DEXPERIENCE Works products across all levels of learning including educational institutions, Fab Labs, and entrepreneurship.