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.
What is the main different between SOLIDWORKS model files and xDesign Physical Products?
Are SOLIDWORKS files and xDesign physical products the same? No!
Do you save and store the files the same? No!
Does SOLIDWORKS and xDesign treat parts (components) and assemblies the same? No!
The lesson covers how to import files into xDesign. Two file types are SOLIDWORKS part and SOLIDWORKS assembly (zip). Use the created Dashboard in Lesson 4 or the individual apps.
Create a Bookmark Workspace using the Bookmark Editor Widget. Create three Bookmark folders. Think of a Bookmark Workspace as a directory which can contain Bookmark folders. Bookmark folders are used to further categorize bookmarks like a folder tree structure (Windows Explorer).
Review Metadata in the columns of the Bookmark Editor and Custom properties from SOLIDWORKS files.
Use bookmarks to delete entire groups of data. For assemblies within the bookmark folder, there is an option to delete the entire structure of the assembly and all reference components. Another option to delete files (Physical Products) from the platform is to use the Collaborative Lifecycle App.
One of the best simple practices for SOLIDWORKS data is to create bookmarks upon the initial save to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Choosing “Save With Options” will give the user the choice of existing bookmark folders or to create a new bookmark to contain the file references.
In xDesign when you create a new component, the three default planes (xy), (yz), (zx) are aligned with specific views. The plane you select for your first sketch determines the orientation of the component.
When you import a component from SOLIDWORKS, the three default planes in xDesign are align to different views. This is a very important change.
Right-click Wheel and Rocker, Open Link in a New Tab, Unzip, to actively follow this lesson with SOLIDWORKS xDesign.
Login to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.
Open the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard. Review Lesson 4 if you did not create the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lessons Dashboard.
There are three Widgets in the Dashboard: xDesign, 3DSpace, and Bookmark Editor. The Collaborative space is Quick Start xDesign. Class ES-1310 is the first tab.
Note: If you do not have the SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #4: Create a Dashboard, access the apps directly from the My Apps list.
Import a SOLIDWORKS part or any supported file type into xDesign. Note: A Windows model file cannot be directly opened in xDesign. The model file needs to be imported.
Click Import File in the xDesign Widget.
The Import dialog box is displayed. Use the File on Disk option.
Click File on Disk.
Click the File Format drop-down arrow. View the supported file types.
Select SOLIDWORKS Part (*sldprt).
Click Choose File.
Double-click the SOLIDWORKS Part (*sldprt) file that you want to import. Later in the lesson, we will import a SOLIDWORKS Assembly (*sldam) zip file.
Select Destination.
Click the drop-down arrow under Destination. There are two Collaborative spaces.
Select Quick Start xDesign. Note: The Quick Start xDesign and Engineering Design Collaborative spaces were created in Lesson 2.
Click Import.
The xDesign Work Area is displayed. Wheel is the name of the Physical Product. The geometry is Imported.Body.1. The xy plane is the Front plane. The Triad displays the Y axis vertical. This is similar to SOLIDWORKS.
Save the Wheel.
Click the expansion arrow as illustrated in the Action bar. View the options.
Click Save.
Note: When indexing is complete, the Wheel is displayed in the 3DSpace Widget. You may need to click Sort, and select the most recent Creation date.
Create a Bookmark Workspace. Create three Bookmark folders. Bookmarks are organized as Bookmark Workspaces and Bookmark folders. Think of a Bookmark Workspace as a directory which can contain various Bookmark folders. Bookmark folders are used to further categorize bookmarks like a folder tree structure (Windows Explorer).
Create a Bookmark Workspace.
Right-click in the Bookmarks box as illustrated.
Click New Bookmark.
Enter Design Project 101.
Expand Design Project 101.
Click Full Screen.
View the full screen of Design Project 101. At this time, there are no Physical Products in the Workspace. Note: The Upload file button only uploads a file as a document, not as a Physical Product.
Add three Bookmark folders.
Click the New Bookmark icon as illustrated. Note: You can also right-click on Bookmarks.
Enter Metal Components for the first Bookmark folder.
Enter Plastic Components for the second Bookmark folder.
Enter Assemblies for the third Bookmark folder.
View the results.
Exit Full screen.
Click Exit Full screen.
Save the Wheel (Physical Product) to the Plastic Components Bookmark folder. Use the xDesign Widget in the Dashboard.
Click the expansion arrow as illustrated from the Action bar. View the options.
Click Add to Bookmark.
The Select a Bookmark box is displayed.
Select Plastic Components.
Click Set.
Save the Wheel from the Action bar.
Click Save.
View the Expanded Plastic Components folder in the Bookmark Editor Widget.
Select the Plastic Components folder.
Click Full screen.
The Wheel is displayed in the Plastic Components folder as a Physical Product.
Exit Full screen.
Click Exit Full screen.
Close the Wheel.
Click Close from the Action bar in the xDesign Widget.
Add an existing Physical Product to the Metal Components folder. Use the Bookmark Editor Widget.
Expand the Bookmark Editor Widget to view additional commands.
Select the Metal Components folder.
Click the Add Existing Content.
Enter Wheel.
Click Search.
View the result.
Double-click Wheel.
Wheel is added to the Metal Components folder.
View the Expanded Metal Components folder in the Bookmark Editor Widget.
Click Full screen.
Select the Metal Components folder.
View the Wheel. The Wheel is displayed in the Metal Components folder as a Physical Product.
Upload a SOLIDWORKS part file directly to the Metal Components folder. The SOLIDWORKS part file is saved as a Document. The example for the lesson is FLATBAR(.sldprt).
Click Upload.
View the results of the uploaded document. This is not a Physical Product.
View the available options for the FLATBAR document.
Click the drop-down-arrow Menu.
Expand Open With. View the options. These options are limited compared to an imported Physical Product.
In Windows, it is easy to delete a file. Sometimes too easy. In xDesign you cannot directly delete a Physical Product from your Collaborative space. One benefit of using bookmarks is the ability to delete a single component or entire groups of data (assembly or subassembly).
Delete the Wheel.
Click Wheel under Title.
Click the Delete icon.
The Delete box is displayed.
Click OK.
Exit Full screen.
Click Exit Full screen.
Import a SOLIDWORKS assembly using xDesign. The SOLIDWORKS assembly needs to be zipped.
Click Import File from the xDesign Widget.
The Import box is displayed. The example used is a SOLIDWORKS Rocker assembly zip folder.
Select the inputs.
Click Import.
The Rocker component is displayed in xDesign. xDesign creates components in a single modeling environment. The term component is used because both parts and assemblies are treated the same. This is very different from SOLIDWORKS.
The xy plane is the Front plane. The Triad displays the Y axis vertical. This is similar to SOLIDWORKS.
Save the component.
Click Save from the Action bar in xDesign.
Add the Rocker to the Assemblies Bookmark. There are various ways to perform this task.
Select the Assemblies folder from the Bookmark Editor Widget.
Click Full screen.
The Design Project 101 Work Area is displayed.
Click the Add Existing Content icon. Note: You can also click the Add Existing button.
Enter Rocker.
Click Search.
When indexing is complete, Double-click Rocker.
The Rocker is displayed in the Assembly Components folder.
Exit Full screen.
Click Exit Full screen.
One of the best practices for SOLIDWORKS data is to create bookmarks upon the initial save to the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Choosing Save With Options, Save to 3DEXPERIENCE, gives the user the choice of existing bookmark folders or to create a new bookmark to contain the file references.
The next illustrations show how to save a SOLIDWORKS part (Shell.sldprt) directly to the Platform using a Bookmark which was created in the lesson.
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 #7: Simple Assembly Modeling
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
SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #4: Create A Dashboard
SOLIDWORKS xDesign Lesson #5: Views and Orientations
Design well. Marie
Marie Planchard
Categories: 3DEXPERIENCE, CAD, CAD Instructor, CAD Teacher, Curriculum, Design, Education, SOLIDWORKS Tutorials, STEM Science Technology Engineering and Math, STEM Teacher, xDesign