I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I want to use 3DEXPERIENCE, but I’m just a little (or maybe a lot…) overwhelmed by the platform. Between the apps and the roles, the PLM backbone and the cloud UI, I have repeatedly found myself retreating to my comfort zone: SOLIDWORKS.

From one perspective, this is a testament to the power of SOLIDWORKS. Half my time in CAD is spent programming CNC machines and because of SOLIDWORKS CAM and CAMWorks I have been able to do everything I need to in the SOLIDWORKS desktop program. So far.

But I know my apprehension toward change has stunted my growth and could (if it hasn’t already) be the beginning of a skills gap between myself and my competition. Resolved not to become an “old dog” in the industry, I have been searching for the right entry into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform.

I needed a role that delivered functionality that was undeniably better than what I had access to in SOLIDWORKS, and which was pertinent to my specific type of work.

In other words, I needed an awesome CAM experience.

And fairly recently, I discovered a role that has the potential to thrust me into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform permanently: NC Shop Floor Programmer.

The NC Shop Floor Programmer role includes the following apps:

The two apps pertinent to my interests were Shop Floor Machining and Wire EDM Machining. Armed with these apps, I could program advanced 3-axis milling machines (including 2.5-axis machines, of course) and both 2- and 4-axis wire EDM machines.

Quick note: NC Shop Floor Programmer is the entry-level role for machining in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Other apps powered by DELMIA NC technology can handle just about any machining task, including 9+ axis mill/turn machines and 6-axis robotic arms.

With 10 years of CAMWorks (and later SOLIDWORKS CAM) experience behind me, it is difficult to imagine using anything else. Programming parts is almost muscle memory at this point: Automatic Feature Recognition > Generate Operation Plan > Generate Toolpath and tweak from there. I can’t program parts in my sleep, but I would be lying if I said CAMWorks has never appeared in my dreams at night.

I was relieved to learn that the underlying technology that powers CAMWorks and SOLIDWORKS CAM is also utilized in the Shop Floor Machining app. An important difference, however, is that the 3DEXPERIENCE implementation presents the NC programmer with more buttons to push and levers to pull. More of the core technology is exposed to the user, giving more complete control over toolpaths and toolpath simulation.

This app was starting to sound pretty darn good.

Then I learned about Power’By and I knew I had no more excuses—I had to dive into 3DEXPERIENCE. The day had come.

If you aren’t familiar with Power’By, it is the technology Dassault Systèmes is developing to connect CATIA V5 and SOLIDWORKS with 3DEXPERIENCE. Long story short, it is what allows me to continue designing in SOLIDWORKS if I prefer, then pivot to 3DEXPERIENCE for CNC programming.

Someone with a more trailblazing attitude will use a platform tool such as Xshape and Xdesign to design parts and seamlessly transition over to Shop Floor Machining for NC programming. But I’m keeping one foot in the SOLIDWORKS pool for now, and Power’By makes that fairly simple. After saving to the platform and converting to a platform object, I end up with two files that are parametrically linked to one another: one for SOLIDWORKS and one for 3DEXPERIENCE. Cool.

From the start of the workflow, it is evident that NC Shop Floor Programmer is providing an elevated CNC programming experience. Unlike any other CAM tool that I have used, the 3DEXPERIENCE apps encourage users to program inside a full machine environment.

To clarify—because this is an important difference—the programming takes place within a context that includes the entirety of the machine tool (called a manufacturing cell). Anything that occupies space in the real world would occupy space within the virtual machine. The movement (or kinematics) of the machine are replicated exactly, as well.

Most programmers are accustomed to programming parts that seemingly float alone in space or interact with fixturing only in their immediate vicinity. More advanced users might export the program and validate the toolpaths in a third-party machine simulation software.

I don’t have to imagine how challenging it is to catch every mistake and prevent every crash with these options; I have had my fair share. When I learned that I would be programming within a full kinematic machine environment and validating true G-code toolpaths in real-time, I was shocked. This was an immediate delivery on the promise of increased functionality over SOLIDWORKS CAM and the like.

This does add a bit of work to the front-end of the workflow, however. In SOLIDWORKS CAM, I can leap into CNC programming only a few seconds after opening the file. There is almost no barrier to entry and with the help of technology such as automatic feature recognition (AFR) and knowledge-based machining (KBM), the overall workflow is very rapid.

This brings me to my primary complaint about NC Shop Floor Programmer:  it is more complicated than I’m accustomed to. The terminology is not intuitive and I have to click my mouse a lot more than I think I should.

As an example, here is the workflow for starting a program:

1. Create PPR context file (PPR = process product resource)
2. Create manufacturing cell
3. Insert manufacturing cell into PPR context file
4. Import product or NC assembly (new or existing part to machine)
5. Insert machine into PPR context file
6. Insert manufacturing product into PPR context file
7. Import tools into PPR context file
8. Define part to machine
9. Define the coordinate system
10. Program features using Automatic or Interactive feature creation
11. Generate toolpaths
12. Simulate toolpaths
13. Post G-code

It feels a little convoluted, especially coming from SOLIDWORKS. But I have no doubt that most of my apprehension is rooted in the novelty of the workflow more than anything else. It only feels heavy because my baseline is a tool that does not offer the same value that I’m getting in the 3DEXPERIENCE platform: associativity.

The associativity between objects within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform is unprecedented. The cutting tools I use can be tracked to inventory and the features I program are linked to both engineering and manufacturing data elsewhere within the organization. Design changes made by other departments propagate through to my NC programs and the entire design-to-manufacture process is made as efficient as possible. Machine scheduling, cost estimating and resource allocation all become traceable and optimizable with the use of the PPR containers.

While I do have some grievances, overall, I believe CNC programming within the 3DEXPERIENCE platform offers immense value over more traditional CAM solutions. Even though the enterprise-level benefits are lost on my personal use case, the NC Shop Floor Programmer apps bring more toolpath-level control and significantly better toolpath validation to every user.

Improved versions of my favorite toolpath technologies, simpler file management, access to additional apps through the 3DEXPERIENCE roles… I am starting to regret waiting as long as I did to give the 3DEXPERIENCE platform the shot it deserves.

Learn more about 3DEXPERIENCE with the ebook Developing Better Products in the Cloud.

Good enough is subjective, amorphic—and perfectly appropriate place to call it quits. A good enough design, product or outcome satisfies the stated objectives and is a feasible solution.

Good enough is not, however, the best solution. Good enough often leaves the best solution undiscovered.  

We have reasons to avoid pursuing the best solution. Cost is the main reason, the ever-present constraint on the number of solutions attempted. Other constraints include lead time, performance targets, manufacturability or regulatory rules.

The best solution is a costly goal because the goal line, like perfection, can never be reached. Every solution comes at a cost and attempting another solution will draw from available resources. In this way, each solution competes against the previous one. When do you stop iterating and move to the next step in the process, knowing you have the winning solution?

Winning implies competition, as does best.

One might not think of engineering as competitive. But businesses that employ engineers are always in competition. Grants and contracts are a competition and so is market share. The globalization of industry and the steady democratization of skills has created fierce competition, with more participants, in every industry. While not every internal project is directly competitive, most projects will support a mission that is ultimately competitive.

Engineers have grown accustomed to iterating, but normally do 1 to 10 iterations per problem. They understand the value of iterating, learning with each iteration, or “refining the design.” It normally leads to good enough.

Of course, every engineer will have to balance the number of iterations against the cost to produce those iterations on a per-project basis. There is significant pressure to find ways to increase the iteration/dollar ratio. Tools that increase this ratio are providing competitive advantages that are hard to ignore.

Over the last few years, three tools have caused a shakeup in how engineers think about the pursuit of the best solution.

1. Topology optimization
2. Generative design
3. Additive manufacturing

Each of these tools presents considerable advantages by themselves, but when strung together they have the potential for creating (and confirming) a winning design while reducing overall cost.

Topology Optimization

Topology optimization is an objective-based design method that utilizes finite element analysis (FEA) to determine feasible shapes for a given set of loading conditions.

Topology optimization software frees the engineer from having to guess the overall shape or form of the part. A poor guess can lead to a dead end. This is why so many designs resemble one another. Blazing a new trail can be risky. Engineers are playing it safe.

In a conventional design workflow, the engineer will draw their part in CAD and validate their design using FEA or other numerical methods. If the FEA results show that there is room for improvement—perhaps the factor of safety is higher than required or the lifespan is longer than necessary—the engineer may iterate the design. They may choose to sacrifice performance for gain in another category such as manufacturability or cost of materials. Repeated multiple times, this process eventually results in a good enough part.

Typical FEA visualization. Colors are used to communicate stresses, displacement or other metrics. The engineer can use these visualizations as clues to an optimized shape.

But if the goal is the best shape, the engineer might as well be searching for a black cat in an unlit gymnasium. Other than visual clues, there is little help provided to find the best solution.

Topology optimization flips the process. It begins with the loading conditions. An engineer will set the objective and constraints of the problem and then turn on the optimization. The model is broken down into finite elements and solved. Finite elements with no stress means the finite element is not necessary. If a stress is too high, more finite elements are needed. This way, an optimal shape is systematically derived.

Topology optimized control arm. Three loading conditions are evaluated and confirmed to have room for optimization. Algorithms reveal resultant load paths, which are interpreted as the minimum volume of material necessary to meet the engineering criteria.

The resulting shapes can take life-like shapes and be reminiscent of natural designs all around us. From tree limbs to dragonfly wings, nature has proven to be an exceptional objective-driven designer. But however optimized these designs are, they need to be manufacturable. That has been a barrier to wide adoption of topology optimization.

Topology optimized wheel. The load paths that emerged from the loading conditions resemble patterns found in nature.

Additive Manufacturing

Among the many benefits of additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) is that it enables topology optimized shapes to be manufactured cost-effectively. “Complexity is free,” frequently quoted by the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, may not be true, but complexity is definitely encouraged.

In traditional manufacturing, increased complexity definitely correlates to increased cost. The more complex part will cost more to produce. Project managers are especially averse to individually complex parts because they understand their downstream risk. When a shape is too complex, we’d rather break it down into multiple, simpler parts to be assembled.

However, within the last decade additive manufacturing has emerged as an acceptable method of manufacturing complex parts and has fueled a paradigm shift toward complexity. In a time where complexity is encouraged, topology optimization can deliver.

Generative Design

So, is it starting to sound as if topology optimization and additive manufacturing combine for an easy win? We offer a few caveats:

• Topology optimization works in the concept phase of the design process. The output of this stage is a low-precision model that satisfies the basic requirements of the part.
• This shape must be processed in a CAD tool such as SOLIDWORKS for detailed design.
• The detailed design is validated with more robust FEA and CFD tools than typically found in topology optimization software.
• The validated design is cleared for manufacturing and the drawings or CAD files are transferred to those responsible for making the part. This is where additive manufacturing becomes an option.
• After manufacturing, the part is inspected for quality assurance.
• If the part is destined for assembly, it makes its way there. Otherwise, it is sent for packaging and shipping.

A winning engineering design requires optimization within every stage of this workflow. This quickly becomes difficult because of the sheer volume of possible combinations. At each stage, decisions are made that affect later stages but also previous stages. This is not linear like an assembly line. It’s more like a spider web.

But what may be challenging for an engineer is perfect for iteration through automation.

There are challenges to automation within every stage, but until topology optimization, there was no automation possible at the beginning—the concept stage of a design. Topology optimization tools, by minimizing the effort required of the human operator, enable an unprecedented level of automation at this stage.

Most topology optimization software isn’t currently capable of complete automation, but it is a good start. Rather than a discrete objective, a topology study could be given an array of directives. So too, the constraints (such as manufacturing method and material) could be varied and a user-selected number of iterations could be evaluated. The extreme computational intensity can be mitigated by pushing the number crunching to the cloud, another recent and necessary advancement in technology.

A single component, multi-variable generative design study will result in several viable options to select from. (Image courtesy: Buonamici, Francesco & Carfagni, Monica & Furferi, Rocco & Volpe, Yary & Governi, Lapo. (2020). Generative Design: An Explorative Study. Computer-Aided Design and Applications. 18. 144-155. 10.14733/cadaps.2021.144-155.)

A generative design tool will utilize topology optimization in addition to other layers of optimization, resulting in an array of possible solutions. The array is presented to the engineer for evaluation. The engineer might make a selection based on information not included in the generative design study, such as current supply chain disruptions. Manufacturing methods, material selection, cost of inspection, etc. can and should be investigated at the conceptual stage with this method.

This is the promise of generative design: a holistic automation that ends with the presentation of potential solutions, and from them, we can select the best of the best. It’s our choice.

Learn more with the whitepaper Designers Greatly Benefit from Simulation-Driven Product Development.

Parts and assemblies that may have no function or purpose outside of amusement for your senses.

It can be startling. Some engineers I’ve worked with—the most curmudgeonly of the bunch—might even be offended at such a sight. “SOLIDWORKS is a mechanical design tool!”

But to them, and everybody reading this, I share my own personal view on this type of modeling in SOLIDWORKS: challenging yourself to create art inside SOLIDWORKS is one of the most rewarding ways to spend time in the software.

Let’s face it – you’ve probably modeled 100 brackets. Some with flanges, and some without. Some with circularly symmetric bolt hole patterns, and some with bolts pointing in six different directions. But at the end of the day, it’s still a bracket.

And in the course of our daily work, we tend to use the same SOLIDWORKS tools over and over. After a while, the challenge of using the software becomes more to do with dodging bugs or dealing with file management than actually experimenting with the toolset.

I’ve been there! It’s hard to find personal fulfillment in that space.

Around the time I gained access to a color 3D printer, I found a way to break out of the monotony.  

Creating art inside SOLIDWORKS allowed me the freedom to explore the limits of my imagination, to design to my desires rather than to drawings, and challenged my supposed expertise in the software.

And it made SOLIDWORKS rewarding again.

Art Requires Vulnerability

Understanding this core concept is essential to harnessing the power of creating art, in SOLIDWORKS or elsewhere. It is why we will always push our own limits and extend beyond our known boundaries when creating art. We’re compelled to perform at our highest ability, higher than we ever have, else we face the fear of disappointment.

It’s a strong feeling. One that is scary, and normally easier to avoid than to expose yourself to. That’s what makes it such a powerful tool for personal growth.

Skill Building Through Creativity

Let me assure you, there is a pragmatic component to my pro-art philosophy.

Only through growing our skillset can we perform “outside our ability.” In reality, we expand our abilities – sometimes in minor ways and in others, substantially.

A recent project I undertook is an example of both simple and significant skill-building through artistic modeling.

Awards As a Platform

At the end of 2014, I was asked to create an award for colleagues at work. It was an honor to be asked, and although I was nervous to embark on such a high-visibility assignment, I accepted. 

I’ll cut to the chase: the result wasn’t overly impressive.

Color 3D printing technology from Stratasys had just emerged and the tools were still very immature, but that doesn’t fully explain the uninspiring design.

In retrospect, I understand that my vision for the medal was limited by my belief that SOLIDWORKS wasn’t a tool for art. That it bears no resemblance to a brush in a painter’s hand or clay on a sculptor’s table.

This particular project certainly didn’t lead me to appreciate SOLIDWORKS’ capacity for artistic expression, but it was a pivotal first step in that direction and still reminds me of an important lesson: creativity is a skill itself, and is developed one step at a time. Creativity requires practice.

Fortunately, this isn’t where the article ends. I want to share this past year’s iteration of the same award, but first a quick word on 3D printing.

The Case for 3D Printing

3D printing is unique in its ability to create complex, full color shapes with minimal skill and labor. Although there are limited materials available and real limitations to size, like SOLIDWORKS it is an excellent tool for art.

There are two distinct reasons why I would recommend 3D printing at least some of your SOLIDWORKS art.

The first is that real, tangible parts add another layer of satisfaction to your efforts. Viewing your design on a flat screen simply cannot match the sensory experience of holding a 3D object that has texture, weight and other physical properties.

The second is that designing shapes that are printable create challenges that are similar to our standard use of SOLIDWORKS. Design for Manufacture (DFM) is a familiar requirement in our work and carrying this constraint over to our art encourages us to carry out our projects until the very finish.

In the course of our normal CAD work, the common rule is that 80 percent of our effort will go into the final 20 percent of the design. The most challenging aspects of our design are heavily weighted toward the little details that allow the part to work as intended. This is where we encounter problems we have no choice but to solve or find alternative routes—or face failure.

Art is no different. The adversity of following rules encourages growth, and ultimately helps create an association between the skills we learn through art with the skills available to us in our work.

One Final, Final Word

3D printing isn’t the only way to bring our SOLIDWORKS creations to life!

If you enjoy woodworking, you might design for manufacture in that medium. Perhaps with conventional cabinet-making tools, or even a CNC router (programmed in SOLIDWORKS CAM, of course).

If you gravitate toward metalworking, you might embrace SOLIDWORKS’ awesome weldment and sheet metal tools for your art. Unconventional use of conventional tools is what this article is all about—explore the possibilities!

And last, or perhaps in conjunction with the above, you always have the option to delve into photorealistic rendering of your art in SOLIDWORKS Visualize. Basic rendering skills can help you decide if your art is ready for manufacture, before spending valuable time and money in that pursuit.

On to the Good Stuff

The beauty of this philosophy is that the growth is limitless. Even after years of creating awards, I still approach every design knowing I’m going to create problems that will be difficult to solve. It’s just the nature of artistic pursuit.

So, let’s review some of the challenges I faced in my latest SOLIDWORKS-designed award.

President’s Club 2020

You’ll recognize this award as the same honor displayed in my first example. Similarly themed too—a beach setting—yet on completely different levels of complexity and skill.

The latest iteration is the result of consistent practice; a cultivated creativity.

And yet, it too was a platform for learning. My uncompromising vision for the award forced me to use SOLIDWORKS in ways I never had before, even after years of use under my belt.

Let’s review some of the noteworthy techniques in this file—some new to me, and some I believe worth sharing.

Sketch Picture

Art is commonly inspired by the images we see, and the Sketch Picture tool is an excellent way to carry that inspiration into SOLIDWORKS. You might use it to replicate an entire scene, or simply mimic a shape that caught your attention.

In this project, I used Sketch Picture to help me replicate this image of a setting sun. Because this is such a recognizable graphic, I wanted to replicate the varying height of the “grooves” perfectly, and Sketch Picture made that task quite simple.

Dome

I haven’t found the Dome tool to be used very often in mechanical CAD—I just don’t think it has enough control to be widely accepted by people designing parts to be manufactured conventionally. However, when you don’t need a tightly controlled convex or concave surface it can be an excellent option.

I used the Dome tool to create the underside of my floating island. Unlike the top surface, I wasn’t overly concerned about the shape itself, it just needed a bulging shape to complete the look. Dome did that fast and let me move onto the next step.

Composite Curve

I’m excited to mention this one! Composite curves help us create 3D curves without venturing outside the familiar world of 2D sketching. In a nutshell, you create two 2D sketches on planes that are perpendicular to each other. The composite curve is created by projecting the sketch entities until they intersect with each other.

Here, I have used a composite curve to shape the top of my island. I needed the crest of the island to follow the curve of the land, and to rise up like a sand dune. The shape of the top surface was critical to the rest of the design, and the sketches required minor tweaking as details were added to the island. 

The actual surface was created using a Surface Fill with the composite curve used as a Constraint Curve.

Offset Surface

I use Offset Surface all the time; it’s a versatile tool in that it can be used for many purposes. My most commonly used offset value is actually 0—in which case this becomes Copy Surface.

I wanted the text in the island to appear like disturbed sand, similar to how a castaway might use the beach to send a signal skyward. This meant the height of the raised text needed to consistently follow the curve of the island.

I approached this by using Split Line to carve the text onto the face. I then used Copy Surface on each letter to create a separate surface entity, followed by Thicken to bring that surface into 3D.

One quick tip: if you intend to 3D print your project in color, you may benefit from using a slight negative offset to begin with. This creates a small amount of intersection between your solids that could help small features adhere to the rest of the part.

Move Face

Most of the features we use in SOLIDWORKS are rooted in a sketch, but there are some that bypass that step and fall into the Direct Editing category. Move Face is one that I use often. Any time I want to push or pull a face and can’t be bothered with a sketch, I try Move Face.

In the image above, all three of these faces were created with Move Face. On the island, the outside surfaces were pushed inward so that they were not touching the outside surface of the award. The gray detail on top of the island is what would eventually become the grove of trees; this surface was pulled outward to create the illusion of a canopy.

Custom Appearances

There are several ways to handle color in SOLIDWORKS – you can apply solid colors or complex appearances to faces, features, bodies or entire parts. You also have the option to use Decals, which act like stickers on your model. This is an area where some creativity can go a long way, because the built-in SOLIDWORKS tools are not the most robust available.

I gave life to this model with the help of custom appearances. Both the sand and the trees are JPG files I found using Google Image search. By adding a File Location to your Appearances menu, you can create a space that it easy to drop images in for testing.

If you plan to 3D print a model you have added appearances to, you may need to use a non-native file format like 3MF. Be sure to check System Options > Export > 3MF > Include Appearances to ensure the file prints as expected.

Experiment with the scaling, rotation angle and mapping style to achieve the look you want. To perfectly replicate your vision, you might need to edit the images in Photoshop or GIMP, or create your own entirely.  

3D Texture

On the topic of appearances: did you know you can use them to sculpt texture into your solid bodies?

I first saw 3D Texture demonstrated during a recent SOLIDWORKS World conference. I recall being wowed by the example—a pyramid texture on a shin guard—and felt excited to use it when available.

Fast forward a couple years and I had completely forgotten about the enhancement, blissfully modeling in complete ignorance of its power.

It wasn’t until this model—the art of this model—compelled me to search for ways to make it just slightly more impressive. I had an idea: could I mimic the texture of an actual sand dune?

Ultimately, I didn’t use 3D Texture in this model. I did go through the full process, including the conversion of my sand dune image to grayscale in Photoshop and experimenting with the settings in SOLIDWORKS. I accomplished the goal of giving texture to the island that matched the visual appearance I had applied earlier, but the end result wasn’t as impressive as I had hoped.

Asymmetric Scaling

Hands down my favorite element of this award is the S.O.S.-style “2020” on the island. This was intended as a homage to a difficult yet hopeful year and was critical to what I would consider the “success” of the piece.

It just happened to be the feature I was most uncertain about as well.

That uncertainty led me to leave it for last. I trusted that I would find a way to make it work, especially if I had already invested hours into the rest of the award beforehand. I use this strategy often!

Some of my apprehension was caused by idea that the rocks would all have to appear unique – the effect wouldn’t work if there were obvious patterns or repeated files.

I started with some low poly rocks downloaded from TurboSquid. There were three or four in the bundle, and they came in STL form. As I began opening and scaling them in SOLIDWORKS, I realized my solution: asymmetric scaling.

By scaling the parts asymmetrically (different values in X, Y and Z), I could create an infinite number of “unique” rocks. With the help of Configurations, I soon had enough rocks to proceed.

The letters were assembled by roughly arranging the rocks how I wanted, mating two points to a surface underneath the dark brown dirt, and then slowly rotating the rock into its final position. At this point it was locked into place by mating a third point to the surface. Voila!

Conclusion

Find a way of using SOLIDWORKS that inspires you. For me, it has been creating awards to honor the people around me. The art of it brings challenge, growth and fulfillment.

For you, it may be something else entirely. But if you haven’t tried art, give it a shot. It’s not easy—but that is why it will lead to growth and fulfillment.

To learn more about designing in SOLIDWORKS, check out the whitepaper Design Through Analysis: Today’s Designers Greatly Benefit From Simulation-Driven Product Development.

But to be considered smart, I would expect the equipment to anticipate an out-of-tolerance situation and hedge against the defect before it ever exists. For this scenario to come to fruition, several prerequisites must be met—for example, the machine tool must collect data that signals an impending defect. This might show up as an irregular pattern in a servo motor’s torque curve, or the machine base vibrating at a resonant frequency.

In the timeline between the third and fourth Industrial Revolutions, we are at the stage of knowing what needs to be done, and actively working to meet the many “prerequisites” like those above. And this is where tolerance-based machining enters the picture.

On the road toward machine tools that can predict inspection failures, we must first reach a point where software understands what a tolerance is, how to read it, and how to target it.

And it just so happens that SOLIDWORKS CAM’s feature-based approach provides the necessary structure for tolerances to be presented to the manufacturing software (in this case, it is the software creating cutting paths).

In SOLIDWORKS CAM, which is powered by CAMWorks, the fundamental unit is a feature. There are many types of features, and the software understands how they differ from each other:

SOLIDWORKS CAM Milling Features

• Pocket
• Slot
• Corner Slot
• Boss
• Hole [Counterbored/Countersunk/Threaded/Multi-Stepped]
• Open Pocket
• Face
• Perimeter
• Open Profile
• Engrave
• Curve

In milling, SOLIDWORKS CAM recognizes several parameters about each of these features:

• Is the shape circular, rectangular, obround, irregular or wrapped?
• Is it blind or through?
• Does it have a flat or a radiused bottom?
• What is the stock material?
• What is the overall size, depth, and largest inscribed circle?

So SOLIDWORKS CAM features are “smart” in that they are packed full of data ready to be leveraged.

Today we rely largely on experienced CNC programmers to interpret the dimensions of 2D drawings and devise a plan for machining. Instinctually programmers assess their parts for machinable features, weigh the significance of the parameters above, and then develop a strategy to cut the feature. The success of this process is a function of the programmer’s experience.

However, in SOLIDWORKS CAM, a strategy is suggested to the programmer based on the feature’s parameters and what the programmer has successfully done in the past. This is called knowledge-based machining and, when implemented right, it reduces programming time tremendously while increasing quality.

But what about tolerances? That criteria wasn’t listed above and it may be the single most significant factor when choosing how to cut a part! The same physical feature will be cut differently if its tolerance is +/- 0.010 inches vs +/-0.0005 inches, so in order to get to where we want to be (fully automated manufacturing), the tolerance must be considered.

The good news is that both SOLIDWORKS CAM and CAMWorks can add tolerance windows to their criteria for strategy selection. This is a major milestone toward smart manufacturing, and while the technology is still in its infancy, it is very promising.

SOLIDWORKS MBD Dimensions

Beginning with the SOLIDWORKS 2019 release, the tool set formerly known as DimXpert is now MBD Dimensions. Not to be confused with the SOLIDWORKS MBD module, this technology is part of the core SOLIDWORKS install and is available to all users. MBD stands for Model-Based Definition.

MBD Dimensions are part of a broader category known as product manufacturing information (PMI). PMI is information critical to the manufacturing of the part (such as tolerances) that is embedded in the 3D file.

By adding PMI to the 3D CAD file, companies are enabling a paperless workflow. Not only are drawings costly to create, they oftentimes don’t even match the 3D model. Government, education and professional industries are united in their movement away from 2D drawings, and SOLIDWORKS has been working hard for years to make that a reality.

MBD Dimensions can be mundane size or location tolerances, or they can be more complicated GD&T type tolerances.

SOLIDWORKS Geometric Tolerances

• Straightness
• Flatness
• Circularity
• Cylindricity
• Profile of line
• Profile of surface
• Parallel
• Perpendicular
• Angularity
• Circular runout
• Overall runout
• Position
• Concentricity
• Symmetry

Millions of parts are made every year with simple basic dimensions and tolerances, and they work. But the industries that are pursuing Industry 4.0 ideals the hardest make extensive use of GD&T. Therefore, in order to be relevant for a longer period of time, CAM tools seeking to incorporate tolerances into their workflow must be able to interpret GD&T, and the CAMWorks version of this technology does just that. In addition to the GD&T information, CAMWorks TBM can also interpret ISO286 codes commonly seen in shaft and bore drawings, as well as surface finish callouts.

SOLIDWORKS CAM TBM

In SOLIDWORKS CAM, the tolerance-based machining (TBM) tool works much like the regular automatic feature recognition (AFR) feature but also considers tolerance window. Every feature type can be setup with a limitless number of separate tolerance window strategies.

For example, the regular AFR might be setup to choose a “drill” strategy for any hole it finds. When AFR finds a hole, regardless of any tolerance callout that might exist for that feature, it will center the drill and then drill the hole. Done. It is left to the programmer to decide if that is an adequate strategy based on the tolerance callout that (hopefully) exists outside of the 3D model.

When TBM is used, that same hole (with an attached tolerance) would be found and a strategy that matches the level of precision needed would be automatically suggested. A hole with a tolerance window of only 0.002 inches might be assigned the “ream” strategy, while a hole with a wide-open 0.020-inch window could be assigned “drill only.”

Holes are the simplest application for this technology, and TBM handles these features very well. As features become more complex and the type of potential tolerances expands, TBM becomes less foolproof but still worthwhile.

This is a journey, and SOLIDWORKS sees the massive upside for strong tolerance-based machining capabilities. As we’ve discussed, it’s a critical prerequisite to the smart manufacturing of tomorrow.

It’s Not Just Milling

We’ve based this discussion on a milling example, but SOLIDWORKS CAM and TBM will also handle lathe parts. SOLIDWORKS CAM Professional knows several different types of turn features:

• Outer diameter
• Inner diameter
• Groove
• Face
• Cut-off

Each of these features are tracked in the technology database (TechDB) the same way the milling features are. SOLIDWORKS CAM recognizes turn features and suggests an appropriate strategy to the programmer. And if a feature carries a tolerance, TBM will account for that, too.

Taken one step further, multi-tasking machines that combine both milling and turning on the same platform are also supported, but only in the CAMWorks product line. There, we can program and sync up to four tool turrets and both a main and a sub-spindle.

Where Do We Go From Here?

In my opinion, SOLIDWORKS TBM is primed to play the role of “tolerance interpreter” in the grand scheme of Industry 4.0 manufacturing. I’m not aware of any other tool that is doing what TBM does, and it has room to do so much more.

Not all tolerances are symmetrical, and not all 3D models are drawn to nominal dimensions. A robust TBM technology will perhaps accommodate for this by altering the side allowance of the feature. Currently, this is done manually by the programmer but there is little to stop SOLIDWORKS from automating this process.

Another potential automation is the moving of features in XYZ space. If a part has a better chance of passing inspection if the features were cut slightly differently than how the 3D model was drawn, then the programmer can move the CAM feature (without altering the underlying CAD). I’m certain that TBM will eventually automate this process and take advantage of bonus tolerances born out of the GD&T that human programmers failed to spot.

Between MBD Dimensions, SOLIDWORKS CAM TBM, and other upcoming technologies, the world for a SOLIDWORKS user is looking very smart—and very paperless.

If you haven’t explored SOLIDWORKS TBM, or SOLIDWORKS CAM in general, I highly encourage you to do so. It is installed and available to all SOLIDWORKS users who are currently on subscription.