SolidWorks Tips & Tricks

for Industrial Design

SVSWUG
April 26th, 2011
Overview

1. Sketching like a Pro

• Perfect Perspective using Basic Volumes & SW Drawings
• Layer it up for professional looking concept sketches.
• Importing Sketches in to SolidWorks.
2. Surface Modeling
• Plan your attack: Symmetry, Part Lines, and Layout Skeleton
• Create Construction Surfaces
• Divide & Conquer!
3. Intro to Rendering
• Appearances
• PhotoView 360
4. SW Drawings for Presentation
• Perspective View
• Detailed Cut Away & Callouts
• Save multi page PDFs
• Export Linework in to Graphic Programs, Patent Drawings
 part 1

Sketching using
SolidWorks
1. Sketching Like a Pro

• Perfect Perspective. Step 1

• Block out a quick model with the overall dimensions.
• If you have Datasheets or Internal Components, Mock
those up to get correct scale and proportion.

Orthographics
with Internal Components

Quick Extrude
1. Sketching Like a Pro

• Step 2, Create an Underlay

• Turn on and adjust Perspective
• Print an Underlay
• Print Screen or
• Insert in to 2D Drawing File

View Menu

Modify...
Default = 3

Perspective...

Fish Eye = 0.25

1. Sketching Like a Pro

• Step 3, Trace the Print out

• Buy a Lightboard for under $50.
• Use blue pencil to think out your linework.
1. Sketching Like a Pro

• Step 4, Trace your Pencil Sketch.

• Refine in Layers and trace over the good parts.
• Finish it off with black pen with multiple line weights.
1. Sketching Like a Pro

Tools Menu

• Import Pictures in to SolidWorks

• Orthographics
• Sketch Picture

Sketch Tools

Sketch Picture
Quick & Dirty Orthographics

• Scan Parts or use Photos for Basic Layout and proportions

Ruler

Only you can prevent

Datasheet Rage
 Section 2

Surface Modeling
2. Surface Modeling

• Plan your attack.

• Cut your work in half. – Find Lines of Symmetry & Patterns

Symmetrical + extra bits

60º slice - mirrored, then rotated 3 times

2. Surface Modeling

• Plan your attack.

• Part Lines & Layout Skeleton
• Skeleton layout sketches can drive overall dimensions and planes.

Skeleton Layout

Construction
Planes
2. Surface Modeling

• Create Construction Surfaces

• Use Contour Lines for building construction surfaces
• Create Cross Sections

Top Orthographic Edge

Part Line (Extrude surface @ 2º for Draft)

2. Surface Modeling

• Divide & Conquer!

• Don’t try to do too much at once
• Do the easy parts first
• Think Outside the box - extend a surface and trim it down.
• Think about additive & subtractive features.
• Clean up your edge transitions ( C1 tangent & C2 Curvature Continuous)
• Your Curvature continuity is only as good as your guide curves!

Existing Surface

Existing Surface

Do Simple Geometry First.

Then Build Out
Construction Surface

Existing Surface
Section 3

Rendering
3. Rendering

• Appearances
• Face, Feature, Body, Part, Assembly
• Decals
• Materials
1
Open Appearance Pane

2
3 Select
Appearance

APPLY TO:
• FACE
• FEATURE
• BODY
• PART
3. Rendering

• PhotoView 360
• Turn on Plugin (Or start up Render Program 2010)
• Set Scene
• Output Settings
• 1000px width @ 72dpi for powerpoint
• 3000px width = 10” @ 300dpi for printing

Options

Appearance Tab

Options

2010 2011
3. Rendering

• Tiff & PNG files contain an Alpha Channel JPG Compression

• JPG compression creates artifacts

Alpha Mask clips parts

from background
 Section 4

Drawings for
Presentation
4. SolidWorks Drawings for Presentation

• Beauty Shots
• Create new view and turn on Perspective
• Set Drawing to shaded view
• Create elaborate cross section and exploded views
• Use configurations to create advanced detail shots and cut aways
• Place call outs on your drawing for easy explanations.
• Save Screen shots at 300dpi
4. SolidWorks Drawings for Presentation

• Save as Multi Page PDF

• Create multiple page PDF files or drop a JPG in to Powerpoint
• Export to Other graphic Programs
• Save as Adobe Illustrator or DXF
• Clean Up Linework Trace for Patent Drawings
• Easy Patent Drawings
Instruction Manuals
Logic Designworks

Logic Designworks LLC

20432 Silverado Ave. suite 211
Cupertino, CA 95014

(408) 212-0269

www.logicdw.com

misha@logicdw.com

Logic Designworks has been providing product design services in the bay
area for over 8 years. Our clients include start-ups and small to medium
companies, as well as design and engineering firms who bring in design
contractors to meet their needs.