SolidWorks World2018 – Highlights of Some New Launches
Published on : Monday 30-11--0001
The thrill of attending the SolidWorks World annual convention is something to be experienced and watching the proceedings live on the web is not the same thing. However, it is better than not experiencing it at all and missing all new developments and releases, so here is an attempt to understand at least a few things that happened during the convention. (To those interested in exploring the actual proceedings, there are enough videos and blogs online).
As is the norm on this grand occasion, Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp made a dramatic entry at the General Session on Day 1 seated with his key executives on the Moveable Feast, a street legal, pedal powered moving dinner table designed and manufactured by Two Bit Circus, a band of mad scientists, roboticists, visual artists and storytellers. That set the tone. In his introductory remarks, Mr Bassi compared the present scenario to one that prevailed during the Industrial Revolution and when the printing press was invented, and termed in Industrial Renaissance. “The next revolution is Digitisation and collaboration of information,” he said, and made 5 key announcements:
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3DEXPERIENCE Social Collaboration Services: For Initial Concept Generation
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SolidWorks 3DEXPERIENCE PLM Services: Collaborate and Manage the life of part generation
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SolidWorks Product Designer: Fully Integrated from Art to Part
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SolidWorks xDesign: powerful design software that works in any browser, and
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3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace: The Amazon for Mechanical Engineering Parts. Vendors for manufacturing from all over the world can set up their capabilities here. Buyers can find safe and trusted vendors, negotiate prices, and get their parts delivered to their doorstep.
New 3DXpert for SolidWorks
3DXpert for SolidWorks empowers SolidWorks customers to easily prepare and optimise their designs for additive manufacturing, receiving the package exclusively as part of SolidWorks 3D CAD subscription. By combining the tools that designers need from 3D Systems’
3DXpert with SolidWorks from Dassault Systèmes, 3D Systems provides a distinct and exclusive advantage to all SolidWorks users. The new product enables SolidWorks users to prepare and optimise designs for both plastic and metal additive manufacturing. It provides a new layer of tools, accessible in a familiar CAD environment, making it easy to prepare and optimise designs for additive manufacturing. By taking advantage of this design freedom, SolidWorks users will now be able to produce complex geometries, light-weight parts without compromising strength, and apply surface texture to deliver functional or aesthetic benefits. Within the additive manufacturing environment, complex structures can easily become a reality, while enabling rapid product development, reduced time to market, and lower total cost of operation.
HP Revs up Workstation, unveils new VR Products & Services
HP announced it will power its bestselling performance workstation, the HP Z4, with a choice of Intel® Xeon® or Core™ X processors and support dual extreme graphics. HP unveiled its low-cost, full-colour 3D printers – highlighting the company’s comprehensive end-to-end solutions for product developers.
“The revamped Z4 workstation, along with our latest HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset and new customer-friendly VR solutions and services, will transform the way products across industries are developed,” said Xavier Garcia, Vice President and general manager, Z Workstations, HP Inc. “Over the past year, HP has launched the world’s most powerful workstation, the most powerful detachable PC and the first-ever professional VR backpack. Today’s news reflects our focus on continuously raising the bar with a portfolio of workstations and VR capabilities that will enable amazing new experiences and define the future of computing.”
The HP Z4 Workstation, ideal for engineering, simulation, rendering and virtual reality, delivers compelling performance for a range of applications. Developed with simulation-based design and VR content creation as key target use cases, users can move seamlessly from design, to simulation, to visualisation.
Meta announces new AR integration with SolidWorks
Meta Company, a pioneer in the augmented reality (AR) field, will be the first company to offer 3D CAD viewing capabilities in AR integrated with Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks applications.
SolidWorks’ “Publish to Xtended Reality” capability will allow users to export a CAD model from SolidWorks to a customised version of an open-source format known as “glTF.” Once a SolidWorks model has been exported to glTF, it can be viewed on Meta’s Model Viewer platform in the Meta 2 Development Kit headset.
The exported file retains key information from SolidWorks, such as:
? Display states
? Materials/colours
? Animations (such as exploded view animations, motion study, etc), and
? 3D model hierarchy.
This AR integration between SolidWorks and Meta enables a simple and more natural design visualisation for SolidWorks customers on the Meta 2. Furthermore, the Meta 2’s wide field of view and direct hand interaction creates an easier and more immersive experience than virtual reality. Through this collaboration between Meta and Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks brand, consumers of 3D CAD are no longer limited to viewing models on a 2D screen, and product design can become three-dimensional.
Rize Inc grows Partnership with Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks
Rize Inc., a Boston, USA-based, next-generation additive manufacturing company, announced that it has deepened its partnership with Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks brand and made Rize™ One 3D printers inclusive in the SolidWorks design experience with a new Rize add-in.
Rize One, the world's first hybrid printer, fully designed in SolidWorks, is gaining traction within the SolidWorks community with customers like ConMed and ThermoFab, that are using it for diverse end-use applications like custom tooling, producing moulds and custom and replacement parts.
The tighter technical integration between Rize and SolidWorks enables users to simply select Rize 3D Print from the SOLIDWORKS Tools menu. The Rize add-in automatically transfers files from SolidWorks to the Rize slicing software without the need to export and import files. Users can download the complimentary add-in from the Rize Website.
"We are excited that Rize has developed an add-in that will make it faster and easier for SolidWorks users to use additive manufacturing," said Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO, SolidWorks, Dassault Systèmes. "I am also delighted that the Rize One 3D printer has been developed in SolidWorks. We look forward to growing our partnership with Rize."
“Our focus is to drive additive at scale and bring the 3D printing process closer to end users. The Rize add-in is a step in that direction and demonstrates our commitment to SOLIDWORKS and their tremendous ecosystem of innovators. We are proud to be a part of this ecosystem,” said Andy Kalambi, President and CEO of Rize. “We will continue to work closely with SolidWorks to expand the usage of additive manufacturing.”
Unimouse – a truly adjustable Ergonomic Mouse
Contour Design, a global leader in the development, research, and design of ergonomic computer input devices, announced the release of their latest product, Unimouse, a truly adjustable ergonomic mouse that features 35 degrees of adjustable tilt and an articulating thumb support which allows it to accommodate a wide variety of different hand shapes and sizes. Contour Design’s Unimouse offers an unprecedented level of comfort that is unmatched by today’s industry standards and is suitable for anyone from tech enthusiasts to designers, or consumers who are seeking relief from hand and wrist pain. Unimouse will change the way people think about ergonomic mice.
In addition to its fully adjustable body and thumb support, UNIMOUSE comes packed with the latest technology, including a state-of-the-art sensor, 10 cursor speeds selections, a long-life battery that boasts a quick recharging time and a battery that can last up to 3 months on a single charge. Available in wireless or wired format, Unimouse is suitable in a wide variety of industries and disciplines.
Captions
Photo1: 3DXpert delivers a direct Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM) workflow for SOLIDWORKS users.
Photo2: The revamped Z4 workstation with the Mixed Reality Headset and new VR solutions.
Photo3: 3D CAD viewing capabilities in AR from Meta.
Photo4: Rize One, the world's first hybrid printer.
SolidWorks World 2018
Los Angeles, CA