3D Modeling Techniques IRONCAD vs 2 Solidworks Lesson Nine Streamlined Sketching/Feature
Based Modeling Two Similar Parts and AIDs:
Two Files
When I introduce IronCAD's very
flexible design paradigm I have a hard time to get the Pro/e clone
users, like Solidworks and other programs, to understand the drag and
drop design paradigm.
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I saw some Fusion 360 exercises online and I decided to compare
IronCAD. It quickly turned into a study in modeling techniques. I have created
many comparisons to Fusion 360, Onshape, Solid Edge, NX, Creo,
Catia and Inventor
lessons to show the difference between
IronCAD and my modeling techniques. I found the presenters working
identically wasting massive amounts of time
with overly complex constrained sketching procedures. I was so unimpressed that
I decided to model the parts or assemblies showing my modeling techniques plus IronCAD's superb design system.
3D Modeling Techniques Defined
Many of these modeling techniques can easily be implemented even
within their existing system. I call it Streamlined Sketching and
Feature Based Modeling. Please review a few of the above IronCAD
comparison lessons, there are some very stark differences.
It really is tough for me to sit through a
constrained sketching lesson. I wonder if PTC had any draftsman with
any descriptive geometry skills when developing this concept. There
should have been an alternative sketching process. I was trained in
3D CAD prior to the constrained sketching and we basically did it
like we did on the drafting board. I am sure many of you have
experienced non-constrained sketching with Autocad.
You can see here how tortuous and time
consuming constrained sketching is.
While creating 3D models from drawing is the very best
way to learn 3D CAD and maybe some design techniques it does not
expose the designer to the design flexibility necessary in design. IronCAD is all top down due to the single model environment.
Creating mating parts is a cruise. But modeling is just one aspect of a
well designed productive 3D CAD system.
Solidworks
is a marginal 3D CAD system based on the dated Pro/e (Creo) history
based modeling system. I have sold this product years ago and found
it, like all of the other Solidworks clones, not productive enough
for our engineering department. We use what we sell. That gives us
the experience to effectively support our user base.
I would do a
video, but I really am not good at it. So I will show you step by
step. I will try and get IronCAD support to create one. They are
very good.
As with my Ironcad vs Fusion 360 exercises
I have found the same problems with Solidworks and the other major
systems. The modeling
technique is hugely responsible for the level of productivity. Those
of you that are only trained in the complex and time consuming
constrained sketching world are truly limited by not using the freedom of
Streamlined Sketching and Feature Based Modeling, that is available in even the most Solidworks-ish of CAD systems. If your
designers are designing in these very unproductive and time
consuming processes it might be time to review your standard design
processes. Don't have any do you?
Let's get started!
You will see
with Streamlined Sketching and Feature Based modeling is much more
productive and flexible. It gives you a more real world feel to
your design process and is a much more pleasurable and productive experience.
We will start with -1 SWING ARM
We are already in inches so let's get started.
We drag
and drop a cylinder into the scene and size it.
Many of you
Solidworks users will notice we don't have any planes available.
IronCAD is not based on defined planes. The plane is part of the the
feature.
Note: Why does IronCAD
call it a scene instead of a workspace? IronCAD was first released
as a graphic design program called Trispectives. It still has much
of the graphic design functionality. It truly is a wonderful mixture
of professional 3D CAD and graphic design, which puts it in a much
more flexible category as compared to the very mechanical
engineering focused Solidworks clones.
We now drag and
drop a Sphere on to center of the cylinder and size it.
We
drag and drop another cylinder to the bottom of the shape, size it
and locate it.
Using
the Extrude Wizard we set up a sketch plane and orient it and sketch
the shape.
It
will automatically extrude to the set distance.
We
drag and drop a hole cylinder to the center of the shape and size it.
We drag and drop a hole cylinder to
the top center of the boss and set the size.
Using
the triball we center and link the hole to the bottom of the boss.
We now select all of the features the make up the boss, turn on the
triball, locate it to the center and rotate it 45 degrees and link
it.
Linking make it an associated copy.
Now for the final boss. We drag and drop a
cylinder to the center of the boss to orient it and size it.
Again
using the triball we rotate it the 45 degrees and locate and rotate
it the 6 degrees.
We drag and drop a hole cylinder to
the center of the boss and size it.
Now
for the inside. We drag and drop a hole cylinder to the bottom face
and size it. eWe do this last to makes sure all of feature were
cleaned up, I was quite surprised that the Solidworks presenter used
direct edit to remove the extraneous shapes.
Now
we drag and drop a hole sphere to the center of the new hole
cylinder size it.
We
add the blends and we are done with the part.
Now
to create a similar part -2 SWING ARM
First thing we do is copy
and paste the part. I rename
the first part Original and the new part -2 and suppress Original, we can do this
because IronCAD is a single model environment.
The first
thing we do is delete the blends. We resize the sphere and cylinder
and move the base ring.
We
move the the two bosses.
Now
for the other boss. We use the triball since we are going to move it
in a global move we set the triball to global and move it from the
center of the bottom of the cylinder
We
not have to resize the inside cylinder and sphere.
Now the blends.
We
are done.
Now we are ready for the AIDs (drawings)
We have two files for the two parts and AIDs.
Here is -1
detailed
When
we create sheet 2
We copy sheet one and set the views for
the -2 part configuration and all of the views and section views are
updated.
You
can see the dimensions are disassociated. We can reassociate many
but in this case we are going to reference -1 and show the
dimensions that have changed. You can see the section views are
windowed and we are being asked if we want the section views
updated.
We
okay the upgrade and delete the unwanted dimensions. We detail
the differences.
Here is sheet 2 and -2 detailed
This is
another stark examples
of how Streamlined Sketching and Feature Based Modeling utilizing IronCAD's drag and drop of smart editable
intellishapes from a catalog and
the use of the Triball can increase productivity easily 5X. I
usually estimate 5X increased productivity in conceptual design and
10X in changes, and I believe I am being conservative. IronCAD can
edit most of the Solidworks clone parts and assemblies faster than it
can be done in the native CAD system.
Give me a call if you have any
questions. I can set up a skype or go to meeting to show this part
or answer any of your questions on the operation of IronCAD. It
truly is the very best conceptual 3D CAD system.
If you are interested in adding professional
hybrid modeling capabilities or looking for a new solution to
increase your productivity, take some time to download a fully
functional 30 day evaluation and play with these packages. Feel free
to give me a call if you have any questions or would like an on-line
presentation.
