SolidWorks Design Solutions by Intercad

SOLIDWORKS POWERED RED BULL RACING ESCAPES V8 CARNAGE FOR DARWIN WIN

Vernon — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 01:05:32 +0000

DARWIN 16th June:THREE-time V8 Supercars champion Craig Lowndes escaped mass carnage and a first-lap pile-up of twisted metal on Sunday to claim victory in Darwin for the second time in as many years.

After a third-placed finish in the first race of the day, Lowndes, in a SolidWorks powered Red Bull Racing V8, started a position better in the second race and got off to a flying start behind pole-sitter Dave Reynolds as chaos ensued behind the pair. Reigning champion and series leader Jamie Whincup started from an uncharacteristic ninth position and barely avoided the 12-car pile-up that sparked from the very first corner, where a bunched field was travelling in excess of 180km/h.

The pile-up saw a red flag deployed immediately and from the re-start – less seven cars – Lowndes resumed his second position and pitted immediately for soft tyres in the reduced-lap race. Whincup followed suit on the very next lap and jumped three positions in a sharp Red Bull Racing Australia pit-stop only to be pinned with a 50-point drive-through penalty for spinning his wheels in the pit bay – the reigning champion finished 20th as a result.

Lowndes however, claimed the lead on lap two and from a safety car the very next lap led home the pack in an 18-lap sprint to the finish, narrowly holding off a fast-finishing Mark Winterbottom.

“What a race,” a relieved Lowndes said.

“That start, what happened behind us was crazy and we knew straight away it was going to be a reduced race. We got straight on the softs and went out thinking it would be a 16-lap race knowing from the tyre life we had this morning that we’d be fine. But I think we pushed a bit hard and burnt the rears up quite quickly and with that Frosty was pouncing.
“I knew he’d come but I thought we’d be able to hold the gap. Then the tyres went really quickly the last laps and wow, it was a close one. We’re very happy to get away with a win.”
Earlier in the day, the team’s qualifying woes in the Top End continued, Whincup and Lowndes starting race two from an unusual fifth and 10th respectively. Regardless, Lowndes made use of the speed he had all weekend to slice through the pack and claim a narrow third to James Courtney and winner Mark Winterbottom. Whincup, who struggled with minor set-up difficulties, finished where he started – in fifth.

It was a forgettable afternoon for the champion. “We were very lucky to stay clear of the chaos there in race two, especially considering where we started from and then we got the drive-through,” Whincup said. “We had our challenges this weekend and we’ll go away somewhat disappointed. But the car was definitely better in the last race despite the penalty and I’m absolutely rapt for Craig.
“It’s an off day for us but we came away with a win and some points from race two. So we’re a little disappointed but as a team, it was a solid weekend for Red Bull.”

Whincup (1423) and Lowndes (1264) leave Darwin No.1 and No.2 in the championship respectively, having each claimed a race win in the Top End.

Intercad is the official 3D CAD Technological Partner to the Red Bull Racing V8 Team. If you would like to know how you can benefit from SolidWorks 3D CAD Technology from Intercad, please contact us at AUSTRALIA: 1300 CAD CAM (223 226), NEW ZEALAND: 09 525 9870

Dassault Systèmes Announces SolidWorks Education Edition 2013-2014

admin — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:40:07 +0000

Prepares Students for the Real World: New 3D Design Application and Curriculum

VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France – June 14, 2013 – – Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today unveiled SolidWorks Education Edition 2013-2014. This latest version includes new functionalities to simplify complex design tasks, enable students to create models easier and faster, and provide wider connectivity to expand collaboration between users.

Teaching guides and lessons are also available to provide educators with additional support for developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum. In addition, qualified schools are given SolidWorks Student Edition licenses at no charge for use by their students. Schools with a SolidWorks Education subscription can also administer the Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA) exam to their students. More than 6,400 students were certified in the last year alone and the recognition is considered a major asset in a job search because it effectively validates student expertise to prospective employers.

Dassault Systèmes provides an array of support tools to ensure design projects are successfully executed. Students now have access to My.SolidWorks, to help them increase their professional skill set and gain insight and expertise from the SolidWorks Community.

“Technical skills are critically important for career development in the 21st century and we felt it was crucial to provide students with services and technology in the classroom that would prepare them for the real world,” explains Kieran Flannery, a teacher at Castletroy College in Limerick and a regional development officer for t4 Technology Subjects Support Service. “The Irish Department of Education and Skills searched for an educational tool to execute its mission and turned to SolidWorks. Through its ease of use and support capabilities, SolidWorks Education program is enhancing teaching and learning, and in a short period of time has already dramatically improved technology education in Ireland.”

SolidWorks’ newest product, SolidWorks Electrical, is also part of this version. SolidWorks Electrical enables students in engineering, robotics, and other disciplines to create electrical projects starting with 2D system schematics and ending with 3D routing and cabling interconnecting components.

“Preparing future designers and engineers with high quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics education is a core part of our 3DEXPERIENCE strategy,” said Philippe Forestier, Executive Vice President, Global Affairs Communities, Dassault Systèmes. “More than 25,000 secondary schools and universities worldwide rely on the SolidWorks Education Edition to engage the next generation. We look forward to seeing how these students leverage the applications to make a difference in the world, addressing global challenges like sustainability, clean water and air.”

“We are passionate about providing our community of designers and engineers at every level with the means to expand their abilities through formal training, certification and informal connections with other users,” said Bertrand Sicot, CEO, SolidWorks, Dassault Systèmes. “The latest release of SolidWorks Education Edition helps prepare the next generation of design leaders for their future successes with the tools to allow them to immediately contribute.”

SolidWorks Education Edition 2013-2014 is currently available through local resellers. For more information, visit: http://www.solidworks.com/sw/products/education_products.htm

###

About SolidWorks

Powered by the Dassault Systèmes 3DExperience Platform, SolidWorks 3D applications help millions of engineers and designers succeed through innovation. SolidWorks delivers an intuitive experience in product design, simulation, publishing, data management, and environmental impact assessment. For the latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit our Web site (www.3ds.com/solidworks) or call 1-800-693-9000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-781-810-5011).

About Dassault Systèmes

Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systèmes’ collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 150,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com.

CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, SIMULIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, NETVIBES, 3DSWYM and 3DVIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

SolidWorks is a registered trademark of Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corporation in the US and other countries. 3DVIA is a registered trademark and 3DVIA Composer is a trademark of Dassault Systèmes in the US and other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. © 2012 Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SolidworksPressReleases/~3/UfQMQ6C7HCs/pressreleases_30032_ENU_HTML.htm

Kistler Group Companies Rely on Dassault Systèmes’ SolidWorks for All Product Design

admin — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:39:43 +0000

Leading Measurement Technology Manufacturer Increases Product Quality and Reduce Costs

VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France – June 12, 2013 – Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the 3DExperience Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today announced that the Kistler Group, a leading manufacturer of dynamic measurement technology, is expanding its global product design and development with its SolidWorks 3D design software application. Kistler is adding more than 25 new SolidWorks licenses to its sites in Switzerland, Germany, USA, and Asia with the goal of consolidating all design work from every competence center in order to simplify working processes, reduce turnaround times, and lower costs. Since November 2012, Kistler has designed all of its products with SolidWorks software.

“We were already using SolidWorks in Winterthur, but primarily in the field of electromechanical engineering,” explained Edwin Schmid, RD Manager at Kistler Instrumente AG. “The software offers such an extensive and varied level of functionality, making it a very flexible tool that we can use in all departments at each site. With the help of this company-wide approach to CAD, we can guarantee data compatibility at the international sites, increase product quality, and reduce system maintenance costs.”

Powered by Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, the SolidWorks software application has been used by Kistler for five years to develop sensors, electronics, and software for sophisticated measuring tasks. Kistler products are generally used for testing during vehicle development processes and to monitor and control various industrial production processes, playing a key role in quality assurance procedures. It is crucial for measurement technology to be developed on a continuous basis and for solutions to be customized to address specific market requirements.

“Standardizing on a single design platform increases collaboration and productivity, and allows customers to spend more time focusing on innovation,” said Bertrand Sicot, CEO SolidWorks, Dassault Systèmes. “Adopting SolidWorks will enable Kistler to provide the consistent measurement tools their customers rely on to test and assure quality in their own products, regardless of where they were manufactured.”

At Kistler Instrumente AG in Winterthur, the eight existing licenses will be supplemented with another 17 licenses, for design work at the site by the end of the year. The competence centers located in Lorch in Germany and Buffalo, NY, USA are switching from their previous CAD software to SolidWorks with 11 additional licenses. The German Competence Centres in Schöneich and Wetzlar have already been using SolidWorks CAD.

Solid Solutions AG, an authorized SolidWorks reseller, provided consultation, and implementation for the SolidWorks deployment.

###

About Kistler AG

Kistler is a privately owned Swiss company that develops and manufactures sensors and electronics for measuring pressure, force, torque and acceleration. The Kistler Group is based in Winterthur, Switzerland. Worldwide, Kistler currently employs 1200 members of staff at 25 group companies. As a global market and technology leader in dynamic measurement technology, the Group invests around 10% of its annual turnover in research and development. www.kistler.com

About Solid Solutions AG

Solid Solutions AG is a leading Swiss provider of cost-effective, complete solutions for the product development process, with 3D CAD and product data management (PDM) being a particular focus for the company. The company’s products and services are designed to increase efficiency across the product development process in the engineering industry, particularly in the fields of machine and plant construction. Solid Solutions provides SolidWorks customers in Switzerland with training and support. www.solidsolutions.ch

About SolidWorks

About Dassault Systèmes

CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, SIMULIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, NETVIBES, 3DSWYM and 3DVIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SolidworksPressReleases/~3/ohHTIW1rt4w/pressreleases_30031_ENU_HTML.htm

Intercad Tip: Title Block Design in SolidWorks Electrical

Vernon — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 03:07:51 +0000

Drawings (scheme, line diagram, terminal strip, etc.) are created using a copy of the Titleblock file. It is therefore useful to represent all the elements you wish to find in the drawings (logo, graphics, etc.) in the title block. The settings (display of the grid, types of lines, styles of texts, etc.) used in the title block will automatically be available in the drawing.

A title block consists of graphics entities (lines, texts, etc.) and attributes allowing the propagation of the data entered in the properties of the elements of the project (book, folder, drawing, etc.).

This article will explain how you can use SolidWorks Electrics’s built-in feature “title blocks manager” to customize existing title blocks and make new smart Title Block.

Learn more

Intercad Melbourne has moved. Great SolidWorks Service. Brand new Office.

Vernon — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 02:52:04 +0000

MELBOURNE, 9th June: Intercad’s Victorian Office has recently relocated to new facilities just down the road in Clayton. The new location, combining with local technical support and state of the art training facilities, means easier access for Intercad customers coming from all directions.

This relocation will have no impact on Intercad’s regular technical support services, which are being provided in the usual manner during this transition phase. All customers can expect the same response time and service levels they have always received from the team at Intercad.

For customers with bookings into any SolidWorks Training Courses, it is important to note our new address from this point onwards.

Suite 63, Building 6, Unipark
195 Wellington Road
Clayton, VIC 3168

Tel: +613 8562 3444
Fax: +613 8562 3400

View Larger Map

MARE Designs in SolidWorks Software to Illuminate the Oceans’ Unknowns

admin — Tue, 14 May 2013 07:17:22 +0000

MARE’s BATFish improved speed, size and savings of oceanographic surveys with SolidWorks design technology

Oakland, CA, US — April 25, 2013 — Protecting and restoring the world’s marine ecosystems is a growing concern due to overfishing and pollution. Marine Applied Research and Exploration (MARE) is taking a leading role in developing submersible technologies to conduct deep-water science and monitoring surveys to help evaluate marine conditions. In order to conduct the assessments more cost effectively, MARE turned to leading worldwide SolidWorks® reseller Hawk Ridge Systems to help design the BATFish, its next generation remote operated underwater vehicles (ROV).

Currently, focused on the West Coast, MARE has completed a large number of surveys in California’s fishing reserves, where it is monitoring the rockfish populations and ecosystem health. Conducting assessments in more locations to gain crucial information on oceans’ and marine life around the world would require a smaller, travel-friendly and cost-effective ROV. Designing the BATFish underwater glider completely in SolidWorks allowed Dirk Rosen, MARE executive director, and Raysad Chung, design engineer, to focus on three factors crucial to bringing an ROV like BATFish to life: speed, size and savings.

Portability, transportation and size are key factors in the ROV design. When it comes to successful underwater surveys, the best ROVs are simple to transport and disassemble. Prior to the BATFish, an ROV’s size often limited how survey machines were transported to sites and the size of boats from which they could be deployed. ROV transportation normally involved loading the device onto a pickup truck and trailer and driving it to each research site. Ultimately, this travel time reduces time that could be spent surveying underwater.

“The BATFish is MARE’s answer to the ROV transportation problem,” Rosen said. “Instead of using a trailer, we can now transport the ROV in suitcases, hop on a plane and drive a rental car to any survey site. With SolidWorks we were able to shrink the BATFish into a much smaller space that can be assembled onsite and get underwater within an hour.” With its new portability, MARE has the potential to conduct surveys anywhere around the world.

Cost is another common roadblock for oceanic surveys. Deep-water assessments conducted with an ROV are expensive — traditional surveys, due to boat leases and crew fees, typically cost upwards of $6,000 per day. Rosen came to the realization that downsizing ROVs would not only improve portability, but would cut ocean survey costs by approximately 60 percent. The BATFish’s smaller footprint decreases the size of the boat required to operate the ROV and cuts the number of crew required to conduct a survey in half. Rosen is now able to put the BATFish into the water with a Boston Whaler at a cost of $500 per day.

Rosen contends that SolidWorks was most effective for modeling custom pieces with great detail, like the BATFish’s movable wing structures. Simulation capabilities were also instrumental in the ROV’s evolution to ensure that the ROV would perform as desired once it hit the water. The BATFish’s wing structures, which allow it to glide through the water with ease, were tested with the help of SolidWorks software and modified directly in the software before starting the manufacturing process.

Time spent from concept to finished product was a major concern for MARE due to previous experience with design software. Rosen estimates that SolidWorks helped MARE go from “brain to beach” in at least double the speed. “SolidWorks helped avoid costly and time consuming prototyping cycles waiting for custom parts to be returned from manufacturers,” said Chung. “SolidWorks assists you in finding weak points immediately and provides excellent visualization tools to examine tolerances that you can test before ordering a physical part.”

“Thanks to SolidWorks, we’ve been able to take the BATFish from concept to reality very quickly. And the beauty is that its design capabilities can work for any project whether it’s a drag racer, robot or ROV,” said Rosen. “Innovation starts in our minds and SolidWorks helps bring these ideas to reality.”

“The BATFish will give scientists insights into improvements in rockfish stocks, provide theories on how to create a better environment for rockfish to thrive, and sustain a huge source of food that will be crucial to feeding the future population,” said Glenn Compton, SolidWorks Simulation Sales Manager at Hawk Ridge Systems. “It’s both inspiring and encouraging to see projects like the BATFish realized with SolidWorks design software.”

About Hawk Ridge Systems
Hawk Ridge Systems is a leading worldwide SolidWorks reseller and innovator in 3D CAD Design Solutions. Founded in 1996, Hawk Ridge Systems is a value-add reseller of industry-leading SolidWorks 3D CAD design solutions for manufacturing, engineering services, high tech, industrial machinery and medical devices. The company has the largest worldwide team of engineering professionals with over 65 Certified SolidWorks and CAMWorks Engineers. Headquartered in Oakland, California with 15 offices in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and Canada, Hawk Ridge Systems supports over 23,000 customers. For more information, visit our website, www.hawkridgesys.com, or call 1.877.266.4469 in the US, or 1.866.587.6803 in Canada

About MARE – Marine Applied Research and Exploration
MARE is a not-for-profit that provides technology and offshore operations expertise needed to see and work in deepwater marine environments – those beyond the reach of most divers. We collaborate with scientists, resource managers and environmental organizations to obtain geo-referenced, habitat and species data with the goal of protecting and restoring marine ecosystems. www.maregroup.org

About SolidWorks

About Dassault Systèmes

CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, SIMULIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, NETVIBES, 3DSWYM and 3DVIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SolidworksPressReleases/~3/Q-OJ1WKAbRA/pressreleases_29868_ENU_HTML.htm

Upgrading SolidWorks Enterprise PDM

Vernon — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 04:10:03 +0000

About this time of the year companies start upgrading their SolidWorks Software packages including SolidWorks Enterprise PDM. t’s a good time to get some inputs on this procedure:

Comprehensive instructions for upgrading Enterprise PDM are given in Chapter 8 of the Installation guide found in \Support\Guides\GB. Below is some additional information which may be helpful during the upgrade process.

If you have a large user base or replicated sites additional planning and testing is recommended. A properly planned upgrade will usually lead to a successful upgrade.

Planning

Assess time for each action.
Collect and document information about the current production environment. (How many clients, Licence types, current OS). Windows XP is not supported in 2013.
Define key people that are required for the upgrade (Sys Admins, Power users)
Organize calls with all involved
Manage users expectations for what is expected of them before and during the upgrade. Not mandatory but to have all files checked in before the upgrade bust it’s a safer and recommended practice. Explain EPDM offline mode if business hours are used.
Plan for potential server reboot……

Learn more >>

Dassault Systèmes Launches My.SolidWorks

admin — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:17:16 +0000

Easier Access to Content and Expertise Enables SolidWorks Applications Users to Create Faster, More Efficient Designs

VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — April 15, 2013 — Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the 3DExperience Company, world leader in 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, today launched My.SolidWorks, a free community that provides one single access to any SolidWorks content. Today’s designers are under constant pressure to create better designs in less time and SolidWorks is a key tool for achieving those productivity gains. My.SolidWorks lets these users tap into the knowledge and experience of two million users and more than 400 value-added resellers in the SolidWorks Community.

“My.SolidWorks allows me to quickly find new and old posts to help me with my current job. It makes it much quicker and easier to participate in the community,” said Scott Baugh, CAD administrator, Berry Plastics Corporation. “I can see what folks are asking or talking about right now, and share my ideas and opinions with colleagues.”

My.SolidWorks offers many improvements to the SolidWorks Community, in several different categories:

Experience: My.SolidWorks provides a consolidated view of the latest updates from around the SolidWorks community. The latest blog posts, discussions and videos are presented in an easily digestible format. They can be filtered based on users’ individual needs and interests.
Find: My.SolidWorks lets users search the entire SolidWorks community at once, making it much easier for users to find the tips and insights they need to get the most out of SolidWorks. They can also share what they find with colleagues, peers and friends with the social capabilities built into My.SolidWorks.
Engage: My.SolidWorks makes it easier for new and existing users to engage with the community; stay on top of current design topics, and add their own knowledge and expertise to the discussion.

“With My.SolidWorks, it’s much easier for me to search for and find the answers I need, whether that’s from a video post, a discussion in the forums, from the Help menu or somewhere else within the SolidWorks ecosystem,” added Anna Wood, design engineer/CAD administrator, Auer Precision.

“We have long recognized the strength of the SolidWorks community and have supported its collaboration through forums, users groups and events like SolidWorks World to help customers better solve problems,” said Bertrand Sicot, CEO, SolidWorks, Dassault Systèmes. “My.SolidWorks is the next phase in facilitating those connections to content, experts, suppliers, and others who have similar challenges – all aimed at helping our users get the most from our SolidWorks applications to create value for their own customers.”

My.SolidWorks is freely available to anyone at http://My.SolidWorks.com. Users will get the most out of My.SolidWorks if they have or register for a free account. SolidWorks Customers can login using their existing Customer Portal accounts, and SolidWorks Subscription Service Customers gain additional access through My.SolidWorks to private reserved content Register or login today at http://my.solidworks.com/

About SolidWorks

About Dassault Systèmes

CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, SIMULIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, NETVIBES, 3DSWYM and 3DVIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SolidworksPressReleases/~3/tbcbo_M4NxI/pressreleases_29813_ENU_HTML.htm

Intercad Tip: Creating a Multi-Level Terminals in SolidWorks

Vernon — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 02:58:34 +0000

Due to space or design requirements, it may be required to have a multi-level terminal rather than two or three separate terminals.

However in the schematic, these are often shown as individual terminals because of the design layout.

In this issue of SolidWorks Electrical tips and tricks, we explain how to achieve this.

Learn more

Bo-Dyn Bobsleds Use SolidWorks to Design World’s Fastest Sled

admin — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:28:24 +0000

ModernTech Teaches Bo-Dyn How to Find Hundredths of a Second for a Golden Repeat

Lake Placid, NY, US — March 26, 2013 — For the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project Inc., designers of the Night Train^® bobsled that won the GOLD Medal at the Winter Games in 2010, it was the realization of a twenty-year-old dream. In a sport where hundredths of a second can mean the difference between gold and fourth place, Bo-Dyn turned to ModernTech, a leading SolidWorks^® software Value Added Reseller, to create its latest innovation: The Night Train²^®. Last week at Whelen Engineering in Chester, Conn., Bo-Dyn unveiled the results of that collaboration, and took its first run in Lake Placid, NY the next day. They took two runs in the old Night Train before the inaugural run in the Night Train², and it was faster by quite a bit. “Considering it was the sleds’ first trip, this is encouraging,” said Geoff Bodine, founder of the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project Inc. and winner of the 1986 Daytona 500.

“After the Winter Games, the teams seek to shave hundredths of seconds off the time by testing and evaluating more complex designs and different materials. We realized we had taken 2D design as far as it could go and new ideas for the Night Train² could only be accomplished in 3D,” said Bob Cuneo, head engineer, Bo-Dyn. “From the beginning of the Night Train² design process, SolidWorks software had an impact in collaboration, and time and cost savings. It allowed our team to share files across the U.S. and with partners, expediting the design process.”

Bo-Dyn represents the rebirth of America’s bobsled reign. With roots in NASCAR, its journey actually began after the Winter Games in 1992 in Albertville, France. At the event in France, the United States team struggled, causing speed enthusiast Geoff Bodine to take notice. When he learned Americans were racing used and discarded European team sleds, Bodine flew to Lake Placid the next week, took a bobsled ride and he was hooked. He then teamed up with Bob Cuneo, a former racecar designer, to design and build American bobsleds. The rest is history; Steve Holcomb piloted the Night Train to the USA men’s first Olympic GOLD Medal since 1948.

For Bo-Dyn to continue this streak and take advantage of new concepts and materials, it meant outsourcing specialized work to subcontractors. “The ability to take pieces of the completed designs from SolidWorks is a huge advantage when working with subcontractors,” said Jim “Cheech” Garde, designer and model maker at Bo-Dyn. “We can share relevant sections with the CNC partners who can easily understand and manufacture the designs we send. With SolidWorks we can also better control tolerances of the machined parts, thereby raising the accuracy of the design.”

Weight distribution is a universal problem in bobsledding and one of the factors the designers can influence. SolidWorks helps Bo-Dyn to seamlessly implement 3D scanned images of the handmade sled and then determine how and where to add new supports to the design. Viewing its designs in 3D, allows the team to package components and test their fit and weight without building prototypes.

“Before SolidWorks, we had to create prototypes by hand – there was no way around it — and those models ate up time and money,” said Jim Gleason, CAD designer Bo-Dyn. “Now we build and test in 3D with incredible accuracy that translates flawlessly to the physical bobsled. We can also ‘crawl’ around inside and articulate the models to view every aspect of the bobsled. It’s this level of freedom that allows Bo-Dyn to improve on the medal winning-design.”

While other international bobsled teams boast government-funded million-dollar research and design budgets, Bo-Dyn innovates on a budget. “We operate on nickels and dimes compared with many of our competitors’ budgets,” said Cuneo. “The cost savings associated with meeting tight deadlines and getting designs right the first time would not have been possible without SolidWorks. Working with ModernTech we learned the core features of SolidWorks, but we’re just scratching the surface of its simulation and geometric capabilities. We’re looking forward to keeping our competition up at night and continuing our commitment to designing the fastest sled in the world.”

“Since the inaugural run of the Night Train² last week in Lake Placid, we’ve officially started the countdown to the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia,” said Ron Weavil, Territory Manager with ModernTech. “Before Bo-Dyn’s efforts, most Americans had more knowledge of the Jamaican bobsledders than their own. Now the country can take pride in a gold medal team running in an American-made design poised for a repeat performance in 2014.”

About ModernTech

Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, ModernTech has been providing engineers and designers with 3D technology and training for the entire product development lifecycle —Design, Analysis, Data Management, Tech Publishing and 3D Prototyping for over 25 years. For more information about ModernTech, please visit http://www.moderntech.com or call 877.553.9001.

About Bo-Dyn

Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project Inc. is a non-for Profit 501-(C)(3) State of Connecticut Corporation. Its mission is “to sponsor and promote design, technology, engineering and manufacturing of products made in the USA through the construction of bobsleds to be used in international competition; to provide a forum of public education through the leverage of sponsorship and promotion to increase awareness of bobsledding both nationally and internationally.”

About SolidWorks

About Dassault Systèmes

CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, SIMULIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, NETVIBES, 3DSWYM and 3DVIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.

Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SolidworksPressReleases/~3/7fkRMCIqwwo/pressreleases_29770_ENU_HTML.htm