Learn the basics of SolidWorks in 2 days! This new course from CAP provides an overview of SolidWorks fundamentals with a minimum investment of time and money. Are you a manager or casual user? Does your role in documentation, manufacturing, sales or marketing require a working knowledge of SolidWorks? Our QuickStart class can get you up to speed quickly with the vocabulary and environment used by product designers and engineers.
"Product Design: New Platforms for Development" at the MedDev Group
CAP is sponsoring the December meeting of the Medical Development Group. The topic is "Product Design: New Platforms for Development ". The meeting will present a panel of speakers:
• Peter R. Barrett, VP, Computer Aided Engineering Associates, Inc.
The December meeting topic will be “Top Down Design”, a modeling/design technique that allows you to control your models (parts & assemblies) through the use of “master” (or layout) sketches. All parts are created within the context of the assembly and therefore update automatically when changes are made. The top down design method is a very powerful model/design tool. Presented by Keith Pedersen from Computer Aided Products. Keith will definitely deliver the most interesting and informative 90 minutes of CAD talk you’ve heard in a while.
December 15th 6:00-9:00 PM at the Waterbury Best Western Hotel and Conference Center.
SolidWorks Corporation today announced that it has signed the 1000th company to join the SolidWorks Solution Partner Program. The largest market opportunity and the best partnership program are why more partners have integrated their solutions with SolidWorks® 3D mechanical design software than any other 3D CAD software on the market. This comprehensive menu of engineering applications ensures engineers working in SolidWorks have all of the tools they need on their desktop to be more creative and productive.
Ends 12/29 - SolidWorks financing at 0%
Financing available at 0% for 3 years. Various payment options available. Contact sales for details and we will tailor the plan for your business requirements. If you're considering a purchase, take advantage of this limited time offer today.
An abridged class 2-day class for those who are seeking an overview of SolidWorks fundamentals with a minimum investment of time and money. The QuickStart class is best suited for managers, casual users, drafting, documentation, manufacturing, sales and marketing, and other SolidWorks users who are not designers. The QuickStart class can also satisfy the prerequisites for the Advanced Drawing class and the Sheet Metal & Weldments class.
How do you validate your designs? Explore the power of finite element analysis with the experts at CAP. CosmosWorks delivers award winning mechanical design analysis solutions to mainstream engineers. Attend our free seminars at CAP:
We stock all support material, 7 colors of build material and build trays in our Peabody and Manchester offices. Models can be built in standard white, blue, yellow, black, gray, red or green colors. Cartridges of ABS plastic for the Dimension BST and SST, Dimension Prodigy and Dimension Prodigy Plus are also available. If you ever have an immediate need for printer cartridges and no time to get out of the office, you can contact Call A Courier, Inc. at 603.623.1867 and have your Dimension material cartridges and supplies delivered quickly. Mention CAP and ask for your CAP discount.
Rapid Prototyping Roadshows
12/6
10 am-12 pm
Rapid Prototyping Roadshow with Dimension 3D Printer
Do you spend more than $700/month on rapid prototyping services? Now you can lease your own Dimension 3D printer for as little as $700/month with 0% financing. And you can create all the prototypes you need to evaluate your designs for form, fit and function in the privacy and convenience of your office environment. We're waiting to speak with you today about this revolutionary office technology!
Hot Tech Tips SolidWorks Tech Tip: Honeycomb Pattern
SolidWorks 2006 adds a new Pattern feature called a Fill Pattern. This new feature can be used to quickly create a honeycomb-like series of cuts like those used for weight-savings in many designs.
From the pull-down menus, choose Insert - Pattern - Fill Pattern.
Select a (planar) face of the model where you want the honeycomb cutouts to be created. This is the Fill Boundary.
In the Fill Pattern PropertyManager, set the instance spacing to: The size of the honeycomb cell (the distance across the flats of a hexagon) PLUS the width of material that you want to remain between two hexagonal cells (for example, 0.500 + 0.125 = 0.625).
If necessary, select a straight edge or sketch line to describe the direction of the honeycomb pattern (the software may auto-select one).
Next, in the same PropertyManager, choose "Create seed cut" for Features to Pattern. Select the rightmost icon that appears, to create Polygons. Set the number of sides to six (6). Set the INNER radius equal to: Half the distance across the flats of the desired hexagon (for example, 0.500 / 2 = 0.250). Set the angle of the polygon to 30 degrees.
You can see in the preview, and when you click the OK checkmark, SolidWorks automatically creates hexagonal cuts arranged in a honeycomb pattern, with the desired wall thickness between them!
Optionally, you also can define a margin size to decrease the area where the honeycomb pattern is generated.
Recommended Reading
SolidWorks for Dummies
A how-to book for anyone who wants to get up to speed on SolidWorks® 3D mechanical design software. Written in a light-hearted, conversational style, the book takes you through the 3D product design process from creating sketches as the basis of parts to mating together components in a complex assembly. SolidWorks For Dummies is ideal for new SolidWorks users, including AutoCAD® users ready to step up to 3D, and also serves as an excellent reference book for those already familiar with the program. Order Now
From SDC Publications
Assembly Modeling with SolidWorks 2004/2005
Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2006
SolidWorks 2006 Tutorial
SolidWorks 2006: The Basics
Drawing & detailing with SolidWorks 2005
Engineering & Computer Graphics Workbook using SolidWorks 2005
Engineering Analysis with COSMOSWorks 2005
Beginner's Guide to SolidWorks 2005
Go to www.schroff.com to download a sample chapter and order.
Step-By-Step self-study guides for improving your productivity with SolidWorks Software
Learn the fundamentals of CAD productivity tools at your own speed, and become more productive using FeatureWorks, SolidWorks Utilities, and SolidWorks Toolbox
152 pages, includes CD-Rom with practice files and examples
Looking for the perfect holiday gift for your young artist? Want to share your love of 3D with the next generation of creatives? Check out COSMIC Blobs, the most powerful 3D graphics software for kids ever invented. Created by the team at SolidWorks, it lets you create amazing 3D graphics that look like today's coolest animated cartoons and video games. For Windows and Macintosh $39.99. The new Castles and Kingdoms expansion pack adds dragons and medieval characters to the 3D portfolio for kids. Download your fully functional trial version today.
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At Computer-Aided Products, we enable our customers to make more money with their CAD design environment. We are a value-added reseller (VAR) for SolidWorks and the Stratasys Dimension 3D printer. We specialize in transitioning designers from a 2D environment to a 3D solid CAD world, providing the training and service you need to get up to speed quickly. Our partnership with the best CAD solutions in the industry, along with our years of expertise and practical experience, provide a solid foundation for your CAD future.
Computer-Aided Products, Inc.
Serving all of New England with offices in Manchester NH, Peabody MA and Westborough MA
(800) 424-2255
www.capinc.com
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