50 3D Modeling Tips and Best Practices for Mechanical Designs. - Jeremy Fielding 099

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Notes:
First video in the series 18 mechanical design tips and tricks

Technical corrections

Nothing yet

[Jeremy_Fielding]

In case it isn't obvious from the video, I love using Solidworks. But, I tried very hard to make this tutorial helpful no matter what CAD package you use. I would love it if everyone would share your favorite shortcuts and modeling tips across all CAD packages! We all know there are other options (some free) out there and for many that gets the job done. I want people to find this helpful no matter what package you are using. The goal is to help everyone improve! Thank you for watching!

[RealJohnnyAngel]

As a machinist/fabricator, I can not stress enough how much it means to have you emphasize the importance of using as whole numbers as possible.

[javierhervas]

Just a few more tips:

- You can also exit the sketch or any feature pressing the letter D in the keyboard
- It is better to name the dimension in the dialogue box where you enter the value, not where Jeremy wrote it. You can show the name of the dimensions in Tools > Options
- You can activate de block bar (I don't know if this is the right name in english) to block the features of a finished part, Solidworks won't rebuild this features when you pres Control + Q, this saves a lot of time when you rebuild the assembly. Remember to block the features when the part is completely finished and you know it is not going to change when modifying other parts.
- If an assembly/part spends a lot of time rebuilding you can evaluate it using the performance evaluation tool. This way you will know what parts/features are the ones that require more time rebuilding and do something about it.
- You can save selection sets (very useful in assemblies). Select different parts/features/reference geometry and Save selection (right click with the mouse). The selection set will appear in the feature/assembly tree.
- If you are more advanced and you know the icon of almost all the features you can hide the name of them, the visualization area will be bigger
- You can also name mates and save the most important ones as favourites (right click on the mate). This helps a lot when working in a multiuser environment, the main mates will apear in the assembly tree, all of them named.

This are just a few, there are tons of them. Reply with your favourites so we will learn from each other!

Thanks Jeremy for the content, keep up with the good work! I love your projects

[cheeseisgreat]

As a programmer, the "Name Your Features" part reminded me of commenting on your code. **SO MANY PEOPLE** leave commenting as an afterthought, but if you do it as you go and be as descriptive as possible, it makes using, revising, and searching your code much easier** and I'm sure it's the same here for features

[ReiJarrod]

I just wanted to let you know in case you read this, for me I watch the channel for you and your positive personality. I don't know anything about engineering but really like your attitude and ability to teach and explain things. My son and I watch your channel now that he's a little older and I think we might even start our own project. Just letting you know your channel has had a positive impact on my family and I thank you for it.

[JimPowersUSA]

At the 4:30 mark it was nice to see the settings dialog with the two tabs (System Options and Document Properties) is still in SolidWorks. I did the initial design and implementation of that over 20 years ago. Back in the early days of SolidWorks all of the settings were in tabbed dialog with system and document settings mixed together.

[brocephas]

Thanks, Jeremy, for sharing your knowledge with those of us who haven't the time, money and/or academic prowess to learn this stuff in the classroom. And also on behalf of those for whom you enhance classroom learning. Your content is quite edifying.

[russellohnemus]

Awesome advice! Funny how different we are on gestures I can't stand them but love keyboard shortcuts. One comment on configurations, be careful with how often you use them. Parts will rebuild once for each configuration and can quickly increase time required to update and rebuild.

A few small tips I use every day:

Alt+tab: Switches between open files.
Shift+click: Will select a transparent faces.
Ctrl+8: Makes view normal to the selected face or nearest primary plane if nothing is selected.
Shift+tab: Will unhide a the part where your mouse is.
Use isolate to temporarily show a single (or a few) part alone and then quickly revert back to the old view.
Use plain white background for cleaner screenshots.

[forge]

Trying to get into the engineering world with no degree and technical skill. Wouldn’t be able to do it without creators like you, Thanks for taking the time in trying to teach us something

[OddJobEntertainment]

This was such an eye-opener for so many reasons. When I got my CSWA it was presented as though I now had the skills to do anything I wanted in Solidworks. But, I knew that wasn't the case because I had no idea how to do surface modeling (or any organic shapes really), how to integrate things like motors, tolerances, and the long list goes on (I've learned some of those since then). This video showed me a glimpse of what you can really do when you have a better grasp of the program and I'm excited to get to that level. This video also was a good refresher on a lot of what I did learn in the CSWA course. Finally, as I've been working on my own personal projects (haven't graduated yet) I've learned some things intuitively but didn't really have a solid idea in my mind about why. For example, I've intuitively tried to base most of my sketches on the 3 main planes but didn't really realize why. When you said that you do that because those will never change, suddenly the abstract reasoning behind my actions made sense.

[yawnastyfpv]

I really appreciate the level of thought and elegance goes into your tutorials. You certainly have a gift for “dumbing it down”, but not in a simple minded context. More so, an appropriate way of looking at things that makes sense to a broad group. You are truly an inspiration Jeremy and I’m sure you get this often, but thank you for the re-spark I’ve needed to deep dive into my own internal maker.Please keep pushing yourself and thank you for allowing us to take this journey with you.

[jjcc]

That 3D spacemouse has certainly been used.
I've been using one at work for some years now ... and I can vouch for how intuitive and usefull it is.
Certainly worth the upgrade to the one with the wrist pad and buttons, as you have.

[ShaneGardec]

A small remark from someone working in a production environment: naming your parts that way INSIDE the model works great for modelling smaller projects, however if your concept needs to be put into production, make sure to name the bodies in your cutlist or bill of material using a strategic sequence of numbers and subdivisons with the same logic especially for plating and frame members. Otherwise they would make 20 "brackets" and no reference to where it exactly belongs when isolated (for example when you extract DXF files), if isolated with a numerical sequence, it can be traced down to where it comes from more specifically.

[timcollins]

Excellent video, Jeremy! I am a career SW user and you echoed many of my own sentiments about best practices. My favorite quote from a CAD instructor is "Design intent is king." My number one way to apply this principle is to model around the origin planes for symmetry and to anchor your model so that the origin represents the most fundamental and important foundation of your design.
One clarification that may not be apparent to beginners is regarding the ctrl-drag to "copy" an assembly component. As you know, this creates another instance of the same part, not a new part -- a very important distinction.

[Simon_Rafferty]

I agree with most of what you've said (I've been using SW since 2006). My main dislike is Configurations. They are incredibly useful - but most of the stability issues in Solidworks stem from the use of configurations!

I know a lot of people love them - but the number of times I hear other people at work swearing because SW has crashed (mine almost never crashes) and I know they use configurations - reassures me they are still broken!

A work-around is a design table which may use configurations in the background? but seems more stable. Another (my preferred) option is to have a separate layout part which contains one or more sketches for different versions or in different planes. Insert the layout part at the start of generating a new part and it gives you access to all the sketches contained there-in. This gives you all the model driving information in one part. Best bit is, it's completely stable.

I wish Dassault would fix Configurations (and a pile of other stuff) but I don't think they will (or can?). Instead, each new version just has a few new features, a load of new bugs and all the old ones!

[jeffmoore]

few tips for machine design & Solidworks

-When i am designing machines, i keep in mind for fabrication the guys will most likely be using a tape measure to layout and cut material
- In Solidworks, learn where your menus are & the command manager before customizing. I have had multiple students over the years jump in and start customizing, then Solidworks crashes and those changes are lost, then they are lost.
- In Solidworks, don't trust your hotkeys from from one user to another. I have been using the software since 2004 & the "S" key you mentioned was the sketch function until Solidworks changed it to the shortcut bar. But i absolutely LOVE the shortcut bar.
- Keep your models simple, think about the next guy that might have to monkey with your model a few years down the line
- think about design intent when modeling

[beaverpondlane]

Dude, this is the best tips/tricks video for SW that I've ever seen. I also use Creo and while everything won't translate, the ideas behind where and how to be more efficient are gold. Thank you!

[ericbelanger]

For sure the BEST video on YouTube! Thanks a million friend.👍

[richard-sim]

099?! Can't wait for 100! Great video, and I love the density! Perfect for a Monday morning over coffee. ;)

Despite having a SolidWorks license through work, I've barely touched it and mainly stick to Fusion 360 out of personal preference due to SolidWork's somewhat abusive reseller/licensing system - so this is actually the first time I've seen a lot of these workflow tips from the SW side of the fence. I must say, SW does have the essentials much more polished than F360! I'm not at all surprised (maybe a little disappointed in F360 really), and given that F360 hasn't changed much of that in a long time I don't think we'll be seeing improvements anytime soon as it's unfortunately not their priority for some reason.

[MartyBucholz]

@22:18 As a solidworks instructor this right here is the best advice in the whole video your datums and origin are the best place to build from