Wrap Feature tips!

Ever wanted to create a wrapped feature and not have the sides of the feature extrude radially?

Well today is the day to learn a new trick.

If you select Emboss of Deboss, you can select a line, linear edge, or plane to set a Pull Direction. For a line or linear edge the pull direction is the direction of the line, for a plane the direction is normal to the plane. Leave the pull direction blank if you want the sides to be normal to the sketch.

“Some pre-selection still required”

Ever heard the expression “Batteries not include, and some assembly required” or how about “Some pre-selection still required”

What if you want to Dimension to where the vertex of a fillet would have been.
Introducing the “Virtual Sharp”.

To dimension to a virtual sharp, you need to first insert a virtual sharp onto the model. On the drawing where you would like the "virtual sharp" point to be inserted. CTRL-select the two edges which would intersect if allowed to extend. Once the two edges are selected, hit the "Point" toolbar button, and a virtual sharp will be created at the intersection. The user can control the display of the virtual sharp by setting the option found in Tools, Options, Detailing, Virtual Sharp. The user will then be able to create dimensions to the virtual sharp.

CFD for Free! What?

Yes. This is correct: CFD is free!
Each seat of SolidWorks has a seat of COSMOSFloXpress. You can be a CFD person right now and amaze your friends! The software will allow you to conduct what is known as an "internal" analysis. If you have a box that houses electrical components that need air cooling, you can track how the air flows over components or even misses some of them - thus you will be designing where to best locate the inlet fan for optimum cooling, for example. You need to build a lid on the inlet opening, and you need to build a lid on the exit opening in the box. A wizard walks you through the entire process. This is a cake-walk. I mean it.
Menu: Tools/COSMOSFloXpress.
You can view a demonstration video of the entire proces (free) at our hosting site www.screencast.com/tonysmicrotutors and navigate to the LunchWorks folder for the video.

You may be thinking: "What about airflow over a body, such as a car or a wing?". You can do these too - if you don't mind the "wind tunnel" approach. Just locate your model inside a box with an inlet and an outlet. Remember to put lids on the inlet and outlet. You can position the wing or other body such that it appears to float inside the box.
-Anthony Botting