SolidWorks Blog, UK blog from Innova Systems. Solidworks 2010.

Designers are using SolidWorks every day to design amazing things. 3DS SolidWorks have decided that it’s about time that a few of them were showcased – as such, they’ve launched the Born to Design platform to give them a bigger stage. The people, not only the products, will be celebrated over the coming months.

The first customers under the spotlight are Motoczysz, creators of the world’s fastest electric motorcycle, and SkySails, who are using the power of the wind to reduce cargo ships’ carbon footprint.

Visit the Born to Design website to read their stories and follow @BornToDesign on Twitter for regular updates! *

*P.S. Why not follow Innova Systems on Twitter while you’re there – @InnovaSystemsUK

3DS SolidWorks have announced eDrawings for iPad. eDrawings is a free email-enabled communication tool for collaborating and sharing designs, now available in the iTunes App Store.

Pan, zoom and rotate 2D and 3D models – animate and explode your 3D views, and animate drawings from SolidWorks, Draftsight, AutoCAD, DWG and DXF files.

Capabilities of eDrawings for iPad include:

• Open files from email, iTunes File Sharing, or other online file sharing services (e.g. Dropbox, Box, etc.)
• Zoom, pan, and rotate 2D or 3D CAD data with the touch of a finger
• View 3D animations, 3D standard views, and 2D drawing views
• Browse assembly components tree, configurations, and drawing sheets
• View designs in full screen – just double tap to expand it on the screen
• Store files on your iPad through iTunes File Sharing
• Intuitive and easy-to-use interface

eDrawings for iPad allows anyone (even non-CAD users) to view and review product design data. The app is available on the iTunes App Store now for £1.49.

SolidWorks recommends that all users of SolidWorks 2012, if they haven’t done so already, migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7. Next year’s release, SolidWorks 2013, will no longer support Windows XP. This means that SolidWorks can not guarantee stability if you are still running the legacy OS. If you are still running a 32bit system, at this point we’d also recommend you upgrade your system to 64bit hardware.

With Windows 7 64bit, you will experience increased performance, improved stability with higher memory limits, and increased functionality geared to the 64-bit environment. Whilst a 64bit operating system will not directly increase performance, if you are running a system with 4GB RAM (minimum requirement), a 32bit system will not allow you to utilise all of the RAM available.

Microsoft Windows 7 is simpler to use, more responsive, and full of new possibilities. Windows 7 makes users more productive with improved access to data and applications. Enhanced security protects your data, and improved PC management reduces costs and streamlines the IT workflow. See how Windows 7 can improve your workflow.

For SolidWorks’s official line on system requirements, please visit the SolidWorks website.

For more information on upgrading to Windows 7, please see this guide.

A document has been produced by DS SolidWorks Corp that offers users advice when dealing with large assemblies.

The guide covers best practices associated with constructing assemblies, simplifying components for use in assemblies, mating practices as well as hardware recommendations.

The guide is well worth a read by anyone working with large assemblies in SolidWorks.

Download the PDF guide here.

Some of you may have noticed a slight change to the Support pages of our website – the SolidWorks Knowledge Base.  If you haven’t seen this already, click here to head over to the Support section of our site to see what you’ve been missing!

Innova Systems customers who are on active subscription are not only entitled to technical support and SolidWorks updates, but also a number of additional benefits through the SolidWorks Customer Portal. One of these benefits is the SolidWorks Knowledge Base.

The SolidWorks Knowledge Base allows you to browse topics or perform a keyword search to find solutions to common issues. If you’re on active subscription but have not yet created a Customer Portal account, please create one by clicking here.

A product designed Cambridge-based design consultancy and Innova Systems Customer, Cambridge Industrial Design has been awarded a major international design prize.

The Osram Kreios G1 has been selected from over 4000 designs as one of 62 ‘Best of the best’ products in the Red Dot Design award of 2012. The new LED image projector for spotlighting and spot messaging, used for illuminated advertising and brand promotion in settings such as trade shows and retail centres, was assessed on innovation, functionality, ease-of-use and environmental impact.

Unlike other projectors of its sort, the Kreios G1 is easy to mount on walls, ceilings, and floors. It is easily adjustable by hand and delivers a dazzling 800 lumens of light despite having a low heat output that allows passive cooling with no moving parts. The device is light, cool, quiet and versatile.

Alex Jones, owner of Cambridge Industrial Design, says: ‘We’re delighted that the Kreios G1 has won such a prestigious design award. It was a great team effort with Osram and its suppliers, especially as timescales were short, with just two months from concept to first prototypes and another three months to first production samples. A Red Dot Award is a big achievement for us and shows that manufacturers don’t need large consultancies to create award winning products.’

Last month’s design and innovation festival hosted by the Design Council right here in Cambridge was a fantastic celebration of innovation in the region. Seminars, exhibitions and keynote speakers not only showcased successes but gave small businesses the chance to learn about: enterprise and startup; designing for success; designing for manufacture; and designing for communication.

A video released by the Design Council this week gives a great round-up of the month, featuring a number of Innova Systems customers.

HSMXpress isn’t the first CAM solution to be fully integrated inside SolidWorks… but it is the first FREE one. From the makers of HSMWorks, HSMXpress is a fully-functional 2D and 2-1/2D CNC programming system that works inside of SolidWorks. The free version allows you to lay-out and visualise toolpaths for basic CNC operations like drilling and contouring.

The relationship between engineering and manufacturing is historically quite distanced – for the most part, engineering doesn’t get too involved with what happens after they release their drawings – HSMXpress has the potential to empower engineers to take control of the manufacturing processes post-design.

Features:

• 100% HSMWorks Technology ? No Compromises Feature Set
• Same 64-bit, Multi-core HSM CAM Kernel as HSMWorks
• Basic Milling Machining including 2D Roughing and Pocketing, Drilling, Facing, Contouring, and more…
• Support for form tools including ability to automatically import SolidWorks Part Files as Form Tools
• Integrated 64-bit, Multi-core Simulation with toolpath/solid forward, reverse material removal
• 64-bit JavaScript-based Post Processor System including many generic posts
• CNC program editor with file compare, math ops, backplotter, and communications

• All CAM data stored in your Part (.SLDPRT) or Assembly (.SLDASM) files
• Access to all HSMXpress Tools and Commands via SolidWorks Command Manager
• HSM CAMManager Tab that organizes all Job Setups and Toolpath Operations
• Toolpath Configuration via SolidWorks Property Manager
• Backplot and Simulation commands via SolidWorks Feature Manager

Download HSMXpress now

SolidWorks World 2012 is just a week away and we’ll be heading to San Diego­­ to explore the latest in 3D design and technology from SolidWorks. SolidWorks World gives SolidWorks users the chance to shape the future of SolidWorks development. It also gives us the opportunity to meet with SolidWorks to find out how SolidWorks is being continually developed to provide our customers with the best 3D design package on the market.

SolidWorks Corporation is passionate about developing a solution that reflects the needs of SolidWorks users. We’ll be representing our customers at various breakout sessions and keynotes to find out and report back on:

• how SolidWorks is being developed to aid you in your specific industry
• how SolidWorks features are being continuously improved to improve productivity for certain workflows
• what the future holds for the whole range of SolidWorks products
• what is expected in the 2013 release of SolidWorks

Keep an eye on our blog and Twitter feed (@InnovaSystemsUK) next week for regular updates all the way from San Diego.

Innova Systems customer, Owlstone Nanotech are on the brink of developing a disease detecting breathalyser, Business Weekly reports.

It all started when Owlstone’s founders suspended their PhDs to develop their concept of a comprehensive chemical detection chip.­ Well, that decision seems to be paying off, as their newly developed breathalyser is pushing the boundaries of disease detection.

Take diabetes, for example. Conventionally, glucose monitoring (although self-administered) is an invasive blood test. With the Owlstone breathalyser, acetone levels in exhaled breath can be used to ascertain blood sugar levels.

The presence of other chemicals has the potential to be indicative of the presence of an associated disease. The Owlstone breathalyser could therefore revolutionise the speed and accuracy of detecting afflicted clinical conditions and diseases.

The company is now working with top researchers to develop additional applications of their chemical detection chip.