SolidWorks Corporation has announced the newest version of its flagship software, SolidWorks 2005. The software delivers powerful drawing capabilities, unparalleled ease-of-use, and a host of new productivity features, accelerating the adoption of 3D design and speeding the pace of industry.

SolidWorks 2005 includes more than 250 customer-requested features and enhancements that help machine designers, mould designers, consumer product designers and others become faster, more accurate and more productive as they bring their innovations to market. These enhancements make SolidWorks 2005 an expansive product and the only one to encompass 3D design, analysis, product data management, collaboration and injection-moulded plastic part validation software in a single offering. Key improvements include an extensive design library for machine designers.

The first mould design validation tool built into a solid modelling environment; enhanced loft features for consumer product designers; application-specific user interfaces; an embedded editor for AutoCAD files; and a time-saving Task Pane on the SolidWorks desktop.

Industry observers are applauding SolidWorks' pioneering integration of new capabilities into basic mechanical design software. "Building on the success of SolidWorks 2004, SolidWorks 2005 further expands the definition of mainstream 3D CAD software to encompass powerful modelling features, collaboration tools, design analysis and support of 2D users. What is amazing is that they are adding all these features and still maintaining their signature ease-of-use," says Charles Foundyller, CEO of market research and technology assessment firm, Daratech. "With more functionality at the user's disposal, SolidWorks 2005 facilitates an integrated and efficient design-through-manufacturing process."

SolidWorks 2005 includes significant new features specifically for machine designers, mould designers and consumer product designers, all of whom have made SolidWorks the number one choice for mainstream 3D mechanical design in their segment.

Machine design

New for SolidWorks machine designers is a library that aggregates, in a convenient on-screen window, hundreds of pre-designed parts that machine designers use most. These include ports, seal grooves and rings, and slots consistent with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) specifications; parts that users have created themselves; 2D annotations and blocks; parts from the SolidWorks 3D ContentCentral SM service repository; and parts consistent with the authoritative Machinery's Handbook. Users can drag commonly used features from the library directly into their designs rather than searching for files or redesigning them from scratch. New weldment features automatically generate cut lists, dictate mitred/angled cuts, and for the first time enable the quick creation of curved segments. No software presents users with such a broad range of reusable parts nor makes them more easily accessible than SolidWorks.

Mould design

Building on the momentum of mainstream analysis software and the success of the COSMOSXpress embedded analysis product, SolidWorks 2005 now includes MoldflowXpress, a unique new feature for mould designers. The first mould design validation tool built into a solid modelling environment, MoldflowXpress enables mould designers to quickly and easily validate whether a plastic injection-moulded part can be filled. The software breaks down traditional communication barriers between product designers and mould makers, saving time, eliminating errors and fostering collaboration. No other mechanical design software includes this functionality. SolidWorks 2005 also offers a new side core feature for mould designers that automatically creates all side core and lifter geometry necessary to extract finished parts from moulds.

Consumer product design

SolidWorks 2005 for the first time brings high-end consumer product design capabilities into the mainstream 3D CAD market, enabling designers to make more attractive, functional products more quickly and affordably. These new features automate the design of companion parts, ultra-sleek curves and bodies that are bent, stretched, twisted or tapered. An industry-first Indent feature lets users automatically form a recess in a specified part based on a tool body. For example, SolidWorks 2005 can automatically design the base for an electric toothbrush using the toothbrush body for reference. The user need not specify additional inputs. Enhanced loft features automate the design of smooth, sleek, stylised surfaces to generate products with high consumer appeal. A new Flex feature lets users bend, stretch, twist or taper solid bodies at any point or region in any direction, enabling dramatic changes to geometry in fewer steps.

Enhancements for all users - system enhancements

A new Task Pane collects all files, folders, and content in a single window on the SolidWorks 2005 interface, enabling users to work efficiently without the frustration of hunting for the resources they need. Users can find, open, drag, and drop files without leaving the SolidWorks interface and can view a list of all files currently loaded into their SolidWorks session. Other usability upgrades include a patent-pending 'Select Other' feature that quickly peels away model faces to uncover interior parts.

New productivity features include an Auto-Dimensioning feature that automatically adds chain, ordinate, or baseline dimensions to all entities in a drawing view, letting users work faster than ever. A new DrawCompare tool highlights changes to any two drawings similar to the way Microsoft Word tracks changes in documents. New multi-user tools manage version control so users can cooperate as intended rather than waste time clarifying offline who did what when to which file. The new Design Binder also supports multiple users, letting them insert text or voice comments, files and links into a SolidWorks file to track design intent and progress.

System management

SolidWorks 2005 includes a number of enhancements for easier administration and improved performance. The software's new capabilities for simplified central administration of new and updated software save time for managers and ensure users have the latest tools. SolidWorks 2005 now includes the SolidWorks Rx tool, which helps users optimise hardware and operating system environment for maximum performance. And for the first time, SolidWorks 2005 permits users to borrow network licences even when disconnected from the network, enabling users to work in SolidWorks anytime and anywhere they have their laptop.

SolidWorks 2005 also provides two new ways to modify the user interface for enhanced productivity. A new Application-Specific User Interface presents users with functionality specific to their industry segment, eg, consumer, machine, sheet metal and mould design. The Copy Settings Wizard lets administrators provide consistent, custom sets of toolbars, menus, and icons to all of their SolidWorks users. By presenting users with the tools that apply directly to their design tasks, SolidWorks has streamlined the user interface while increasing designer productivity.

Data management

PDMWorks product data management software, embedded in SolidWorks Office Professional, now includes a Copy Project feature that lets users copy all the documents from an existing project into a new one - a way to save time, effort, and quality by reusing successful designs. PDMWorks also includes a simplified interface that enables authorised users to access documents in the vault without special commands.

Integrated analysis

Further building on the success of mainstream design analysis software, a new Displacement Value feature in COSMOSXpress automatically provides users with precise measurements for the movement of any object that displaces, shifts or bends during design.

AutoCAD users

SolidWorks continues to do more than any other company to serve 2D AutoCAD users who embrace 3D design solutions. For example, SolidWorks 2005 includes the DWGEditor tool, giving users the ability to edit 2D DWG files in their native format in an AutoCAD-like interface. The tool is ideal for design engineers who use 3D design software but need to periodically maintain legacy 2D designs. Other functionality added to help 2D users embrace 3D includes snaps, crossing select, repeat, trim, mirror, circle, and line features that help Autodesk users very quickly become proficient in SolidWorks software. Likewise, SolidWorks 2005 automatically creates associative part files and drawing files from Autodesk Mechanical Desktop files a user imports, including assemblies and assembly drawings. Changes made to one file will automatically be reflected in the other.

"Our ongoing efforts to help design engineers quickly bring innovations to market have confirmed SolidWorks as the number-one supplier of mainstream 3D mechanical design software," says SolidWorks CEO, John McEleney. "Customers are more satisfied with SolidWorks than any other 3D design product, and more AutoCAD 2D users choose SolidWorks than any other software. SolidWorks draws additional appeal from the expanding universe of users who bring their intelligence, creativity, and collaborative potential to the software. Together, as a community, we're building the bridge between ideas and innovation."

For more information contact Freek van den Berg, Mecad Systems, 012 665 1400.