SolidWorks 2016 – Improved Interface & Icons
SolidWorks 2016 offers an improved interface with a balanced color scheme and flexible customization. It supports high pixel density displays and will respond to Microsoft Windows scale settings. For information on all of Cimquest's solutions, visit https://cimquest-inc.com/
Using FDM Tooling in Investment Casting
Let’s explore investment casting and how FDM tooling can be employed in this distinctive process. Investment casting, also known as lost wax casting, is a centuries old process used to produce metal components with intricate geometries and precise details. In this process, molten metal is poured into a ceramic cavity, which is formed by a wax pattern. The wax pattern is dipped into a ceramic slurry, and then melted out once the ceramic shell hardens. Metal is poured into the shell and after cooling, the shell is broken and removed, revealing a finished end-use part. The advantages to this process are great surface finish, high dimensional accuracy, endless shape potential, and the ability to fill very thin sections. It is generally used in applications that have relatively low production quantities and changing product designs. Injection molds are typically used to form the wax patterns. However, since investment casting is used for intricate designs, these molds require complex core assemblies and can cause parting line flash. In addition, lead times to produce these molds are approximately two months, with high costs ranging between $5,000 to $25,000. A big problem for foundries is they cannot produce any castings until the wax mold is complete, so [...]
3D Printing Manufacturing Aids, Jigs, and Fixtures
(Excerpt taken from an article on www.machinedesign.com) Additive manufacturing allows engineers to test and make design adjustments without a capital investment in hard tooling. The lack of tooling makes it ideal for one-off parts like custom manufacturing aids. Two of the more popular 3D printing processes used in the creation of manufacturing aids are Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and Laser Sintering (LS). FDM deposits heated filament, similar to a hot glue gun. FDM can create complex parts using water-soluble support material to provide more design freedom. The LS process melts designs in a bed of powdered material that negates physical supports allows for intricate, interweaving, no-access features. Both LS and FDM processes use engineering-grade plastics with heat, smoke and toxicity ratings, chemical resistance and even materials with Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 85.853 ratings. Plastics used in LS and FDM processes are also lightweight compared to machined metals traditionally used for manufacturing aids. Thanks to design freedom, 3D printing allows for consolidated features, thereby reducing the total number of components and amount of material necessary to build complex parts. These material properties, along with a history of performance in the transportation, aerospace, and other high-impact fields, have made FDM and LS valuable processes for [...]
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SOLIDWORKS 2016 User Interface
Let’s take a look at the user interface in the new SOLIDWORKS 2016 release. It has improved scaling for high-resolution screens, a new icon style, and a redesigned triad. SOLIDWORKS 2016 supports high-pixel density displays and responds to the Microsoft Windows display scaling setting so the PropertyManagers and FeatureManager design tree uses your display scaling setting to display buttons and icons at an appropriate size. For toolbars, you can display SMALL, MEDIUM, or LARGE buttons by going to “options” in the standard toolbar, clicking “button size”, and selecting the desired size of buttons. You can also control the button size by going to Tools > customize and selecting an “icon size” on the “Toolbar” tab. You may have noticed that the once yellow and green feature icons in SOLIDWORKS 2015 are now blue and gray in 2016. The new icon style standardizes the perspective of icons and is consistent with the entire line of Dassault Systemes products. The new color scheme and use of highlights are easier to identify for color-blind users. Finally, you'll notice that the triad is redesigned to make it easier to control model orientation in 3D using selection handles and angle rotation. As you can see, the user interface [...]
Section 179 Deduction Helps Your Business
Do you know what Section 179 is? It’s a tax code that was created to help businesses. If you take advantage of it before December 31st you can fully deduct the price of business equipment and software investments purchased this year (2015). That makes now the perfect time to invest in a new 3D printer or software that your business could really use. Here is a quick overview of Section 179. Section 179 is a tax code created to help businesses. By allowing businesses to deduct the full amount of the purchase price of equipment (up to certain limits), Section 179 is a fantastic incentive for businesses to purchase, finance or lease equipment this year. Section 179 is valid on most types of equipment. There is little sense in allowing a deduction on only obscure equipment, so Section 179 is aimed at general business equipment as well as off-the-shelf software. If you use it in your business, it probably qualifies. Section 179 can greatly help your bottom line. By deducting the full cost, you lower the amount you pay for equipment and/or software substantially. And these benefits can be further expanded if you choose to lease or finance your equipment & software. Section 179 is simple [...]