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CAD Manager Survival Guide Greg Jankowski SolidWorks Corp.

CAD Manager Survival Guide Greg Jankowski SolidWorks Corp. CAD Managers Survival Guide. Goals: Discuss a wide variety of aspects that make up a CAD admin Discuss methodologies and best practices What we will cover: Finding stuff Resources Computers and maintenance

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CAD Manager Survival Guide Greg Jankowski SolidWorks Corp.

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  1. CAD Manager Survival GuideGreg JankowskiSolidWorks Corp.

  2. CAD Managers Survival Guide • Goals: • Discuss a wide variety of aspects that make up a CAD admin • Discuss methodologies and best practices • What we will cover: • Finding stuff • Resources • Computers and maintenance • Getting more from your users • Automating the process • Wrap-up

  3. Finding Stuff

  4. Finding Stuff • Web search • Computer questions • Google (local, search, desk bar) • MSN Search Toolbar • SolidWorks Knowledge Base • SolidWorks questions • WDS (Windows Desktop Search) • Built into Vista • Microsoft Knowledge Base • http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1

  5. SolidWorks Customer Portal • Links • My Support • References • Downloads • Community • Discussion Forums • My VAR • News • Top Solutionswww.solidworks.com/customerportal

  6. Training & Support Web

  7. Links • Ten Linkshttp://www.tenlinks.com/ • MCAD Cafehttp://www.mcadcafe.com/ • Cadalysthttp://www.cadalyst.com/cadalyst/ • CADCAMNethttp://www.cadcamnet.com/ • SolidWorks Discussion Forumhttp://forum.solidworks.com/swforum/default.asp • SolidWorks User Groupshttp://www.solidworks.com/pages/news/usergroups/calendar.html

  8. Best Practices

  9. Best Practices / Standards • Why are they important? • Define common practices • Document • Share • Create your own • Keep it simple • Format (Microsoft Word .mht) and naming • How to create • Review existing materials • Have a user group meeting and discuss

  10. Best Practice Topics - Assemblies • Lightweight components and subassemblies • Save As Part • Configurations • Mating • Subassemblies (assembly structure) • Skeletons • Always resolve mate errors (assemblies) • Understand mate warnings (assemblies)

  11. Best Practice Topics - Parts • Feature order • Model only what you need (i.e., threads) • Pattern (geometry pattern) • Functional group features • Combine fillets and fillet order • Always resolve rebuild errors • Always resolve import errors • Use of Feature Statistics

  12. Best Practice Topics - Drawings • Standards (ANSI, ISO, etc.) • Use of lightweight drawings • High Quality and Draft Quality • Other performance options

  13. SolidWorks Express • Community Newsletter(no spam) • Tech Tips • Product News • 2 times / month • Customer Portal link orwww.solidworks.com/solidworksexpress • Get it sent to you

  14. Best Practices / Standards • Templates, templates, templates • SolidWorks Design Checker

  15. Configuring SolidWorks

  16. User Rights • Power User / Admin Rights for: • Installation Manager • Copy Settings Wizard • Conversion Wizard • SolidWorks Rx • Task Scheduler • Vista (User Access Control)(Control Panel Option)

  17. Setting and Options • Why is this important? • Configuration vs. Customization • DO NOT DEPLOY WITH DEFAULT SETTING! • Do not require users to setup SolidWorks • Document Templates • File Locations (Tools/Options) • If you customized anything, move it…

  18. SolidWorks Options • Types • System Options • Document Properties • System Settings • Windows registry • Copy Settings Wizard • Document Properties • Templates • File Locations

  19. SolidWorks Settings • Where they are stored • Initial install • Regedit • How to handle • Copy Setting Wizard • General and user based • Share (consistency) • New releases • System Vs. Document • Templates, templates, templates….

  20. Saving and Sharing Settings • Copy Settings Wizard (sldreg) • Define settings and share with other users • DO NOT INSTALLW/DEFAULT VALUES!

  21. Personalize (User Interface)

  22. Templates • Document Properties • Custom Properties • Save As Template • File Locations • Take the template pledge…

  23. Custom Properties • Metadata • Why is this important • Uses • Downstream application • Workflow automation • How to access • How to setup

  24. Common Files • Toolbox and the Hole Wizard • Select a Common Files location • Standalone vs. shared • Different versions

  25. Installation

  26. Greg’s Installation Rules • Do a new install instead of an upgrade • Backup setting, programs, etc. • Make a list and check it twice (do it right the first time) • Always uninstall the old version and finish the cleanup • Install directory, Windows registry • All customized files (Toolbox, templates, etc.) should be shared and on a network • Default values should be reviewed/shared each release • Use of Anti-Virus applicationswww.solidworks.com/swexpress/pages/sep05/TT_System_Maintenance.html

  27. Distributing Software and Updates • Individual install from CD • Easy, not scalable • Installation and are a manual process on each machine • Deployment Application • Cost, setup • Full control over all application • Administrative Images • Installation and updates are on the server only • Installation and updates can be done on the client machines via a link or web page (no user interaction)

  28. Installation Manager • There are two parts; Download and Install • Download • Downloads all the components • Determines what have and what you need • Install • Handles pre-requites and multiple install automatically • Can be use with Standalone and Admin image installs • Look at the defaults • Set and download off hours

  29. Administrative Images Keys: • Part of the Installation Manager for SolidWorks 2008 • Push on 1st install only • Updates only to server • Clients automatically updated • Define the SWOption.sldreg file before starting the Installation manager

  30. Data Management

  31. Data Management • One of the more valuable assets of your company is the data used to run the business • In engineering this is the data used to create, document, and design products • Data management is a vital function for protecting your companies’ data assets • The ability to easy work with, manage, reference, and communicate this data can be a key element in the success of a project or your company. • For large assemblies, a local workspace is a necessity. • How safe is your data?

  32. SolidWorks Data Management Global Product Lifecycle Management Enterprise Data Management Workgroup Data Management Personal File Management

  33. Process Re-Engineering

  34. Process Re-Engineering • Be critical of your practices and processes • Don’t automate a bad process • Look for ways to improve • Identify non-Value added tasks • Define and measure • Sell the value • Get help if needed

  35. API • Macros can be used to help reduce repetitive tasks. • Standardize – provides a standard set of ISO views for parts and assemblies between different users. This macro can also be used on the common part and assembly templates. • Automate – the manual creation of these views would be time-consuming and non-value added. This simple macro takes a second to run while the views would take minutes to create manually. It would also be difficult to create them consistently. • Macro recorder (How to use the journal file) • SolidWorksPerformance.log

  36. API • Examples • Workflow • Non-VA Tasks • Custom apps(Automation) • Where to Start • Examples • Documentation • Using the Macro recorder • Getting more help

  37. Resources • SolidWorks API help • SolidWorks API Web site • http://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/APIDownloads.html • Other links: • LENNY'S SolidWorks Resources - Macros • http://swtools.cad.de/macros.htm • http://nhcad.com/old/html/macros.html

  38. Computers

  39. Computer Configuration • RAM – lots of it!!!!!!!! • CPU Speed (P3, P4, AMD, Xeon) • Faster Video Card • Operating System (type, setup, swap, service packs) • Quality and type of hardware • x64 and 3GB mode http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hwdev/platform/server/pae/PAEmem.mspx

  40. Computer Configuration • SWAP (Virtual Memory) • Size • Contiguous space • Location • Min/Max • Fix a fragmented SWAP file • Graphics Cards Drivers • Uninstall then re-install • Initial install w/o network • Hardware acceleration

  41. Computer Configuration • Creating a Consistent Platform • Configure • Test • Image • Updating (SUS, Auto Updates) • Application Delivery • Options • Advantages • Forklift Test • Disaster recovery • System Restore

  42. System Requirements & Graphics Cards • System Requirements & Graphics Cardshttp://www.solidworks.com/sw/support/videocardtesting.html • Certified vs. Tested

  43. Computer Benchmarks • SPECapcSM for SolidWorks 2007™ • Download • Test and measure • SolidWorks Performance Monitor • Computer Performance Monitor • Burn-in testing • Test the hardware • Passmark’s BurnInTest • Test your own files • Keep posted…

  44. Network • Network • Topology • Speed • QOS • Server • Test and measure • Network Performance Monitor

  45. Security and Anti-Virus • Security • Windows Security Center • Internet Explorer • Anti-Spyware • Firewalls • Auto-Updates • Anti-Virus • Why its important • Auto-detect and update • Email • Performance • Turn off during install (not) • Exclude SolidWorks documents

  46. References & Tech Tips • Tech Tip - Increase your overall system performancehttp://www.solidworks.com/swexpress/mar04/200403_techtip_02.cfm • Tech Tip - How to evaluate your hardware requirementshttp://www.solidworks.com/swexpress/july02/200206_techtip_01p.html • SolidWorks Workstation Benchmarkhttp://www.spec.org/benchmarks.html#gpc • Cadalyst SolidWorks Rx: The Computer Doctor Is In • Cadalyst Select and Configure a CAD System

  47. System Maintenance • Sharp end of the Windows stick • Assembly line / Toolmaker (preventive maintenance) • Why • Reliability • Stability • Performance

  48. System Maintenance • Disk defragmenter • Free vs. commercial • Schedule • Real-time scan • Unfrag • Myths vs. reality • Clear temp and backup files • SolidWorks Rx

  49. References & Tech Tips • How to Display Performance Logs as HTML Fileshttp://www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/support/perfmon.asp • Windows NT Performance Monitorhttp://www.robertmoir.co.uk/win/WindowsNTPerformanceMonit.html • Microsoft Knowledge Base ArticlesMicrosoft Support Knowledge Base • File Lock or Access Denied Error Message When You Save Files Over the Networkhttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;812937 • Shared file access is delayed if the file is open on another computerhttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;150384 • HOW TO: Use Network Monitor to Capture Network Traffichttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B812953

  50. Troubleshooting and SolidWorks Rx

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