What's New in Solidworks 2018

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Hi all!!!

We have just updated our Solidworks 2017 to Solidworks 2018. We are a design office of 4 people in the field of special machines.

Based on your feedback for Solidworks 2018 users, what are the main new features you have discovered? And also what are the new tips and tricks that you have discovered?

We have gone through the various documents on the new Solisworks 2018 features, but the feedback is often more profitable for users.

Thank you for your answers and thank you for sharing your different experiences of Solidworks 2018.

 

 

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Hello

The big novelty, but you have to have the PRO or PRO premium version, is topological optimization. Very good for lightening the rooms when necessary.

Convenient touch interaction on SurfacePRO computers

The other thing is the freehand pencil that generates clean sketches.

Solidworks MDB to no longer use paper plans while having all the dimensions in 3D. (In aviation this is the trend).

Improvement of the MEP and in particular everything that is a hole (the MEP is the weak point of SW)

Scaling the representation on High Resolution monitors (I've been waiting for it for ten years) because for those with experience we look at a rod of 10 we know more or less its resistance but with the vision on the screen we can have the impression that it makes a Ø of 30. Until now I was dezoo and I measured with a ruler on the screen to get the scale 1.

Automatic mortise tenon creation (Ouf !!)

Solidworks Vizualize has a lot of improvements, including 3D mouse support (Free only if you are under maintenance) VR support.

Here you go

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Hello

 

For my part I went from 2014 to 2018 (view 2015 and 2016 didn't work at the pack and go level)

- Then the takeaway composition is called pack & go, .... It looks pretty and not very French anymore. The drawing(s) is automatically checked.

- It is possible in a sketch to use the planes to make a symmetry instead of using an axis. but is valid for the moment that at the creation, let me explain:

You make a line, you select your plane + line and then on mirror, there it works, on the other hand if you make 2 lines that you want to make symmetrical with a ba plane there it doesn't work (already reported to technical support)

- On the other hand, in a 3d sketch you can, finally, use symmetry to create or constrain via a plane. (I use this function a lot, it simplifies 3D sketches enormously)

- In an assembly for symmetries, the order of selection has been reversed again ( back to 2009 version), you have to first select the axis or the plane and  then the 2 parts with symmetrical recess. (There should be an option to choose the order of selection)

- On the other hand, be careful with the functions: Quick Sketch, Instant 2D and 3D and Shaded Sketch Contours that I personally deactivate right away on a new SolidWorks

The shaded sketch outline allows when you have 1 or more closed geometry to select the inside of a rectangle for example as if it were a surface, personally it bothered me from the beginning... so garbage :p

- One option should be by default and that I find dangerous is: modify the dimensions during the drag/drop operation in the option/sketch menu (7th checkbox)

- at the import level of components other than SW it no longer converts them but remains in the native file. (unless option disabled in the import/export menu)

 - Support for . OBJ among others but that imported... Too bad for those who boss with a 3D max + SW (but if we can take the whole Autodesk suite for that)

- Oh yes very useful.... Switching  icons to blue/gray instead of the good old yellow/green you can change in option/ colors/color of icons: classic (1st list)

- Another thing in the series not practical, it's before the recent files were directly accessible in the file menu, there if you have a part already open, it's in file/open recent  (only when opening SW it remains in the file menu)

These are the main changes I have noticed which are not always practical or even dangerous for some. (an unfortunate click on your sketch and your rating is no longer good is the worst idea)

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Not sure if it's a new feature for 2018 (for me if :p) is to use the TAB key to hide a component in an assembly, very practical.

There have also been changes on the visual side on the parent/child relationships of the functions.

 

Oh yes there is also for the angular dimensions, before you had to use a straight line so that the dimension hangs on it now you don't need to, you select your edge that you want to dimension then the pivot or rotation point and there you have to choose one of the 4 arrows it offers you (one per direction) ( I love this function)

I only have the basic version so I let Zozo take care of the pro  functions;) In any case, we didn't duplicate it.

 

If I see any more, I will of course add them

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In a sketch it is possible to select a chain of a construction geometry, before for a rectangle you had to select the 4 lines.

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Hello

You can find all the new SOLIDWORKS 2018 features explained by CAD experts here:

- Documentation: https://www.visiativ-industry.fr/solidworks-2018-nouvelles-fonctionnalites/ 

- Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pjqi1XSLY5A 

Have a good day everyone!

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@FUZ3D: the masking of parts by the key has been around for a very (too?) long time.
Personally I hate it: classically on Windows, to switch from one document to another you do ctrl+tab (like Alt+tab to switch from one program to another), if by misfortune, at that moment you are on a part (not selected, just the cursor on the part), bam the part is hidden and you haven't changed the window, so waste of time.

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