Gradual progression on solidworks to avoid bad habits

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Hello

I am a welder boilermaker living in New Zealand. I have always been relatively comfortable with computer tools. One day my boss asked me to make a drawing of a customizable table for a client.  Different storage, a hanger system (the bars above etc) (see the small pdf below if interested).

The truth is that I did this by accumulating tutorials on solidworks via youtube starting from 0. However, I realized that I was wasting a lot of time by repeating manipulations. (normal, beginner). In New Zealand it's not like in France. No one really matters at the university level. You are capable, you invest yourself, you have the job.

So I'm going to start my new job as a drafter in 6 months. First of all, these are basic things (railings,  small staircases, metal support for construction, in short nothing that my responsibility and my lack of experience could create an accident ). This allows me to identify a certain number of themes (repetition of line of elements, position on a plane, assemble elements together).

 

When I designed the table I first realized the importance of mentioning whether the dimension is outside or inside (position of welded mechanical element). Then I created all my element shifts directly with the sketch (half thickness offset or  a thickness according to my needs etc ...) then I realized (no longer from the point of view of a worker) that this drawing is absolutely not operational and practical.

 

- list of elements to be cut to organize by type  (the 40*40*4   in the same table)

- create sub-assemblies

( in manufacturing there are real constraints such as space. Maybe break down my drawing into 2. Have my table in one part of the drawing and then the kind of upright welded to the back in another drawing. An operator will make all the cuts at once everything will be mixed on his palette. The more elements a set contains, the more the error factor increases.)

How to properly assemble 2 elements that need to be welded?

When is it wiser to make an assembly rather than an integration into a sketch?

How do I change a rotation of a repeat element?

How in an assembly to position an element on a plane (without a reference edge).

How in the mechanical welding object I can position a pipe since there is no star point of positioning (I pay a beer the one who responds to this one)

So as strange as it may seem, I am not asking you to answer:D even if the answer interests me.

I don't want to have to ask 150 questions on this forum just because I didn't take the time to  take an interest in a subject and wait for the solution of one of you. 

The introduction was long but here is the real question!

Where to start to get into a good work habit for a beginner?

Is there a platform where I can see each function/trick  step by step?

I can arrange myself about 8 hours of practice I just want to make sure I am as efficient as possible without pretending to become a master in the field. Just get good habits for a good start. I am also ready to invest financially if necessary (in the measurement of the resonable).

 

Sorry for the paver, remove my spelling (I'm in qwerty and I don't write too much in French anymore)

Thank you for your time

 

Fleow

 

 

 

 

 

 


test2total.pdf
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hello @  Fleow

for the beer it's not going to be easy ;-)

I have viewed your PDF

You say you're a boilermaker welder, is there anything that shocks you about your plan?

Personally for me, structurally it's scary

think about it a little ;-)

@+ ;-)

PS: and in mechanical welding have tolerances of 25/100 ?????????????

 

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Hello

Ok with gt22, you won't have to put anything heavy on your table.... And for the grievances, if you're in the mm, it's already really beautiful.

For the rest, I think that starting with the tutorials provided with SW is a good start, where you will learn the basics and how to use the right methods with the right tools. With SW, there are several ways to do the same thing, as to whether this one is faster than another, it's up to you to try it.

As for the welded mechanic, SW has (in my opinion) all the tools to do everything you want. As well as the sheet metal module, which are the 2 most used modules in boilermaking / locksmithing.

Maybe see to train yourself more specifically on this... the Net is full of tutorials, some of which are very well done, and if you master English, you will have even more choice.
It's true that it takes time to redo, but you have a visual and audio support, it's still better than getting SW's help to understand how to do this or that.... And then there are the forums, a huge source of knowledge

As for work habits, we all have them I think, are they the best.... Do we never waste time? Are we all super productive?...... I doubt it

Good luck

A+

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Thank you for your feedback,

Obviously the tolerance is not adequate. I more or less fiddled with tolerances. I didn't look too the tolerance setting. For your information, in stainless steel yes we work at +/- 1 mm however as the long intro states, I don't master the software and I'm aware of it.

This table is in fact for sorting fish for an industrialist. The design of the table itself is a copy of an already existing table. So I assume that the support is suitable for the customer's requirements. And yes I won't jump on it with momentum.

Of course there will be a missing leg / reinforcement between my table and my lower part (with a kind of grid located below). I will even go further, this reinforcement will also prevent the deformation of the top of the support due to the heating of the weld because we could point a transverse piece between the legs to lock the whole of my table to avoid deformation  especially with stainless steel which tends to move a lot even 5 min after welding. 

but in a pinch, that's not the purpose of my message but I always appreciate feedback:)

Ok I'll see what I can find for beginners. I was perhaps hoping for a reference like at the time of my studies (the site of the zero) more oriented for the practice of solidworks. 

Thank you;)

 

 

 

 

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Hello

To learn much more about industrial design, I recommend the Industrial Designer's Guide. A lot of information is indicated and it remains an essential documentation in many situations. This pretty blue book of about thirty euros will help you with the design, the drawing, the tolerances, the choice of components and the creation of specifications among others...

The one with the blue cover is the most recent (and it is also available in digital format)

P.S: Editions Hachette

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Hello

 

Quite a difficult question as every cartoonist has these habits, whether good or bad, we all have our way of drawing. It also depends on the company's policy and what we need to draw. Above all, you have to make the basis of the 3D model well, then you have to know where you want to get and simplify your life...

 

As we can see on this forum, some are more comfortable with the surface of others in volume, sheet metal or welded construction....  Some are good at simulation or API ... It all depends on the company, in general you learn a lot more on the job than at school. Practice makes perfect!

 

That being said, I just found this little PDF that explains a lot of things about Sldw: http://www.echoumac.com/telechargement/aide_solidworks2.pdf

 

From what I've seen, he goes around a lot of things and you have a lexicon to avoid spreading yourself too thin in things that will be useless to you.

 

It's a pretty complete software and I don't know anyone who masters this software 100% or 80% I think it's hard to find, even the creators/programmers are specialized in a function.

 

Kind regards

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7

Hello

As said by previous users, you're bound to forge your own design method. But to help you, as far as possible, if your design includes mechanically welded elements and/or sheet metal elements, you can do everything in the part mode (you free yourself from assembly constraints!), if on the other hand your design must include other elements, then work in the assembly mode by inserting your mechanically welded design.

Indeed, the SW Sheet Metal and Welded Construction modules are very complete and you can watch/do the tutorials in the "SOLIDWORKS Tutorials" section. This can give you a good foundation to start with and above all not to take bad habits as you say.

Good luck!

Kind regards


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As @jmsavoyat said, the basis of the base is to do the integrated SW tutorials. it will give you the vocabulary and normal functioning of SW.

Then, for the mechanical-welding part, you may need to make your profile library (depending on the sizes you have in the workshop).

For the choice between doing in a room or an asm, I would say that if it can be disassembled (except for grinder...) it's an asm, otherwise it's a part.

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Good evening / Hello,

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer. 

Ok I see, unfortunately this week I'm going to run out of time. I will take a closer look at all the references you have sent. The thing is that so far I have done a lot of tutorials on how to do linear repetitions, how to do a repetition by curve, how to avoid the mother-in-law , but I have a hard time really putting a path by level or a degree of utility (the tutorial for the mother-in-law didn't work ;()   . So I think that with the accumulation of projects a certain number of things will reappear which will make me integrate the tool.

We'll see:)

 

Thanks again