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What are Onshape Custom Features?

Certified Onshape Professional Too Tall Toby explains how to supercharge your workflow using community-created tools. In this insightful tutorial, he dives into the world of FeatureScript -- the powerful coding language behind Onshape. Learn where to find new scripts and how to use them. Save time. Learn new skills, shortcuts, and maybe even better ways to do things. Incorporate Custom Features into your everyday work. Very useful.
View the video.

What can the new Autodesk Inventor AI Assistant do for you?

Autodesk Assistant brings industry-specific context to help execute tasks and orchestrate actions across your 3D models -- not just answer questions. Designed to understand your workflows, Assistant appears as a dockable panel alongside your Inventor workspace and includes the ability to perform complex tasks or gather information from your designs without writing a single line of code. Find out what this new AI "colleague" can do for you.
Watch this informative Autodesk video.

AI and collaboration in SOLIDWORKS

Discover AURA, the new AI assistant built into SOLID-WORKS, in this informative video from TriMech Group. What can AURA do for you? It can streamline workflows and make collaborating on and tracking projects even easier, for starters. Other top features of SOLIDWORKS Design 2026 are also covered. Some good tips here.
View the TriMech Group video.

Digital Engineering: How a private jet gets a high-end refurb

Ever wonder how private jets get overhauled from standard OEM layouts to exotic, artful interiors? It takes engineering expertise, specialty design skills, and true craftspeople. Increasingly, it also takes automation provided by middleware to weave a digital thread through CAD, BOM, ERP, and PDM software.
Read the full article.

How AI is quietly transforming simulation

Is AI really useful, or is it just a passing trend? Balavignesh Vemparala, an R&D Engineer II at ANSYS, lays out a compelling case for how artificial intelligence is already hard at work in the simulation world with real results for users. From faster solves to accelerated workflows, improved quality and traceability, generative models, and more, discover what you might be overlooking when it comes to real-world AI application. Worth the read.
Read this informative ANSYS blog.

SOLIDWORKS 2026 assembly updates: GoEngineer

In this GoEngineer video, you can learn how SOLIDWORKS 2026 is making assembly workflows smarter, faster, and more efficient. Explore the latest enhancements to assemblies, including: streamlined display and configuration tables, AI-assisted fastener mating, improved performance for lightweight components, and more.
View the GoEngineer video.

Xometry's CAD Add-Ins: Get instant pricing, lead times in your workspace

Xometry's add-ins for SOLID-WORKS, Fusion, and Onshape allow engineers and designers to purchase custom manufactured parts within their preferred CAD workspace. These no-cost add-ins analyze the geometry of CAD designs and allow users to select their preferred material, process, and part quantity to get real-time pricing and lead times. This seamless integration of custom manufacturing quotes allows you to move efficiently through your product development process.
Get the Xometry add-in for your favorite CAD program today.

Mastercam 2026 is here!

Mastercam 2026, the powerhouse for precision machining, is packed with exciting new features designed to boost productivity and streamline workflows. Highlights include: enhanced solid hole functionality, classic mill toolpath support in Mill-Turn, new levels and planes managers, PrimeTurning enhancements, the all-new AI-powered Mastercam Copilot programming assistant, and a whole lot more.
Learn about all the new features.

Automatically generate technical drawings in SOLIDWORKS 2025

Did you know you can generate 2D technical drawings directly from a part or an assembly environment automatically with SOLIDWORKS 2025 release FD01? What a great feature for creating tech manuals, detailed production drawings, and more. Learn from the experts at TriMech Group how this tool "eliminates repetitive setup tasks and helps you focus on real engineering and design."
View the video.
Like this tip? Learn how to create an exploded view too.

10 best updates from the last 5 years: SOLIDWORKS

Follow along with the experts at TriMech Group as they chronicle the top feature updates in SOLIDWORKS. Are you still using SOLIDWORKS 2020 -- or an even older version? Find out what you are missing, such as: enhanced rendering and new technical drawing tools; improved file sharing, collaboration, and workflows; advanced customization and UI improvements; faster and more efficient assemblies and simulations; and more.
View the TriMech video.

What's new in Creo Parametric 11.0?

Creo Parametric 11.0 is packed with productivity-enhancing updates, and sometimes the smallest changes make the biggest impact in your daily workflows. Mark Potrzebowski, Technical Training Engineer, Rand 3D, runs through the newest functionality -- from improved surface modeling tools to smarter file management and model tree navigation. Videos provide extra instruction.
Read the full article.

SOLIDWORKS 2025: Sheet metal design top features from an expert

Find out what's new in SOLIDWORKS 2025 when it comes to sheet metal and weldments, and learn some valuable tips and tricks along the way from TriMech. Topics covered include copying cut list properties, bend notches, tab and slot enhancements, groove beads (a new type of weld bead), performance enhancements, and more. When you're done, check out TriMech's full YouTube channel filled with educational material.
View the video.

Tech Tip: How to create high-quality STL files for 3D prints

Have you ever 3D printed a part that had flat spots or faceted surfaces where smooth curves were supposed to be? You are not alone, and it's not your 3D printer's fault. According to Markforged, the culprit is likely a lack of resolution in the STL file used to create the part.
Read this detailed and informative Markforged blog.

Can SOLIDWORKS run on a Mac in 2025?

According to SOLIDWORKS experts at TriMech, there's good news and bad news when it comes to the possibility of running the popular product development solution on a Mac. This video covers the possibilities and the limitations, including tweaks that may be helpful. Check out TriMech's full YouTube channel for tons of helpful tips.
View the video.

Supercar of the skies: Autodesk Alias design

Learn how Hill Helicopter is using Autodesk Alias to design the innovative HX50, the "supercar of the skies." The next-gen, private copter marries high-end automotive and aero design and materials to create a futuristic flying five-seat SUV for a discriminating clientele. A neat insider look.
View the video.

Design without limits: Dassault Systemes unveils the SOLIDWORKS 2014 product portfolio

SOLIDWORKS 2014 is here.

The new release, including 3D CAD, Simulation, Product Data Management, Technical Communication, and Electrical Design, delivers major productivity and usability gains and allows companies to spend more time on knowledge-centric tasks that help push innovation to the forefront.

Productivity boosters, workflow, and mobility enhancements enable users to re-use data more dynamically, expediting the sharing of design data to help accelerate collaboration within product development. Added mobility support for Android and iOS devices allows the more than 2.1 million SOLIDWORKS users to connect and experience new 3D designs anywhere and anytime.

Sharing and gaining early support of 3D models is also done through physical prototypes working with SOLIDWORKS' 3D-printing partners. With eDrawings, companies can view 3D designs and demonstrate how products behave in the real world through an Augmented Reality 3DExperience on any iOS device, such as an iPad or iPhone.

The integrated SOLIDWORKS 2014 product portfolio includes new tools and enhancements to shorten the design process, enhance collaboration, and increase productivity across four key areas: design tools, integrated workflows, performance increases, and enhanced visualization for improved collaboration. Following are the top user-requested feature enhancements included in SOLIDWORKS 2014:

DESIGN TOOLS

• Advanced Shape Control - New Style Spline functionality, automatic Sketch Picture scaling and Conic Fillet controls allow users to create complex surfaces and organic shapes faster, easier and with more precise control.
• Faster Drawing Detailing - Perform faster and more automated drawing detailing.
• Sheet Metal Improvements - New sheet metal features enable faster creation of sheet metal geometry and improved data output for manufacturing. Users gain improved control over corner treatments, the ability to create stiffening ribs such as the indented design seen on mounting brackets used to reinforce the weight and force placed on the part.

INTEGRATED WORKFLOWS

• SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM Streamlined Workflow - Easily manage more data with the new Microsoft Office integration and enhanced Web Client with graphical preview.
• SOLIDWORKS Electrical Improved Integration and Performance - Enhanced integration with SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM and eDrawings allows users to optimize, share and track electrical designs more easily for improved project collaboration.

INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY

• Design Communication and Collaboration - With new support for Android devices, mobile users can expand their viewing choice beyond iOS mobile devices.
• Streamlined Cost Estimating and Reporting - Users are able to cost parts faster with less setup, then share cost data more effectively with their business value chain. For example, key product development data for assembly can now be sent to Microsoft Excel allowing for easy sharing with departments such as manufacturing and purchasing.

ENHANCED VISUALIZATION

• Streamlined Simulation Setup - SOLIDWORKS Simulation automatically leverages engineering data for re-use in simulations, eliminating duplication of effort and improving design collaboration.
• Enhanced Assembly Performance and Visualization - Creates assemblies faster and easier with the new in-context Quick Mate tool bar and Slot Mate. For assembly in section views, users can include or exclude selected components allowing for a fast creation of more impressive section views.

Availability and pricing
For more information about SOLIDWORKS 2014, including video demonstrations, visit: http://www.solidworks.com/PR_launch2014. SOLIDWORKS 2014 is currently available worldwide through SOLIDWORKS authorized resellers.

For more information or to discuss pricing with an authorized reseller in your region, please visit: http://www.solidworks.com/locateVAR/.

If you are interested in attending a live seminar on SOLIDWORKS 2014, please visit: http://www.solidworks.com/launch/find-a-seminar.htm.

Source: Dassault Systemes

Published November 2013

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