Solidworks releases a new version of their software every year without fail. And every year there is an impressive lineup of new and exciting features that improve productivity and add new possibilities to this powerhouse of the computer-aided design industry. Below is a list of 5 of the more impressive features in Solidworks 2020. Also, don’t forget to check out the latest Solidworks pricing and our dedicated CAD section.
1.     Detailing in Solidworks 2020
The detailing feature is a welcome addition for anyone who has had to work with drawings of large complex assemblies. This new tool allows the user to make a wide range of edits on a drawing file while still keeping things lightweight. When a drawing of a large assembly is opened, the program will ask what type of assembly file to open. If the detailing option is selected, a drawing will open without loading the whole assembly.
Key Takeaway
- Updating and modifying drawings of large assemblies has become a fast and efficient process that will streamline the detailing.
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2.     Markup in Solidworks 2020
This feature allows the user to markup existing 2D drawings and 3D models with ease. It’s ideal when drawings need to be reviewed and updated. The best way to make use of this new feature is with a touch-input device, but a standard mouse and keyboard can also be used to markup drawings. When the markups are complete, the drawing can be exported in several image and document formats.
Key Takeaways
- Paperless drawing reviews and markups can be shared to other team members in an efficient and simple system.
- Markups can be made directly in the model view of 3d models and the original orientation on which the markup was made can be displayed for the sake of clarity.
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3.     3D Printing in Solidworks 2020
Solidworks 2020 continues the trend of making it easier for models to be prepared for 3D printing directly within the software. New additions allow the user to select a printer from a comprehensive list of printers and check whether the part fits within the build volume.
Furthermore, the layer lines can be shown based on user inputs. Integration with third-party manufactures has also been improved to allow the user to get quotes from hundreds of service providers.
Key Takeaway
- It is becoming ever easier to handle the complete 3d printing workflow from one centralized place, eliminating the need to export to mesh files and then slice the part in another software package.
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4.     Flexible components in Solidworks 2020
Co
mplex assemblies often include components such as springs, bellows, cable sheaths, and others that are designed to be flexible. In order to see how these flexible parts behave when the rest of the assembly moves, users previously had to change the model for each configuration. However, with Solidworks 2020’s improved flexible component feature, parts can be made flexible and their fixed references can be selected so that whenever the assembly moves, the flexible component updates to show how it behaves. This also provides information on whether or not it will interfere with other parts of the assembly.
Key Takeaways
- Less time wasted on manually repositioning and remodeling flexible components
- This feature allows for greater understanding of how the flexible parts in your design interact during movement
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5.     Direct Mesh Editing in Solidworks 2020
Mesh files are becoming more common with technologies like generative design and 3D scanning. The output of these technologies take the form of surface files with no CAD-recognizable features. These files are notoriously difficult to work with as they typically cannot be directly edited and are often full of geometrical inconsistences and holes. Solidworks 2020 adds to its already robust set of mesh-editing tools by including filleting and delete & fill options to the mesh-editing toolkit.
Key Takeaway
With the continued expansion of the direct mesh editing toolkit, the editing process for mesh files is more streamlined.
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