It’s the first day after the holiday season, and it’s back to the grind for us here at TriMech. Our team is looking forward to an exciting new year. But first, we wanted to take a look back on what you loved in 2015.
From tips and tricks to customer interviews and thought-provoking articles, we covered a ton of great 3D technology topics. We compiled a list of the most popular blog posts of the year in case you missed them.
1. SLA vs. PolyJet [Technology Review]
Every company makes claims to print parts that have the look and feel of a product fresh off the line. However, if you’re more than a hobbyist it is important to understand the different types of precision 3D printing technologies available. This blog discusses the differences between Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA) from 3D Systems and Triple Jetting Technology (PolyJet)from Stratasys.
2. SOLIDWORKS To Retire Workgroup PDM: What This Means For You
SOLIDWORKS is changing the future availability of SOLIDWORKS Workgroup PDM (WGPDM). The product has reached the limit of what it can do with its architecture, but not to worry. There is plenty of time to plan for your future data management needs. We’ve got the current timeline for what will take place over the next three SOLIDWORKS releases.
3. 12 Questions with KSU Motorsports: 3D Printing For Formula SAE
We had a chance to sit down with the KSU Motorsport’s president, Alec Blair, a Senior at Kennesaw State University majoring in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He was able to give us an in-depth look at the impact 3D printing has on their team’s performance and the school’s engineering program.
4. Access SOLIDWORKS EPDM From Any Device
SOLIDWORKS Enterprise PDM Web2 is a new web client that can be used on virtually any device, including smart phones and tablets. It’s also browser independent and requires no client installation. SOLIDWORKS EPDM Web2 provides SOLIDWORKS EPDM customers the ability to access and manipulate their data as long as they have internet access.
5. SOLIDWORKS & Windows 10 Compatibility: What You Need To Know
Before you jump to #UpgradeYourWorld, we must look past all the shiny new bells and whistles and find out the answer to the most important question: “Is SOLIDWORKS compatible with Windows 10?”
6. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Design Your Own SOLIDWORKS Lightsaber
Years ago, I remember watching the movies with my family, dressing up as Darth Maul on Halloween and having lightsaber battles with the other neighbor kids. As I got older, so did my appreciation for the movies. Each time one was released, I would go back and re-watch all of the previous films to build suspense and try to get prepared for the next big thing. This year, I found one more way to build excitement and prepare for The Force Awakens. I designed and built my own lightsaber in SOLIDWORKS!
7. BOM What? Viewing Your Bill Of Materials In SOLIDWORKS EPDM
SOLIDWORKS EPDM allows you to view Bill of Materials (BOM) directly in the interface without installing a native CAD utility. Let’s take a look at the EPDM interface and how you can configure your BOM views.
8. Want To Save Rebuild Time In SOLIDWORKS? Use The Geometry Pattern Tool
When patterning a feature in SOLIDWORKS, you’ve surely been intrigued by the geometry pattern option. It doesn’t scream for attention, so it can be easy to gloss over or shrug off with simple ‘meh.’ But before you disregard it completely, you should know exactly what geometry pattern means and how it can reduce rebuild time and file size.
9. 5 Reasons Surface Modeling Is A Needed Skill
To fully appreciate and understand why surfacing is important as a modeling skill, you need to first understand the structure of a 3D model. In the early days of 3D CAD, modeling was done by first creating a 3D skeleton using wireframe geometry made up of lines, arcs and splines. Then, each face of the skeleton was used to create a surface patch, which together formed the shape of the 3D model. This logic is still the basis SOLIDWORKS and most other advanced 3D CAD software today.
10. Do Microns Matter in 3D Printing?
If you own a 3D production system or have considered 3D printing as a solution, it is important to understand what is more important for your application: dimensional accuracy and repeatability or resolution. This blog will discuss why layer thickness is listed in microns and why they matter in 3D printing.
What was your favorite blog post this year? What would you like to see in 2016? Leave us a comment below and let us know.
Happy New Year!
