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Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer
3

Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

(OP)
I am currently running SolidWorks on a twin-chip 3 GHz Pentium processor with 3.5 GB available of RAM and a setting allowing up to 9 GB of virtual memory. Due to the large number/complexity of parts, the assemblies and drawings take an unreasonable time to load and edit. Load times are around 5 minutes, rebuild times of at least 1.5 minutes, and even adding text with no references takes exceedingly long. I have gone through many performance improvement settings and am still waiting all day. Is there documented information on performance improvements as a result of hardware upgrades? I do not want to get expensive hardware to find that the improvements in performance are not significant.

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

You have listed some but not the most important computer specification, your graphics card.  Please list brand, model and driver.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Also can we assume XP-Pro-x64 and SW2006-x64?

... and is that two chips or dual core?

Are you using the Large Assy options appropriately?
What size is the file?
How many TL mates? Please list the Assy Stats.
Do you have any/many large sketch or feature patterns?
Are you working locally or over a network?
PDM system?

cheers
Helpful SW websites  FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions  FAQ559-1091

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

How large and how complexed are you parts and assemblies.  Also how are you assemblies put together....all parts in one assembly? this is the slowest.  But if you build subassemblies then this will increase your performance.

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience every time.

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

(OP)
This Dell Precision 380 has a nVidia Quadro FX 3450/4000, 16X PCIE 256MB graphics adapter. I am using SW2006/SP4.1 and Pro-XP. The large assembly options are handled per SW website tech tips. The file is over 511kB. The assembly statistics are listed below. Unfortunately, production needs exact drawings so helixes and other demanding features are needed. All editing is done locally. The subassemblies are done as needed by production.

Total number of components: 585

Parts: 545
Unique parts: 267
Unique part documents: 207
Unique sub-asseblies: 38
Unique sub-assebly documents: 36
Resolved components: 19
Suppressed components: 115
Lightweight components: 451

Number of top level mates: 70
Number of top level components: 36
Number of bodies: 565
Maximum depth: 7

Thank you for your responses,
FrustratedUser

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Helixes are what are slowing you down.  Do you need the fully resolved helix-based models at the assembly level?  If you could use a representative configuration for them in the assy, you should see a vast improvement.  Leave the detail of these components at the part level.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Do you have the /3GB switch enabled in the "boot.ini" file?

The Helixes will definitely decrease performance. Try to use a simplified representation config in the assy. The true Helix config can be used for the detail drawing.

Also, try to find a SW user who has XP-Pro x64 and SW06/7x64 (your VAR maybe) to run a test using your assy. that's the only sure-fire way to know if the upgrade will be worth the expense.

cheers
Helpful SW websites  FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions  FAQ559-1091

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

(OP)
Thank you for your input - I have a SW representative helping with how to reduce process time, however I cannot sacrifice accuracy. I was hoping that someone might have information or a location where I can extract information about the effectiveness of using a more sophisticated machine. I do not want to put a Chevy engine in a Lamborghini.

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Well, getting to what CorBlimeyLimey was alluding to, you cannot make use of all that RAM with a 32-bit operating system like Win XP Pro.  You can use crazy amounts of ram by going with SW 64 and Win XP 64.

With helixes, however, I'd guess the best way to solve that is to get an extremely fast processor (dual-chips probably won't help with that sort of processing--I think that's single-thread processing only).

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe trumps reason.

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Are you using the latest drivers for your card... or the one that SolidWorks specifically tested & reccommends?

I'm about to roll-back to an older driver for my card.


Windows XP / Logitech "Premium" Optical mouse
SolidWorks 2006 SP0.0 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

FrustratedUser,

I have SolidWorks 2006 SP4.1 x64 running on my x64 Windows machine.

It is my understanding that drawing regeneration does take advantage of dual cores.  It is also my experiance that drawings do regenerate faster in the x64 Windows/SolidWorks enviroment.  It seems to be taking advantage of the dual core and increased RAM in my system.

Looks like you are using about the same system as I have (specs below).  We ordered a 32 bit system from Dell.  I added an additional Western Digital Raptor 10K rpm 36 Gig SATA drive.  I then set up a dual boot with x64 Windows and x64 SolidWorks on the second drive.

This would be a very economical upgrade that you could do.  I spent a bit under $250 at Newegg.com for the 36 Gig Raptor and Window XP x64 in mid May.

You should see benefits on the drawing side. Would it be enough to satisfy you, can't tell.  But I think it would worth a try.

Regards,

Anna Wood
SW06 SP4.1 x64, WinXP x64
Dell Precision 380, Pentium D940, 4 Gigs RAM, FX3450
www.auerprecision.com

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

(OP)
Can SolidWorks 2006 SP 4.1 open a file created with SolidWorks 2006 SP 4.1 x64?

Thank you all for your help,
FrustratedUser

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

Yes, you can open SW06 x64 files in SW06 x32 and vice-versa.

Regards,

Anna Wood
SW06 SP4.1 x64, WinXP x64
Dell Precision 380, Pentium D940, 4 Gigs RAM, FX3450
www.auerprecision.com

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

(OP)
What kind of results should I expect running Windows XP x64 and SolidWorks x64 on my 32-bit processor? The processor has the capability of running 64-bit applications and operating systems.

Thank you,
FrustratedUser

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

FrustratedUser,

I can't tell you that.  It is so dependent on your work environment, computer hardware/software, your specific design techniques and the type of parts, assemblies and drawings you create in SolidWorks.

You will probably need to see if you can get your VAR to show you a SW x64 system running Windows x64 with a representative sample of your SolidWorks files to see if a system upgrade would benefit you.

If you could upload a typical part and drawing that you think is slow I could open it up on my system and give you an idea of what time I am seeing for loads and rebuilds.

Regards,

Anna Wood
SW06 SP4.1 x64, WinXP x64
Dell Precision 380, Pentium D940, 4 Gigs RAM, FX3450
www.auerprecision.com

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

(OP)
What information about the work environment, computer hardware/software, design techniques, and assemblies and drawings, can I provide that would help arrive at a conclusion? A lot of this information is provided above in this thread, although I did say that my file size was 511kB when I meant 511MB. Also, due to the size, no. of parts, and proprietary nature, I will not be able to provide any parts. My company makes medical devices, so there are many small and complex parts.

Thank you,
FrustratedUser

RE: Performance Improvement W/ Better Computer

FrustratedUser,

My company does tool and die work, along with some automation lines.  Lots of blocks with holes.  The design environment I work in is much different then yours in terms of part complexity I am sure.  We have a stellar network, so we do not suffer from a slow network environment when working with files over the network.

A good example of design techniques from where I work is a milled JEDEC tray we where working on.  These are traditionally injection molded plastic parts but a customer needed one of milled aluminum for the processes they where running their parts through.

One of our engineers who is a die hard AutoCAD guy did the original model.  He worked it just like he would do it in  2D AutoCAD. His model/drawing took forever to regen, with the way he had set up his mirrors and patterns, etc.  His modeling technique was not optimized for making SolidWorks perform efficiently.

Later in the design workflow when I had to make a new tray, I remodeled his part from scratch, took a more 3d approach to the modeling with more efficient use of the features, etc.  I was able to get the model/drawing to regen in about 10% of what the original model would take.

Without seeing what you do it is very hard to say that you will get x amount of improvement if you use y hardware and software.

I beleive you will see improvement with a 64 bit system.  Only through your company actually testing your models and drawings, in your work environment can you know if it is enough of an improvement to justify the cost of rolling out to more of your users.

I would really like to see the 511kb file that is giving you so much grief.  That is a tiny file and should not be causing you so much trouble to open or rebuild.

Have you done an analysis of the feature statistics to see if maybe there are better model techniques that would allow the part to rebuild faster.  Is there a feature that is comsuming the biggest percentage of the rebuild.  Can it be model differently so SolidWorks will rebuild quicker.

I am also assuming the part in your example has no rebuild errors and if it is in an assembly you do not have any circular references that may be causing you issues.

Wish I could give you a silver bullet or holy grail to offer a solution for you.  It is never that black and white.

Regards,

Anna Wood
SW06 SP4.1 x64, WinXP x64
Dell Precision 380, Pentium D940, 4 Gigs RAM, FX3450
www.auerprecision.com

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