Solidworks Performance Problems
Solidworks Performance Problems
(OP)
Questions about performance:
Is anybody having problems with Solidworks performance
issues with assemblies over 200 pieces?
Yes, we have already talked to Solidworks and our
system which is a Dell workstation PWS530 with a
Xeon Chip running at 1.8 GHz and 1 GB or Ram.
Our video card is NVidia 900 XGL with the driver
from April is considered an excellent system
according to Solidworks.
The only thing Solidworks tells us is that its the
video card. Does anyone else have any suggestions?
Solidworks doesn't seem to have an answer and when
your computer locks up when you try and save or print
a document something is definately wrong.
Is anyone still running NT 4.0 with Solidworks 2003
or 2004 and if you are, are you having problems. It
seems 2000 NT stability is questionable at the moment
with Solidworks.
Is anybody having problems with Solidworks performance
issues with assemblies over 200 pieces?
Yes, we have already talked to Solidworks and our
system which is a Dell workstation PWS530 with a
Xeon Chip running at 1.8 GHz and 1 GB or Ram.
Our video card is NVidia 900 XGL with the driver
from April is considered an excellent system
according to Solidworks.
The only thing Solidworks tells us is that its the
video card. Does anyone else have any suggestions?
Solidworks doesn't seem to have an answer and when
your computer locks up when you try and save or print
a document something is definately wrong.
Is anyone still running NT 4.0 with Solidworks 2003
or 2004 and if you are, are you having problems. It
seems 2000 NT stability is questionable at the moment
with Solidworks.






RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
I'm running on Win2k with 1g memory, dual 1.7ghz processors (I know, not much help with SW) and an Elsa GLoria III graphics card (a bit dated now, but still good). I work with assemblies that range from 400-900 fullt resolved parts with no problems.
It's not realy a question of how many parts, but rather what type of parts you have modeled. Stay away from helix-based models if you can, especially hardware. There shouldn't be a need to show that level of detail for hardware. Try using component patterns of hardware instead of individual instances.
What's your network looking like? Try to ensure you have a 100mb connection instead of the standard 10mb.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
My biggest file is 97,000kb and runs very slow.
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
I normally use Win2000 Pro and have excellent stability and performance for my 3-year old machine.
Jeff Mowry
DesignHaus Industrial Design
http://www.designhaus-i-d.com
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
See site for clarifications
If your opening your files over a network, then try moving them local and see what kind of speeds you get.
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

3DVision Technologies
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
FAQ559-715
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
Of course the image wasn't so smooth, but I could work on that
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
I had the same Photoworks problem and questioned SW about it:
Photoworks needs your TCP/IP installed.
Apparently, it wants to talk out.
Preferably, SW - which is clearly pushing the limits of what a PC can do - should not be on a system which connects to all the junk on the internet. You can disable (untick) the TCP/IP and Photoworks will still run.
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
Thanks! I'll need to try that. Where are the settings located to disable ("untick") the TCP/IP so Photoworks will cooperate?
Jeff Mowry
DesignHaus Industrial Design
http://www.designhaus-i-d.com
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
For example, who needs a freeking shadow dragging round on their cursor?! Nobody needs the CPU to be constantly calculating that stuff real time. You would think that if Mr. Gates insists on cute little graphics widgets he would have the decency to hand them off the the graphics board.... but nooooo it drags down the CPU every time you move the mouse.
3/4 of all the Spam produced goes to Hawaii - shame that's not true of SPAM also.......
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
If you are getting crashes in assemblies that only have 4 parts, and it's effecting your productivity, it might be time to consider getting a more up-to-date system. The more functionality that SW Corp adds to SW, the more computer-intensive it gets.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
From what I read... I would say you need about 3 updates:
Video card
RAM
OS
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

3DVision Technologies
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
That sounds like you Graphics card Luca83. You didn't list your card... but 512 is better than 256 like Nimbus is running. I ran 512 on a 870Mhz computer up till about a month ago and mine SW ran great then. Now it runs better with my new machine. 1.7GHz isn't that bad either!
Regards,
Scott Baugh, CSWP

3DVision Technologies
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
Running a 3Dlabs 64MB card, which yes its a good card, but when you have an Assembly with 5 parts when each of those parts has over 300 features a piece (like the one im currently working on, biggest part has 517 features) it starts to get shakey.
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
Once the design is complete, you can switch back to your Feature-heavy configs of your parts for Production.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
I do knit to a closed volume and thicken the surface to create a solid body out of my surface model, but the problem is I end up having over 300+ features in a part when im at the point of creating a solid.
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
As for your single processor problem, make sure both of your fans are working. On the system I have, one of the fans went out, and the system shut down that processor. I didn't even notice until I brought up my Task Manager one day and noticed only one CPU being charted. So a $5 fan was the problem. Replaced it and everything was good.
MadMango
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
RE: Solidworks Performance Problems
I know this ain't really on the post but it may be of interest to some of you.
I just got me a Thermaltake V1000 series case.
7 liquid fans, adjustable speed!!
Also Ttake power unit with 2 fans on it (420W).
Its quieter than my old single fan piece of crap.
Not bragging just informing.
Well worth £150.
One love