Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
(OP)
Any thoughts from users on the available Solidworks tube routing and design package? We are considering this as a time and effort saving device since we do design a lot of airborne tubing systems here - fuel and hydraulics primarily. I have also heard that the new package has a harness routing capability - does it work well?
Just fishing for users input, thanks in advance for any replies.
Just fishing for users input, thanks in advance for any replies.






RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics
A hobbit's lifestyle sounds rather pleasant...... it's the hairy feet that turn me off.
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
There is a Harnessing option coming in the upcoming months also, may be an option when SP3 releases. Not sure on that. Routing is all 3D layout. Harnessing takes the 3D Routing and creats 2D Drawings (Peg Board) drawings with complete BOM and cut lengths. This area seems to be very robust for a v1.0 type product.
I thinks if you look at this over the next couple months, give the dealers a little time to get/learn the new products since SolidWorks and certian beta testing companies have it right now.
So you know why I know so much I work for a reseller and have just seen these new modules at the recent SolidWorks World 2004 User Meeting in Boston, MA. We see a big push by SolidWorks into the routing area. Should be great move for everyone.
SolidWorks is required to use Routing & Harnessing application. Routing and Harnessing are sold separate options if needed and not part of the base package.
I have used the Routing (formerly SolidWorks Piping) application for sometime and I can see SolidWorks is now spending a lot of development in this area.
I hope this helps in your questions.
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
Probably its major drawback was the lack of a pertinant library of fittings for the aerospace industry - AS, MS, SAE etc which would mean lots of man hours to build the desired fittings. We are trying to find out if any other companies have blazed a trail and are willing to part company or sell their end fitting details.
All in all, a pretty promising package which will gain from getting the next round of updates that, I believe, will add auto routing, clash detection etc.
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
The tubing functionality added in SolidWorks Routing was intended for applications like yours. To improve performance flared ends and similar treatments are not modeled, you add an end treatment value to your fittings, and the those extra lengths get automatically added onto the reported tubing cut lengths. The fittings are also where the minimum straight length value is stored, and you could edit the design tables for the parts to make it a larger value.
From one of the property managers for the tube, you can choose to create and export a tube bending file in *.txt format or as an *.html report. That file will show your lengths between bends, even thought the product doesn't yet provide a way to automatically limit it during the design stage.
To get more fittings you can download some free ones from the user section of 3D Content Central. The catch is that those are single configuration items and you will have to edit the parts to manually add the connection point that the SolidWorks Routing application uses to automatically connect and route tubes. (about 2 minutes per item)
If you still need more fittings, a web search can turn up the few independent CSWPs that do contract part content creation.
DesignSmith
www.DesignSmith-Services.com
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
As in many cases the best solutions is not the one chosen for political or financial reasons. In order for them to make this work they would have to do the file maintenance, and distribution for all the models, on each major release.
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
Solid Digital Digest reports that Harnessing Module is now released.
http://www.d-digest.com/soliddigitaldigest/v4i11/productnews.html
FAQ559-863
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
How can SW ask for beta testers and do a release? Or maybe the question should be, "Why?"
Ray Reynolds
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
Should know better than to trust the press
FAQ559-863
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
The heading says "now", but the text only says SW announced the enhancement (is going to happen?).
We forgive you, CBL - you were mislead by the media (well, fancy.......)
John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics
There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
RE: Tubing Package - positives / negatives??
Let's face it, virtually all the good journalists are deceased these days....
....yeah, and I'm pretty cynical about this subject.
Billy was half right... Don't just kill all the lawyers - put 'em with all the media types and give 'em a choice - death or go after SPAMMERS and virus queens for minimum wage and a bonus every time they catch and destroy one - heck I'd help fund that one! (For the uninitiated, it's an Eagles thing - "Get Over It")
Sorry to sound off - will try not to do it again.
I guess the point is we have to be careful even what we read in our own speciality technical press. Even they can be misleading sometimes (I'm sure accidentally in this case). So the best thing is to VERIFY with your VAR or the your SW regional manager. Not too difficult for us because she always shows up for our user group meetings - heck SW funds the eats and drinks - so we get pretty good support in that area.
John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics
There are only 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.