What’s New in SOLIDWORKS Education Edition 2017-2018

SOLIDWORKS unveiled its Education Edition 2017-2018 last week and there are tons of new, exciting updates for educators. Here’s what you need to know:

SOLIDWORKS 3D Interconnect
  • Open proprietary 3D CAD data directly into SOLIDWORKS including Creo®, CATIA® V5, Solid Edge®, NX™, and Inventor® and retain associativity to the original file

Benefits: Work seamlessly with anyone and incorporate design changes dramatically faster.

Improved Large Assembly Performance  
  • New Asset Publisher, Ground Mates and Magnetic Mates speed equipment layouts
  • Replace sub-assembly with multi-body part and maintain downstream references; replace missing references all at once

Benefits: Speed design of large assemblies and layouts machinery and equipment.

More Powerful Modeling Tools
  • New Advanced Hole Wizard creates/reuses customized holes
  • Wrap Feature now for any surface; offset 3D curve on surface with multiple faces
  • Sheet Metal support for three-bend corners

Benefits: Faster, easier modeling with fewer picks and clicks.

Renderings and Animations with SolidWorks Visualize
  • SOLIDWORKS Visualize Professional now include in the Education Edition and Student* products installation.
  • Import animations and motion studies
  • Map SOLIDWORKS camera navigation and hot keys

*Not included in SDK.

Benefits: Simplified installation. Improved workflow between modeling, rendering, and viewing.

Faster 2D Drawing Creation
  • Reference and link to Bill of Material (BOM) table cell elements in annotations
  • Parametrically mirror drawing views without the model
  • Pre-defined layers

Benefits: Simplified, faster drawing creation.

6 Expanded Capabilities for Model Based Definition
  • Compare geometry and 3D PMI between two revisions
  • Define DimXpert 3D PMI more easily for drafted parts
  • Export STEP 242 with 3D PMI to automate CAM and CMM
  • Attach multiple files to 3D PDF to build Technical Data Packages (TDP)

Benefits: Ease the transition from 2D drawings to modelbased design (MBD).

7 Electrifying Electrical / Electronic Design
  • Electrical: automatic creation of schematic from a spreadsheet
  • Electrical: compound parts and accessories

Benefits: Improve productivity for electrical design with expanded capabilities.

8 Simplifying Design Validation
  • Simulation: display simulation results in SOLIDWORKS model; arc length control for nonlinear contact
  • Plastics: Part Mass can be used in addition to gate temperature for gate freeze and pressure holding time determination
  • Flow: Parametric Study now allows multi-parameter optimization

Benefits: Handle more use cases with expanded simulation and tackle more design scenarios with extended capabilities.

9 Integrating Design and Manufacturing
  • 3D Printing: import/export 3MF; import mesh data
  • Inspection: manual and selective ballooning
  • Costing: instant estimates from manufacturers via MySolidWorks Manufacturing Network

Benefits: Extending SOLIDWORKS capabilities for the manufacturing ecosystem.

Improved Data Management and Collaboration
  • SOLIDWORKS PDM: version overwrite; rollback with references; improved viewing
  • SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional: Vault Database Replication
  • eDrawings®: Augmented Reality (AR) for the Android™; 3D views and annotation views for assemblies; component descriptions; weld beads; undo/redo

Benefits: Collaborate at more levels and manage data more efficiently.

You can learn more about the 2017-2018 Education Edition here.

Contact us for pricing information or to renew or upgrade your existing license.

About the Author

Christine Archer

Christine joined Amtek Company as Marketing Manager in October 2014. She is responsible for planning, developing and executing all marketing and branding strategies, including corporate messaging development, lead generation, market research, web design, graphic design, ad development, budgeting, and media buying, among other responsibilities.