Automated Design Validation The Solid Works Api

Automated Design Validation with the SolidWorks APIPaul Gimbel, Business Process Sherpa

Razorleaf Corporation

What You Will Hear In This Session

• Automating SolidWorks Simulation programmatically

• BUT THAT’S NOT IT

• Tools within SolidWorks to do design validations

• This an ADVANCED session

Assumes that you know SolidWorks user interface

Assumes that you know the basics of SolidWorks API programming

• ALL CODE EXAMPLES IN VB.NET

Presentation will be available at www.razorleaf.com

http://www.razorleaf.com/

Who Is This Guy and Where Did He Come From?

• Razorleaf Corporation SolidWorks Service Partner

Services ONLY (we’re not trying to sell you anything, we’re neutral)

Data Management (EPDM, SmarTeam, Aras)

Design Automation (DriveWorks, Tacton)

Workflow Automation (Microsoft SharePoint and Tools)

• Paul Gimbel (aka “The Sherpa”) 10+ years as Demo Jock, Applications Engineer, Trainer, Support Tech

5 years as Design Automation Implementer

Specializing in SolidWorks, DriveWorks, Tacton, Custom Programming

• (THERE! Now I can report this trip as reimbursable.)

The Sherpa

What is Design Validation?

Ensuring that the suggested design meets requirements

• Form/Fit/Function

• Durability

• Weight

• Performance

• Manufacturability

• Maintenanceability

• Packaging/Shipping Limitations

• And so on…

IT’S MORE THAN JUST

FEA!!

What Forms Can Validation Take?

• Equations

The most accurate method to determine values

Can be difficult to apply to complex geometries

• Code Calculations

Many have to meet and publish them…it’s the law

• Simulation

Iterative

• Prototype

Digital

−Somewhat time consuming

Physical

−Expensive and time consuming

Lesson from Programming:

Rule out the easy stuff before you start sucking up CPU.

How Does This Work With Design Automation?

Frequent Goal of Design Automation Allow NON-SolidWorks USERS to design/configure valid products

Therefore:

• Cannot use any interactive tools

• Methods must not require SolidWorks on their machine

• May use a 3rd party solution

http://www.tacton.com/default____4.aspx

What Validation Tools and/or Techniques are there?Why Does Every Slide Have a Question in the Title?

Within SolidWorks Sensors

Design Checker

Measure

Mass/Section Properties

Interference Detection

SimulationXPress

Any other XPress

Reference Dimensions!!

With SolidWorks Simulation Stress Analysis

Flow Analysis

Motion Simulation

Optimization

Outside tools (commercially available and homegrown)

FUNCTIONALITY WITHIN SOLIDWORKS

Gimme Free Stuff (well, what I already pay for)

What Do I Get With My SolidWorks?

Reference Dimensions

Measure



Sensors

Design Checker

SimulationXPress

Any other XPress



Measure



Sensors

Design Checker

SimulationXPress

Any other XPress



Measure



Sensors

Design Checker

SimulationXPress

Any other XPress

Reference Dimensions (2D and 3D)

• Watch the name of the reference dimension

Find it in the Property Mangler

• Retrieve the DIMENSION object.GetValue2(“ConfigName”)

Imports SolidWorks.Interop.sldworks

Imports SolidWorks.Interop.swconst

Partial Class SolidWorksMacro

Public swApp As SldWorks

Public Sub main()

Dim swDoc As ModelDoc2 = Nothing

swDoc = CType(swApp.ActiveDoc, ModelDoc2)

MsgBox(swDoc.Parameter("TXD1@Scheme2").GetValue2("Default"))

MsgBox(swDoc.Parameter(“Gap@skSlot").GetValue2("Default"))

End Sub

End ClassNote: Code in yellow omitted from future slides.

No longer a property

Measure Tool

• Separate Measure object - swDoc.Extension.CreateMeasure

• Must use Measure.CALCULATE(object)

If Object Is Nothing, SolidWorks will use the current selection set

Alternatively, you can use the Selection Manager object

Set options before you call the calculate method

• Returns are fairly specific

Dim swMeas As Measure = Ctype(swDoc.Extension.CreateMeasure, Measure)

swMeas.ArcOption = _

swMeasureArcCircleOption_e.swMeasureArcCircle_MinimumDistance

swMeas.Calculate(Nothing)

MsgBox(swMeas.Distance)

Check out the options hereDon’t forget to test all objects and results!

Mass Properties

• Obtain MassProperty object

ModelDoc2.Extension.CreateMassProperty()

Dim swMassProp As MassProperty = _

CType(swDoc.Extension.CreateMassProperty(), MassProperty)

MsgBox(swMassProp.Mass)

boolstatus = swMassProp.SetAssignedMassProp(1.5, 0, 0, 0, 1, Nothing)

Section Properties

• Requires an Array of FACE or SKETCH object as input

ModelDoc2.Extension.GetSectionProperties2(objSections)

• Returns a 24 item array

Need to look up which index corresponds to what you’re interested in

−Use API Help topic IGetSectionProperties2

Clumsy throwback to VBA

Dim swSelMgr As SelectionMgr = swDoc.SelectionManager

Dim swFace As Face = swSelMgr.GetSelectedObject6(0, 0)

Dim swSectionProps(23) As Double

swSectionProps = swDoc.Extension.GetSectionProperties2(swFace)

MsgBox("Area (index 1) = " & swSectionProps(1))

Don’t forget to test all objects and results!

How’s THIS For Helpful?

Dealing with Result Arrays Using Enumerations

Public Enum SectionResults

Area = 1 CentroidX = 2 CentroidY = 3 CentroidZ = 4 momentXX = 5 momentYY = 6 momentZZ = 7 momentXY = 8 momentZX = 9 momentYZ = 10 polarMoment = 11 principalAngle = 12

principalIx = 13 principalIy = 14End Enum 'SectionResults

Public Enum SectionResults Area = 1 CentroidX = 2 CentroidY = 3 CentroidZ = 4 momentXX = 5 momentYY = 6 momentZZ = 7 momentXY = 8 momentZX = 9 momentYZ = 10 polarMoment = 11 principalAngle = 12 principalIx = 13 principalIy = 14 DirectionXx = 15 DirectionXy = 16 DirectionXz = 17 DirectionYx = 18 DirectionYy = 19 DirectionYz = 20 DirectionZx = 21 DirectionZy = 22 DirectionZz = 23End Enum 'SectionResults

Paste me!

Interference/Collision Detection

• swAssembly.ToolsCheckInterference() just opens the UI

• Use the InterferenceDetectionMgr object to create an Interference Object

• Establish object

swIntMgr = Ctype(AssemblyDoc.InterferenceDetectionManager, _ InterferenceDetectionMgr)

• Set properties

swIntMgr.TreatCoincidenceAsInterference = True

• Run Interference Check (any method except Done)

Dim swInts() As Object = swIntMgr.GetInterferences

Dim swInt As Interference = Ctype(swInts(0), Interference)

• Grab results

Dim dVolumes As Double = swInt.Volume





Ctype(AssemblyDoc.InterferenceDetectionManager, _ InterferenceDetectionMgr)

• Set properties





• Grab results






Ctype(AssemblyDoc.InterferenceDetectionManager, _ InterferenceDetectionMgr)

• Set properties





• Grab results


Interference/Collision Detection – More Complete Code

Dim swAssembly As AssemblyDoc = CType(swDoc, AssemblyDoc)

swDoc.Parameter("CrankAngle@[email protected]").Value = 150

Dim boolstatus As Boolean = swDoc.EditRebuild3()

Dim swIM As InterferenceDetectionMgr = swAssembly.InterferenceDetectionManager

Dim iIntQty As Integer = swIM.GetInterferenceCount

If iIntQty >= 0 Then

Dim swInts(iIntQty - 1) As Object

swInts = swIM.GetInterferences

Dim swInt As Interference = CType(swInts(0), Interference)

MsgBox(swInt.Volume)

End IfDon’t forget to test all objects and results!

Sensors(PART)

(ASSY)

• Sensor types

• Notice for interactive users

• Potential performance issues

• Suppress extraneous sensors

• Set notification frequency

Working with Sensors in Code

• Get the sensor object from the Sensor Feature (use MD2.GetFirstFeature)

Dim swSensor As Sensor = swFeature.GetSpecificFeature2

• Critical sensor properties and methods

Select Case swSensor.SensorType

Case swSensorType_e.swSensorSimulation

Case swSensorType_e.swSensorMassProperty

Case swSensorType_e.swSensorDimension

Case swSensorType_e.swSensorInterfaceDetection

End Select

• Be sure to Update the sensor with the UpdateSensor method

• Check the AlertState to see if the sensor has picked up on a problem

• Use the AlertType to see what kind of a problem

SW2009 SP2 and before only supported Dimension Sensors

Using SolidWorks Events

• Create a class

• Declare a variable WITHEVENTS for the object that holds your events

Public WithEvents swPart As SolidWorks.interop.sldworks.PartDoc

• Create a Function for whatever event you want to monitor

Function swPart_SensorAlertPreNotify(ByVal swSensor As Object, ByVal _

SensorAlertType As Integer) As Integer

Shell("http://www.twitter.com/?'#SW Sensor!'", AppWinStyle.Hide, False)

End Function 'swPart_SensorAlertPreNotify

• In your main code – Activate the handler (RemoveHandler to discontinue)

AddHandler swPart.SensorAlertPreNotify, AddressOf _

Me.swPart_SensorAlertPreNotify

Check out all available events in API Help

Note who your event belongs to


• Create a class













(Don’t think you can ignore me)


• Create a class













(I’m not going away)


• Create a class













(I’m not going away)


• Create a class













(Keep it up. Your iPhone is next.)


• Create a class













Fine! I’ll do it myself.

Rebooting in:

Applying Update 1 of 9,278,029….0% Complete

Do Not Turn Off Computer

Applying Update 1 of 9,278,029….0.001% Complete

Don’t Even Think About It.

I’ll restart when I’m good and ready.

Autonomous Edition

SOLIDWORKS SIMULATIONAt long last…

Automating SolidWorks Simulation

• Evaluate what you are trying to automate

Can it be done with sensors?

Can it be done with Optimization?

• Not all of SolidWorks Simulation is documented in API Help

Extra SDKs or Installation options may be required (ex. Flow)

Gimme an S, Gimme an R, Gimme an A, Gimme a C!

• Must add SolidWorks 2010 Simulation Type Library as a reference to each project

You can also add SolidWorks.Interop.cosworks.dll−You will need to BROWSE for it …SolidWorks\API\redist

(cosworks? There’s your proof that all the product renames are marketing)

Possible Applications

• Record iterative results

Run iterations and send results out to Excel or other system

Allow code or outside tool control when to iterate and how

Possible Applications

• Attach / create / modify study components (loads, connections, etc.)

Create 400 pin locations in a regular (or slightly irregular) array

Create an unknown number of loads based on driven geometry

• Allow 3rd party solutions to kick off simulation as part of automation

• More complex iterative optimizations using your own optimization algorithm

Change what YOU want to change, how YOU want to change it

Cosmos? Yes, Cosmos.

Run Analysis© COSMOS/and COSMOS/WORKS and their respective logos property of Structural Research Analysis Corporation 1997

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.5dcad.cn/cmsware/resource/img/h000/h02/img200708230719290.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.5dcad.cn/html/download/cae/2007/1411.html&usg=__NhUvBD5lFN4l5JndgXMAxZ-zhMY=&h=544&w=529&sz=45&hl=en&start=113&um=1&tbnid=VeQKwwmZO7tsBM:&tbnh=133&tbnw=129&prev=/images?q=SRAC+Cosmos+Logo&ndsp=21&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:*&sa=N&start=105&um=1

• RMB in the Project Explorer to add a Reference

• You will not find it in the .NET tab

• You MAY find it under COM

• You will most likely need to browse for it

Adding The Reference

The Process

Imports SolidWorks.interop.cosworks is implied

• Fetch the SolidWorks Simulation (CosmosWorks) Add-In object

Dim cwAddIn As SolidWorks.interop.cosworks.CWAddInCallBack = _swApp.GetAddInObject("CosmosWorks.CosmosWorks")

• Fetch the cwModelDoc

Dim CWorks As Object = cwAddIn.CosmosWorks

Dim cwDoc As CWModelDoc = Ctype(CWorks.ActiveDoc(), CWModelDoc)

• Fetch the CWStudyManager object

Dim cwStudyMgr As CWStudyManager = cwDoc.StudyManager()

More of The Process

• Fetch the CWStudy object

Test for study existence with StudyCount

Dim cwStudyCount As Integer = cwStudyMgr.StudyCount

Dim cwCurStudy As CWStudy

Dim iErrors As Integer

IF cwStudyCount > 0 Then

cwCurStudy = CWStudyManager.GetStudy(0)

Else

cwCurStudy = CWStudyManager.CreateNewStudy2 _

(“StudyName”, type, iErrors)

End If

TIP: Don’t create studies when you can preset and drive them


Add Material

• Need to apply the material to the Solid Body Object

Study gets the SolidManager

SolidManager gets the SolidComponent

SolidComponent gets the SolidBody

Circle gets the square

Dim cwSolidMgr As CosmosWorksLib.CWSolidManager

cwSolidMgr = cwCurStudy.SolidManager

Dim CompCount As Integer = cwSolidMgr.ComponentCount

Dim cwComp As CWSolidComponent = cwSolidMgr.GetComponentAt(0, cwStudyErrors)

Dim cwBody As CWSolidBody = cwComp.GetSolidBodyAt(0, cwStudyErrors)

cwStudyErrors = cwBody.SetLibraryMaterial("M:\MyMatlLib\RLMatl.sldmatlib", "Unobtainium")

Even More of The Process

• Get the next Manager or Options object

All properties and options reside one level down

Dim cwStaticOptions As CWStaticStudyOptions

cwStaticOptions = cwCurStudy.StaticStudyOptions

cwStaticOptions.SolverType = _

CosmosWorksLib.swsSolverType_e.swsSolverTypeFFEPlus

Dim cwCurMesh As CWMesh = cwCurStudy.Mesh

cwCurMesh.Quality = _

CosmosWorksLib.swsMeshQuality_e.swsMeshQualityHigh


All ReadOnly!!

Even Still More of The Process

• Update components, mesh and run the analysis

Update is for any geometry changes since last run

'We'll typically calculate or get these as inputs

Dim dElementSize As Double = 0.0012

Dim dTolerance As Double = 0.005

cwCurStudy.UpdateAllComponents()

cwCurStudy.CreateMesh(CosmosWorksLib.swsUnit_e.swsUnitEnglish, _

dElementSize, dTolerance)

cwCurStudy.RunAnalysis()


Mandatory Charts (Gratuitous Chart of Fictitious Data)(per Microsoft PowerPoint code 2009 Section XXIV Subsection 441.K.9.ii.v)

EngineersMarketing

StudentsAccountants

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Blink

Whisper

Grunt

Reaction to Subtle Jokes In Slides by

Demographic

Enginee

rs

Manag

ement

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

Telnet ChatDrinkOnline PokerDancingSleep

Activities Past Midnight

Even Yet Still More of The Process

• Retrieve the Results object

Most Results methods return arrays

These are typically brought in with generic options

Dim cwCurResults As CWResults

cwCurResults = cwCurStudy.Results

Dim cwResultsErrors As Integer

Dim cwStress As Object

cwStress = cwCurResults.GetMinMaxStress _

(0, 0, 1, Nothing, 0, cwResultsErrors)


Dealing with Arrays

• Return types are VERY vague

• Always the possibility of a null return

• Most samples stay generic

VBA dim as VARIANT

VB.NET/C#.NET dim as OBJECT

• Run once or twice or check sample to find out return type

• Fetch as generic object then recast the variable to get the array

• ERROR TRAP THE SNOT OUT OF IT!!!

• Make separate functions wherever possible to use Try…Catch blocks

Allows you to handle the errors differently

Array Sample

TRY

‘Define as generic object

Dim cwStress As Object

‘Retrieve the object

cwStress = cwCurResults.GetMinMaxStress(0, 0, 1, Nothing, 0, cwResultErrors)

If cwStress IsNot Nothing

‘Declare your array

Dim cwStressArray() As Double

‘Recast your generic object as an array

cwStressArray = CType(cwStress, Double())

If cwStressArray.Length > 0 Then

For Each dStress As Double In cwStressArray

Next dStress

End If ‘Array.Length > 0

End If ‘we have a stress results object

Array Sample

Catch

‘Handle the fact that we did not get usable stress results

End Catch

Try

‘Define as generic object

Dim cwDisplacement As Object

‘Retrieve the object

cwDisplacement = cwCurResults.GetMinMaxDisplacement(0, 0, Nothing, _

CosmosWorksLib.swsUnit_e.swsUnitEnglish, cwStudyErrors)

If cwDisplacement IsNot Nothing

‘Declare your array

Dim cwDispArray() As Double

‘Recast your generic object as an array

cwStressArray = CType(cwStress, Double())

And so on…

Getting Back Visual Results

“A picture is worth a thousand lines of code”

– Michaelangelo (…I think)

• The absolute most beneficial feature of automating simulations!!!

• API has the ability to activate plots, delete plots, and tell you how many there are and their names

• There appears to be no way to Save plots or animations out to files.

End of slide

OTHER PLACES TO EXPLOREAnd finally…

Other Validation Tools

Available via API

• SolidWorks Utilities

Compare Document

Compare Feature

Compare Geometry

Geometry Analysis

Thickness Analysis

• Design Checker

• Check (Face, Edge, Body)

• Parting Line Draft Analysis

NOT Available via API

• SimulationXpress

• FloXpress

• DFMXpress

• SustainabilityXpress

• Deviation Analysis

• TolAnalyst

Outside Validation Tools

• Calculations are too involved or not understood to recreate

• External DLL code

May be VB, FORTAN, PASCAL, GW-BASIC, Assembly Code, Pig Latin

public declare function InitializeLibrary lib "extn.dll" alias "_InitializeLibrary@12" (byval hWnd as long, byval str as string, byval dword as long) as longShell

• External EXE code

Shell(“PVCalc.EXE “ & dPressure & “,” & dWallThk, AppWinStyle.MinimizedNoFocus)

• Web-based ASP tools

Less overhead to load/install

Most applications allow parameters to be passed in the header

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Soup Recipes?

• If you have questions you would like to discuss, please find me

Now…At any time during the conference…or After the conference

• Presentation available on www.razorleaf.com

Free newsletter with tech tips, industry insiders and more…

• Catch me in my upcoming tour dates!!

Wednesday @ 1:30 – Automating Your Designs with Excel and the SW API

Friday @ Miffy’s Muffin Palace – Drury Lane

Paul GimbelBusiness

Process [email protected] www.razorleaf.com TheProcesSherpa on Twitter

The Sherpa

http://www.razorleaf.com/

• PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE fill out your survey

• It takes practically no time at all

• I HONESTLY want your feedback and I do apply it

• Let’s see if the SolidWorks folks read these:

• PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE fill out your survey

• It takes practically no time at all

• I HONESTLY want your feedback and I do apply it

• Let’s see if the SolidWorks folks read these:

In the comments section, add:

“OK, I’m stumped. How did he pull my card out of THERE?”

SURVEY TIME!!!

Paul Gimbel, Razorleaf [email protected]

@TheProcesSherpa on Twitter

mailto:[email protected]

Technology

Automated Design Validation The Solid Works Api