SWX 2023 -- Whats New

[zwei]

Apparently the What's New page for SWX2023 had been released.

https://help.solidworks.com/2023/englis ... 954471#Pg0

[josh]

Pretty sure this is going to be a game changer for us. We build assembly machines, and often need to show the workpiece in position with phantom line font, but show what's behind it as object lines as though the component wasn't there. This usually requires an alternate position view, which re-draws the entire view again in addition to the one workpiece component which is obviously a huge performance hit.

[AlexLachance]

Pretty sure this is going to be a game changer for us. We build assembly machines, and often need to show the workpiece in position with phantom line font, but show what's behind it as object lines as though the component wasn't there. This usually requires an alternate position view, which re-draws the entire view again in addition to the one workpiece component which is obviously a huge performance hit.

I can see sooooo many uses for this! God I hated having to click parts one by one to have their edges shown in HLR because HLR didn't take into account transparency.

[zxys001]

FAI reporting.. hmm.

[dave.laban]

"Replace Component only in the same assembly level" is a biggie for me.

[AlexLachance]

"Replace Component only in the same assembly level" is a biggie for me.

image.png

This is going to simplify some tasks sooooo much and will also ease people's ability to understand the hierarchical logic of SolidWorks.

[zwei]

"Replace Component only in the same assembly level" is a biggie for me.

image.png

Wow...i totally missed this...

This will be really useful.

(Why do they put it under Previewing a Replacement Component in the first place...)

[Arthur NY]

This is just SAD!!!!!!! I mean I'm glad that there are some new things added but this pales in comparison to back in the day. It was something I use to look forward to... seeing what new features were being added and over the course of the past 10 years the length of "What's New" has reduced significantly year over year. If that's not a sign that there's less and less effort going into SW I'm not sure what is. Sure it's not "dead" but DDS is putting it on life support and once they "feel" like enough have switched over to 3DXP they'll pull the plug.

[zxys001]

"Replace Component only in the same assembly level" is a biggie for me.

image.png

This should have been available >10yrs ago.
They're moving at a snails pace.

[dave.laban]

I mean yes, it should always have been the default behaviour really but at least it's fixed now (and it's one off of my SPR list at SWW TTL requests).

[AlexLachance]

This is just SAD!!!!!!! I mean I'm glad that there are some new things added but this pales in comparison to back in the day. It was something I use to look forward to... seeing what new features were being added and over the course of the past 10 years the length of "What's New" has reduced significantly year over year. If that's not a sign that there's less and less effort going into SW I'm not sure what is. Sure it's not "dead" but DDS is putting it on life support and once they "feel" like enough have switched over to 3DXP they'll pull the plug.

I think you're a little over-exaggerating things, it was a lot easier to develop new features 10 years ago because these features were lacking. What features do you suggest SolidWorks lacks?

I think SolidWorks lacks in stability, not features. I'm crossing my fingers that if they are developping less features, they are working more on stability, but I doubt it. I think instead they reappointed them towards the 3DX Platform and are slowly 'fading' SolidWorks out. The way I see it, they will make a 'Final SolidWorks' with service packs to adress most major bugs, and then will tell people who want to continue with "New features" that they need to transition to the 3DXPerience if they wish to have them implemented.

[dave.laban]

It seems like they've got many years of "new features" for CloudWorks in just getting up to feature parity with DesktopWorks, let alone actual innovation.

[zwei]

This is just SAD!!!!!!! I mean I'm glad that there are some new things added but this pales in comparison to back in the day. It was something I use to look forward to... seeing what new features were being added and over the course of the past 10 years the length of "What's New" has reduced significantly year over year. If that's not a sign that there's less and less effort going into SW I'm not sure what is. Sure it's not "dead" but DDS is putting it on life support and once they "feel" like enough have switched over to 3DXP they'll pull the plug.

From what i see, this not only happens on SOLIDWORKS, but also on other CAD software...
There is a limit of what you can add, and there will be less feature added each year, and new features will take longer and harder to develop
Although i wish they focus more on improving the stability of the software instead of new feature
Not to mention DS had their priority on their 3DXperience

Dont forget their 500+ engineers is working to fix the SWYMP /s

For example, CREO recently release had been focus a lot on generative design and not much on the core functionality...
Although it seems like they finally added split face function in CREO 9

[SPerman]

I think SolidWorks lacks in stability, not features. I'm crossing my fingers that if they are developing less features, they are working more on stability, but I doubt it.

I very much agree with this sentiment.

[zxys001]

Although it seems like they finally added split face function in CREO 9

Split Suface/Face funcationality in Creo is MUCH more than what SW has ever considered,.. it's just not the same. I'm pretty sure I did splits in WildFire but sure I did in Creo2 ~10yrs ago. BTW, most of the functionality of what was CoCreate (HP) which was integrated as Direct Modeling ~10yrs ago would have also include split functionality.

[zxys001]

It seems like they've got many years of "new features" for CloudWorks in just getting up to feature parity with DesktopWorks, let alone actual innovation.

image.png

Someone needs to follow up with ..."but, Fusion 360 can do this, no problem".

[Glenn Schroeder]

It seems like they've got many years of "new features" for CloudWorks in just getting up to feature parity with DesktopWorks, let alone actual innovation.

image.png

Why would anyone need drawings? Don 't you know the whole world is going paperless? After all, we aren't in the 20th century any more.

[zxys001]

Although basic,.. I can see a lot of people luving this.

[berg_lauritz]

Split Suface/Face funcationality in Creo is MUCH more than what SW has ever considered,.. it's just not the same. I'm pretty sure I did splits in WildFire but sure I did in Creo2 ~10yrs ago. BTW, most of the functionality of what was CoCreate (HP) which was integrated as Direct Modeling ~10yrs ago would have also include split functionality.

Did you know that every cut that is made in SolidWorks "splits the face"?

You can see this when you try to do anything with a stick font. Every cut operation says:

One Line Font is not allowed for Split feature. Please change the font manually as per your preference!

So the core functionality of a cut in SolidWorks is to first split the face and then remove it.

[Arthur NY]

This is going to be a list of some new features needed as well as some much needed improvements to existing ones. And these are just ones that are off the top of my head without the software even being open...... Overall these CAD packages have stalled out in so many different ways it's not funny. That they are

Overall Items that are still, in some ways, rooted to 1990's way of thinking.

Kernel/Code is still the same as it was, in many ways, for the past 20 years. Patterns, large amounts of sketch entities, etc slow the program down tremendously. There have been some improvements to help optimize but nothing really amazing that shows that they've gone back into making those features better. But it's clear that DDS is aiming to wean themselves off of the Siemens Parasolid Kernel hence the major push of 3DXP and away from SW.

Better overall improvements to the intelligence built into the UI/UX. This can be done in ways that will not alienate the existing user base as much as it is meant to add enhancements in ways that are thinking with 2022. And clearly 3D Experience is where 90% of that going towards and Solidworks is getting scraps off the table in comparison. And what's more is that it's the same company!!!!

Adding driving dimensions to 3D geometry. This would be HUGE for working with imported "dumb" geometry. The new STEP file format allows for this which makes a world of difference when needing to

Sketching/3D Sketcher
Spline - The ability to continue a spline even after the sketch is completed. (i.e. select the first/last point on a Spline and then next click will continue the Spline as if it were drawn originally). This is relevant because if needing to make a change the current only way to do this
is delete it which then can cause a cascade of features/sketches that are the children of it to then get all red/yellow with disconnected relationships.

3D Sketching - needs to be much closer to the 2D sketcher. Some current missing functionality.
Ellipse
Polygon
Offset
Curvature Comb - Useless
Double Click to exit Sketching

Face Curves - Sketch entities that cross over each other should create an coincident relationship.

When sketching being able to switch between any sketch type entity on the fly so that you don't have to go pick that next thing. Currently built into the sketcher you can draw a line and then go back to the end point of the line and you get a tangent arc. Why not a Spline, ellipse, polygon....etc by say, for example, hitting a hot key can switch to any of the above.


Features

The ability to switch from one feature to another without having to exist the first to get to the second. (i.e. using the Extrude feature when you wanted the Revolve).

Feature Consolidation - Extrude, Revolve, Sweep, Loft, Boundary don't need to be two seperate features they can be combined into the same tool and within the feature the option to either create a solid or cut can be chosen.

Multi direction feature - Think of creating a "Y" connector. Trying to do 3 directions or more is SO painful it hurts just thinking about it.

Move/Copy - For the luv of ALL that is 3D that Rotate/Translate can't be done at the same time. Again.....just painful.

Sweeping with multiple paths with either all the same or different profiles.

Flex, Deform, Shell Tool - need I say more!!! Each of these in small doses is "ok" but don't push them too hard or your rebuild times just go through the roof.

Scan to 3D and BREP Mesh are worse than duct tape and fishing wire when it comes to working with, converting with mesh data. That there is no Quad Wrap capability, natively, is just not acceptable.

[mp3-250]

Have they fixed their PDFs export routine yet?
or eDrawings export routine with UNICODE filenames broken every two releases?
Routing and piping?

[mp3-250]

Kernel/Code is still the same as it was, in many ways, for the past 20 years. Patterns, large amounts of sketch entities, etc slow the program down tremendously. There have been some improvements to help optimize but nothing really amazing that shows that they've gone back into making those features better. But it's clear that DDS is aiming to wean themselves off of the Siemens Parasolid Kernel hence the major push of 3DXP and away from SW.

Solidworks 3D kernel, sketcher, thermal simulation and other basic part of the architecture are licensed from Siemens(owner of the parasolid kernel which is a top level kernel btw used in NX), other parts were derived from other companies they bought like mechanical simulation (cosmos) and PDM (conisio) and probably many others half implemented.


SW is built on the foundations made by other companies and so they should be able to allocate enough development resource to fix and actually improve their product, instead every release is like a joke.
To be clear, you lucky guys in english speaking countries are at least spared from the clown show of SW not able to even output unicode characters because they forgot to compile the release for "our poor asian needs".
(It is like the 3rd time it happen and they won't fix it until the following major release...so no edrawings till then )
Or even translating legacy variables instead of their labels in the UI breaking our weldments. (an existing SPR wrongly categorized as a translation issue escalating from LOW up to CRITICAL impact )

[RichGergely]

Solidworks 2023 what's new?

Not much.

They could always spend some time and bring the surfacing up to top level. Not forgetting first surface knit and unknit into and out of solid models instead of the bizarre state of affairs that is currently used.