achieving extreme solidworks performance: modeling methodology · s s 5 4 8 from our other...

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14 Achieving Extreme

SOLIDWORKS Performance:

Modeling Methodology

Josh Altergott, CSWE

Technical Support Manager, CATI

Adrian Fanjoy, MCSE

Technical Services Director, CATI

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Objective

Build a better understanding of what factors

involved in SolidWorks modeling methodology

make the most significant impact on performance.

AF

Make the workstation

faster than the user!!

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Agenda

• Environment and setup

• Overview of hardware needs

• Examining modeling methodology

• Where modeling methodology matters

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Why

• We always wish we could have better

performance

• We were never taught proper modeling

methodology

• “How do I maximize my ROI?”

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The Model Racine Railroad Products

• Folder size 1.92GB, 4854 files

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The Benchmark

• API

• By: Robert Hanson (CATI/InFlow)

• Better control of tests

• Easier turn around between tests

• Allowed more flexibility in tests

• Much more stable than Macro

• Cleaner results

AF

This API can be used with any model on any machine.

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The Tests

• Dataset copy and delete

• Launching SolidWorks

• Opens

• Rotations

• Modeling

• Rebuilds

• Saves

• Closing

SolidWorks Benchmark Includes

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From our other presentation Achieving Extreme SOLIDWORKS Performance:

Hardware/Configuration (Mon 2/9 2:45-3:45)

Determining the Right Hardware

• RAM

• RAM is critical and every assembly has a threshold, 8GB to 16GB is a good start.

• Processors

• SOLIDWORKS uses 2 cores (exceptions for rendering and FEA), OS uses 2 cores

• Hard Drive

• SSD’s are at least 10% faster in our testing than spinning HD’s

• Graphics

• Mid range graphics card gave us the best overall performance

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APEX 2 from BOXX Technologies, Inc.

The Optimal Workstation

• i7-4790K

• 4 Core

• 4.0 GHz overclock to 4.5GHz

• 32GB RAM

• Dual Channel DDR3 @ 800MHz

• Solid State Hard Drive

• SSDSC2BW180A4

• 180GB

• Nvidia Quadro K2200 Graphics Card

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The Test Environment (Typical)

• Image Quality set optimally

• High level of detail in models

• Large number of top level mates

• Assembly is fully resolved

• SolidWorks 2015 SP0

• Win7 64bit

• SW Options default (LAM exception)

• 8GB RAM

• OS Visual Settings default

• 4 Cores @ 3.4 Ghz

• 1 - 7200RPM hard drive

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Examining Modeling Methodology

• Each of the tests represent a single change made to the model or

SOLIDWORKS

• These tests are in no particular order.

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Does age of file matter?

Files stored in an older version

• Files were not converted to SolidWorks 2015

• As few as 1 file not saved in the latest version

can increase Open, Save, and Rebuild times.

• Testing has shown this can cause up to a 15%

loss in performance.

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How do I choose the right option?

System Options

• We changed 18 different settings in the system options.

• We did not include Lightweight or Large Assembly Mode, those test will come later.

• Most of the settings changed are items that are visually appealing.

• Testing has shown changing settings can increase performance anywhere from

3.5% to over 16.5%.

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Optimal SOLIDWORKS System Options

• In the slides following this you will find CATI’s recommendations for

SOLIDWORKS System Options.

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General – Uncheck Show thumbnail, Show news

feed, and Enable sounds. Leave checked

SOLIDWORKS Cust. Exp. Logs are always

created so no harm in sending, data shows in

CAD Admin Dashboard.


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Drawings – They added a few new options and

removed some others that were performance

related (Show contents while dragging drawing

view).

Colors – Make sure Background appearance is

set to Plain, all others add to video load.


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Sketch – Nothing to change.

Display/Selection – Hit the Help button to read

on what all of the settings can do, a lot of options

that use video card and if card is undersized may

affect performance.


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Performance – Set options for Off, Faster and to

Indicate or Prompt, warning if set to prompt and

you later dismiss the message it can change

these settings.


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Assemblies – Use LAM, more details in the

presentation.


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External References – Set items to Prompt, do

not use Search file locations… except for short

periods of time like when moving file/server

locations.


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Default Templates – Make sure the templates

point to a valid template, notice my SW 2015 is

pointing to my 2014 templates.

Setting to Prompt when opening a STEP, IGES

assembly will ask what template to use for each

part.


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File Locations – Check to make sure all locations

are valid.

Clear out Referenced Documents.


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Feature Manager – Uncheck use transparent

flyout….., adds to video load.


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Spin Box Increments – Personal/Company

preference.

View – Set all to Off, Zoom to fit should be off but

needed to be on for testing.


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Backup/Recover – Use it.

Touch – Personal preference.

Hole Wizard – Personal/Company Standard.

File Explorer – Personal preference.

Search – Avoid options that say (may slow

SOLIDWORKS).


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Messages/Errors/Warnings– Keep Dismissed

messages to a min. as there are over 150 items

that can be dismissed. For more information see

our presentation from Mon. Discovering and

Understanding SOLIDWORKS Dismissed

Messages - 1:30pm-2:30pm - Room North 229,

Bryan Pawlak and Phil Whitaker.


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Is too much a bad thing?

Image Quality

• Set at around 25% is the sweet spot

• This is a per document setting.

• Changing at the top level assembly

allows parts to be changed also (does

not change sub assemblies).

• Testing has shown turning up Image

Quality can cause up to a 300% loss

in performance.

AF

We showed more evidence of this in our hardware presentation from Monday 2/9. Achieving Extreme SOLIDWORKS Performance:

Hardware/Configuration - 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-121A-C, Adrian Fanjoy and Josh Altergott

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Can my parts look like the real thing?

RealView Graphics and Shadows

• Help to give your part a “realistic” appearance.

• Takes a large amount of system resources to rebuild,

refresh, open, save and close.

• We have a macro available that will remove all RealView,

Shadows and set the Image Quality to ~25%.

• If needed on files create a Display State or Configuration.

• Testing has shown removing RealView and Shadows can

increase performance by up to 20%.

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If it came from the internet in must be OK, right?

Part and Assembly Details

• We cleaned up just the Cab and its related parts and assemblies.

Cab Assembly Stats Start Point – 30.15mb, 621mb folder End Point – 12.74mb, 554mb folder

• Removed part details like extruded text.

• Created configurations of imported parts to remove details not seen at the top level.

• Changed options on patterns.

• Removed Transparency.

• Testing has shown removing details can increase performance by over 50%.

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How do Flexible Subassemblies effect the top level performance?

Top Level Mates

• Eliminated Flexible Subassemblies.

• Suppress or Delete unneeded mates

1292 139

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• Setting the Flexible Assemblies to

Rigid increased performance by as

much as 13.5% in our test assembly.

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What is the best tool to use to simplify my files?

Defeature

• Can be used on Parts or Assemblies.

• Has many different options, faster than manually modifying parts but you have

less control of the results.

• We chose to go with removing Internal components and ended up with a part

file that was 401mb had 271 Surface Bodies and 1316 Solid Bodies.

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Defeature

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• In our testing using Defeature did not increase performance but we believe this to be because we went with the Cab Assembly and default options.

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SpeedPak

• Can be created at the Top Level Assembly or in a

Subassembly to an existing configuration.

• You can choose faces or bodies the will be

referenced in other assemblies.

• We removed the ghost to increase performance.

• Testing has shown using SpeedPak can increase

performance by as much 67.7%.

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Save As Part (Exterior Faces)

• We chose to save just the

Cab Assembly as a Part with

the 3 different options.

• File Size 79mb

• Part has 0 Solid Bodies and

8432 Surface Bodies.

• 2nd Best Option, performance

increase of 21% to 55%

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Save As Part (Exterior Components)

• File Size 120mb

• Part has 1080 Solid Bodies

and 225 Surface Bodies.

• Best Option, performance

increase of 26% to 60%

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Save As Part (All Components)

• File Size 317mb

• Part has 3668 Solid Bodies

and 271 Surface Bodies.

• Worst Option, performance

decrease of up to 95%

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Large Assembly Mode

• Has the greatest impact on performance.

• Utilizes loading models Lightweight as well as

several other System Options to increase

performance.

• Testing on our assembly has shown using

LAM can increase performance from 58% to

as much 81%.

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What happens when it all comes together?

Optimal (without Large Assembly Mode)

• Optimal File Set

• System Options set to optimal

• Fixed Assembly Details (Cab Only)

• Cab Saved as Part File (External Components)

• RealView, Shadows set to Off

• Image Quality set to 25%

• Flexible Subassemblies - Removed

Testing has shown an overall increase in performance

anywhere from 31.5% to over 65%.

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What happens when it all comes together?

Optimal (with Large Assembly Mode)

• Optimal File Set

• System Options set to optimal

• Fixed Assembly Details (Cab Only)

• Cab Saved as Part File (External Components)

• RealView, Shadows set to Off

• Image Quality set to 25%

• Flexible Subassemblies - Removed

Testing has shown an overall increase in performance

anywhere from 75% to 90%.

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What does all of this mean to you the end user?

Where it all matters

• These settings are beneficial on all hardware and have the greatest benefit on aging or sub standard hardware.

• RAM, 8GB or less

• Processor, single core or low GHz

• Hard Drive, non SSD’s or network storage without data management

• Graphics, low end or unsupported card

AF

• Everything in this presentation is

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Monday February, 9th

CATI and InFlow Presentation Schedule • Discovering and Understanding SOLIDWORKS Dismissed Messages - 1:30pm-2:30pm - Room North 229, Bryan Pawlak and Phil Whitaker

• SOLIDWORKS Composer: As Easy as Building with Legos - 1:30pm-2:30pm – Room North-225B, Brian Reel

• Achieving Extreme SOLIDWORKS Performance: Hardware/Configuration - 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-121A-C, Adrian Fanjoy and Josh Altergott

• Configuring SOLIDWORKS Toolbox - 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-124A/B, John Van Engen

• Successfully Prepare for Your EPDM File/Data Migration - 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-120B-C, Jeff Barker

Tuesday February, 10th • SOLIDWORKS Duct Tape & Bailing Wire: Creative Solutions to Everyday Problems- 1:30-2:30pm - Room North 129A/B, Josh Altergott and Adrian Fanjoy

• Drawings: Setup of Templates and Sheet Formats- 1:30-2:30pm - Room North-221, Jim Krivoshein

• EPDM Web: Implementing and Configuring - 1:30pm-2:30pm - Room North-121A-C, Justin Webster

• How to Build and Maintain Effective Design Tables - 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-120D, Josh Altergott

• DriveWorksXpress Essentials Hands-On Lab – 4:30pm-6:00pm - Room North-227C, Ryan Dally

Wednesday February, 11th

• Achieving Extreme SOLIDWORKS Performance: Modeling Methodology - 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-120D, Josh Altergott, and Adrian Fanjoy

• Sharing Assemblies—Without Giving It All Away- 2:45-3:45pm - Room North-221, Jim Krivoshein

For a copy of all CATI and InFlow presentations please go to http://www.cati.com/sww2015

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http://www.cati.com/sww2015

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Questions

For a copy of this and all other presentations

http://www.cati.com/sww2015/

For more information visit

blog.cati.com

Thank You Racine Railroad

Products

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IDW

OR

KS

© D

assa

ult S

ystè

mes

| C

onfid

entia

l Inf

orm

atio

n | 2

/17/

2015

| re

f.: 3

DS

_Doc

umen

t_20

14

43


Envelope

• Both Parts and Assemblies can be set as an

Envelope when inserted or in the component

properties.

• Serve as a reference or selection tool.

• Envelopes are ignored in BOMs and Mass

Properties.

• Testing has shown using Envelope for sub-

assemblies can increase performance by up

to 36%.

JA

3DS

.CO

M/S

OL

IDW

OR

KS

© D

assa

ult S

ystè

mes

| C

onfid

entia

l Inf

orm

atio

n | 2

/17/

2015

| re

f.: 3

DS

_Doc

umen

t_20

14

44


Large Design Review

• Limited amount of functions available.

• Primarily used as an environment for quick

design reviews.

• Benchmark fails to complete.

JA