3D Printing Industry is in Dallas, Texas this week for Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS World 2019.
Surpassing last year’s crowd, over 6000 attendees and 100 partners have gathered in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center for the grand opening of the event which celebrates innovations in CAD software.
Following the purchase of SOLIDWORKS over 20 years ago, the European software company has hosted the three-day conference to show a “new perspective on the future of design, technology, and industry”. This year’s theme as introduced by Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO at Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS, is “where possibility takes form.”
Commencing the general session, Bassi stated, “In building a sustainable future, powerful tools are not enough. Our 6 million user community must be properly connected to one another.” Before approaching the crescendo of the opening speech Bassi added, “3D is a universal media to be in the intersection of three axes: art, science, and technology.”
This led to the announcement of 3DEXPERIENCE.WORKS, a new portfolio of industry-aware applications on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Within this, DELMIAWORKS, a planning, simulating, and modeling tool was introduced as well as xShape, a subdivision modeling tool.
The 3DEXPERIENCE.WORKS platform was created after Dassault Systèmes’ recent acquisition of IQMS, a Californian Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software company. IQMS’ ERP software portfolio aimed at mid-market manufacturers is what is now known as DELMIAWORKS.
A hub for product innovation
Describing the new platform, Bernard Charlès, Vice Chairman and CEO of Dassault Systèmes, said, “the 3DEXPERIENCE.WORKS serves mainstream manufacturers by providing a full digital thread for business operations.”
This has poised the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to become the benchmark for business operations in manufacturing and management, according to Charlès.
However, a number of long-term SOLIDWORKS users did not react positively to the news SOLIDWORKS World is set to become 3DEXPERIENCE World. Next year’s event will be held in Nashville. Some ardent users have described the “inevitable” change in focus as “the end of an era.”
The Partner Pavilion, the exhibition hub of SOLIDWORKS World 2019, was the next step of the agenda to understand how the software is used to realize product innovations.
Sindoh, a South Korean 3D printer manufacturer, is one of many who continues to heavily collaborate with SOLIDWORKS. On display is the company’s range of 3DWOX desktop 3D printers. Speaking with David Hwang, Business Development Manager, he explains:
“We were actually the first to use SOLIDWORKS back in the ’90s in South Korea. We used the software, along with the help of Tangerine in London to design the aesthetic of our 3D printers.”
“At this time the technology presented itself as a solution for developing mechanical designs and products. Once we became acquainted and saw the development of the platform which sought to develop the engineer using it – we’ve stuck with them ever since.”
Hwang goes on to state that SOLIDWORKS led them to the sloped shape on top of their 3D printers. This deters makers from resting items on the machine which may disturb the print or even damage the hardware.
Nadav Goshen, CEO and President of MakerBot, an American desktop 3D printer manufacturer, and Stratasys subsidiary, also put great emphasis on software. While detailing the newly released Method 3D printer, Goshen explained how CAD is crucial to understanding 3D printing.
“I come from the software side of the AM market; so its always been the starting point for me.”
“Although we have the MakerBot Print software, we have integrated with the SOLIDWORKS community to further support print files from users. I firmly believe that someone planning to use additive manufacturing in any capacity must understand what form their model is taking, the thickness, layers, and overall composition. Once that is confirmed a good 3D printer will only advance your product.”
At the Stratasys booth, Craig Librett, Senior Public Relations Media Manager, discussed how the company’s J750 PolyJet 3D printer is being used with CAD software and SOLIDWORKS for mainstream animation.
Laika, a film studio based in Oregon, has used 3D printing and Stratasys hardware to optimize its notable stop-motion features. This includes Coraline; ParaNorman; the Boxtrolls; Kubo and the Two Strings; and now the upcoming Mr. Link.
Instead of the original claymation methods of the stop-motion filmmaking, CAD allows for the efficient creation of endless character designs and facial expressions. Instead of individually molding thousands of clay models, replaceable faces can be designed and 3D printed in color – making it camera ready.
In addition, with this technology, unusual aesthetics can be created depending on the materials used to create the 3D printed character models; this has been leveraged by Laika who have a rather distinctive style within their animations.
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Featured image shows the SOLIDWORKS 2019 sign. Photo by Tia Vialva.
