Routing Instruction Manual

I am very interested in your situation as I am getting ready to be in the same boat. I will be initiating my 30 trial code next Wed and start with what my co's refers to as the "rats nest"! I too contacted my VAR for training or books relating to the routing addin and have found none. Sorry I can't help yet but as soon as I get it going I will definately be willing to bounce information back and forth. Have you found any limitations with the addin? Stability? I have been monitoring a thread:

it has not changed for a while. How long have you used SolidWorks?

Routing used to be called "Piping" and there is a newsgroup that may be useful to you

Folks on that group should know if there are any manuals or good references. I thought that there was a manual on the SW subscription site at one point, perhaps you were searching for "Routing" when it might be listed as "Piping"?

JJ

but it has not changed for a while. How long have you used SolidWorks?

Hmmm,

I have seen a piping training manual in PDF format. I don't think it ever went to press however, due to the switch to routed systems from piping and the added functionality of tubing, flexible hoses and (coming soon) wiring. I heard a whisper that there will be a new shiny training manual encompassing all of this functionality, but it is not ready yet and will mot be released until the wiring functionality is added (in a service pack).

Your VAR might be able to get hold of the PDF version of the old manual if they are persistent, especially if you tell them that the software is in danger of being dropped.

good luck

Ken

Danny,

If you do a search of the SW tips & tricks on the SW website you can do a search for piping - it will give you a few good tips. Believe it or not, Piping (Routing) has not changed the way that it works since it's release (about 99) and it is relatively simple. The main thing to get your head around is 3D sketches (they work a bit differently to normal 2D sketches) as this is the driving element of piping.

If you can get your hands on a copy of the SW99 User Guide (the last user guide ever issued) - it is also in the SW online help, there is a section on piping - if you follow the instructions there you will be able to create your own library parts and control the way they are inserted.

HTH

Merry :-)

They also have access to training files. and other info.

Mike Wilson

Your comments are right about the manual. There is one floating out there in PDF. It is based on the older version of SolidWorks Piping (about 99-2000). This was orginally created by the customer that SolidWorks created the Piping application for. I do think there is a manual in the works. The vars may or may not have a copy of this, was not made available in a form for them or customers.

I may be able to find a copy of it (no supporting files, part, asm) but the manual is a big help. Do look at the Piping group. Very good people in that group. (Can be reached at snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net). Again I may have a copy, but may not. Check with your reseller first before emailing me. May take some time to see if I still have a copy. I did years ago.

The product is now getting the first major upgrade in years and looks to be on the development track again. I have been told there is something for documentation in the works. I think it will not be available until mid year since the Routing application is going through many updates right now.

The new piping, tubing and wiring package has been renamed to SolidWorks Routing. There has been a lot of work done to the product in the last 6 months. I do recommend you look at it. The released version (SolidWorks 2004 SP2.1) has Piping and Flexible/Rigid tubing in it now. They are adding auto route options to this area in an upcoming service pack. As for Wiring I have seen that in a presentation, not out until about March 2004, should be in SolidWorks

2004 (SP3) if you own the Routing option. I think you will like how the wiring works from what I have seen.

There is a Harnessing option coming in the upcoming months also, may be an option when SP3 releases. Not sure on that. Routing is all 3D layouts. Harnessing takes the 3D Routing and creates 2D Drawings (Peg Board) drawings with complete BOM and cut lengths. This area seems to be very robust for a v1.0 type product.

I think if you look at this over the next couple months, give the dealers a little time to get/learn the new products since SolidWorks and only certain beta testing companies have it right now.

I have just seen these new modules at the recent SolidWorks World 2004 User Meeting in Boston, MA. We see a big push by SolidWorks into the routing area. Should be great move for everyone.

SolidWorks is required to use Routing & Harnessing application. Routing and Harnessing are sold separate as options if needed and not part of the base package.

I have used the Routing (formerly SolidWorks Piping) application for sometime and I can see SolidWorks is now spending a lot of development time in this area.

I hope this helps in your questions.

Let me get thiks right: SW is selling an add-on with no documentation of how to use it?

I don't mean just paper documentation. The question implies (in my reading anyway) that there is not even on-line documentation.

I'm not going to claim that documentation for basic SW is good, but it's certainly there. And the downloadable, printable .pdf is a good compromise for those who want it printed.

Frank,

If you check Elmar's post (SW User Manual) from 1/28/04, you will find that SolidWorks has made a 982 page "Reference Guide" available for download from the Subscription Services pages.

This guide is a PDF version of the SolidWorks help file. There is also a note that a printed and bound version will be available soon.

Best regards,

John

Okay, I can tell you that there is a routing manual because I wrote it. It is over 200 pages long, and covers quite a bit of the piping/routing package, including creating custom parts, how to route flexible tubing, how to insert subassemblies into your route, etc...

I can't tell you the details of when and how to get it quite yet... but I can say it will be available VERY SOON!!...I mean...REALLY soon!

I'll notify anybody who wants one when I work out the distribution details.

-Wes Mosier AES Inc.

Are you a 3rd party selling the manual, or writing it for SW to distribute to people who bought the routing software.

But .... as I mentioned earlier... there is not as SINGLE mention of SW Routing in all 900+ pages. Sad. Very Sad.

However.... KUDOS to SW for posting that beast!! I thumb through it every chance I get, and find something new EVERY time! (did I say thumb? ... they handed out printed versions at SWW) Well worth the registration, hotel, and airfare costs.. just for the printed version.

-Danny

Those are the details I'm working on. I am just a routing user who wrote a routing manual, and now I'm working on how to distribute it.

-Wes Mosier AES Inc.