SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [183]
FIGURE 12.31
Running Performance Benchmark
FIGURE 12.32
Putting the computer through its paces with Performance Benchmark
The results of the benchmark test are measured in two ways. One way is in the average number of seconds each test took (where a lower score is better), and the other way is to simply reuse the Windows Experience Index (where a higher score is better), which you can find in the Windows Control panel.
Finally, you can submit your results to the SolidWorks Web site, where they are posted immediately for comparison. This is used to help people make decisions about what hardware to buy. Figure 12.33 shows the local results, and Figure 12.34 shows accumulated results from many users.
FIGURE 12.33
Evaluating your hardware with a SolidWorks RX Performance Benchmark test
You can check out the compared scores at www.solidworks.com/sw/support/shareyourscore.htm. Look through the list to see which kind of hardware receives a consistently high score and which is not represented in the top results. It's nice that these test results are now more formalized, as previously the closest thing to a database of benchmark scores was a spreadsheet on Anna Wood's Web site.
You can find more information on benchmarking and SolidWorks at www.solidworks.com/sw/support/benchmarks.htm.
FIGURE 12.34
Comparing your score against other submitted scores
Tutorial: Making Use of Editing and Evaluation Techniques
Using this tutorial, you make some major edits to an existing part. You use some simple loft and spline commands and work with the rollback states and feature order, as well as some evaluation techniques. Please follow these steps:
1. Open the existing part with the filename Chapter 12 Tutorial Start.sldprt. Roll the part back and step through it feature by feature to see how it was made. Edit the loft feature to see which sketches were used to create it. This can help you to understand how the part was built. Exit the loft command and move the rollback bar back to the bottom of the tree.
2. Open the Deviation Analysis tool (Tools⇒Deviation Analysis). Select the edges, as shown in Figure 12.35.
Figure 12.35
Deviation analysis of an existing part
The maximum deviation is about ten degrees, which is far too much. This part needs to be smoothed out, which you can do using splines in place of lines and arcs.
3. The first step is to make the outlet all one piece with the spiral. You can do this with a Fit Spline. You need to create the Fit Spline before the loft profiles and after the spiral.
Expand the loft, and roll back between the loft feature and the first sketch. Click OK in response to the prompt, and then roll back to just after the spiral, as shown in Figure 12.36.
Figure 12.36
Rolling back to just after the spiral
4. Right-click the spiral in the FeatureManager and show it. Open a new sketch on the Top plane.
5. Try to draw a horizontal line from the outer end of the spiral. You will notice that you cannot reference the end of the spiral.
Tip
Curves that are absorbed into other features are notoriously difficult to work with. Generally, you need to select them from the FeatureManager to do anything at all with them. Also, if you need to reference an end of an absorbed curve, you are better off using Convert Entities to make it into a sketch entity.
6. Notice that you cannot select the spiral from the graphics window. Even when selected from the FeatureManager, it appears not to be selected in the graphics window. Ensure that it is selected in the FeatureManager, and then click the Convert Entities button on the sketch toolbar.
7. Draw a horizontal line from the outer end of the spiral and dimension it to be 3 inches long, as shown in Figure 12.37.
Figure 12.37
Preparing for the Fit Spline
8. Select both the converted spiral and the line, and click Tools⇒Spline Tools⇒Fit Spline. Set the Tolerance to .1 and make sure that only the Constrained option is selected. Click