Solidworks "Redneck Garage" Toolbox

[Adambomb]

Solidworks has gained a lot of realism over the years, and as our models get more complex and realistic I'm finding the need for a "real world" toolbox. Especially when dealing with things like suspension jig assemblies, getting geometry that meshes well when exported in STL format, etc. So I propose...

The Solidworks "Redneck Garage" Toolbox
And here's what it would contain:

Pliers tool:
The icon would be a set of 12 in. Vise-Grips. It would just sort of tweak things into place, for example when you're trying to mate things that are offset by a couple hundredths of a degree.

JB Weld tool:
The weld bead feature is nice, but it has trouble when, say, you have a complex 0.013" gap between parts. In the real world you would just fill it in with weld, but that doesn't quite work yet in the CAD world. The icon would be two tubes, one red and one black. Instead of specifying a weld bead radius and edge, the stuff would be "poked" into place with the user's choice of a spatula, popsicle stick, or finger.

BFH tool:
The icon for this would be a Big F Hammer. This one is similar to the pliers tool, only it would be applied at a point instead of to an edge or face. The user interface would be similar to those arcade golf or bowling games where you pick an aim point, then hurl the mouse forward at a speed that corresponds to how hard you want to hit the object. Why? Because you always need a BFH.

Torch tool:
This would have an icon of a blow torch. It would serve no other purpose than setting everything ablaze when you just want to burn it all down.

The Kick/Stand on tool:
This would have an icon of a boot. This would be an add-in to Solidworks Simulation, and would serve as a validation tool one level below COSMOS X-press. The user would have only 4 materials to choose from (metal, wood, plastic, and rock), forces are applied in a 6 in. x 12 in. foot shapes only in increments of 200 lbf, and fixed restraints are automatically applied opposite of wherever the foot is applied.

[Adambomb]

Solidworks has gained a lot of realism over the years, and as our models get more complex and realistic I'm finding the need for a "real world" toolbox. Especially when dealing with things like suspension jig assemblies, getting geometry that meshes well when exported in STL format, etc. So I propose...

The Solidworks "Redneck Garage" Toolbox
And here's what it would contain:

Pliers tool:
The icon would be a set of 12 in. Vise-Grips. It would just sort of tweak things into place, for example when you're trying to mate things that are offset by a couple hundredths of a degree.

JB Weld tool:
The weld bead feature is nice, but it has trouble when, say, you have a complex 0.013" gap between parts. In the real world you would just fill it in with weld, but that doesn't quite work yet in the CAD world. The icon would be two tubes, one red and one black. Instead of specifying a weld bead radius and edge, the stuff would be "poked" into place with the user's choice of a spatula, popsicle stick, or finger.

BFH tool:
The icon for this would be a Big F Hammer. This one is similar to the pliers tool, only it would be applied at a point instead of to an edge or face. The user interface would be similar to those arcade golf or bowling games where you pick an aim point, then hurl the mouse forward at a speed that corresponds to how hard you want to hit the object. Why? Because you always need a BFH.

Torch tool:
This would have an icon of a blow torch. It would serve no other purpose than setting everything ablaze when you just want to burn it all down.

The Kick/Stand on tool:
This would have an icon of a boot. This would be an add-in to Solidworks Simulation, and would serve as a validation tool one level below COSMOS X-press. The user would have only 4 materials to choose from (metal, wood, plastic, and rock), forces are applied in a 6 in. x 12 in. foot shapes only in increments of 200 lbf, and fixed restraints are automatically applied opposite of wherever the foot is applied.

[fobacademy]

love the JB weld tool

it'll save so much time and headaches

[D.J.]

most amazing post ever

[fixitmattman]

Wedge it/Jam it tool:
When you have a light interference causing an assembly error but you know it fits use the wedge it/Jam it tool in conjunction with the BFH tool to gently align the assembly.

Ziptie tool:
Use this to install zipties on your assembly. When used with the hole tool, you can make composite repairs after simulating hitting an orange cone of death.

Superglue tool:
Use to seal up those deep slicing cuts on your hand after using ziptie tool, or performing work after ziptie tool is used.

100MPH Tool:
Applies 100MPH racing tape to key joints.

Beer Tool:
Need I say more?

[Adambomb]

Very nice, I like the zip tie and 100 MPH tool, those should be added as mate options!

Here's another:

Grinder tool:
There would be three options in this one, depending on the size of the job (dremel, die grinder, bench grinder, angle grinder [or "angry grinder" as Woody calls it]). May as well throw a cutoff wheel in there too, as there is quite a bit of skill to running one of those really well. This is another one of those "artsy" tools that requires great coordination and eyeball calibration. Many consider it impressive to turn out a simple extrusion on a 2-axis CNC mill, but this is more of, as Kyle D. would say, an "infinite axis" operation. The icon would be an '80s vintage 7 in. 15 amp Makita angry grinder (the one with the solid cast aluminum housing). User options include spin axis orientation, wheel size, contact width, pressure, and velocity. All operations would be freehand.

[SamB]

Custom Form Tool: This would consist of a series of hammers (depending on the thickness of the material) and a series of items which may be found lying around the workshop (chassis tube, intake runners etc). It would be perfect for times when you want a bend which is possible to manufacture in an FS workshop. Known by professionals in industry as the 'just twat it into place' tool.

[fixitmattman]

Murphy Tool:
This tool applies of series of random unforunate events to your model to simulate the effects of Murphy's Law to evaluate the robustness of the design.

Good Enough:
Similar to that paperclip bugger from MS office, clicking the Good Enough button summons your buddy Carl. He'll tell you if your design is good enough or not. A further feature of the Good Enough button is unlimited opinion, which follows immediately after Good Enough. There is no off feature for this button, you must listen to Carl's entire opinion.

10ft:
Zooms the model out to a distance of 10ft to evalute the design.

Dumpster:
Random part generator based on likely items found in your local bike/atv/sled shops dumpster.

[L B0MB]

Kick It:
A simple one click tool to kick the shit out of whatever you are designing for when it just isn't working for you

[absolutepressure]

Hey, here's a novel idea, how about the remember tool.

Remember:
Prevents solidworks from breaking a mate in a sub assembly while moving a part to mate in the large assembly.

[J. Vinella]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by fixitmattman:

100MPH Tool:
Applies 100MPH racing tape to key joints.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Add 300MPH Icon when your FEA tells you 100MPH won't cut it.

Thumb In the Air Tool:
Kind of a random number generator based on a hunch or previous experiences telling you it should be about...

[Bazanaius]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Thumb In the Air Tool:
Kind of a random number generator based on a hunch or previous experiences telling you it should be about... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Out of your arse tool:
A random number generator based upon no hunch or previous experience.

[tgman]

The it worked in CAD tool:
A tool that makes part fit in the model but then changes dimensions randomly when that part is prepared for manufacturing.

[Adambomb]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bazanaius:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Thumb In the Air Tool:
Kind of a random number generator based on a hunch or previous experiences telling you it should be about... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Out of your arse tool:
A random number generator based upon no hunch or previous experience. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We've already developed a scale for that. We ran into trouble with newbies, sometimes they would spend hours on the stupidest little fill panel. Then we'd tell them "it doesn't have to be exact," which resulted in parts that were 3" off. So we decided we needed a way to tell them "how un-exact" it needs to be:

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs015.snc3/12292_737827775230_16912542_42861913_6239219_n.jpg

[Peter7307]

Love number 10...Divine placement - brilliant.

I have not heard mention of the ever useful "Duct Tape tool".
Essential equipment for any FSAE team.

Peter.

[TacoPete]

Adambomb, that is genius!

[MalcolmG]

haha this thread is gold.

How about a slotted hole tool? Icon would be a Dewalt drill being used to cut out a complex shape. Use when you have two holes that don't quite line up so it simulates wiggling a drill back and forth to try and make them fit. It would be a good bonus if this feature never really worked as well as you'd hoped.

edit: got another one: the "can it be folded using a bench vise analysis tool", which checks your sheetmetal geometry to see whether you can fold it entirely using a bench vise