SolidWorks macros reduced beam arrangement drawing time from 7 days to 15 minutes

The manufacturer approached Hitech’s automation team to eliminate repetitive tasks for calculating angle of the belt with accuracy and shorter TATs. Project team studied the standard process and advised development of a SolidWorks macro with a User Interface.(GUI)

• Project team collected the design inputs and probable design customization to develop the macro.
• The automation was designed that allowed the user to select beam type, size, distance between two end beams and other details such as title block in drawings.
• SolidWorks macro’s interface also allowed the user to specify a location from where the updated model is to be generated.
• Calculations for beam design and arrangement such as beam height, top and bottom angles (if needed) and number of beam was done automatically through the rules set.
• General arrangement drawings were auto-generated as per the customers’ specification.

The final deliverables included:

• Files such as part (.SLDPRT), assembly(.SLDASM) and drawing (.SLDDRW) with updated dimensions.
• Standard file name
• Add custom property
• Pdf files for drawing
• BoMs in Excel