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Solidworks Electrical Tutorial Video Series

Discussion created by Joe Wilcoxson on Mar 13, 2013
Latest reply on Jun 11, 2015 by Rui Fontes

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Edit: I am going to be posting all videos and links one this one post from now on.

1. Solidworks Electrical Basics (3/13)

Basics of the Interface
Basic Library Management
Project Creation from a Template
Drawing a Simple Schematic

Youtube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcNIOr5pzj4&feature=youtu.be

Link to Downloadable Version:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8_UDU0USMjYa1cxM3I0N0FIT00/edit?usp=sharing

2. Wiring, Manufacturer Parts and Simple Reports (3/14)

Wire Order
Wire Style Replacement
Adding manufacturer parts to components
Black Boxes
Wire Lists
BOMs
General Report Usage

Youtube Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtp18fJMrTo

Link to Downloadable Version:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8_UDU0USMjYOWU1MjA0Rk51VU0/edit?usp=sharing

Custom Reports Download:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8_UDU0USMjYTlk5cmRNWUJhTFE/edit?usp=sharing

3. Slightly more advanced stuff (3/15)

Editing Symbols
Translatable/User Data
Editing Part Categories (if it wasn't broken in this SP)
Basic Report Editing

Youtube Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxZMiZcc3Ac

Link to Downloadable Version:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8_UDU0USMjYSnc5YzVhNWdPWHM/edit?usp=sharing

Added 3/15: Im taking requests if anyone needs any custom reports or symbols, I'm not guaranteeing anything, but I can try or at least let you know why it may not work.

I plan to do many more of these covering everything I can manage up to advanced/expert topics (maybe a few a week as long as I have time). I'm new to this video tutorial thing, so any constructive criticism is much appreciated. I would also love to hear about any topics that you guys would like to know about, and I will do my best to explain them in a video.

Outcomes

24 Replies

Steven Skeffington Mar 13, 2013 8:20 PM
Hi Joe,

Excellent video - please keep them coming! I have been looking for this exact type of intro video for a couple of weeks now and yours is the first to explain "what's going on" rather than "clik here and then click here" steps. Your details let me know how the software works and how it is tying the meta data together. I'm finding that where you change things is critical to maintaining those meta data links - so if I change something in one place it may or may not "ripple" through the rest of the drawings, models, reports, etc. But I have not found much of anything on how those links are set up - i.e. what & where to manually apply a number or description. Again, your instructions explain these links that are critical to understanding how to set this package up. This is the info that has been missing in the other videos that I have watched.

So, thank you and please keep up the good work! It is very much appreciated.
Steve
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Joe Wilcoxson Mar 15, 2013 7:50 PM
Updated, added videos 2 and 3.
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Alex Shalamov @ Joe Wilcoxson on Jul 9, 2013 4:29 PM
Thank you!
Very good material.

(the only thing I didn't like was the continious mouse scroll in and out , but I don't complain)
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Rui Fontes Aug 5, 2013 12:21 PM
Hi Joe,

very good videos!
Im new with Solidworks Electrical, so actually i started by watching your videos,
i made a very simple circuit when I asign a contact to a relay i get NC contact in red on my screen left side?!
could you please help me here??
thanks
Rui
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Joe Wilcoxson @ Rui Fontes on Aug 6, 2013 7:17 AM
Hi Rui,
What you are seeing is a function of the software called Cross References, which I didn't really explain in any of my videos. The point of Cross References is to be able to look at the symbol for something like a coil and see immidiately where you have used other symbols for that component, like contacts.

The software is putting a NC contact representation next to your coil, and labeling it something like "2.2.1" which would be the page-column-row location of the actual symbol for that NC contact. It pretty much says "go here to find where you used this contact in the schematic".

The color will change depending on the manufactuer part you have assigned.

Red - You have used a circuit that doesnt exist on the manufacturer part
Blue - You have not used an available circuit on the manufacturer part
Green - You have used an available circuit on the manufacturer part
Yellow - Virtual circuits (I'm not too familiar with these)

You will also see the colors appear in the Circuits Seciton of the Manufacturer Parts and Circuits tab of Component properties.

Check out the Online Help in SWE for some better detail on Cross References, they can come in pretty handy if you have a large, complex schematic.

Oh, and to turn off Cross References, go to the Project Tab -> Configurations -> Cross Reference Drawings -> set Default Representation to "None".
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Rui Fontes @ Joe Wilcoxson on Aug 6, 2013 7:53 AM
Thanks a lot!
Rui
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Norman Dziedzic Oct 3, 2013 4:43 PM
Joe,

Thanks for the videos. Just now evaluating SW-E to see if it fits our needs.

So far disappointed in no wire jumps, no ladder reference numbers and all the things you found broken in your videos.

Also, seems like 2d layout is not worht it :-(

I'm going to get a 30 day demo monday so I can test drive myself.

Norm
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Alex Shalamov @ Norman Dziedzic on Oct 3, 2013 4:56 PM
What do you mean by No ladder reference?
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Norman Dziedzic @ Alex Shalamov on Oct 3, 2013 5:28 PM
I could be wrong since I don't have the software to use yet but it doesn't look like you can make reference numbers like in this image. The 100, 101, 102 etc along the left side of the diagram. These are used in the cross reference for the contacts on CR102 and CR103 below...
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Norman Dziedzic @ Norman Dziedzic on Oct 3, 2013 5:30 PM
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Alex Shalamov @ Norman Dziedzic on Oct 4, 2013 8:58 AM
You can do that and more in Solidworks.
Here is a snapshot i.e. FB3420212 - FB for Fuse block, 34 is a project number, 202 is a sheet number and 12 is a line number.
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Norman Dziedzic @ Alex Shalamov on Oct 4, 2013 9:43 AM
Thanks. That is good to konw!
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Norman Dziedzic Oct 4, 2013 12:09 AM
I guess one more thing that worries me is how dead this board is....
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Suraj Sethi @ Norman Dziedzic on Oct 4, 2013 2:04 AM
Here's a link to some additional SolidWorks Electrical video content that one of my colleagues has worked on. Should come in handy for anyone else that's new to SolidWorks Electrical

http://solidtecsolutions.blogspot.com.au/search/label/Electrical
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Norman Dziedzic @ Suraj Sethi on Oct 4, 2013 10:29 AM
What a great resource! Thanks for sharing it.
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Craig Fox Oct 14, 2013 12:32 AM
The youtube videos have been set to private. Was that intentional?
The google docs version still works though.
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Max Rossmassler Oct 15, 2013 3:48 PM
Hi Joe, just finished the first video. Excellent. I appreciate the commentaries on the various features, both + and-.....
Moving right on to #2.
Thanks for the solidtec link, Suraj.
Seems to me this program has very big potential. Anybody know any "powerusers" or engineering administrators who use it?
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Steven Smith Oct 16, 2013 12:48 PM
Fantastic resource Joe.
We are looking to implement pdm and electrical. this gives us a good start.

Cheers
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Jerald Roldan Nov 7, 2013 8:02 PM
Thanks Joe.
We are also planning to move to SWE and these video are good stuff to start with.
Cheers
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Ian Gregg Nov 18, 2014 8:21 PM
Just starting with SWE and really need some help. I have downloaded parts 1 and 3 but cannot get part 2. None of the YouTube links works for me. Can anyone tell me how to get part 2 or send it to me??
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Scott Morris @ Ian Gregg on Nov 19, 2014 5:36 PM
Looks like Vulcan Automation has them on YouTube
Vulcan Automation - YouTube
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Ian Gregg @ Scott Morris on Nov 19, 2014 7:45 PM
Thanks Scott, I did find those after my post here.

Does anyone have any other recommended tutorials from actual users as opposed to Solidworks propaganda??
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Alexander Sanabria Feb 13, 2015 9:32 AM
Thanks for the post Joe your second video has a dead link in both youtube and google drive. Do you still have the video? and if so can i download it? Thanks.
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Rui Fontes Jun 11, 2015 5:24 AM
Hi Joe,
cant find any of your videos!? do you have it some where else,

thanks
Rui
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