Chapter 22: Working with Large Scale Design
In This Chapter
Creating an animation simulating a walk-through Creating a grid structure Exporting to IFC
Large Scale Design is the first step that SolidWorks has made into the world of architectural design and documentation. It is intended to be the first of several architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) type tools aimed at the design of large, welded structures. According to SolidWorks marketing materials, “Large Scale Design brings together the tools you need to effectively design machinery, heavy equipment, plants, small ships, and other large objects.”
Dassault Systèmes, the parent company to SolidWorks, is also working on a product called SolidWorks Live Buildings, which is a Catia V6-based full AEC design tool. This is only mentioned here to make clear the distinction between the more basic objectives of SolidWorks Large Scale Design, aimed at large welded or bolted-together structures, and the more polished architectural work for finished buildings.
Large Scale Design encompasses three topics that are covered in this chapter: walk-through animation, GridSystem, and IFC export. Look for Large Scale Design to increase in scope in future releases of SolidWorks. While Large Scale Design also uses standard SolidWorks functionality such as sketching, part modeling, assembly modeling, weldments, and drawings, these other features do not presently have capabilities that are specific to Large Scale Design.
Creating a Walk-Through ...
