DFMPro for Solidworks
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Welcome to DFMPro: Your Guide to Getting Started
Welcome to DFMPro for SolidWorks! This quick start guide will help you get started and ensure you use DFMPro in the optimal manner. Whether you are a beginner or have some experience, our tutorials will provide you with the knowledge and skills to make the most out of DFMPro.
What is DFMPro?
DFMPro is an advanced design analysis software that helps engineers identify and rectify design issues that could impact manufacturability, assembly, quality, and cost. By integrating with leading CAD platforms such as SolidWorks, DFMPro allows for seamless analysis and correction, ensuring that your designs are ready for production.
1. Installation and Setup
Before you begin, make sure you have installed DFMPro on your system. A short video about the steps to be followed for its installation is provided here.
Download the Software: Visit the DFMPro website and download the latest version compatible with the version of SolidWorks installed on your system.
Installation Guide: Follow the step-by-step instructions in the installation guide provided during the download.
Activation
DFMPro provides different types of licenses as per organizational requirements. You may select either a node-locked (standalone) license or a network license (not linked to a single user). If you do not have a license key, you may contact DFMPro support for assistance. At the end of the DFMPro installation, you will be directed to the license manager window, where you can select the license file to be used. Alternatively, you can also open the DFMPro License Manager in Administrative mode to set up the license. The demo video about activating DFMPro is shown here.
2. Understanding the Interface
Once you have installed DFMPro for SolidWorks and set up its license, go ahead and open Solidworks. In the toolbar, you would find DFMPro. Within it, there would be 5 buttons. The first button, i.e. the Start DFMPro button will launch the DFMPro window. Similarly, the Rule Manager button allows you to select the set of rules that you’d like to include in your analysis. A brief overview of the Rule Manager is given in the below video
. Apart from this, there are also buttons to access the DFMPro Help file, About section, etc. Click on the Start DFMPro button, and the interface opens up on the right side of the screen.
Below the User Inputs, there are options to select the Rule File, Manufacturing Process, Materials, and other inputs. The rule file contains the list of rules to be included in the analysis. This is done on the Rule Manager window (explained in the next section)
3. Rule Manager
Rule Manager contains the list of all rules available for DFMPro analyses. Within the window, you can select the rules to be checked by clicking on the checkbox mentioned beside each rule. To configure the rule, you can double click on any rule and the Rule Configuration window opens up. If you are required to create an additional rule specific to your requirements, DFMPro provides the Visual Rule Modeler – a no-code application to devise new rules within the DFMPro framework. Once the rules are configured and saved, you can close the Rule Manager and proceed with the analysis. Also, you may take a look at this video.
4. Running Your First Analysis
Load Your Design: Open your CAD model in SolidWorks
Launch DFMPro: Click on the Start DFMPro icon in the toolbar to launch the software, and select the required options under User Inputs
Run Analysis: Click the “OK” button (green tick) to start the analysis. And within a few minutes, DFMPro will evaluate your design and provide recommendations on potential issues. An overview of the DFMPro window is provided here.
5. DFMPro Results Interface
Once the analysis is complete, the DFMPro results interface will be visible. At the bottom of the window is the Rules section, which contains the list of failed rules in the decreasing order of their criticality. Rules would be arranged according to their manufacturing module, in case multiple modules are selected.
Above the Rules section is the Instances section. For each failed rule, the recommendations would be provided here. You can hover over any instance for options such as Zoom to Fit, Review Details, Ignore Instance(s) as well as the contextual Help File. Users can choose to view the instances in the List view or the Scatter-plot view. The Scatter-plot helps users to understand a graphical perspective on the instances and their numerical values.
Above the Instances section is the Instance Details section. It would include information about the parameter value for the failed instance as well as the recommended value. For more information, you can take a look at this short tutorial here.
6. Seamless collaboration for Design Reviews
Among the options provided while hovering over an instance is the Review Details button. It is a great tool in the design review process between various stakeholders of the product design. Clicking on it opens the Review Details window. Here, you can take snapshots of whichever instance is selected, as well as adding comments related to it. This information would be stored in the results file exported or the reports created afterwards. As a result, reviewers and design engineers can have a steady back and forth flow of information within an instance. The Review Details has had a makeover in the recent past, and now provides a clear UI as well as a timestamp to help the stakeholders. A short demo on the Review Details option is provided here
Apart from the Review Details, the option beside it is the Ignore Instance button. During analyses, there could be some instances which the design engineers or the reviewers may feel are not critical to the design process, or which could be ignored as per their expert opinion. In this case, such instances can be ignored so that later stakeholders may not have to put in extra effort to correct the same in their designs. To ignore multiple instances which are similar, there is the Ignore Similar Instance feature. An ignored instance will be listed at the bottom of the Instances section. Later on, these instances can later be brought back into the Recommended instances (non-ignored) list as and when required.
The contextual help file opens up the help file pertaining to that particular rule. It includes recommended values, images to guide design engineers. This helps them pinpoint the modifications needed to be made as per DFM standards without having to spend time searching for the rule within the Rule File section.
7. Import/Export and DFM Analysis Reports
At the top of the DFMPro window, there are 4 buttons. The first is the Import / Export button. This allows you to export a DFMPro results file once the analysis is complete, as well as import an already-concluded analysis. This results file can be easily shared among the stakeholders, and thus the analysis results can be loaded on your system or your reviewer’s system without having to run the analysis over again.
Similarly, Reports are available to share the DFMPro recommendations in a professional view. It helps you to share the results with stakeholders not within the DFMPro framework. DFMPro provides 4 types of reports currently, which are explained in depth here
8. DFMPro Settings Toolbar
The third button at the top is the Settings button. Within the Settings window, you can set preferences about the analysis in general, a manufacturing module in particular as well as other preferences. To get an idea about the Settings, have a look at this video
To ensure you use DFMPro optimally, consider these best practices:
Regular Updates: Keep your software updated to benefit from the latest features and improvements.
Training and Support: Take advantage of DFMPro’s online resources.
DFMPro is a powerful tool designed to streamline your design process and improve manufacturability. For more information and resources, visit our DFMPro Website. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.