01 — Parametric Master Model

Single Source of Truth

All accelerometer designs driven from a single master model with 6 global parameters. Equations and global variables propagate changes through parts, assemblies, and drawings automatically. Configuration Publisher generates simulation-ready STEP/Parasolid exports for any DoE point. 

' SOLIDWORKS API - Parametric geometry update
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim swModel As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim swParam As SldWorks.Parameter

Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
Set swModel = swApp.ActiveDoc

' Update all driving dimensions
swModel.Parameter("L@Sketch1").SystemValue = 0.0123  ' 12.3 mm
swModel.Parameter("W@Sketch1").SystemValue = 0.0041
swModel.Parameter("H@Sketch1").SystemValue = 0.0012
swModel.Parameter("Lm@Sketch2").SystemValue = 0.0078
swModel.Parameter("Wm@Sketch2").SystemValue = 0.0062
swModel.Parameter("R@Sketch1").SystemValue = 0.00045

' Force rebuild with error checking
Dim errors As Long
swModel.ForceRebuild3 True, errors

If errors > 0 Then
    MsgBox "Rebuild failed: " & errors & " errors"
    Exit Sub
End If

' Export simulation-ready geometry
swModel.SaveAs3 "accel_L12.3_W4.1_H1.2.step", _
    swSaveAsOptions_Silent, Nothing, Nothing

Key Insight: Using SystemValue (meters) instead of display units ensures unit-agnostic automation. The 6 parameters map directly to the ANSYS DoE space, enabling seamless CAD→CAE handoff.

02 — DriveWorks Automation

Rules-Based Design Generation

DriveWorks Solo/Pro projects capture design rules and generate manufacturing deliverables (drawings, BOMs, NC code) from parametric inputs. Form-driven interface allows non-CAD users to configure valid designs.

Rule-Based Geometry

Conditional feature suppression, pattern counts, and mate references driven by Excel/CSV parameter tables.

Auto-Drawings

Drawing views, dimensions, GD&T, and tables generated programmatically. Title blocks linked to PDM metadata.

BOM & Costing

Multi-level BOM export with material specs, mass properties, and cost estimates per configuration.

03 — FEA-Ready Geometry

CAD → CAE Pipeline

Geometry cleanup pipeline for FEA: defeaturing small fillets/chamfers below mesh resolution, mid-surface extraction for thin walls, shared topology enforcement for conformal meshing across parts.

Native CAD Fillets, chamfers Threads, logos Engravings Manufacturing Defeature Intermediate Remove <1mm features Simplify blends Suppress cosmetic Mid-surface FEA-Ready Defeatured Mid-surfaces Shared topology Simulation FIG 1.0 — CAD → FEA Geometry Pipeline: Native → Defeatured → Mid-surface
04 — PDM Integration

Lifecycle & Data Management

SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional workflow: automatic versioning on check-in, revision-controlled release states, BOM synchronization with ERP, and API-driven bulk operations for migration tasks.

6 Driving parameters (single master)
100% Configurable without manual rebuilds
500+ Configs generated for DoE
0 Manual CAD interventions
05 — Impact

CAD as Code

  • Traceability: Every DoE point maps to a specific PDM version — full audit trail from geometry to FEA result.
  • Automation: 500+ simulation-ready STEP files generated overnight via DriveWorks batch.
  • Interop: Parasolid/STEP output validated in ANSYS SpaceClaim — 0 import failures across 500 runs.
  • Reuse: Master model pattern applies to new sensor families — 80% geometry reuse.
Technical Repository