SFQFC - A Systematic Approach to Engineering Design with Solidworks by Magnitude Engineering Solutions
Solidworks Tutorial By Magnitude Engineering Solutions [SFQFC]
Introduction
If you are an engineer, a designer, or a student who wants to learn how to use Solidworks for creating and optimizing complex mechanical systems, this article is for you. In this article, you will learn what Solidworks is, what Magnitude Engineering Solutions is, and what SFQFC is. You will also learn how to use Solidworks for SFQFC, which is a systematic approach to engineering design that stands for Statement, Function, Quality, Function Cost.
Solidworks Tutorial By Magnitude Engineering Solutions [SFQFC]
What is Solidworks?
Solidworks is a computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided engineering (CAE) software that allows you to create, analyze, and document 3D models of various products and systems. Solidworks is widely used in industries such as aerospace, automotive, biomedical, construction, manufacturing, and robotics. With Solidworks, you can:
Sketch your ideas and turn them into 3D models
Add dimensions, constraints, and features to your models
Apply materials, colors, and textures to your models
Perform various simulations and tests on your models
Optimize your models for performance, cost, and quality
Create drawings, reports, and presentations of your models
Collaborate and share your models with others
What is Magnitude Engineering Solutions?
Magnitude Engineering Solutions is a company that provides engineering consulting and training services for various industries. Magnitude Engineering Solutions specializes in using Solidworks for designing and optimizing mechanical systems. Some of the services that Magnitude Engineering Solutions offers are:
Solidworks training courses for beginners and advanced users
Solidworks design and analysis projects for clients
Solidworks certification preparation and exams
Solidworks support and troubleshooting
What is SFQFC?
SFQFC is a method for engineering design that was developed by Magnitude Engineering Solutions. SFQFC stands for Statement, Function, Quality, Function Cost. SFQFC helps you to define the problem and the requirements of your design project, sketch and model your design solution, analyze and optimize your design solution, and document and communicate your design solution. SFQFC consists of four steps:
Statement: Write a clear statement of the problem and the objectives of your design project.
Function: Identify the main functions that your design solution must perform.
Quality: Define the quality criteria that your design solution must meet or exceed.
Function Cost: Estimate the cost of each function of your design solution.
By following SFQFC, you can ensure that your design solution is effective, efficient, and economical.
How to use Solidworks for SFQFC
In this section, you will learn how to use Solidworks for SFQFC. You will use an example of a design project to illustrate each step of SFQFC. The example design project is to design a bicycle frame that is lightweight, strong, and ergonomic.
Step 1: Define the problem and the requirements
The first step of SFQFC is to define the problem and the requirements of your design project. You can use the following template to write a statement of the problem and the objectives of your design project:
The problem is to design a _________ that _________. The objectives are to _________.
For the example design project, the statement of the problem and the objectives is:
The problem is to design a bicycle frame that supports the rider and the components of the bicycle. The objectives are to make the bicycle frame lightweight, strong, and ergonomic.
Next, you can use the following template to identify the main functions that your design solution must perform:
The main functions of the design solution are:
Function 1: _________
Function 2: _________
Function 3: _________
...
For the example design project, the main functions of the design solution are:
Function 1: Support the rider's weight and posture
Function 2: Attach to the wheels, pedals, brakes, gears, and handlebars
Function 3: Absorb shocks and vibrations from the road
Then, you can use the following template to define the quality criteria that your design solution must meet or exceed:
The quality criteria of the design solution are:
Quality 1: _________
Quality 2: _________
Quality 3: _________
...
For the example design project, the quality criteria of the design solution are:
Quality 1: The bicycle frame must weigh less than 2 kg
Quality 2: The bicycle frame must withstand a load of 150 kg without breaking or deforming
Quality 3: The bicycle frame must fit different sizes and shapes of riders
Finally, you can use the following template to estimate the cost of each function of your design solution:
The function cost of the design solution is:
Function
Cost
Function 1: Support the rider's weight and posture
$50
Function 2: Attach to the wheels, pedals, brakes, gears, and handlebars
$100
Function 3: Absorb shocks and vibrations from the road
$150
Total cost:
$300
Step 2: Sketch the design and create a 3D model
The second step of SFQFC is to sketch your design solution and create a 3D model of it in Solidworks. You can use paper and pencil or a digital sketching tool to draw your initial ideas. You can also use online resources such as images, videos, or articles to get inspiration and information. You should try to generate multiple sketches with different shapes, sizes, and features. You should also label your sketches with dimensions, constraints, and annotations.
For the example design project, here are some possible sketches of different bicycle frames:
After you have sketched your design solution, you can create a 3D model of it in Solidworks. To do this, you need to follow two steps: sketching in Solidworks and creating a 3D model from a sketch.
How to sketch in Solidworks
How to create a 3D model from a sketch
After you have sketched your design solution in Solidworks, you can create a 3D model of it by using various features and tools. Some of the common features and tools that you can use are:
Extrude: This feature allows you to create a solid or a surface by extending a sketch along a direction.
Revolve: This feature allows you to create a solid or a surface by rotating a sketch around an axis.
Sweep: This feature allows you to create a solid or a surface by moving a sketch along a path.
Loft: This feature allows you to create a solid or a surface by blending two or more sketches.
Fillet: This feature allows you to round off the edges or corners of a solid or a surface.
Chamfer: This feature allows you to cut off the edges or corners of a solid or a surface at an angle.
Hole Wizard: This tool allows you to create standard or custom holes on a solid or a surface.
Mirror: This tool allows you to create symmetrical copies of a solid, a surface, or a sketch across a plane.
Pattern: This tool allows you to create multiple copies of a solid, a surface, or a sketch along a direction or around an axis.
For the example design project, here are some steps to create a 3D model of the bicycle frame from the sketch:
Select the sketch of the bicycle frame and click on Extrude. Choose Mid Plane as the direction and enter 25 mm as the distance. Click OK to create the solid extrusion of the bicycle frame.
Select the edges of the bicycle frame and click on Fillet. Enter 5 mm as the radius and click OK to round off the edges of the bicycle frame.
Select the top face of the bicycle frame and click on Sketch. Draw two circles on the face with diameters of 10 mm and 20 mm. Click on Exit Sketch.
Select the two circles and click on Hole Wizard. Choose Through All as the end condition and click OK to create two holes on the top face of the bicycle frame.
Select the right plane and click on Sketch. Draw a circle on the plane with a diameter of 50 mm. Click on Exit Sketch.
Select the circle and click on Revolve. Choose Thin Feature as the type and enter 5 mm as the thickness. Click OK to create a solid revolved ring around the right plane.
Select the ring and click on Move/Copy. Choose Rotate as the type and enter 45 degrees as the angle. Click OK to rotate the ring by 45 degrees.
Select the ring and click on Mirror. Choose Front Plane as the mirror plane and click OK to create a symmetrical copy of the ring across the front plane.
The 3D model of the bicycle frame should look something like this:
Step 3: Analyze the performance and optimize the design
The third step of SFQFC is to analyze the performance and optimize your design solution in Solidworks. You can use various simulation and optimization tools in Solidworks to test your design solution for different scenarios and conditions. Some of the common simulation and optimization tools that you can use are:
Solidworks Simulation: This tool allows you to perform static, dynamic, thermal, fluid, fatigue, buckling, drop test, frequency, and nonlinear analyses on your design solution. You can apply different loads, restraints, materials, contacts, and mesh settings to your design solution and see how it behaves under different stresses and strains.
Solidworks Motion: This tool allows you to perform kinematic and dynamic analyses on your design solution. You can apply different forces, torques, springs, dampers, motors, gravity, friction, and joints to your design solution and see how it moves and reacts under different motions and forces.
Solidworks Flow Simulation: This tool allows you to perform fluid flow and heat transfer analyses on your design solution. You can apply different fluids, pressures, temperatures, fans, vents, heat sources, and heat sinks to your design solution and see how it interacts with the fluid flow and heat transfer.
Solidworks Sustainability: This tool allows you to perform environmental impact analyses on your design solution. You can apply different materials, manufacturing processes, transportation modes, usage scenarios, and end-of-life scenarios to your design solution and see how it affects the carbon footprint, energy consumption, air pollution, and water pollution.
Solidworks Design Study: This tool allows you to perform design optimization on your design solution. You can define different variables, constraints, and goals for your design solution and see how it changes to meet the optimal values.
For the example design project, here are some steps to analyze and optimize the bicycle frame using Solidworks Simulation and Solidworks Design Study:
Open Solidworks Simulation and click on New Study. Choose Static as the type and enter Bicycle Frame as the name. Click OK to create a new static study for the bicycle frame.
Click on Apply Material and choose Aluminum Alloy as the material for the bicycle frame. Click OK to apply the material.
Click on Fixtures and choose Fixed Geometry. Select the two holes on the top face of the bicycle frame and click OK to fix them.
Click on External Loads and choose Force. Select the two rings on the sides of the bicycle frame and enter 750 N as the magnitude. Choose Normal as the direction and click OK to apply a normal force on the rings.
Click on Mesh and choose Create Mesh. Choose Standard Mesh as the type and enter 5 mm as the global size. Click OK to create a mesh for the bicycle frame.
Click on Run and wait for the study to finish. Click on Results and choose Stress. You should see a color-coded plot of the stress distribution on the bicycle frame. You can also see the maximum stress value and its location on the model.
Click on Results and choose Factor of Safety. You should see a color-coded plot of the factor of safety distribution on the bicycle frame. You can also see the minimum factor of safety value and its location on the model.
Open Solidworks Design Study and click on New Design Study. Enter Bicycle Frame Optimization as the name and click OK to create a new design study for the bicycle frame.
Click on Variables and choose Add Variables. Select Thickness as the variable name and enter 1 mm as the minimum value, 10 mm as the maximum value, and 1 mm as the increment value. Click OK to add a variable for the thickness of the bicycle frame.
Click on Constraints and choose Add Constraints. Select Mass as the constraint name and enter Less than or equal to as the type and 2 kg as the limit value. Click OK to add a constraint for the mass of the bicycle frame.
Click on Goals and choose Add Goals. Select Factor of Safety as the goal name and enter Greater than or equal to as the type and 2 as the target value. Click OK to add a goal for the factor of safety of the bicycle frame.
Click on Run and wait for the study to finish. You should see a table of different combinations of thickness, mass, and factor of safety values for the bicycle frame. You should also see a graph of mass versus factor of safety values for each combination. You can select the optimal combination that meets your requirements.
Step 4: Document and communicate the design
The fourth step of SFQFC is to document and communicate your design solution in Solidworks. You can use various tools in Solidworks to create drawings, annotations, reports, and presentations of your design solution. Some of the common tools that you can use are:
Solidworks Drawing: This tool allows you to create 2D drawings of your design solution from different views, such as front, top, right, isometric, section, detail, etc. You can also add dimensions, notes, symbols, tables, balloons, etc. to your drawings.
Solidworks eDrawings: This tool allows you to view, print, measure, mark up, and share your design solution in an eDrawings file format. You can also create animations, exploded views, and cross sections of your design solution in eDrawings.
Solidworks Composer: This tool allows you to create technical documentation, such as manuals, guides, instructions, etc., for your design solution. You can also create interactive animations, illustrations, videos, etc., for your design solution in Composer.
Solidworks Visualize: This tool allows you to create photorealistic renderings and animations of your design solution. You can also apply different lighting, materials, scenes, Visualize.
For the example design project, here are some steps to document and communicate the bicycle frame using Solidworks Drawing and Solidworks Visualize:
Open Solidworks Drawing and click on New. Choose a standard template for your drawing, such as A4 Landscape.
Click on Model View and choose the bicycle frame model from your files. Choose Front as the view orientation and click OK to insert a front view of the bicycle frame on the drawing sheet.
Click on Model View again and choose the bicycle frame model from your files. Choose Top as the view orientation and click OK to insert a top view of the bicycle frame on the drawing sheet.
Click on Model View again and choose the bicycle frame model from your files. Choose Isometric as the view orientation and click OK to insert an isometric view of the bicycle frame on the drawing sheet.
Click on Smart Dimension and add dimensions to the views of the bicycle frame, such as length, width, height, diameter, angle, etc.
Click on Note and add notes to the views of the bicycle frame, such as material, weight, load, etc.
Click on Save and choose a name and a location for your drawing file.
Open Solidworks Visualize and click on New. Choose a standard template for your rendering, such as Photo Studio.
Click on Import and choose the bicycle frame model from your files. Click OK to import the model into Visualize.
Click on Appearances and choose a material for your model, such as Aluminum Brushed.
Click on Scenes and choose a scene for your model, such as Studio Floor.
Click on Cameras and adjust the position, orientation, zoom, focus, etc. of your camera.
Click on Render and choose a quality and a resolution for your rendering. Click OK to start rendering your model.
Click on Save Image and choose a name and a location for your image file.
The drawing of the bicycle frame should look something like this:
The rendering of the bicycle frame should look something like this:
Conclusion
In this article, you learned what Solidworks is, what Magnitude Engineering Solutions is, and what SFQFC is. You also learned how to use Solidworks for SFQFC by following four steps: define the problem and the requirements, sketch the design and create a 3D model, analyze the performance and optimize the design, and document and communicate the design. You used an example of a design project to illustrate each step of SFQFC. By using Solidworks for SFQFC, you can create and optimize complex mechanical systems that are effective, efficient, and economical.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Solidworks tutorial by Magnitude Engineering Solutions [SFQFC]:
Q: How can I learn more about Solidworks?
A: You can visit the official website of Solidworks at https://www.solidworks.com/. You can also find various tutorials, videos, blogs, forums, and online courses on Solidworks on the internet.
Q: How can I contact Magnitude Engineering Solutions?
A: You can visit the official website of Magnitude Engineering Solutions at https://www.magnitude-es.com/. You can also call them at +1 (800) 123-4567 or email them at info@magnitude-es.com.
Q: How can I apply SFQFC to other design projects?
A: You can use SFQFC as a general framework for any engineering design project that involves creating and optimizing complex mechanical systems. You can adapt SFQFC to suit your specific needs and preferences by changing or adding variables, constraints, goals, features, tools, etc.
Q: What are the benefits of using Solidworks for SFQFC?
A: Some of the benefits of using Solidworks for SFQFC are:
You can create realistic and accurate 3D models of your design solution.
You can perform various simulations and tests on your