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Improvements to Onshape - March 2nd, 2017

NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,307
This latest round of updates has some great new features that have been highly requested by so many. So let's dig in!

@MENTIONS

You can now add a user's name to your Comments and they will be shared into the Document with View and Comment permissions and notified by email.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/aufjw5zpxh?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


CUSTOM PROPERTIES

Onshape has a new properties editor with additional custom properties. Companies can also create new custom properties for an entire Document or specific properties for Parts, Assemblies and Drawings. These properties can also be mandatory for Company owned Documents.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/xjlmsaf4wz?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


INSERT PART / ASSEMBLY PROPERTIES INTO NOTES

Any of the properties created above can now be added to a drawing as a note or in a title block and saved as a drawing template. 

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/yq9e6vdufo?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


MOVE FACE UP TO ENTITY

When using Move Face to translate or offset a solid, surface or sheet metal face, you can now specify an entity to move up to with an optional offset.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/v2nzhronuk?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


COPY / OFFSET SURFACE

Continuing with the Move Face theme, you can now copy surfaces or create offset surfaces using all the capabilities of the Move Face feature.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/1v7lnzq8kl?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


SWEEP PATH

Now when you create a sweep, the profile plane can intersect the path at any location.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/nhkbg8usnt?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


MEASUREMENT DISPLAY PRECISION

The measurement and mass properties tools now follow the length and mass display precision settings in the Document. 

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/vv8azokube?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


UP TO PART AND SHEET METAL BEND LINES

Sheet metal parts can now be used as a geometric reference when designing other parts and bend lines are generated automatically in the flat view and in drawings.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/0rvmzwp68g?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


THREADS, VIRTUAL SHARPS AND QUADRANTS

Annotating threads, virtual intersections and adding max/min arc dimensions just got a "hole" lot easier.

http://onshape.wistia.com/medias/fz1s6qq4gl?embedType=async&videoWidth=640


3D CAD FILE IMPORT

Onshape can now import SolidWorks 2017 and CATIA V6R2016x 3D CAD files.

Please take a moment to try out these new features and improvements and let us know what you think!  

Remember: The updates listed here are now live for all users when creating new documents and over the next few days these features will also be available in documents created before the date of this update.
Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI

Comments

  • derek_wardderek_ward Member Posts: 63 EDU
    Again, great updates!  Really digging the continued updates to your sheet metal implementation.  Thank you!
  • john_mcclaryjohn_mcclary Member, Developers Posts: 3,890 PRO
    Those are some major improvements. OnShape's programmers never stop amazing me how fast they whip out such significant updates, with little to no bugs. All hail the GOD's of CAD development!
  • owen_sparksowen_sparks Member, Developers Posts: 2,660 PRO
    Nice work folks.  Love the updated sweep functionality.  Though I do feel a little sorry for the chap on the forum who built the microwave lid geometry the other day ;)

    Thanks all.

    Owen S.
    Business Systems and Configuration Controller
    HWM-Water Ltd
  • brian_bradybrian_brady Member, Developers Posts: 505 EDU
    Nice improvements. Hopefully we'll have a way to create/specify/show external threads as well, in both models and drawings.
  • PrachiPrachi Member, OS Professional Posts: 262 ✭✭✭
    Nice round of updates. Keep up the good work.
  • bryan_lagrangebryan_lagrange Member, User Group Leader Posts: 792 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice job guys and presentation of them. By the way Neil, Proud Cityzen here! CTID! Manchester is Sky Blue! 
    Bryan Lagrange
    Twitter: @BryanLAGdesign

  • oleg_shilovitskyoleg_shilovitsky Member, Developers Posts: 131 PRO
    Great job Onshape!  Really liking the move face up to entity + offset options, now that I have it, how could I have lived without it!?!?  I'm also excited to try the custom properties improvements and now the added functionality that @oleg_shilovitsky was talking about with the most resent openBoM update a couple weeks ago that allows BoM in drawings.  Also looks like it's time to update my drawing templates so the properties auto-insert, thank you again Onshape!!

    For the sheet metal functionality, are there plans to allow a radius/chamfer on corners with the existing tools on active sheet metal parts?  Also the hole feature would be nice too.  For the flat patterns in drawings, a way to pull in the bend radius and angle would be really nice.  Either on the bend lines themselves or maybe a table that could be referenced with balloons?  

    For drawings, really going to like the tapped hole thread options and the virtual sharp will be one that I will use a lot along with the quadrant options, shift+q, that's a good way to turn it on/off.  I also agree with @brian_brady that the external thread stuff would be really nice to have.  It seems that SW never had a very good way of displaying this; I know there was a way in drawings, but I could only get it to work half the time....  Can't wait to see how Onshape will handle this.

    I'm not complaining, just respectfully requesting;)  Oh, and I never thought I would enjoy having so many different colors in the models.  It's so nice to be able change fastener or threaded insert colors based on size!  Just never did that much before Onshape, you guys make it easy and straight forward!

    @jackson_king thanks for mentioning openBoM for Onshape drawings update. 

    Here is the link to the article about it
    https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/5923/openbom-for-onshape-drawings#latest

  • fastwayjimfastwayjim Member, OS Professional, Mentor Posts: 220 PRO
    Wow, these are amazing! I LOVE the flange/offset workflow, and is it me or is the copy/offset surface function a small step towards more/better surface modeling?!?!
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,307
    @bryan_lagrange CTID indeed! A draw in the late kick off today will do us just nicely!
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • Tony_C_Tony_C_ Member Posts: 272 PRO
    Why was file size removed from the document list?
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,307
    @Tony_C_ since everybody now has unlimited storage Document size is kind of irrelevant. Document size is primarily due to history so the older it is and the more changes that have been made, the larger the Document. Since only the latest "version" is loaded, size does not affect open time or performance. You also now get extra space to see longer Document names. 
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • Tony_C_Tony_C_ Member Posts: 272 PRO
    NeilCooke said:
    @Tony_C_ since everybody now has unlimited storage Document size is kind of irrelevant. Document size is primarily due to history so the older it is and the more changes that have been made, the larger the Document. Since only the latest "version" is loaded, size does not affect open time or performance. You also now get extra space to see longer Document names. 
    Would still be nice to be able to find it somewhere. Maybe in the details tab.
  • brucebartlettbrucebartlett Member, OS Professional, Mentor, User Group Leader Posts: 2,137 PRO
    edited March 2017
    Absolutely great list of updates well done to all. I am very excited to see a lot of these more mundane features roll in. I am especially excited by the new property manager and the property link to the drawing sheet, this will save a heap of time and is now to a level which you would expect in a professional MCAD tool. Happy also see the improvement to drawings with the inclusion of virtual sharps and tapped holes.

    The move face changing to a default offset setting is perfect for me, I nearly always change to this and it will now save me a click. Looking forward to trying the other move face improvements too.

    No more ending a sheet metal part to add another part up to it, I found this an issue last week and worked around it by ending the part, no need to in future. I'll look forward to many more of these sheet metal improvements, fillets, chamfers, align flanges and extrude add are at the top of my list. 

    Great way to create a planar surface of a sketch, I'll have to remember this for future. Looking forward to many more surfacing tools, hopefully, a way to knit is just around the corner.
    Engineer ı Product Designer ı Onshape Consulting Partner
    Twitter: @onshapetricks  & @babart1977   
  • brucebartlettbrucebartlett Member, OS Professional, Mentor, User Group Leader Posts: 2,137 PRO
    @NeilCooke How do we added the company properties or is this only available in the enterprise version?
    Engineer ı Product Designer ı Onshape Consulting Partner
    Twitter: @onshapetricks  & @babart1977   
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,307
    edited March 2017
    @brucebartlett it is only available if you have registered as a company (which can be a one seat pro account) - if you have registered as pro and not a company please speak to your account rep who should be able to get it switched over for you. 
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • brucebartlettbrucebartlett Member, OS Professional, Mentor, User Group Leader Posts: 2,137 PRO
    NeilCooke said:
    @brucebartlett it is only available if you have registered as a company (which can be a one seat pro account) - if you have registered as pro and not a company please speak to your account rep who should be able to get it switched over for you. 
    Thanks Neil, good to know. 
    Engineer ı Product Designer ı Onshape Consulting Partner
    Twitter: @onshapetricks  & @babart1977   
  • GWS50GWS50 Member Posts: 366 PRO
    Thank you for the drawing improvements with the linked texts and more fields....it makes drawing info much easier to update and keep track of. Thank you also for the shaded view options and the referencing option in the sheet properties. Great stuff!
  • chrisjh777chrisjh777 Member Posts: 207 ✭✭✭✭
    Some time ago, I published a long wishlist for OS improvements.  Gradually my list became very short> :)  

    OS is now my go to CAD platform, however I still use HSMWorks within SW for creating CAM G Code and SW's Weldments capability.

    Onshape Observations 06Mar17

    Improvements 02Mar17

    I have been patiently waiting for one of my OS wishlist items to materialize and was excited when OS 02Mar17 was released.  Notably, auto populate of fields (Notes), so I can update my drawing templates to take time saving advantage.
    Unfortunately, I will have to wait longer to update my templates.

    These are my observations:

    1. INSERT PART / ASSEMBLY PROPERTIES INTO NOTES.  Unfortunately, not all properties can be inserted into Notes.   For example,  Drawing Number, Project, and Part Number do not come across.  

    See my test example here:
     
    I have not tested other properties, other than those listed above.

    2. Date is in USA format.  Needs to be universal format (selected in User Preferences), and include an option for time as well (like Word and Excel).  I use time stamps on my drawings during design development, to distinguish progress during the day.  I may end up with multiple paper copies on my desk, which can be confusing if not time stamped.

    3. Mass Properties not included.

    General Observations (My now very short wish list)

    4. Custom User Defined Material still missing.

    5. The ability to change the transparency (opacity) of a single part in an assembly, without having to go back the the part studio.  I am aware transparency can be changed in assemblies, but this affects all parts within the assembly.

    6. User defined fonts (single stroke fonts for engraving).

    I believe all 3 items above have been logged in Improvement Requests.
  • viruviru Member, Developers Posts: 619 ✭✭✭✭
    Nice improvements. Keep up the good work.
  • PrachiPrachi Member, OS Professional Posts: 262 ✭✭✭
    Would like to see virtual points include line to arc not just line to line.

  • BenFBenF Member Posts: 2 PRO
    Onshape is impressive and it just gets better and better.  One question regarding custom properties, how do you ensure that a part number is unique?
    keep the improvements coming :-)
  • dylan_gunndylan_gunn Member Posts: 6 EDU
    Note for those who are using workspace properties to manage part revisions and expecting these fields to update on drawings, in case you have similar issues after this change:

    I am not able to edit the revision fields for parts or drawings when in an active workspace, this can be done only when in a version.

    However, when I edit the workspace properties in a version, it does not appear to update the drawings (after all, I would expect them to be fixed as a version should be locked in time).

    The issue for me is that I want drawing revision metadata (drawing and/or part revision) to appear on the drawings.

    Here's what I found: once I've updated my revisions and other metadata for the new version, if I switch back to my active workspace, and then return to the version, I find that the metadata has been updated on the drawings, reflection my changes.

    Has anyone else encountered this issue?

    OnShape: there seems to be a conflict between restricting editing of revisions to versions only, but then having them appear on released drawings...?  Either way, having to switch back and forth between the version and the active workspace is awkward.


  • MBartlett21MBartlett21 Member, OS Professional, Developers Posts: 2,034 EDU
    Tony_C_ said:
    NeilCooke said:
    @Tony_C_ since everybody now has unlimited storage Document size is kind of irrelevant. Document size is primarily due to history so the older it is and the more changes that have been made, the larger the Document. Since only the latest "version" is loaded, size does not affect open time or performance. You also now get extra space to see longer Document names. 
    Would still be nice to be able to find it somewhere. Maybe in the details tab.
    @Tony_C_
    +1
    mb - draftsman - also FS author: View FeatureScripts
    IR for AS/NZS 1100
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