The first point of inspection should be the graphics and driver installed in your hardware (Computer).

Solidworks recommends a list of suitable hardware configuration, to improve the software’s performance. But first, the root cause must be confirmed before proceeding to the solution.

Identification:

To confirm that, the graphic card and drivers are affecting the software operation. First, Solidworks must be launched in OpenGL mode.

The OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) mode, bypasses the graphics adapter hardware accelerator.

To launch Solidworks in OpenGL mode, Go to Windows Search>All Programs>Solidworks Tools>Solidworks RX.

Select the “Home” tab you will find “Click here to launch Solidworks in Software OpenGL mode” under SOLIDWORKS Safe Modes.

The workflow must be repeated, if it resulted in improved software operation, it can be confirmed that graphics card and drivers are the issues hindering the smooth functioning of the application.

Resolution:

The Diagnostics tab in SOLIDWORKS Rx runs a test on the graphical components and displays the corresponding action to be performed.

Clicking the link below the Diagnostic Result directs to the official SOLIDWORKS hardware certification page. The suitable driver version based on the SOLIDWORKS version, System Vendor, and Model and Graphics Card can be identified.

The Hardware certification can also be reached from SOLIDWORKS Hardware and System Requirements page.

Sriram Krishnan
Applications Engineer
Central Innovation, WA

At Central Innovation, we can provide all – or part – of the solution. Including SOLIDWORKS, ARCHICAD, and many more industry-leading tools.
It’s something we’ve been doing for almost 30 years. Our commitment to customer service is second to none: we help you get the best out of your technology.
For a truly unique solution to your unique challenges, please contact us. Or read about some of the great services and solutions we offer.

At CI we have said since our inception that we build the world’s fastest workstations that will result in the best ROI.

Given this, we thought we would put our systems up against the best the competition can build. Below is a selection of workstations that are available to purchase on line. We selected the fasted 6 core systems our competitors offer.

We then went to the Passmark Database and selected these builds from their vast database of systems and in each case took the fastest record of each configuration.

With our 2 IC3D workstations we took the first 2 that had just been built and tested.

Using our low latency C14 2,800MHz memory provides us with a clear advantage here. A lower latency means that our memory responds to any requests a lot faster. Typically Lenovo, Dell and HP are using 2,666MHz ECC C19 memory which means it takes 19 cycles at 2,666MHz to get a response from the memory vs 14 cycles @ 2,800MHz to get a response from the memory CI use in the Series 3.6.

We can see here that our graphics results are better than like cards in competing systems. This has a lot to do with CPU speed and the motherboard itself rather than the graphics card. For the Quadro P4000 our results are between 15-20% better, and for the P2000 approx 13% better

Not All NVMe SSD’s are the same. We only use the fastest and most reliable in their class. Changing from a 250GB Samsung 970 Evo to a 500GB 970 Evo would give us a result of approx. 23,000. The Samsung PM9?? Drives are OEM versions of the 9?? Evo drives and the Samsung SM9?? Drives are OEM versions of the 9?? Pro drives

So the results are clear our IC3D workstations are the fastest in the world and provide the best ROI.

There is more to a workstation than the individual parts, and at CI we carefully select and test our components prior to settling on a BOM so that you can be assured that you have the absolute fastest and best value workstation money can buy.

At the same time, we are entering a new era of increased automation and digitization, with robotics and Virtual Reality set to become more commonplace, and the demands on the software necessary for the implementation of these technologies again underscores the importance of having the right hardware for the job.

Jason Princehorn, Manager, Hardware Solutions for Central Innovation offers some insights on the subject along with a few tips which might  save you unnecessary expense.

 “In hardware terms, your typical workstation has a lifespan of three to five years,” Jason points out. “So the question you need to ask is: what is the right hardware that I need, in order to keep up with the evolution in my software over that period?”

While one answer might be to invest in the most expensive workstation you can afford, or the one with the highest processing power, by doing this you could be spending more than necessary.

“When an existing or prospective customer comes to us, we don’t ask them what computer hardware or what specification script they want,” Jason explains. “Instead, we ask what they’re doing – what software they’re using.”

By identifying what applications the software is used for, and the workflow requirements around this, it’s then possible to create a bespoke workstation that will deliver optimal productivity.

“For example, if you’re doing design simulations and rendering, how much time are you sitting in front of the computer each month while it’s rendering, and is that equating to lost productivity? If so it can be worth investing in additional CPU power to save you time. But sometimes customers come to us wanting higher processing power and we’re able to steer them in another direction, which in the end costs them less and gives them a faster solution for the task at hand.

“You might think that because one workstation costs more, it must perform better – but that’s not necessarily the case. For example if you’re using the base modelling package of Solidworks, it’s predominantly a single-threaded application, which means what’s really important is to have the fastest CPU cores you can get.

“So you need to understand what’s required to get the job done, and to do that sometimes you need to get expert advice from someone who can explain everything from the ground up – rather than sell you something that won’t actually save you money and time.”

As an example, Jason cites the evolution in graphics card technology: “Over the last two generations of Nvidia GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), processing power has at least doubled for any given level of GPU. So whereas in the past you may have needed a high end graphics card to work effectively on large and or complex assemblies, today this is no longer the case and you may be able to get away with a graphics card that costs half as much as your previous one, yet still provides more graphics processing power.

“However there are other considerations to take into account – such as how many displays are you likely to have in three years’ time and what resolution will they need to be? The availability of quality 4K screens will bring with it the need to ensure your graphics card can still effectively run the software for your projects.

“So it’s not simply a question of whether according to the manufacturer’s specifications the software can run this number of monitors at this resolution – it’s also the fact that you need to be happy with the overall experience of what you see on screen.”

Jason argues that the key in ensuring the right hardware for the job is to understand how the software interacts with the hardware – what parts of the software place demands on what parts of the hardware, and how they do it.

“Is it CPU based or GPU based, how much memory is involved, what type and speed of drives are most beneficial to what type of workflow? And most importantly, do I need more CPU cores or faster CPU speed? So you need to understand all the factors involved to build a workstation that will give you the best ROI for your workflow.”

Jason offers a further example: “With simulation becoming more and more multithreaded, you may think that getting a high end Dual Xeon system is going to give you the fastest simulation workstation. However in most of the scenarios we look at, this is actually not the case as adding additional cores from an off-the-shelf solution usually means much lower CPU speed and ends up with greatly diminished returns.”

So when considering your future software options, it’s imperative to identify the demands that they will place upon your hardware, along with the way your workflow is likely to impact on your CPU requirements. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll then be able to ensure you have the right hardware for the job.

Check out our hardware solutions