Sigmund ABA for SolidWorks can be used to resolve complex assembly problems for rigid bodies, evaluate design improvements, identify important design characteristics, and determine optimal tolerances for parts and assemblies created in SolidWorks. Using Sigmund ABA for SolidWorks from design concept through production will improve quality, reduce costs, and cut development life cycle times.

Development of a Sigmund assembly build analysis model follows an intuitive, step-by-step methodology that includes the following stages:

• Component Geometry Creation:
  Model geometry can be exported from SolidWorks as SolidWorks Part/Assembly data (wire frame or surface), or as IGES, STEP data (wire frame or surface). The entities that can be exported into Sigmund ABA for SolidWorks are: CAD geometry, planes, lines, points, axis, and coordinate systems.
• GD&T or Tolerance Emulation:
  This step defines the component variation to be modeled. SolidWorks input tolerance information including the component GD&T datum structures and geometric tolerances must be reapplied to the relevant features using the functionality provided in Sigmund ABA for SolidWorks. Simple, menu-driven commands are used to define the datum reference frames, and tolerance feature control frames are simply filled as shown on the drawing. The capability also exists to emulate dimensional or ± tolerances if GD&T has not been used.
• Optimization:
  Using the output from the Sigmund ABA for SolidWorks model, the SolidWorks design can be evaluated, optimized and validated before a single part is manufactured. At this stage, different design concepts, locating schemes and assembly methods can be evaluated. Potential manufacturing processes and the resulting capabilities can be assessed. Tolerances can be tightened to meet the requirements or loosened if they are found to have little impact on the requirements.