SolidWorks Certification Tests and a CSWA Success Story

More and more these days, every little bit on the resume helps. What can I put on a resume or what can I do in my current job to set the bar higher to show my skill set? SolidWorks offers certifications in various subject matter areas to test these fundamental skills. Starting with the CSWA and ending with the CSWE, there are eight (8) total certifications you can attain.

1. CSWA, Certified SolidWorks Associate

- test your ability to use SolidWorks on Essentials level class information plus a little extra (see our success story below)

CSWA Success

One of our students in 3DU, Mark Carpenter, recently took the CSWA test and passed it. Here are some questions and answers regarding the test.

3DU Instructor: How much SolidWorks experience did you have up until you started taking SolidWorks Classes?

Mark: Prior to taking the full set of classes allowed by the standard education pass, I had essentially no SolidWorks experience. While I had taken SolidWorks Essentials a year previous, which whetted my appetite for obtaining and truly learning SolidWorks, I didn't practice it for that year and lost it. Once I had my own copy of SolidWorks Professional running and I was signed up for the Education Pass, I got serious about digging in and learning SolidWorks.

3DU Instructor: What do you feel were the most important classes for passing the CSWA?

Mark: Without a doubt it would be SolidWorks Essentials. While the CSWA exam requires a skill level beyond what you'll have when you complete the SW Essentials course, It doesn't require much wider knowledge than that which is presented in SW Essentials. It requires a quicker familiarity with how to get the essential tasks completed and it requires some experience with working your way out of situations you may create when you go down the wrong path, and those come from practicing what you learn in SW Essentials. In my case much of that practice came while working through the material in the subsequent courses (which were great as well, though less directly applicable to the CSWA exam.) I also took 3 practice exams online in the days before which is very helpful in understanding the format that the problems will be presented in.

Here are the other seven certifications you can complete:

2. CSWP, Certified SolidWorks Professional

= test your ability to design and analyze parametric parts and moveable assemblies using a variety of complex features in SolidWorks

3. CSWP-Sheet Metal, Certified SolidWorks Professional Sheet Metal

- test your ability to use the sheet metal tools inside of SolidWorks

4. CSWP-Weldments, Certified SolidWorks Professional Weldments

- test your ability to use the Weldment tools inside of SolidWorks

5. CSWP-Surfacing,Certified SolidWorks Professional Surfacing Specialist

- test your ability to utilize these tools in the creation of complex surfaces.

6. CSWP-Mold Tools, Certified SolidWorks Professional Mold Tools

- test your ability to utilize the Mold Tools found in SolidWorks

7. CSWP-FEA, Certified SolidWorks Simulation Professional exam

- test an individual’s understanding of Simulation tools inside SolidWorks and of simulation in general

8. CSWE, Certified SolidWorks Expert

- A Certified SolidWorks Expert is someone who easily demonstrates the ability to utilize advanced functions and features to solve complex modeling challenges inside SolidWorks. A CSWE will be well rounded in their knowledge of all areas of the SolidWorks software. A CSWE is able to solve practically any modeling problem given to them, and is traditionally the go-to SolidWorks user among their colleagues.

Adding Features to the Design Library

A great way to use features for future designs is to add them to the Design Library.

Here's how:

1. Create a new part and design your "custom" feature

2. Select the Part name in the Feature Manager, then the Right Mouse Button and Add to Library

3. Clear the Part name from the dialog, expand the Feature Manager, and select the features you wish to include

4. Select a folder location

(Tip: Create a folder on your company network to store design library items)

5. You can now "drag and drop" these custom features to your designs!

Upcoming Online Classes

Hello everyone, I'm Rod Harper, and I am the 3DU Online instructor. I'm going to start posting a bi-monthly blog entry for upcoming classes that are coming up.

You can always check here for our complete online training schedule.

Online classes beginning on 8/3/2010:

• CAD205 SolidWorks Drawings, 9:00-11:00am, 6 sessions (2 weeks) 
• CAD210 SolidWorks Advanced Part Modeling, 2:00-4:00pm, 6 sessions (2 weeks) 
• CAE305 SolidWorksMotion, 9:00-11:00am, 6 sessions (2 weeks)

Online classes beginning on 8/17/2010:

• CAD305 SolidWorks Sheet-Metal, 2:00-4:00pm, 3 sessions (1 week) 
• CAD315 SolidWorks Routing, 9:00-11:00am, 6 sessions (2 weeks)

Any Questions? Email us at 3du@funtech.com

2010 LiveSTRONG Challenge Training Update

We are 95 days away from the LiveSTRONG Challenge and I thought I would provide an update of our training progress:

Mike Hansen:

"I have been doing some fun races and a 1/2 marathon so far this year. I've been doing a few spin classes a week to supplement saddle time."

Shawn Forry:

"I'm only starting the transition from running to biking. I've run a 10k and a half marathon, and a duathlon that was 20k on the bike within the last 2 months. For the last 2 weeks I've been mountain biking on the weekend and riding a stationary bike over lunch at the gym 4 days a week. With the pseudo miles on the stationary bike, maybe 50 miles a week."

Dan Wiggins:

"I've been riding 4-5 days/week. Working on building my foundation, averaging about 80 miles week, which includes some speed work."

Rich Nobliski:

I have been riding about 20-40 miles 3-4 days/week. Recently I started to ride to work, which is 19 miles each way. The weather hasn't been cooperating.

Training has been tough...and here is an example of that. While mountain biking, I took a few falls, which lead to casts for a partially torn ligament in my thumbs. I supported the cancer cause and went with Breast Cancer pink. I did add an engineering touch, by utilizing Duct Tape.

We have a goal of $15,000, and we are only at $685. I am asking if co-workers, friends, families, and customers could please help us out in meeting our goal...more importantly help fight cancer with FUNTECH RACING!

Funtech Website: http://www.funtech.com/Livestrong-Cancer-Foundation

Visit the Funtech Racing Team Webpage

DONATE! View Rich Nobliski's Personal Page

DONATE! View Dan Wiggins's Personal Page

DONATE! View Mike Hansen's Personal Page

Thank you,

Rich Nobliski

SolidWorks World 2011 - Call for Presentations

The SolidWorks World planning committee is accepting submissions for the user agenda at SolidWorks World 2011! SolidWorks users are invited to submit a presentation for consideration as a speaker at SolidWorks World 2011 International User Conference and Exposition taking place in San Antonio, Texas at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, January 23-26, 2011.

There are many categories available in which to present that represent the type of material needed to create information and exciting presentations.  Help make this the best user agenda ever!  You can complete your submission online to be considered for a speaking spot at SolidWorks World 2011.

Visit the SolidWorks Submission Site

Presenter Requirements

• Must be a polished speaker with a minimum of 2+ years public speaking or teaching experience.
• Must be using the most recent release of SolidWorks at the time of the conference.

Speaking Opportunities Include:

• Breakout Session Presenters
  (sessions that last from 60 to 90 minutes) - must have experience presenting technical information effectively, providing interesting, original, and informative content.
  
• Hands-On Sessions
  (sessions that last from 60 to 90 minutes) - Hands-On sessions entail presenting to no more than a maximum of 30 attendees who will each have use of their own computer. Hands-On simply means that attendees will have the ability to follow along and actually "do" what the presenter does, so they have a "hands-on" experience in the session. The presenter must have experience presenting technical information effectively, providing interesting, original and informative content. Hands-on sessions require a second speaker to act as a guide to keep the class up-to-speed with the pace.

A First Look at SolidWorks Sustainability

Your complete green design and engineering solution.

Watch the video

Can your company meet customers’ growing demand for eco-friendly products? In a couple of years, you won’t have a choice. Sustainable design gets you there ahead of the market with great, green products.

Sustainable design hinges on life cycle assessment (LCA), an in-depth, cradle-to-grave analysis of your product. LCA gives you the information and confidence to make smart, environmentally friendly decisions before manufacturing begins.

If you want to reduce your products’ environmental impact and differentiate your company, using SolidWorks Sustainability is the clear and easy way to take those first steps. 

FREE Instructor-Led Online DriveWorks Training Course

Sign up to take a DriveWorks Training Class. This Online LIVE class is delivered by a DriveWorks Solo Technical Specialist.

Training covers...

• Session 1: Model Capture, Creating Forms, Building Rules,Running your Project, New File Names and Locations
• Session 2: Replacing Files, Tables, Form Navigation, Improving Your Forms, Driving Replacement Files, Controlling Custom Properties
• Session 3: Documents, Controlling Drawings

Each session lasts 1 hour.

Sign up for all three sessions to complete the full Training Course

Click on the links to view the time in YOUR time zone

DriveWorks Solo Training

Session 1 - Mon July 26th Time 4.00PM–5:00PM BST - Click Here to register

Session 2 - Tue July 27th Time 4:00PM–5:00PM BST - Click Here to register

Session 3 - wed July 28th Time 4:00PM–5:00PM BST - Click Here to register

You can also contact FISHER/UNITECH for additional DriveWorks Solo Training Options.

System Requirements for viewing the Webinar PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, Vista Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4 (Tiger®) or newer

From CAD File to Production Part in 3 Days

Learn how the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) NASCAR team used its Fortus 400mc to produce a new race car part in just three days. Learn about the process, materials used, and time and cost reduction. Read More | Watch Video

An Eye for Direct Digital Manufacturing (DDM)

Swedish-based DST Control shaved seven weeks off manufacturing by using FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology to create real parts for unmanned vehicles.

Find out how DDM helped them meet critical deadlines for products that would have otherwise been delayed by last minute design changes.

Featured on the May 2010 cover of Time Compression Technology magazine, this story is gaining interest worldwide. 

If you missed it, don’t worry.  You can read it here.

3DU Instructor Tip #8 - Swept paths

Here’s an interesting little project. It came from a student in the Advanced Part class. We were exploring the bracelet example which uses a swept cut defined by turns to make the nice designed appearance.



An issue in this example is I am unable to keep the profile normal to the twist path. Taking it a step further, what if the “bracelet” is not nice and round, what if it’s more like this:



Create s a swept path defined by a vertical line as the profile, and the centerline of this shape as the path. In the swept surface option define a certain amount of turns.


Create an intersection curve is between the “bracelet" and the newly swept surface. Create a profile of the shape you want to cut away like the bracelet example. To ensure the profile is normal, create a point on the curve in order to create a plane to sketch on that is normal to the curve at the point.

Or use it to create a completely new body like below. The intersection curve is shown in gray in this example.


If you would like this example, shoot me an email at rharper@funtech.com.

Hope you have a great Holiday weekend!

Rod Harper
3DU Instructor

DFMXpress - What is it?

When designing a new part, we may forget about how the part will be manufactured. This can result in more costly manufacturing setups, tooling etc. Naturally, this sometimes can't be helped but we can certainly help reduce the unnecessary. SolidWorks ships with a tool to help show possible problem areas. This tool is called DFMXpress. DFMXpress is an analysis tool that validates the manufacturability of SolidWorks parts.

It is located in the menu bar under the "Tools" dropdown. When you run this utility, you can set it up to check for Mill/Drill only, Turn with Mill Drill and Sheet metal rules. It will find such things as "drill hole diameter to depth ratios" and "sharp internal corners."

It highlights problem areas in Red. When you hover over these areas, a flyout pops up showing why this is in question. A nice touch.

An Entrepreneur's Story: Using Additive Fabrication to Grow a Business

Missed this webcast in May?  It's now available on demand!

Listen as Wendy Steele, co-founder of Tape Wrangler Company tells how she and husband Rick introduced additive manufacturing into their product design and manufacturing process - and watched their business soar. Watch it now.

What you will learn:

• How iterative prototyping can get the right product to market – faster

• How bringing prototyping in-house can save time and money

• How to cost-reduce manufacturing with additive fabrication

• How to build 'green' tooling for short-run production

Date: On Demand

Duration: 45 minutes

Cost: Free

Inserting a Toolbox part gives "already open" error

While working with an assembly, it is very common to use Toolbox parts (nuts, bolts, etc.) to speed up the process.

Let's say your assembly already has toolbox part "BOLT XYZ" in it.

You find you need to add another "BOLT XYZ."  Normally you would go to the Toolbox library and drag and drop it in to the assembly creating another instance.

What happens if you get the message "A document named 'toolbox part' is already open. Do you want to show this already opened document"?

The most common cause of this is if existing Toolbox parts in the assembly are not referencing the same common file location for the Toolbox part being inserted into the assembly, but has the same name. Most likely this is caused by 2+ people working on 1 project and inadvertently referencing a local Toolbox vs the shared Toolbox location.

If this is not the case, it can also be caused by a setup issue. If you set your toolbox up by defining a UNC path location but then set your "SolidWorks\Tools\Options\HoleWizard\Toolbox" to look at a MAPPED drive (or vice versa), it can cause this. Even though they are technically the same location, SolidWorks may read it as 2 separate locations causing the error.

To correct, simply change the "SolidWorks\Tools\Options\HoleWizard\Toolbox" location to look at the opposite path.

Keep your Composure with Composer?!

Occasionally when working with 3DVIA Composer, I tend to have tunnel vision and think of selection groups for parts and parts alone. However did you know that you can apply selection sets to balloons and other annotation? This can be extremely helpful when working with large assemblies.

Consider this; When first creating a project, you should habitually create a default view. I usually try to capture an isometric of the entire assembly. Next, open the BOM Workshop, utilizing the “All Geometries” create BOM ID’s for all components in your assembly. Depending upon the size of your assembly this may be a bit daunting, however, that's where we can harness the power of selection sets for components as well as assembly ID’s!

In the examples shown I have created selection sets grouping the bottom set of balloons and managing their display collectively under the collaboration tab!

It’s the little things!!!!!