The SolidWorks Blog

SolidWorks in 2012 – The CEO’s perspective

The first general session of SolidWorks World 2012 just ended a little while ago, and I wanted to take this opportunity to share some thoughts with those of you who could not attend.

The SolidWorks community has grown a lot in the past year. In 2011 we added 15,939 new customers & 250,000+ new users, for a total of 1.7 million. To put that in perspective, if all 1.7 million SolidWorks users formed a new city, it would be the fifth largest in the United States–larger than Philadelphia. And by SolidWorks World 2013, I expect that number will be at (or above) 2 million.

I also learned recently that more than 50,000 of you have been certified through our CSWA, CSWP and CSWE programs. This is an amazing achievement, and it goes to show that SolidWorks skills are valued by employers throughout the world. So if you are using SolidWorks today, you are in good company.

SolidWorks was founded on a very simple idea—to put the power of 3D solid modeling on every engineer’s desktop. From the very first days of SolidWorks, we have focused on you, our customers. And eighteen years later, we’re still as focused on the customer experience as we were then. We have shown the world that we can build a successful business while still treating our employees, customers, resellers, and partners with dignity and respect. But we know that our products are not perfect. They can always be better. We can always be better.

Last September, we announced the 20^th release of SolidWorks with our 2012 update. This release is a little bit unique, because we really focused on improving the core business processes that affect you on a daily basis. For example, SolidWorks 2012 marks the first time you can calculate and compare material costs early in the design process, directly in the software. This new Design Costing feature is already helping companies hit their manufacturing cost targets by providing automatic, real-time manufacturing cost estimates during the initial design phase. Some of you are already reporting that you can now create more accurate quotes as much as 80% faster than you did before.

We also introduced something we call Large Design Review, which lets you review your designs quickly and easily, no matter how big they are. And we added a lot of updates we call delighters, which are little changes that often have big impacts. These include an improved equation editor, as well as an easier way to place balloons in your drawings.

At SolidWorks, we’re committed to providing you with the tools you need to design products that change the world, and help you be more successful while you do it. We also remain committed to our core design principles. We want to help you solve complicated engineering problems easily, without introducing any unnecessary complications. It’s our hallmark – we call it making things “SolidWorks simple.”

As many of you know, the R&D team is hard at work building a new 21^st century CAD platform. It’s my responsibility as CEO to ensure we have a strategy for taking advantage of new trends, technologies and processing power that will benefit you. You’ve probably heard us say that over 90% of the new features in every version of SolidWorks are the direct result of customer requests, and that remains true.

So on behalf of the entire SolidWorks team, I would like to thank all of you for being a part of the SolidWorks community. Our connection to the community is what keeps us excited. It’s what fires the passion we all feel when we come to work every day. And it’s also what keeps us grounded, making sure we’re always asking “are we doing the right things for our users?” Thank you again.

BOXX Raffle At The CSWE/CSWP Event At SolidWorks World 2012

Are you all set to head to SolidWorks World 2012?  Ready for a chance to win a high end computer workstation while you're there?  Well SolidWorks Solution partner BOXX has stepped up to the plate.

The first thing you'll need to know about having a chance to win this powerful workstation is you have to be a Certified SolidWorks Expert (CSWE),or a Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP), and you have to be attending SolidWorks World 2012 and be present at the CSWE/CSWP party on Monday night February 13th.

If you meet those requirements, simply go to the entry website and fill it out: Boxx Tech SolidWorks Solutions.

The computer to be given away at the event is packed full of the latest workstation tech including:

• CPU: Intel i7 Quad Core Enhanced Performance 4.5 GHz
• RAM: 8GB DDR3 2133MHz
• Video Card: NVIDIA Quadro 4000 with 2GB memory
• Hard Drives: 20 GB SSD cache hard drive; 1TB SATA
• 20X dual layer DVD+/-RW Writer
• Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Edition 64-bit 

And the best part?  The winner of this powerhouse computer will walk away with the actual computer from the event!  No waiting for this bad boy to be built and then shipped, you'll be plugging it in as soon as you get back to the office.

So how do you get in on the action to possibly win?  Well as stated before you must be a CSWE or CSWP, you must be attending SolidWorks World 2012 in San Diego, and you must be present at the CSWE/CSWP party on Monday night February 13th to win.

What if you don't meet those qualifications?  Well there is still time to register for SolidWorks World 2012, and you can even take and pass your CSWE or CSWP exam before you arrive!

We'd like to thank BOXX for stepping up to offer this great prize, and we hope to see you all in San Diego!  Find out more about their SolidWorks Certified solutions.

BOXX is the host of this contest, and is responsible for all rules and regulations.  You can find those rules here: Contest Rules

500+ CSWEs and CSWPs To Visit The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier At SolidWorks World 2012

On Monday night, February 13th, 2012, CSWEs and CSWPs in attendance at SolidWorks World 2012 will board a bus and make the short drive to the U.S.S. Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum in San Diego Bay.  The annual gathering of Certified SolidWorks Experts and Professionals will board the retired U.S. Navy ship for three hours of food, drinks, entertainment, and networking.

The keel for the U.S.S. Midway was laid on October 27th 1943 and served in various wars, conflicts and humanitary missions around the world until it was officially retired from service on April 11th 1992.  When it returned to the U.S., it was the first time in 18 years the ship had made port on U.S. shores.

Here are some quick facts about the Midway:

• It carried an estimated 225,000 U.S. service personnel over its service life
• The U.S.S. Midway sailed in every ocean in the world
• The U.S.S. Midway is 1001'6" long
• It has a displacement of 700,000 tons
• There are 4.02 acres of flight deck
• The crew would consume 1,000 loaves of bread a day

The ship features more then 60 exhibits, 25 restored aircraft, and a self guided tour of the ship.  Attendees of the event will be able to tour the ship from the ships jail, all the way to the top of it's command tower where you can sit in the captains chair!

What will certainly be the highlight of the event will be the flight simulators that users will be able to take a ride in.  Experience a virtual launch from the flight deck, fly mock missions with your co-pilot, but whatever you do, don't eat before you fly and tumble your way through the sky!

So is it too late to join in the fun?  Never!  Registration for SolidWorks World is open all the way up until the event, and you can save $100 on registration until January 20th.  If you're a CSWP or CSWE, you save an additional $100!

If you're planning to attend SolidWorks World and are not a CSWP or CSWE, what are you waiting for?  You don't want to miss out on what's sure to be one of the funnest events ever!  You can still take and pass your exam before you go, visit the SolidWorks Certification site for more information!

We hope to see you on board the U.S.S. Midway at SolidWorks World 2012!

SolidWorks World Japan - the CEO's perspective

You probably know that SolidWorks World 2012 is coming soon, but did you know that another SolidWorks World took place only a few weeks ago? In fact, I was there with some of the team.

Of course, I’m talking about SolidWorks World Japan, which takes place every fall; however this year was a little different. In addition to the usual Tokyo event on November 9, there was a second event in Osaka on November 11. So when you add in SolidWorks World Russia and SolidWorks World Israel, that makes five SolidWorks World events this year.

You may recall that I visited Japan earlier this year, and was impressed by the way the people of the country pulled together in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in March. That continues to be the case—in fact, there was record attendance at the Tokyo event with over 1000 people participating. The event in Osaka drew 250 people, with an additional 250 people tuning in later online for an archived broadcast. That’s not bad for the first time around. A few highlights:

• I was truly inspired by the keynote speech by Professor Ei-ichi Negishi of Purdue University. Professor Negishi was awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry last year. What struck me most was his assertion that he never set out to win accolades or prizes—he simply wanted to do work that he thought was meaningful. The point he made was that success comes from doing work that you truly believe in, and that if you are passionate about what you do, it will drive you to do amazing things.

• The SolidWorks Japan team hosted a CSWP party, similar to the one at the larger event. This was the first event I attended since becoming certified myself, and the team presented me with a customized event bracelet to show my status. CSWP certification is highly valued in Japan, and it was a real honor to be part of this celebration and talk with our Japanese customers.

• I also got to meet with Masanobu Higashino and Makoto Yamamoto, winners of the SolidWorks 2012 and Enterprise PDM 2012 beta contests respectively. It was great to talk with both of them about the importance of beta testing, and also to get their opinions on SolidWorks 2012!

  

• The Swiss may claim to make the world’s best watches, but I would be willing to bet that the Japanese make the world’s best elevators. I was really impressed by how smooth they were. It may sound funny, but it takes real engineering skill to design something that works so well under repeated use. In my mind, the teams designing the elevators in Japan are true experts.

Of course, there were lots of training sessions, user presentations, and even a special SolidWorks User Group meeting—more than I can go into in a single blog entry. But what really made me excited was seeing that the SolidWorks community remains vibrant, dynamic and positive, despite the challenges facing the country. Our Japanese customers, resellers and employees have done some amazing things in the last eight months, and I am excited to see what they have in store next year. If you have attended SolidWorks World Japan before, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

At Long Last--Passing the Certified SolidWorks Professional Test

Back In March I wrote about how I was challenged by Matt Lorono to pass the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) test. In April I talked about taking (and passing) the first segment of the test, and in June I discussed how it took two attempts to pass the second segment.

After my experience with the second segment, I made sure to spend plenty of time preparing for the third (and final) segment. If you’re not familiar with the CSWP test, the third segment covers assemblies, mates, coordinate systems and mass properties analysis. I paid close attention to everything my teacher, Marie Planchard, gave me for homework, and went through everything twice.

As I began the eighty-minute test, I felt more confident than I did taking the second segment, mostly because the process of creating assemblies is a much more natural part of the design process. When you are designing a product, it is very rare that you only create a single part, and working with a system really helped me to feel like I was accomplishing something, and that I was reaching the end of the process.

I am happy to say that I completed the third segment of the test on my first try, and that I am now officially a Certified SolidWorks Professional. To prove it, here is a copy of my certificate.

Those of you who are already CSWPs might notice something a little different about mine. Normally, the certificate includes the CEOs signature. But I didn’t think it would be right for me to sign my own certificate, so I got Marie Planchard and Jeremy Luchini to sign it instead. If you are not familiar with them, Marie is in charge of our education programs, and Jeremy manages our certification team. My certificate is now hanging on the wall of my office, where I can be reminded of the dedication our users put into their designs every day.

Going through the process of studying for (and passing) the CSWP test led to a few things I wasn’t expecting. It had been a while since I was so hands-on with SolidWorks, and the more I worked with the software, the more time I wanted to spend with it. I now feel confident that I could design almost anything I wanted to, and I really want to stay in touch with the product going into the future. I also have a greater sense of connection to all of the SolidWorks users I talk to around the world, and even though I’m not a professional designer, I feel that I’m better able to understand their daily experiences.

For anyone considering taking the CSWP, or even the CSWA, I will repeat my advice from earlier this year. Develop a plan for yourself and set goals, then stick to them. It is easy to get sidetracked, but you always have to keep the end goal in mind. Give yourself time to study, and establish milestones. That will help you avoid skipping something important, and you won’t find yourself feeling rushed like I did at times.

And finally, I would like to thank Marie Planchard for all of her help and advice as I worked my way through this process. She helped to make what could have been a difficult process much more organized and logical, and was always there with words of encouragement. And I’d also like to thank all of you who have offered words of advice and encouragement on our blog. It really did help me through the process knowing I had the support of the SolidWorks community.

And to those of you who might ask when I plan to pass the CSWE, I will have to get back to you!

Taking the Certified SolidWorks Professional Test – Segment 2

Back In March I wrote about how I was challenged by Matt Lorono to pass the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) test, and in April I talked about taking (and passing) the first segment of the test. It has been nearly eight weeks weeks since my last post, so I thought I would write an update.

After passing the first segment, I started studying for the second. In this part, you only have 40 minutes to get the points you need to pass, and you are tested on your knowledge of

• Creating configurations from other configurations
• Changing configurations
• Mass properties
• Changing features of an existing SolidWorks part

I have to admit that I was a little shocked at how quickly I had to work through this segment. In the end, I made some mistakes when I tried to change the configurations, and I failed. But the experience taught me a few things.

Going into this part of the test, I thought that I would have enough time to really think through my choices and analyze them. That assumption got me into trouble. After failing my first attempt, I went back and brushed up on my knowledge of configurations, and worked on the areas where I felt I was not as strong the first time through. When I took the segment again, I felt much more confident in my decisions, and I am happy to say that I passed on the second attempt.

To anyone going into this segment of the CSWP test, I would offer these bits of advice:

• Have confidence in what you are doing
• Really understand how configurations work
• Find a balance between speed and accuracy—if you stop to second guess yourself, you will quickly run out of time.

Now, I have to start working on the exercises my teacher, Marie Planchard, has given me to prepare for the third segment. That one focuses heavily on assemblies, coordinates, and mass properties. It looks like I have my work cut out for me.

Marie Planchard reflects on her teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week

It is teacher appreciation week and a time to reflect on the teachers that have made a difference in so many lives – including my own.  First I have to thank my 7^th grade math teacher, Sister Mary, who was the best math teacher I ever had.  Sister Mary was all about strengthening basic math skills in everything you do.  I used to talk in class, instead of the usual “I will not talk in class” 500 times.  Sister Mary had you take a 4 digit number and multiple it by itself and then subtract that number until you got down to zero.  Funny as your basic math gets stronger so does the algebra – but Sister Mary knew that.

Taking the Certified SolidWorks Professional Test – Segment 1

In March I wrote about how I was challenged by blogger Matt Lorono to pass the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) test, and my promise to pass it by the day SolidWorks World 2012 begins. It has been a month since my first post, so I thought I would give an update to everyone.

If you’re not familiar with the CSWP, it’s broken up into three segments. So when Marie Planchard started helping me train, we focused on what I would need to know to pass the first segment. In this part, you have 90 minutes to

• Create a part from a drawing
• Use linked dimensions and equations to aid in modeling
• Use of equations to relate dimensions
• Update of parameters and dimension sizes
• Mass property analysis
• Modification of geometry on initial part to create a more complex part

In preparing for segment 1, I worked through the sample exam on the website.  After I created it the first time, Marie worked with me to make the design again and showed me where I could save time. For example, Geometric Relations, Linked Values for sketch dimensions and Equations really help. In the CSWP exam, the part was not difficult – but you have to work fast.   

Even the CEO has to study for the CSWP test

One evening at SolidWorks World 2011 I was having a conversation with Matt Lorono, who manages the  SolidWorks Legion blog. During our talk, Matt brought up the topic of certification, and asked if I had already earned my Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) certification. I had to admit that I hadn’t, but promised Matt that I would have it by SolidWorks World 2012.

Early last month, I started working toward meeting that goal, and thought that some of you might be interested in following me through the process. So over the next few months, I plan to post occasional updates letting everyone know how things are going. First, some background.

Five Questions Friday with Ed Gebo

Name:  Edson Gebo 

Title: Owner, Mechanical Designer, SolidWorks Administrator, Eastern SolidWorks User Group Network Representative, Executive Officer of the Connecticut SolidWorks User Group, blogger wanna-be 

Job description:  Anything I can get my SolidWorks hands on.

Company:  Digital Detail & Design 

Hometown:  Southbridge, MA

1. Why do you choose to do the work you do?
I like variety, and being self-employed allows me a greater freedom to work on many unique projects.  Having a good array of industrial experience and extensive knowledge of SolidWorks helps me complete tasks and add valuable input.  As a young kid, I loved to take things apart, so the mechanical side was born early.  I was introduced to the CAD world around 1985 while attending Worcester Vocational Tech.  The drafting dept had just purchased an Apple IIe, with two floppy drives, a monitor with a green monochrome screen, and a vicious pen plotter that would eat paper without notice.

 

2. What is your proudest career moment?
Being nominated for Massachusetts Staffing Employee of the year for 2010 was an honor. Dedication and hard work pays off. Winning the SolidWorks User Group leader award at SolidWorks World 2011 isn’t so much of a career moment, but it was truly an honor and a nice surprise. I put a lot of effort into reaching out to help others, having quality meetings, etc. So my SolidWorks User Group commitments are like my second career, but it’s more like a labor of love, an emotional paycheck. It’s quite flattering to get recognized for such an achievement. I was among numerous SWUG leaders that were just as worthy. I wish I could have shared the award with them all. To all those SWUG leaders, I applaud your efforts! Salud!

 

3. What goal of yours inspires you most?
Saving the world, of course (is it not everyone’s goal?), but I’ll keep it to “make a difference” and “never give up.” That seems to be working for me. As for past goals…when I opted in to run for Eastern SWUGN representative, I vowed in an e-mail to SWUG leaders in the Northeast (some having no idea who I was), that I would become a CSWP before SolidWorks World. On Sunday morning, before SolidWorks World 2011 officially kicked off, I nailed it! CSWP was mine!

 

4. How has SolidWorks made a difference in your life?
Lots of ways.

• It has kept me employed in some capacity even through this tough economy

• It has allowed me to work on great projects and interesting things

• It has opened doors for me career-wise that would not have been open if I were still using 2D CAD

• It has made me become a more efficient and better designer

• It has permitted me to gain self employment

• It has helped me network with many like minded users I now call friends to share ideas and collaborate with

• It has allowed me to reach even further to users and leaders via the SolidWorks user group network.

 

5. Do you have a killer SolidWorks tip or trick you’d like to share?
How about in a multi-body part or assembly, if you hold down the shift key, you can pick a surface on a transparent part that has non-transparent parts behind it. Ultimately, it’s the one that helps the user the most, especially when you hear “ahh…I didn’t know SolidWorks could do that”. Not only is that killer; that just rocks!