Learn . Create . Succeed

SolidWorks Flex Feature

 

This video covers the SolidWorks flex feature which allows you to deform bodies in complex ways.  The details of how to use this feature as well as the 4 different flex types are shown.  The four flex types are, bend, twist, taper, and stretch.  With the flex feature, the user has the ability to control where the center of the feature is located, what part of the model is affected, as well as the extent of the flex feature.  I hope you find this video helpful and try using this feature in your next model.

Ian Jutras

SolidWorks Freeform Feature

 

Check out this video that covers the SolidWorks freeform feature.  The details of how to use this feature as well as the different options associated with this feature are presented.  This tool is very useful in order to create desired shapes that would be next to impossible without this tool.  Models that need comfortable grips or that require very complex curvatures can easily be created.  The feature allows points to be manipulated along control curves in order to the desired shape.

I hope you find this tool helpful and try using it in your next model.

Ian Jutras

GoldieBlox - The Magic of Engineering for Little Girls

What kind of toys do little girls play with?  Do toys influence decisions on how engineering is perceived by girls as they grow up?

When Debbie Sterling looked to buy toys for her friend’s children, there wasn’t much of a selection to explore her engineering passion.   So with her savings, support from family, and a lot of research, she designed and developed GoldieBlox.

GoldieBlox is construction toy and book series, targeted at girls, starting at age 6. Goldie is creative kid who likes to invent things.  With Goldie’s help, you read instructions and design a solution to a problem.  Goldie is not afraid to fail, she never gives up.  Goldie’s friends, a well-dressed bear, pretty ballerina dolphin, and cute puppy, join in the fun to create wonderful things that connect, twirl and swivel. 

GoldieBloxis more than just a game.  It is a movement to show little girls the magic of engineering.  In the US, American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) statistics report 18% women engineering graduates.  Women find other careers after graduation in business, medicine, and law, never practicing their degree.  Simply attend a American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME),  IEEE or SolidWorks user group meeting and you are at 5% women, or less.

 

At Stanford, Debbie took her first engineering class as an elective, she was majoring in art.  Debbie used SolidWorks in class.  Seeing how creative engineers could be, Debbie switched her major to product design.   For eight years she worked as a designer, and then took a big leap of faith with Goldie.  

In US/Canada, you can find GoldieBlox direct or at listed stores on their website or on internationally on Amazon.com.

What fun engineering experience is next for Debbie, Goldie and her friends?  The SolidWorks model below gives a clue. 

The SolidWorks Education team wishes Goldie a life time of engineering magic.  Marie

My.SolidWorks Gets the Answers You Need Quicker and Easier

For students trying to get through your design projects, or for instructors trying to help your students, My.SolidWorks makes getting the answers you need quicker and easier!

My.SolidWorks is a new online experience that makes engaging with the SolidWorks Community easier than ever.  It gives you a single place to find insight and expertise from all over the SolidWorks Community.

The best place to search

If you’re in need of a quick answer to a question, My.SolidWorks provides immediate access to forum discussions, online help, YouTube videos, blog posts and more. You can also search all of those sources for answers with a single click.  All of the relevant results are delivered on one page, making it much easier to get in, find an answer, and get back to your design.

 Get started

My.SolidWorks is open to anyone at http://my.solidworks.com.  You can use My.SolidWorks without registering, but you’ll get the most out of this new site when you’re logged in.  Anyone can sign up for an account, and you can access My.SolidWorks using an existing SolidWorks customer account.  Sign in or sign up today.

 

Platforms

My.SolidWorks is supported only on PC browsers (Windows and Mac).  Full tablet support and smartphone support are coming soon.  Marie

 

CAD Final Exam To Last a Lifetime

 
Wow,  then end of March finds me visiting so many schools.  Students are busy with engineering projects and competitions.  Instuctors have so much to do during this time between final exams, graduation, grant proposals,  and writing letters of recommendation for their students.

Instructors giving the Certified SolidWorks Associate Exam (CSWA Exam) as their final exam will just save time.  This year we receive email after email from students telling us how the CSWA certification helped them get a job.  So the CSWA has become the best exam for design studnets as companies require mutliple SolidWorks certifications during an employee's career.

Engineering design professors are requiring their tutors to be CSWA certified - making 100's of freshman students to ask the tutors more questions during lab and to get the right answers - reducing frustration. 

As the SolidWorks Certification grows in industry to over 90,000+, any school on subscription can apply to give the CSWA exam. All problems are unique and automatically graded.  The CSWA exam is available in 10 languages.  It is the first exam in a series of life long learning competencies in engineering design including sheet metal, molding, weldments, finite element analysis and advanced modeling techniques.  

 

For instructors who give the CSWA exam, information on each student's competencies and areas of improvement are provided.  Students must know how to read multiview engineering drawings and create an accurate models.

Sample CSWA exam: Download CSWASampleExam

The application for your school to become a CSWA provider is at www.SolidWorks.com/CSWA

When I was teaching, I know how challanging it was to come up with final exams for multiple sections - especially in 3D CAD.  The CSWA would have saved me alot of time and given my students a leg up in a tough job market.

Marie

 

 

 

 

SolidWorks Model of a Human Skeleton on My Kitchen Table

I found a SolidWorks model of a human skeleton on my kitchen table, so it was time to review thisproject.  Every 7 weeks, David teaches an Introduction to CAD course at WPI and corrects the final projects at home.  Students can choose their own final project, relevant to their interest – with professor approval. 

WPI student, Thomas Jones shared his research and models with me on Artificial Hip Replacement.

 

Thomas downloaded the human skeleton and human femur from www.3DContentCentral.

 Skeleton  Femur    

From the imported model, he extracted geometry and created the hip replacement parts, inserted components into an assembly, and produced the engineering drawings to document the process.

 

You can see Thomas’ hip replacement assembly in this eDrawing. 

Download Total Hip Replacement_Exploded 

Thank you for sharing.  Marie

Fun with Physics and SolidWorks

I have fun with physics.  I have fun with math.   Your students can have fun too with this SolidWorks Motion Tutorial from our friends in Cuda Country. 

Use SolidWorks to create a Car and Track assembly. Then create a Motion Study using functions: Solve as Flexible, Motor, Contacts, Friction, Gravity, suppress Mates and Calculate.

Add Linear Velocity Results and Plots to determine the velocity of the car.

Make adjustments and try to go faster – without the car falling off the track.  Great way to apply STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) subjects in one project.  Marie

 

IIT Kharagpur Students Fill SolidWorks Workshop with Energy and Skill

As SolidWorks expands across India, more and more students are learning SolidWorks skills thanks to educators that open their classrooms.  

 

150 engineering students from IIT Kharagpur participated in a SolidWorks Workshop.  Students demonstrated energy, enthusiasm, and skill in this interactive event.

 

My colleague, Gurpreet Singh, Territory Technical Manager for SolidWorks, instructed students on how to create parts, assemblies, drawings, and to simulate models in real world conditions. 

 

The students tested what they learned in a timed Model Mania skills competition.  Winners received a copy of the SolidWorks Student Edition. 

 

I was happy to see young women engineering students learning SolidWorks too.

All the students were given a Certified SolidWorks Certification Exam voucher.  With more practice, the students will be able to take the CSWA exam and obtain the credential to help get the best jobs. Customers like DEMECH Esscano Power and Essae-Teraoka demand highly skilled engineers that have SolidWorks skills.

Pictures of this workshop are on Team Mekanika, IIT Kharagpur Facebook page, 

Thank you SolidWorks Team India for giving so many engineering students a great opportunity for their future.  Marie

Build a Great Pyramid with Teachers at Dassault Systemes

How do you combine math, science, technology, engineering, history, art, all to meet education standards in your classroom?  Biology teacher, Matthew Burns and physics teacher, Boris Gokhfeld from Waltham High School, MA, USA, created this project to share with you. 

The Great Pyramid Challenge is a three or four class unit on the engineering design process that helps students achieve national goals in engineering­ and thinking skills.  Students will learn about the engineering design process and practice the steps by building pyramids in teams using common household items. 

Visit the Great Pyramid build phase with Waltham High School students through this video.

Teachers at Dassault Systemes

Boris and Matt are part of Teachers at Dassault Systemes (TADS) program.  TADS combines our 3D Experience technology with innovative projects for the classroom.  The Great Pyramid project was developed for students in middle school and high school.

Corporate Citizenship

The TADS program has been nominated for a Boston College Corporate Citizenship film award.  If you like the project, please support these teachers by voting for Dassault Systemes here.

Downloads

You can download all the lesson plans and worksheets below.  Thank you Boris and Matt for creating such a great project.  Marie

Download Pyramid Project Teacher Edition (final)

Download Khufu Dollar

Download Day 1 Activity (Final)

Download Day 2 student worksheet (Final)

Download Day 2 teacher worksheet (Final)

Download Day 3 Activity (Final)

Presentation: http://prezi.com/jkrj7n5romeq/engineering-design-process/

Having Fun in the Snow with SolidWorks

Meet two German engineers who combine industrial design, engineering, and ergonomics to create thrilling products. These specialties all matter when designing equipment, including a downhill mountain bike that folds into a backpack and can be used on skis or wheels.

For educators looking for a great inspirational video for you classroom, see Auswall Product Solutions's story: http://www.solidworks.com/btd/innovations/downhill-ski-bike.htm 

In Boston, we had alot of snow this weekend, my dog had fun too!  Marie