[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":108},["ShallowReactive",2],{"sZr7S468Jyj3IPkhOyFl128YXNsutFzKSdR5Ttjo70E":3,"article_heres-whats-happening-in-the-solidworks-user-group-network_solidworks":10,"_apollo:default":106,"_apollo:identified":107},{"mailchimpAudience":4},{"actionUrl":5,"slug":6,"locale":7,"default":8,"__typename":9},"","heres-whats-happening-in-the-solidworks-user-group-network","en","https:\u002F\u002F3ds.us3.list-manage.com\u002Fsubscribe\u002Fpost?u=ed4601044e1936748c0d2aa6b&id=e5080ff9fe&f_id=002d4de2f0","MailchimpAudience",{"posts":11},{"nodes":12,"__typename":105},[13],{"id":14,"slug":6,"title":15,"uri":16,"excerpt":17,"locale":18,"featuredImage":21,"tableOfContents":30,"content":31,"date":32,"authorJobTitle":5,"author":33,"masterings":46,"globalTags":60,"products":77,"disciplines":90,"seo":94,"__typename":104},"cG9zdDozMjIyMg==","Here’s What’s Happening in the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002Fheres-whats-happening-in-the-solidworks-user-group-network","\u003Cp>There’s always something happening in the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network – special…\u003C\u002Fp>\n",{"locale":19,"__typename":20},"en_US","Locale",{"node":22,"__typename":29},{"large":23,"__typename":24,"medium_large":25,"thumbnail":26,"srcSet":27,"sizes":28},"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup.png.webp","MediaItem","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-768x768.png.webp","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-150x150.png.webp","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup.png.webp 860w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-300x300.png.webp 300w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-150x150.png.webp 150w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-768x768.png.webp 768w","(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px","NodeWithFeaturedImageToMediaItemConnectionEdge",[],"\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"615\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-615x615-1.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-32224\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-615x615-1.jpg.webp 615w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-615x615-1-300x300.jpg.webp 300w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fsw_labels_usergroup-615x615-1-150x150.jpg.webp 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>There’s always something happening in the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network – special meetings, guest stars, and our user group leaders making plans to dominate the CAD community.  Here’s a quick look at what’s been happening recently, and a peek at what’s coming up.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>From SOLIDWORKS Trainee to User Group Leader\nTimothy Olivier recently took his SOLIDWORKS training classes from a local reseller, and learned about SWUGN while he was there.  Timothy used the SWUGN website “Find a Group” page to look up his local chapter, but realized that the nearest group was almost 100 miles away. Soooo….Timothy took the plunge and started the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=605\">Savannah SOLIDWORKS User Group\u003C\u002Fa>.  Welcome to SWUGN Timothy!\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Remember Maine?\nOriginally formed in 2006, the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=413\">Maine SOLIDWORKS User Group\u003C\u002Fa> has gone through a couple of group leaders and a sabbatical, but now they’re back.  Thanks to Alan Zullo and Mason Ide for stepping up to revive the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>A First in Rwanda\nSOLIDWORKS has been supporting several initiatives in Rwanda since the mid 2000’s, most recently supporting \u003Ca href=\".\u002Fbrands\u002Fsolidworksblog\u002F2016\u002F11\u002Fsolidworks-rwanda-journey-continues.html\">3D Printing\u003C\u002Fa> and the \u003Ca href=\".\u002Fbrands\u002Fsolidworksblog\u002F2016\u002F07\u002Fcentral-africas-first-fab-lab-opens-rwanda.html\">FabLab \u003C\u002Fa>in Kigali.  Mike Puckett sent me an email recently, and told me it was time for a SOLIDWORKS User Group chapter.  It wasn’t long before I was contacted by Jean d’Amour Namaharo, and within a day or two, we welcomed the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=607\">KGL SOLIDWORKS User Group\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>MOKA not Mocha\nM.O.K.A stands for Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Arkansas – as in \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=425\">MOKA SOLIDWORKS User Group\u003C\u002Fa>.  Located in Joplin, this group supports SOLIDWORKS users in all four states.  The group was recently taken over by Samantha Cassell, and the April 25th meeting had record attendance.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>More Students\nRandy Adams from the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=363\">Miami Valley SOLIDWORKS User Group\u003C\u002Fa> wished his high school could have been like \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.madriverschools.org\u002FDomain\u002F15\">Stebbins High School\u003C\u002Fa>.  The school hosted the groups last meeting and there were lots of “toys” for engineers.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cdiv class=\"wp-block-image\">\u003Cfigure class=\"size-large thumbnail wp-caption aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"461\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fhighschool-615x461-1.jpg.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-32225\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fhighschool-615x461-1.jpg.webp 615w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fhighschool-615x461-1-300x225.jpg.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \u002F>\u003Cfigcaption>Smiles Everywhere!\u003C\u002Ffigcaption>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003C\u002Fdiv>\u003Cp>I’m Going to England\nFlying to London was about $1000 cheaper if I left a day earlier than planned, so I will.  I might get in some sightseeing on this trip, but the real reason I’m going is to attend three SOLIDWORKS User Group meetings.  I’ll be there on May 22nd to help Kirby Downey resurrect the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=362\">SOLIDWORKS User Group of London\u003C\u002Fa>, then off to meet Luke Frost and the members of the new  \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=603\">SOLIDWORKS User Group – Midlands\u003C\u002Fa> in Worcester.  I’ll finish up at one of the biggest user group events worldwide when I visit Liverpool and the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fcalendar\u002Fugdetails.htm?id=352\">United Kingdom SOLIDWORKS User Group North West\u003C\u002Fa>.  Group leader Adam Green puts on a terrific show each year at Liverpool John Moores University.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>So there’s a quick look at what going on in the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network.  If you aren’t a SOLIDWORKS User Group member, \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swugn.org\u002Fswugn\u002Fdirectory.htm\">find your local group\u003C\u002Fa> and get involved.\u003C\u002Fp>","2017-05-08T13:29:14",{"node":34,"__typename":45},{"nicename":35,"description":36,"slug":37,"name":38,"firstName":39,"lastName":40,"avatar":41,"__typename":44},"richard-doyle","My official title is Senior User Advocacy & SolidWorks User Groups - but most people just call me \"The User Group Guy\".  I've been a SolidWorks user since 1997, and was one of the founding members of the SWUGN Committee.  Since starting the Central Texas SolidWorks User Group in 1999, my career path has led me to DS SolidWorks and a dream job supporting the SolidWorks User Group Network worldwide.","richard doyle","Richard Doyle","Richard","Doyle",{"url":42,"__typename":43},"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fdoylerichard_176w-87x120-1.jpg.webp","Avatar","User","NodeWithAuthorToUserConnectionEdge",{"nodes":47,"edges":54,"__typename":59},[48],{"id":49,"name":50,"slug":51,"uri":52,"__typename":53},"dGVybTo5Mw==","SWUGN","swugn","\u002Fmastering\u002Fswugn\u002F","Taxonomy_mastering",[55],{"isPrimary":56,"node":57,"__typename":58},false,{"id":49,"name":50,"slug":51,"uri":52,"__typename":53},"PostToTaxonomy_masteringConnectionEdge","PostToTaxonomy_masteringConnection",{"nodes":61,"__typename":76},[62,68,71],{"id":63,"name":64,"slug":65,"uri":66,"__typename":67},"dGVybTo5NjA1","3DEXPERIENCE Platform","3dexperience-platform","\u002Ftags\u002F3dexperience-platform\u002F","Taxonomy_tag",{"id":69,"name":50,"slug":51,"uri":70,"__typename":67},"dGVybTo5NjIz","\u002Ftags\u002Fswugn\u002F",{"id":72,"name":73,"slug":74,"uri":75,"__typename":67},"dGVybTo5NTk0","What's New","whats-new","\u002Ftags\u002Fwhats-new\u002F","PostToTaxonomy_tagConnection",{"edges":78,"nodes":87,"__typename":89},[79],{"isPrimary":56,"node":80,"__typename":86},{"id":81,"name":82,"slug":83,"uri":84,"__typename":85},"dGVybTo1Ng==","SOLIDWORKS","solidworks","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002F","Taxonomy_product","PostToTaxonomy_productConnectionEdge",[88],{"id":81,"name":82,"slug":83,"uri":84,"__typename":85},"PostToTaxonomy_productConnection",{"nodes":91,"edges":92,"__typename":93},[],[],"PostToTaxonomy_disciplineConnection",{"canonical":5,"title":95,"metaDesc":5,"opengraphAuthor":5,"opengraphDescription":96,"opengraphTitle":15,"opengraphUrl":97,"opengraphSiteName":98,"opengraphPublishedTime":99,"opengraphModifiedTime":100,"twitterTitle":5,"twitterDescription":5,"readingTime":101,"metaRobotsNoindex":102,"__typename":103},"Here’s What’s Happening in the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network - Blog Solidworks","There’s always something happening in the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network – special…","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002Fheres-whats-happening-in-the-solidworks-user-group-network\u002F","Blog Solidworks","2017-05-08T18:29:14+00:00","2026-02-13T02:07:25+00:00",2,"noindex","PostTypeSEO","Post","RootQueryToPostConnection",{},{},1776969931909]