[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":101},["ShallowReactive",2],{"k0Y3lrx3JI1SMEnt5Kx6yuRVEt7h4jrENaL4Au8GL-U":3,"article_pinewood-derby-time-getting-the-fastest-car-with-solidworks_solidworks":10,"_apollo:default":99,"_apollo:identified":100},{"mailchimpAudience":4},{"actionUrl":5,"slug":6,"locale":7,"default":8,"__typename":9},"","pinewood-derby-time-getting-the-fastest-car-with-solidworks","en","https:\u002F\u002F3ds.us3.list-manage.com\u002Fsubscribe\u002Fpost?u=ed4601044e1936748c0d2aa6b&id=e5080ff9fe&f_id=002d4de2f0","MailchimpAudience",{"posts":11},{"nodes":12,"__typename":98},[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":43,"globalTags":47,"products":71,"disciplines":83,"seo":87,"__typename":97},"cG9zdDoxMTQ1NQ==","Pinewood Derby Time – Getting the Fastest Car with SOLIDWORKS","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002Fpinewood-derby-time-getting-the-fastest-car-with-solidworks","\u003Cp>It’s that time of year again. Every Cub Scout’s favorite time of…\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\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1.png.webp","MediaItem","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-768x412.png.webp","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-150x150.png.webp","https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1.png.webp 832w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-300x161.png.webp 300w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-768x412.png.webp 768w","(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px","NodeWithFeaturedImageToMediaItemConnectionEdge",[],"\u003Cp>It’s that time of year again. Every Cub Scout’s favorite time of year. Pinewood Derby time! Last year, my son took 3rd place in his Den (7th or 8th in the Pack). This year he is determined to do better. His words, not mine. As a responsible father (and engineer with access to the best design and simulation tools on the planet), who am I to squash his aspirations to take home the first place trophy?\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>We started by doing some research on tips for getting the fastest car. I stumbled across \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fa5A6SCE0eVw\">this\u003C\u002Fa> video, which does a great job of simplifying the relationship between kinetic and potential energy. After all, this \u003Cem>is\u003C\u002Fem> a learning opportunity for the boys.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>This year, we decided to focus mainly on weight distribution. I can think of no better tool than SOLIDWORKS to help with this. A few years ago they added the “Center of mass” tool so we can visually watch it move with design changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>I started with a simple block of wood given to us by the Scouts.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"330\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-615x330-1.png.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11457\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-615x330-1.png.webp 615w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass1-615x330-1-300x161.png.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>Since we want the COM to be as far back and high up as possible, a simple “wedge shape” is the easiest way to start.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>As you can see here, I also added the Center of Mass callout. This can be found in the Reference Geometry pulldown.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"201\" height=\"231\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass2.png.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11458\">\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>You can see from the image below, we are sort of moving in the right direction. The COM went towards the back, but also down.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"394\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass3-615x394-1.png.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11459\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass3-615x394-1.png.webp 615w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcentermass3-615x394-1-300x192.png.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>But wait, it gets better! The Center of mass callout is live-updating! In conjunction with Instant3D, I can change the wedge cut and watch what the changes do to my COM IN REAL TIME!\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"409\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcom-instant-3d-1024x409.gif.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-11460\" srcset=\"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcom-instant-3d-1024x409.gif.webp 1024w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcom-instant-3d-300x120.gif.webp 300w, https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F02\u002Fcom-instant-3d-768x307.gif.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp>So with the power of SOLIDWORKS, I can make very drastic design changes, but intelligent ones, that will positively impact my design.\u003C\u002Fp>","2018-04-15T10:45:04",{"node":34,"__typename":42},{"nicename":35,"description":36,"slug":35,"name":37,"firstName":5,"lastName":5,"avatar":38,"__typename":41},"cadimensions","We are an authorized SOLIDWORKS and Stratasys reseller with certified training & support centers located in New York and Pennsylvania, USA. We are 100% focused on living a CADLIFE and have our vendor's unconditional endorsement in the sales and support of their products.","CADimensions",{"url":39,"__typename":40},"https:\u002F\u002Fblog-assets.solidworks.com\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F12\u002Fcadimensions.png.webp","Avatar","User","NodeWithAuthorToUserConnectionEdge",{"nodes":44,"edges":45,"__typename":46},[],[],"PostToTaxonomy_masteringConnection",{"nodes":48,"__typename":70},[49,55,60,65],{"id":50,"name":51,"slug":52,"uri":53,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NjI4","3D Modeling","3d-modeling","\u002Ftags\u002F3d-modeling\u002F","Taxonomy_tag",{"id":56,"name":57,"slug":58,"uri":59,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NjQx","Partners","partners","\u002Ftags\u002Fpartners\u002F",{"id":61,"name":62,"slug":63,"uri":64,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NjAz","SOLIDWORKS","solidworks","\u002Ftags\u002Fsolidworks\u002F",{"id":66,"name":67,"slug":68,"uri":69,"__typename":54},"dGVybTo5NTk2","Tips and Tricks","tips-tricks","\u002Ftags\u002Ftips-tricks\u002F","PostToTaxonomy_tagConnection",{"edges":72,"nodes":80,"__typename":82},[73],{"isPrimary":74,"node":75,"__typename":79},false,{"id":76,"name":62,"slug":63,"uri":77,"__typename":78},"dGVybTo1Ng==","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002F","Taxonomy_product","PostToTaxonomy_productConnectionEdge",[81],{"id":76,"name":62,"slug":63,"uri":77,"__typename":78},"PostToTaxonomy_productConnection",{"nodes":84,"edges":85,"__typename":86},[],[],"PostToTaxonomy_disciplineConnection",{"canonical":5,"title":88,"metaDesc":5,"opengraphAuthor":5,"opengraphDescription":89,"opengraphTitle":15,"opengraphUrl":90,"opengraphSiteName":91,"opengraphPublishedTime":92,"opengraphModifiedTime":93,"twitterTitle":5,"twitterDescription":5,"readingTime":94,"metaRobotsNoindex":95,"__typename":96},"Pinewood Derby Time – Getting the Fastest Car with SOLIDWORKS - Blog Solidworks","It’s that time of year again. Every Cub Scout’s favorite time of…","\u002Fproducts\u002Fsolidworks\u002Fpinewood-derby-time-getting-the-fastest-car-with-solidworks\u002F","Blog Solidworks","2018-04-15T14:45:04+00:00","2025-02-11T06:25:17+00:00",2,"noindex","PostTypeSEO","Post","RootQueryToPostConnection",{},{},1777444920565]