What Does it Mean to be a CAD Pro?

Walking around SolidWorks World a couple of weeks ago, I met so many different engineers who share a passion for their profession and are eager to explore the possibilities that the future of technology will bring. I thought it might be interesting to find out what it means to be a CAD pro outside of work. What does the quintessential CAD pro do for fun? What does he like to watch? What future technologies is he excited to explore? Check out these CAD professionals and get a peek into their interests.

Russ Swart, Mechanical Engineer

How long have you been an engineer? I have been an engineer for the past 15 years.

What’s your favorite TV show? I watch way too many TV shows to pick one.

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? My 3D printer is the most important tool that I have in the office.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? I am looking forward to new advances in 3D printing software.

What do you do for fun? I read a lot of books.

Tim Johnson, Senior Designer: Spillman Company

How long have you been an engineer? I have been an engineer for the past 15 years.

What’s your favorite TV show? The Big Bang Theory

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? SigmaNEST software helps me get my job done on a daily basis.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? I am very eager to get a new computer.

What do you do for fun? I enjoy relaxing with a beer while watching football or playing cornhole.

Mark Green, Senior Designer: CMC Rescue

How long have you been an engineer? I have been an engineer for the past 33 years.

What’s your favorite TV show? The Daily Show

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? The coffee pot often comes in handy.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? I am looking forward to advances in rapid prototyping tools.

What do you do for fun? My idea of fun includes two wheels and sometimes a motor.

Kevin Longley, Senior Designer: CMC Rescue

How long have you been an engineer? I have been an engineer for the past 33 years.

What’s your favorite TV show? House of Cards

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? I wouldn’t be able to do my job without the help of Google.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? I am also looking forward to advances in rapid prototyping tools.

What do you do for fun? I love taking my Ducati out for a spin!

Jon Pazer, Mechanical Engineer

How long have you been an engineer? I just graduated in May.

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? I make use of the wrench in the office because I work on a lot of hands-on work.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? I am also looking forward to seeing electric dirtbikes develop. They’re not popular in the US but they’re extremely cool!

What do you do for fun? I’m a car guy – I like to drive my muscle car and go offroad on my dirtbike.

Tyson Diaz-Lapham, Design Engineer

How long have you been an engineer? I’ve been an engineer for 1.5 years, technically about 5 years if you include internships and my education at Cal Poly.

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? Calipers help me determine the precise dimensioning of a product to figure out if parts are compatible.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? I am really excited about 3D printing and would like to see it become more widely accessible. It’s definitely a prevalent utility in society.

What do you do for fun? I read old science fiction books from the 1960s because most of the far-fetched technologies they talk about are now our reality or the technologies are extremely inaccurate. I would recommend reading books like Starship Troopers – it’s different from the film.

Nate Deffenbaugh, Code Orange FIRST Robotics Team Member, High School Senior

How long have you used SolidWorks? My team has used SolidWorks since 2013 and we hope to keep using it as long as we’re a team.

What’s the most important tool at work besides the computer and SolidWorks? The cell phone is an extremely important tool for me because it allows me to communicate with my team and also reach out to the club advisers if I’d like to arrange a meeting. It’s easier to reach out to our mentors during the day since most of them work full-time. It also allows me to exchange ideas with other teams.

What new piece of technology are you most looking forward to? Oh man, after seeing the Customer Showcase in the Partner Pavilion, my list has doubled. I’m very excited about the MarkForged carbon fiber 3D printer. The possibilities with carbon fiber materials are endless because it’s so lightweight. One of my friend’s team uses carbon fiber in their robots and we’re excited to make use of carbon fiber as well.

What do you do for fun? For fun, I like to learn about robotics history and watch FIRST Robotics robot unveiling videos. Before competitions, teams will typically create unveiling videos for their robots. Some of the videos are very cool cinematographically and it’s interesting to see what other people came up with.

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