Design
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.
... ContinuedBen Gulak and team design the next wave of personal transportation using SolidWorks
What do an electric unicycle that transforms into a full street bike and a skateboard/tank hybrid have in common? The answer is a guy named Ben Gulak and his team of co-conspirators.
Ben comes from Toronto, Canada. He’s currently a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he’s a mechanical engineering major. When he’s not attending classes, he manages not one, but two, companies.
... ContinuedWin a trip to Belize and more in the SolidWorks Green Design Contest
I'm excited today to write about the launch of our SolidWorks Green Design Contest, in honor of Earth Day. Many of you may not yet have tried the environmental assessment tool that comes free with SolidWorks, called SustainabilityXpress. Those of you
... ContinuedWho wants to help us design a hot-rod baby buggy?
It's hard to believe that the Let's Go Design series launched a year ago this month. Since then, we've seen Jeremy Luchini and the team design and build an Ultimate CAD Chair, and most recently, design a practice cage for
... ContinuedVisiting the Mariana Trench? SolidWorks knows if your sub can stand the pressure.
If you believe the people who manage the Wikipedia entry, the Mariana Trench in the south Pacific ocean is around seven miles deep. That's roughly the distance from here to my house. At that depth, the water pressure is so
... ContinuedFrustration―Not All Pain Is Created Equal
An Actionable Definition for “Frustration”
Frustration is when …
Someone has a very important goal that needs to be achieved, or task that needs to be accomplished. But there is one or more barrier(s) to them achieving their goal which they feel is out of their control. This results in a combination of helplessness and anger, which we recognize as frustration.
So how do you act on this? You should set out to understand your customers’ specific goals. You also want to find out what they see as barriers to achieving those goals. Eventually, you want to provide a solution that eliminates any feelings of helplessness and instead makes them feel empowered. We will touch on learning about goals and barriers in this blog post, and save empowerment (and it’s actionable definition) for a later post.
... ContinuedWatchmaker Franck Muller Uses SolidWorks to Update a Centuries-old Craft
The Swiss watchmaker, Franck Muller, has established its reputation as a “watchmaking genius” by creating some of the world’s most complicated and sought-after timepieces. The company continues to elevate the state-of-the-art in watchmaking by designing each new model with increasing
... ContinuedHowe & Howe use SolidWorks to shorten fabrication time by 1000%
Michael Howe, star of the Discovery Channel’s “Black Ops Brothers, Howe & Howe Tech,” and President of Howe and Howe Technologies, Inc., recently took time out from his busy schedule to discuss how SolidWorks software is helping him, his twin
... ContinuedCane Creek Chooses SolidWorks to Optimize Design
If you’re a dedicated cyclist, you’re familiar with Cane Creek Cycling Components, famous for its headsets. If you are not, like me, you have no idea where to find the headset on your bike. So I did some research. According to Wikipedia, it’s the “set of components on a bicycle that provides a rotatable interface between the bicycle fork and the bicycle frame.” Sounds like a crucial part.
... ContinuedSolidWorks Simulation Helps Keep Your Beer Cold
So it's a nice afternoon, and you've decided to go out and throw some steaks on the grill. Maybe some vegetables too (I like asparagus). And naturally, you're going to have a beer or three while you're cooking. But where
... ContinuedEven 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.
Let’s Go Design Project #2 is finished! Check out the multi-sport practice cage.
After months of research and design, Jeremy Luchini and the Let's Go Design team are ready to unveil the final design and prototype of the multi-sport practice cage. Rather than building a full-size prototype, the team decided to use the
... ContinuedNew SolidWorks case study: ElliptiGO elliptical bikes
Ironman triathlete Brent Teal recently took a break from training to do a SolidWorks case study on how he developed the ElliptiGO, the world’s first elliptical bike. ElliptiGO Inc. was founded to create a low-impact alternative for distance runners. By
... ContinuedFive Questions Friday with Chris Petersen of Wolverine World Wide
Name: Chris Petersen
Company: Wolverine World Wide
Title: CAD/CAM Manager
I started the CAD department in 1986 using specialized CAD software for the footwear industry running on a smoking hot 2 Mhz PC-AT with a 20 megabyte hard drive. Not even one of our current SolidWorks part files would fit on that drive today.
... ContinuedNational Pi Day: A True Holiday for Engineers
So I’ve just found out it's National Pi Day here in the States because they write today's date as 3/14 rather than 14/3. I guess that means Pi Day back in Europe should be July 22nd (22/7). It's a somewhat serendipitous event, as I'm analyzing an assembly which is a mass of screw thread, spheres and cyclic mechanism. When you stop and think about it, pretty much the whole of engineering is built upon that two-letter constant.
... Continued