Education
Marie Planchard reflects on her teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week
It is teacher appreciation week and a time to reflect on the teachers that have made a difference in so many lives – including my own. First I have to thank my 7th grade math teacher, Sister Mary, who was the best math teacher I ever had. Sister Mary was all about strengthening basic math skills in everything you do. I used to talk in class, instead of the usual “I will not talk in class” 500 times. Sister Mary had you take a 4 digit number and multiple it by itself and then subtract that number until you got down to zero. Funny as your basic math gets stronger so does the algebra – but Sister Mary knew that.
... ContinuedTaking 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.
... 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
... ContinuedCelebrating the Patron Saint of…Engineering?
In my short tenure at SolidWorks I have learned that more things are connected to engineering than I ever thought possible. Take St. Patrick’s Day. I could tell you about all the beer mugs or beer taps or Irish products designed with SolidWorks, but that would be expected. But, did you know that the patron saint of Ireland is also considered the patron saint of engineering?
It’s at the bottom of the Wikipedia listing, hidden among the ways in which different cities celebrate. An engineering college in Rolla, Missouri has been celebrating St. Patrick, the legendary snake chaser, for the past week – in fact, the past century. After a little digging, I found out that the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is one of our customers, and gave them a call.
... 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.
... ContinuedToday is National Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
Today is a very special day here in the US, especially for those of us here at SolidWorks—Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day. If you’re not familiar, this is a day intended to spotlight engineering as a real career opportunity for girls and women, sponsored by the National Engineering Week Foundation.
... ContinuedHelping prepare Rwanda’s students for the future with SolidWorks
As some of you may know, we at SolidWorks have been active in Rwanda for a number of years. SolidWorks' founder Jon Hirschtick first heard of Rwandan president Kagame’s vision for improving Rwandan design and manufacturing education from a friend (and SolidWorks customer) in 2005.
... ContinuedFive Questions Friday with Ed Gebo
Name: Edson Gebo Title: Owner, Mechanical Designer, SolidWorks Administrator, Eastern SolidWorks User Group Network Representative, Executive Officer of the Connecticut SolidWorks User Group, blogger wanna-be Job description: Anything I can get my SolidWorks hands on. Company: Digital Detail & Design
... ContinuedNew SolidWorks tutorials page available on SolidWorks.com
One of the things I learned from being a college professor is that people learn in different ways; perhaps you like to read, watch a video, or follow along with the 100’s of step-by-step tutorials inside SolidWorks software and SolidWorks
... ContinuedFive Questions Friday: Senai Andai, student at University of Texas at Arlington
Name: Senai Andai Title: Mechanical Engineering Student, Battlebots IQ Team founder School: University of Texas at Arlington Hometown: Dallas, Texas 1. Why do you choose to study engineering? How do you find yourself on this career path?I was sitting
... ContinuedThe young life of Riley
Riley Lewis, 13 and a quarter years old, is an archery instructor, jazz flutist, blacksmith (in the Victorian style), inventor, and the youngest known user of SolidWorks software. After a 15-minute chat, you want to add genius to the list,
... ContinuedNot your father’s John Deere #sww11
Nope, this tractor is quarter-scale, stripped down for competition, and optimized to ride a one-inch wheelie down the 200-foot pulling track. In the Midwest United States and increasingly in the South, grownups have leagues where they compete on these things
... ContinuedACTE, National Robotics League, and Howe & Howe Premiere
The following entry was originally posted by Marie Planchard on the Learn. Create. Succeed SolidWorks Teacher Blog. It's been a busy week. Congratulations to Bay Path Regional Vocational High School who won the National Robotics League Brawl at the
... ContinuedBatter Up–Let’s Go Design Project #2 Is Live!
After designing and building something for the designers out there, Jeremy Luchini and the Let’s Go Design team decided to shift gears for their second project and design something that can be used for working off all of those sugary
... ContinuedSolidWorks releases new LEGO and robotics student tutorials
Why do engineers love being engineers? It’s sort of like playing with LEGO®s. Take some parts and build something wonderful. In fact, most engineers start with “kids’ stuff” like LEGOs, Tinkertoys, Erector Sets. Fun with toys can propel young people
... Continued