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.
... 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
... 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.
... ContinuedUsing Twitter to Change Your Oil
It's been more than a year since I installed a program called TweetDeck on my iPhone. Back than, I still didn't really get the whole "Twitter" thing (Oh My, What Have I Done?), and to this day I'm not sure
... 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
... Continued3D Connexion is (fc)Super
3D Connexion has enjoyed quite a couple of months. The company announced that they have reached 1,000,000 units sold, they've released the "3D Mouse Anywhere" driver, were recently spun off from Logitec in a private transaction, and their president, Dieter Neujhar,
... ContinuedUptown's Got it's Hustlers, the Bowery's Got a SolidWorks User Group
New York City is one of my favorite places. I've visited several times, and have never had a bad experience. That's why I was so excited when Matt Rohr contacted me early this year to let me know that SWUGNYC was a
... 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
... ContinuedThe Pirates are Back (and so are we)
One of my all-time favorite user group names is the Pirates on the Bay SolidWorks User Group. The group was formed in March of 2007, and has gone through three leadership changes. The current group leader, Steve Elting, has vowed to
... ContinuedBaker Drivetrain uses SolidWorks to accelerate design times by up to 75%
You might remember that back in 2009 we launched a section on our website dedicated to Baker Drivetrain, a new customer at the time. These guys work on some really cool parts for motorcycles–in fact, they developed the world's first
... 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.
... ContinuedAtomik Cars: electrifying the Fiat 500 with SolidWorks
It’s been a busy few months for me, but between taking on a new job, SolidWorks World 2011 and traveling between the US and France, I’ve still managed to visit a few great SolidWorks customers. There’s one in particular that
... Continued3DVIA Composer: so easy, even a plastics guy can do it!
OK, I admit it – I’m a recovering plastics engineer. I was out with my daughter last weekend looking at new cars and… I said: This car smells funny. She said: That’s just the “new car smell.” I said: You
... 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
... Continued