Solid Works

[Garandman]

We went back and forth deciding on whether to buy Autodesk or Solidworks. We had reps demo both more than once. In the end Solidworks won and that's what we have so that's what I will be teaching myself.

Kevin

Go on any job search site and search for SolidWorks jobs, then AutoDesk Inventor jobs. That's why you want to learn SolidWorks.

It really depends on what you want to do. Simple metal parts are a lot easier to learn that doing complex injection molded parts. In any case you can start with the built in tutorials. There are more materials on My.SolidWorks. There are some useful "Tips & Tricks" videos on YouTube, and some online training programs.

But classroom training remains the best way (and the most expensive) because of instructor support and you learn from others in the class. I'm taking a course in the next month or two even though I've used it casually for years.

I used SDRC Ideas in college, and then did no solid modeling for 13 years. In 2010 got hired into a design engineering job where I needed to be "proficient" in SW pretty quickly. I spent most of my first two weeks doing the tutorials that were part of SW2010, and was pretty much good to go. //

I-Deas Master Series had a sketcher that worked a lot like SW, so most I-Deas users picked it up really fast.

 

[BLSXJ]

my advice.

Load to software up, and start screwing around. (1 hour at a time) for the 1st 10-15 hours

Then try a tutorial, see if that helps you. (for another 10 hours)

After 20 hours of messing around, you should be able to do simple work.

Reach out to your SW vendor, they will either offer training or know where to go. Get the "Essentials" course it wont make you an expert, but will make you usefull.

over the last 3 years, my company has spent real money training me on SW (all classroom and online training) I'm now a CSWP...

I've watched alot of people try and pick up SW and my experience is SW is easy, good drafting and design practices aren't taught any more.

 

[mike69440]

Fusion 36 | Free Software for Students, Educators | Autodesk

this is it...

I here Lot of good things about Fusion. I use SW. you tube is a lazy way to pick up stuff.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Are there any Solid Works users here? Did you take a class or self taught? We have several seats available where I work and my coworker taught himself to use the program using a book. He's no expert but he's doing pretty well. I just bought a new laptop and plan to teach myself Solid Works. I'm trying to decide whether to start with the tutorials or the book that we have. They seem to take two entirely different approaches. I've got a good base to start with having studied drafting and using AutoCAD for 20 years.

Kevin

Kevin, my sister is a serious pro with solid works. She is a process engineer and designs and builds assembly lines. She built the first Apple Airbook assembly line, a whole bunch of stuff for Donaldson, and now works for a sleepy company making marts for Chrysler and Honda automotive parts. I can ask her what what and where she learned the application.