100 Days To Learn Solidworks

[Talks Too Much]

I want to know how to use Solidworks by kick-off, but I don't really know where to start. How do I get a copy? I know Inventor and ProE are offered free to FRC participants, is Solidworks? What's the best way to learn to use it? Should I just read the manual and then play around with it until I'm comfortable? Is there a good tutorial that I should use?

Sorry for the question barrage, I'm a little lost.

[techedguy]

SolidWorks has a program to give FRC teams licenses of their product for team use. Your team would apply on their site and in the past they have sent discs. However, I believe last year they sent a license and a link to download the education edition. YMMV.

[Alden94]

You can request academic copys from SolidWorks at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=91132550276

Good luck learning SolidWorks before Kickoff, you're not the only one

[IanW]

I would start with the some of the in-program tutorials. You definitely don't need all of them, but the basic part modeling and assembly creation is a good start. It's really important to know how to use these from the start.

After going through these tutorials, just start modeling stuff - drivetrains, manipulators you might use, whatever. I've found the best way to get good at 3D modeling is to just do. One aspect of modeling at this level that most users (new AND somewhat experienced) don't catch on to is the importance of using design intent, or making sketches and features behave how you want them even if you change the dimensions. If a line needs to be perpendicular to another, add a perpendicular sketch relation. If two circles need to be horizontal to each other, add a horizontal sketch relation. If these terms don't make sense to you, don't worry, you'll catch on as you learn.

Once you've become intimately familiar with the basics, branch out as you see fit. Want to test your parts before you build them? Try learning the simulation/FEA tools (these are actually pretty tricky, resilience is key). Does your team want to use sheet metal? Learn how to use that subset of tools. Really, it's up to you.

Hope this was helpful, and good luck on learning SolidWorks. It's really an invaluable skill-set to have. If you ever run into problems or want to learn some new feature, look for tutorials/tips online first. Chief Delphi, as I'm sure you've heard (or will hear) time and time again is an excellent resource too.

Good Luck!

[JamesCH95]

A little bit of a tangent...

FEA, especially the built-in SimulationXpress, is very dangerous to use unless you really know what you're doing. It's very easy to garbage-in/garbage-out without good experience and a comprehensive FEA package (which SimulationXpress is not). SolidworksSimulation would fair better, but it's REALLY easy to fake yourself out.

[Siri]

Originally Posted by JamesCH95

...It's very easy to garbage-in/garbage-out without good experience and a comprehensive FEA package (which SimulationXpress is not)...

Very good point. To summarize:

If you want to learn SolidWorks in 100 days, don't worry about FEA. (Though, you do know Inventor, so it's up to you.)


The in-program tutorials are pretty good, but as with Inventor, they leave out a lot of tricks. If you're already proficient in Inventor, I'd look for a short course in your area. A lot of universities will offer them for free.

[mplanchard]

First of all you can do this.
Go to http://www.solidworks.com/sw/educati...1_ENU_HTML.htm
There are tutorials built around a FRC robot. Most important-- make a good frame. This is the foundation for your robot and will give you the steps to learn good assembly technique. It's not just about the model, it is about skill too.

The tutorials in SolidWorks will also help you. If you decide you want to use a custom tubular frame, go through the tutorial on weldments. This uses a 3D sketch and the cross section of your tube - very nice technique and will lead to your cut list, no scrap.

Learn how to add materials. Material will dictate mass and in the assembly you can sort by the components that weigh the most.

Also, there might not be sustainable design in your robot, but SolidWorks Sustainability can really help you play with the material properities of different components for the "what if" scenerio.

When you first learn SolidWorks, go through the tutorials - step by step. Then go back and made the parts again without looking at the directions. Try to make models on your own.

Also, check out my blog at http://blogs.solidworks.com/teacher. Engineering students post models of what they have created - just for fun. You have got to have fun. Marie

[akoscielski3]

Originally Posted by Talks Too Much

I want to know how to use Solidworks by kick-off, but I don't really know where to start. How do I get a copy? I know Inventor and ProE are offered free to FRC participants, is Solidworks? What's the best way to learn to use it? Should I just read the manual and then play around with it until I'm comfortable? Is there a good tutorial that I should use?

Sorry for the question barrage, I'm a little lost.

When you get the program there are tutorials on it. If they don't show you everything try playing around with different function's and redesign things around you, (example Desk, pulley, table, etc) Then start designing chassis' or robot parts and function's.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Talks Too Much

I want to know how to use Solidworks by kick-off, but I don't really know where to start. How do I get a copy? I know Inventor and ProE are offered free to FRC participants, is Solidworks? What's the best way to learn to use it? Should I just read the manual and then play around with it until I'm comfortable? Is there a good tutorial that I should use?

Sorry for the question barrage, I'm a little lost.

Message mplanchard on here. We just got 40 licenses.

[EricH]

Originally Posted by Akash Rastogi

Message mplanchard on here. We just got 40 licenses.

You got ninja'd, Akash. See who posted right above you?

Actually, I've been working in Solidworks more than normal lately, something about a senior project and the school having a network license setup or something similar.

[DestinyKat]

SolidWorks is actually quite easy to learn, although it can be wuite tedious at times, like drawing on curved surfaces. I learned within a couple weeks through my STEM class in my freshman year. The best way to learn, in my opinion, is through tutorials. it would be best to do tutorials made by other people posted on the internet rather than the built-in tutorials. after you learn a little of the basices, try tutorials of making actual objects, say a cO2 car or something, or a lego car. You will be amazed how much you will learn from this. there are also little quizes you might be able to find online. Theyre super easy, but they work as a great memorization tool that will help you learn the buttons and ect by heart.

[mplanchard]

We are really trying to fill all your requests as quickly as possible. We receive hundreds of requests from Chief Delphi members. We ship DVDs.

SolidWorks has one interface. One easy installation.

We are starting know to avoid the rush in December.

Www.solidworks.com/SponsoredDesignContest.

It takes about 2 weeks to fill your request. Overseas a bit more.

Marie

[baronep]

Hey,

As a student who learned Solidworks over the summer. I would encourage you to go through the solidworks tutorials for a little while, but then MOVE ON! It is very easy to get caught up in every tutorial for every little tool that Solidworks offers, but you won't need to use them, especially as a novice CADer. I would reccomend learning the basic part modeling and assembly tools, and then ditch the tutorials and start modeling parts in the shop until you can actually model parts that you think up in your head. Then, if in the process of trying to model something you realize that you don't know how, look it up on Google. Everything in the local solidworks help is also on the internet (just a nice tip)

Hope that helps,

Patrick Barone

[savage]

Iam looking to do the same thing but my team is no longer in operation, so I dont have a copy any more. Once I start paramedic school i Was looking to get a student copy. No way iam going to pay 9,000 for a one year copy.
Does any one know if you can have a license for more then one year?

[Peck]

Also, something to watch out for: When learning Solidworks, Learn with the hot keys/shortcuts. If u learn Solidworks without then try to get used to hot keys, it is like learning it again.