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Join the Discord site for this course here: Discord Invite Code D9tCpppVZw [Broken Link]
To get started: Go to Modules, and work your way through the tutorials and exercises.
This is a self-paced course covering the basics of operating SolidWorks. The skills you will learn here are translatable directly to the operation of any parametric CAD system.
Who is the instructor?
Marty Jacobson, Certified SolidWorks Expert
SolidWorks Accredited Educator, Authorized Certification Provider
CSWA, CSWA-AM, CSWP, CSWPA-MM, CSWPA-SU, CSWPA-DT, CSWPA-WD, CSWE
Fusion360 Certified Associate, Fusion360 Certified Professional (CAM & DFM), Fusion360 Certified Expert (Generative Design for Manufacturing)
I am a design instructor with a background in industrial design. I’ve been teaching and running the machine shop in BME at Georgia Tech since 2010. We teach medical device development and make a lot of complicated CNC-machined parts for research, including microfluidic devices at the edge of what’s possible with CNC machining.
I have my own business doing design consulting, product development, and making acoustic and electric musical instruments. I use SolidWorks to design my products, and I make them using a 3-axis CNC machine I designed and built using SolidWorks.
You can see my personal work at http://www.martinjacobson.com [broken link]
What do I need?
- A computer with a Web browser and decent internet connection.
- A local installation of SolidWorks. See How to Get SolidWorks for more info here.
- A mouse with three buttons (left, right, and clickable scroll wheel). This is NOT optional for CSWA and CSWP studies. You must have a mouse if you want to work quickly and accurately, which is what these exams test for.
- The ability to install Tangix TesterPRO. This does not require administrator privileges and can be installed on your vLab desktop. [Note: SolidWorks recently switched from Tangix TesterPRO to an online delivery tool for their exams.]
Why this course?
The method being taught follows industry standard best practices and is aimed at training you to think the way SolidWorks (and every other major parametric solid modeling CAD system) is designed. It may seem overly rigorous at first, but the process is deliberately designed to allow your modeling strategies to fit in to the professional expectations for best 3d modeling practices.
You may have ideas for how to make things faster and easier. The software may allow you to work that way. But the content in this course is the result of the instructor’s 18 years of CAD experience, and was designed after taking dozens of SolidWorks certification exams personally.
Should I pursue CSWA or CSWP?
CSWA is excellent practice for the CSWP exam. However, the CSWP exam is designed to test your ability to solve problems in SolidWorks, and is designed to test your ability to think creatively. The solutions are not straightforward like they are in the CSWA exam. I’ll teach you the skills you need to see the “tricks” and implement them.
SolidWorks recommends 150 hours of instruction before the CSWA is attempted. The CSWA is what many high schools and associate’s degree programs offer. It represents an understanding of the basic fundamentals of SolidWorks, as well as general mechanical design basics.
The CSWA covers the basics of 3d modeling. There is no fancy geometry, no compound curves or funky shapes. It’s just a test to see if you can read a bunch of drawings and make a bunch of parts in a short amount of time. Perfectly. Without missing anything. It’s no joke, but definitely attainable by many students with an aptitude for mechanical design in less than 150 hours of practice.
The Certified SolidWorks Professional exam covers essentially the same content. There are a few curveballs they throw at you, and a few additional tools. But the CSWP, when earned, says that you can model pretty much any complicated shape (no lofts and sweeps, again, but still, complicated shapes created using a variety of tools). It requires you to work FAST – like a pro SolidWorks operator on a deadline. There is no time for snack or bathroom break when you’re working. And there’s no room for error or poor attention to detail.
If you earn the CSWP, you better like working in SolidWorks and other CAD programs. Because you’ll probably get to when you get hired. The CSWP is designed to ensure that you are ready to work hard, work fast, and minimize your frustration when working on the job because you’ve already encountered everything that can go wrong. As of April of 2020, less than a dozen Georgia Tech undergrads have earned the CSWP exam.
Feel free to message me by using @Marty on Discord!
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