SolidWorks CSWP - logo

After completing the CSWP – Core, Surfacing, & Sheet metal certification exams, my next challenge was to take up the CSWP – Weldment certification exam. As the bulk of my experience using SolidWorks 3-D CAD is in designing molded parts, sheet metal parts, and machined parts, weldments is an area where I am still in the process of developing expertise. Although I have worked on a few projects in SolidWorks that require weldments, it is not typical of the project requests I receive from other clients. As a result, I needed to spend more time in studying for the CSWP – Weldment exam than I did for the other CSWP specialty certification exams.

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CSWP - Surfacing logo

The SolidWorks certification program, in-addition to the CSWP – Core exam, includes 5 CSWP specialty exams: Mold Tools, Sheet Metal, Simulation, Surfacing, and Weldments. Of these specialty exams, the surfacing exam (with the possible exception of simulation) is considered to be one of the most challenging to pass. For those of you unfamiliar with 3-D CAD surface modeling, it is typically used to create molded parts with complex geometry that could not otherwise be created from solid modeling techniques. Industrial Designers primarily use surface modeling, and so do engineers that are designing consumer goods & medical device molded products.

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CSWP - Core logo

In the recent past, there has been much discussion among SolidWorks users about becoming a Certified SolidWorks Professional. I recently received my CSWP – Core (see here) on 02/01/2011 (Certificate ID: C-2FZWGXDCD8), and I had passed the CSWP specialty exams: Surfacing, Sheet metal, and Weldments exams before passing the actual Core exam itself. Many SolidWorks users who take the CSWP exams typically complete the core exam first before moving on to the CSWP specialty exams. Of the specialty exams I had previously taken, only the Mold Tools exam was taken after the CSWP – Core exam.

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On June 30th in Chicago this year, a Solidworks 2010 vs. Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire 5.0 Shootout (see here) occurred for the purpose of comparing Design Engine’s “rapid fire” surface modeling technique as applied in each CAD system. Design Engine defines “Rapid Fire” as work flow constructing sketches & surface model features for sequential rapid modification. I was invited to be on the SolidWorks team with Bart Brejcha that was in competition with the Pro/Engineer team at this event.

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Although this article may appear to be discussing some completely unrelated topics at first, they are all interconnected which I will try to explain. Most of you know that engineers design products, or analyze systems, such as finite-element analysis (FEA), computation fluid dynamics (CFD), etc. What you may not be aware of it that we frequently use 3-D CAD/CAE tools for our work with the possible exception of some architects who seem to be still relying on 2-D AutoCAD. And yes, engineers that use 3-D CAD tend to think of themselves as more sophisticated than their 2-D CAD counterparts. Oddly enough, it seems as though more job openings are available using 2-D than 3-D CAD at the moment.

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A new industrial design program is in the process of forming in Ohio. This program is being developed by Jim Orr, an Industrial Designer, whose background comes from GM.

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