Learning Solid Works

machinist73 · Sep 24, 2006

I am trying to teach myself Solid Works by using the tutorials. I am getting confused very quickly. Can anyone recommend a useful book on Solid Works?

smallshop · Sep 25, 2006

Spending a few hrs with someone who is a user might be your best bet. Many of us "hands on" types do better with doing than reading.

Exptec · Sep 25, 2006

“Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2005” by Planchard. Step by step project based tutorial. Go through the projects cover to cover and you’ll have a good basic understanding of how to use SolidWorks. Maybe 60 hours

“Inside SolidWorks” by Murray. Non tutorial, a good reference with a good index for more in depth SolidWorks subtleties.

I’ve also looked into “SolidWorks for Designers” by Sham Tickoo which I did not like as much as Planchard. I especially did not like the index which seemed incomplete. “SolidWorks for Dummies” like most “..for Dummies” books, just some random thoughts dashed off by the author to fill a book.

As you can tell from the titles, these books are aimed at designing with SolidWorks. There may be other books aimed more at CAD operators (draughtman)

ExpTec
DBA Experimental Technique.

machinist73 · Sep 25, 2006

Thank you both for the input. Smallshop, I am somewhat of an oddball in that I need to both do "hands on" and read. One without the other leaves me lost.

Todd Basque · Sep 26, 2006

Not sure what you would be looking for. There is Solidworks for Dummies, but I am not sure if it is too basic for what you are looking for. It is available through Amazon for about $20.
Amazon Solidworks for Dummies

If you are not sure what you need, I would suggest looking for books on Solidworks 2004, 2005, or 2006. These will be a lot cheaper (50% off or more) and as such you can buy more of them for
less. The advantage is that all the features they will likly use in the books, will still be there and when you get better you can buy a book or teach yourself the newer features.

Free zip files Soldiworks for desigers 2005 release files

Also when you know what you want check out this site it is great for comparision shopping.
Bookfinder4u

Just as a comparison, I bought a copy of the solidworks routing class manual, spiral bound and it cost $100.00 from our solidworks vendor. So when I say cheap, that is the frame of reference I am using.

Good luck, and feel free to post any questions you have. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

Later,

Todd

Tim in D · Sep 26, 2006

Thought about a night class at the local community college? I took two "semesters" of solidworks in the evenings and along with Solid Proffessor tutorials feel relatively comfortable with the program now. I paid around $750.00 on the classes I think.

Tim in D

CDiPrecision · Sep 28, 2006

The tutorial is very easy, and you should have no difficulty doing it...do you have any PC experience at all to draw on?? SW assumes you already know how to use windows commands, etc..

SeymourDumore · Sep 29, 2006

From first hand experience, the built-in tutorials in SW2007 are fairly good, but nowhere near complete. There are many unfilled holes as to the whats, whys and hows.
With all do respect to Solidworks, if someone is paying $4K + for a piece of software, a hard copy user manual would be a bare minimum. Command reference, cross reference etc.
Now I'll have to do my trial and error on books that Solidworks should have provided in the first place.
Got some links in an e-mail for various books, but it's on another PC and I'll have to transfer it here. I'll post it then.

sandiapaul · Sep 29, 2006

I "taught myself" autodesk Inventor...when I first started I posted some questions on some forums and really got laughed at , but found some very helpfull people too. This is a good forum:
http://www.mcadforums.com/forums/

After I got into into it(and nothing helps getting "into it" like a real project with a real deadline!)I looked back at some of my posts on these forums and laughed! What really helped me was a couple of sessions with an experianced user after I had been working with it for awhile. Try to find someone to sit down with you after you have got to the point where you can productively do something with it. At least that helped me!

Jim Beltz · Sep 29, 2006

another decent forum for CAD information.

http://www.3dcadtips.com/

failsafe7 · Sep 29, 2006

www.eng-tips.com has better forum than any yet
listed.

They have a SolidWorks forum.

Killshot · Oct 13, 2006

I agree with Sandiapaul and Smallshop. I tried the tutorials too, they helped with the terminology somewhat, but being able to ask questions to an advanced user will put you on the fast track.

CDiPrecision · Oct 14, 2006

I have complete SW Training manuals I would consider selling..

PM me if u want them, ill make u a good deal..

balek · Oct 20, 2006

I am self taught on SW also, I used the tutorials and I feel pretty comfortable using SW now....keep playing with it

Question Boy · Oct 25, 2006

I tried using the tutorials back in '01, but I didn't make any great leaps of understanding until a friend of mine showed me a few of the basics. Just a couple hours with a skilled operator did wonders for my learning curve. Where in CA are you located?

QB

Applepie · Oct 26, 2006

At the local college they offer classes in Pro Engineer. How close is ProE to SoildWorks? Is it worth while to take the classes?

SolidEd · Oct 26, 2006

I use solid edge which is pretty similar to solid works. I had a little AutoCAD experience prior to this so I thought it would be similar, but these programs are not as intuitive as AutoCAD,as far as what the commands/tools are. Luckily there are other people in the dept that helepd me out a lot. It took a while but once you get over that curve it's pretty easy.

Good luck.

RdHawg · Oct 27, 2006

I was told that solidworks was actually started by some pro-e engineers that had suggested some major changes to their supervisors and had been shot down so they broke off and started their own company. (Urban legend?)

SeymourDumore · Oct 27, 2006

but these programs are not as intuitive as AutoCAD,as far as what the commands/tools are

Gotta agree there. Can't figure out why is it important to start with "sketch" < I'd just call it doodle > and waste time definig it, instead of drawing it right with the right tools, and then just click on the fully define button and done.
I found that some of the parts I've drawn during the short time I've had SW, it's easier to draw the 2D geometry in ACAD, import it as DXF and then define it to create the sketches.
What I mean is that if the 2D or 3D sketch is the absolute base for 3D models, then they should have made much better 2D design tools.

My opinion, I could be wrong.

Pete in NC · Oct 27, 2006

"if someone is paying $4K + for a piece of software, a hard copy user manual would be a bare minimum. Command reference, cross reference etc."

Solidworks is cheap for a top quality CAD package. It is MUCH easier to learn than the main rival PRO-E. I'm self taught on it but have a long history doing CAD so it was probably easier for me than most. It would be nice to have manuals etc but I found most things pretty intuitive.

Learning Solid Works

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