Hybrid_From_Hell Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 As it says If having had / have the pain of learning simple (HAHAHA BL88DY HA) Website design / HTLM, as if that is not enough I have a mild urge to learn Solidworks. So, how hard, how long, and anyone know of any courses etc, if so where ? Oh, and don't mod me fellow mods - its for LR Use Help Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aragorn Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 I suspect you'll find that certified solidworks training will be VERY expensive. Probably in the region of several hundred pounds a day. Mainly because anywhere doing the training will be doing the official Solidworks Certification schemes, and that kinda stuff is big money. There are apparently training manuals that come with solidworks itself, which can be used to get a grip of the software basics etc, i've not looked at them, but i have had a fiddle with solidworks itself as a company i consult for uses it, and its very cool and very complicated at the same time! There is a "solidworks for dummies" book available, which might be a nice easy starting point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmattley Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Right then, I wouldn't bother with courses, get yourself a copy of it somehow and download some tutorials for it. I started off with Rhino 3D then when to Solidworks from that. I'm doing a product design degree at the minute, but once you learn the basics of CAD you'll get the hand of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 I can help you with the HTML/web stuff, but not Solidworks I'm afraid. As others have said, the best way is just to play with it. Accompanied by some tutorials on the web of course to get the basics That's how I've learned all my programming 'skills' over the years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrKev Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Solidworks is a fairly friendly 3D CAD program - much easier to use that some of the others I've tried. The tutorials that come with it are pretty good too, the biggest thing you'll discover as you get used to using it is planning how the best way to draw something is for dimensional reasons. For example. A cylinder can either be constructed by drawing a circle, and extruding it, or by drawing the profile (as you would travel on a lathe) and revolve it about an axis. Both methods clearly work, but it's when you get to need to make that cylinder more complicated that one method may triumph over the other. Feel free to shout if you have any questions. Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quagmire Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Solidworks is great and very intuitive- just get a copy from somewhere (legally of course) and start the tutorials! Once you get going you will never look back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 The Solidworks Tutorials are very good and go through everything! Another way to get some introductory tuition is to enquire about buying it from one of the dealers. They run one day tutorials to show you how good it is compared to other CAD. Because most of the people in the room have never used a computer or they are 'managers' who are never actually going to use the software - it's very easy to 'steer' the tutorial to cover the things you are not so hot on. When they ring you up a couple of months later to see if you have decided to buy it yet - you say "well,,,, I'm trying to decide between SW & Microstation" Then ask if SW can do something you'd like to know how to do - and Bang - you will be invited to another tutorial! I hold it in very high regard. Once it 'clicks' it's pretty easy to move forward with it. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Solidworks is pretty easy to learn. As has been said, sit down and follow the tutorials through. They start with the basics but move on to cover pretty much everything you need to know. Pretty much all of the tools are intuitive and straight-forward. Also, there is normally plenty of help online, When I've been stuck a bit of work on google has normally solved the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Forget Solid works - Google sketchup is the way forward! fully scalable, 3d software thats totally free! heaps of tutorials out there and help, very easy to use. I use it at work for concept design, way faster than Inventor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted July 10, 2010 Share Posted July 10, 2010 Forget Solid works - Google sketchup is the way forward! Each has their place, but surely you can't be serious in claiming them to be equal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Each has their place, but surely you can't be serious in claiming them to be equal? HAHAHA, I didn't say they where equal. Indeed Autocad 3d, Inventor, Solidworks, Rinho, 3D studio max all have there own application, and to get good modeling you really need to use a combination of each. Google has one huge (in my view) advantage over the previous stated is that its free and also there is an open source element to the program that allows you to add extra drawing functions (ruby console) I have been using Google (free) for almost 3 years, you can create 3d curved profiles extremly quickly, it has 2d - 3d viewing with heaps of functions. - you cannot draw a ships hull in Inventor! Its not the best for making manufacturing drawings, but again with a little work its not so difficult. For home use and concept design its an amazing program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 as mentioned here, I wouldnt bother with a course, just go through the tutorials and youre away. It cant be that hard, judging from some people I have seen using it. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Those are very impressive drawings maverik ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirkthe1 Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 If you wanted to learn CAD in general guildford tech do both the 2d and 3d city and guilds CAD courses. Do you want an old copy of solidworks-i think i have one kicking around! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmattley Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Maverik, where did you get that 90 CAD data from? Would you be able to send me it as a STEP file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverik Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 Maverik, where did you get that 90 CAD data from? Would you be able to send me it as a STEP file? I drew the 90, its my vehicle, well almost, It's good tool to use to see what it will look like with say roll cage, roof rack etc. I'll see if I can convert it - I'll get back to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee_arthur Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 I have played about with solidworks for a while now and have used the tutorials that come with the package. I found these very good and easy to follow. The only thing you can only learn through experience is what to do first, Sometimes this stumps me. I have just sat for a couple of hours a night and basically created new parts for our challenge motor. Ive made cubby boxes, storage boxes, rollcages spaceframes etc. All were a bit of fun at the same time. I find a bit of Black eyed peas also helps in times of desperation when making a part Just to let you all know im a bit of a computer nerd and am into building computers and gaming. I'm also 16, some say i should be out chasing the girls but how do you say i love the land rover more than you hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superpants Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I did a two day course on it when we first invested in it at work, which was more than enough to get me doing all the basics I needed. The course was based round the tutorials and the first of the two manuals, so if you have got both, you'll be well on your way. I found that by far the most important thing to learn to start with is how to set up a model correctly- It will save a lot of time an headaches later on, but the tutorials are pretty good on this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 Definitely go through the tutorials Nige, very clear to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nasser1 Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Great thread! I have now been a professional design engineer for 8 years and have used SOLIDWORKS ever since, designing plastic injection moulded components, metal fabrications, piping systems and many more. I have also used it for small FEA studies (structural test simulations). I setup www.cadmate.co.uk to help anyone wanting to learn the 3D CAD software, posting SOLIDWORKS tutorials and am also willing to help you out when you're stuck. I am also more than happy to help anyone on a 1-to-1 basis - just ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I'd give Onshape a go, Si started a thread about it a while ago. It has more of a 'CAD' bias than Sketchup, and runs entirely on a browser. Certainly less faff than trying locate a copy of Solidworks of, ahem, questionable origin just to try it. It's very much a product under development, but for £0 for the basic version you can't go wrong. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UdderlyOffroad Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Holy thread revival! Just actually read the dates, I guess Nige will have played with Solidworks or not, by now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Sounds like Nasser1 is just peddling his business to me.... I may be wrong, and apologies if so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I'd be inclined to agree, Bowie. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 That was my first thought when I saw the post. I'm sure there are plenty of people on here fluent in each of the modelling programs to help fellow members F.O.C. Myself included (Caita V5). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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