SOLIDWORKS Tutorials

In this quick overview of available SOLIDWORKS training and tutorials, we’ll outline a few of the key types of courses and ‘How To…’ guides that engineers, CAD students and technical design staff might find useful at various stages of their ongoing journey with the program.

SOLIDWORKS Training and Tutorials

There are many sources of training, tutorials, or on-demand courses to be found all over the web, including on Dassault Systèmes’ own dedicated SOLIDWORKS site.

TECHNIA is also well-placed to deliver a diverse range of SOLIDWORKS online training and education courses, taught by our own professional CAD engineers who themselves use the software for real-world business and project demands on a daily basis.

We even partnered with SolidProfessor to provide you with 275 online training courses for all skill levels and specializations.

TECHNIA offers various dedicated SOLIDWORKS training and educational courses dedicated to the SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE platforms. These range from a general Introduction to SOLIDWORKS module, through to focused preparation guides for designers aiming to become certified to SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) or SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) grades. We also provide courses for those refreshing or upgrading to the latest software versions, as well as Essentials for Assembly Design and Essentials for Part Design modules.

In the following sections, we’ll list some more topic areas that both new and experienced users will find plenty of useful information and training sessions on within the wider SOLIDWORKS platform and community.

SOLIDWORKS User Interface

Training and tutorials in SOLIDWORKS User Interface (UI) typically revolve around familiarizing users with the basics of direct interaction with the program. New users will be introduced to the all-important menu bar and its various features and functions, with instructions including:

1. Starting and saving new files
2. UI modification and customization (toolbars, displays and shortcuts)
3. Introduction to in-program tools like CommandManager, ConfigurationManager, PropertyManager, FeatureManager and more
4. Familiarization with key on-screen zones such as the Heads-up View Toolbar, SOLIDWORKS Search, Task Pane, and Graphics Area

SOLIDWORKS Utilities Suite

SOLIDWORKS Utilities Suite training broadly aims to give users a clear overview of how to make optimal use of SOLIDWORKS in-built toolsets, a vital skill for examining and comparing the detailed geometry of numerous solid models.

Courses on SOLIDWORKS Utilities typically covers such fundamental topics, tools and commands as Geometry Analysis, Thickness Analysis, Power Select, Symmetry Check, Simplify, Report Manager, and the all-important Compare function.

SOLIDWORKS – Design for Mechatronics

Tutorials on Design for Mechatronics in SOLIDWORKS are all about enhancing user skill in terms of creating models that incorporate combined mechanical, electronic, and information-processing design elements.

In these sorts of courses, you’ll typically be taught about which tools within the program directly support the combining of these three distinct but complementary disciplines, as well as being given various exercises and example briefs to highlight their optimal uses.

Topics covered will often include designing base components, extrusion of key elements using the Draft and Draft Analysis commands, building assemblies, routing wires and connecting circuitry, creating BOM (Bill of Materials) breakdowns and packaging requirements from accurate drawings, and exporting your design models as a finished project.

SOLIDWORKS Tools Suite

Further instruction and guidance in the SOLIDWORKS Tools Suite introduces users to an often-overlooked but potentially very powerful area of the program. Accessed via the Windows Start Menu, the Tools Suite enables designers to fine-tune every aspect of their SOLIDWORKS experience and functionality.

You’ll be shown how to troubleshoot drawings, become familiarized with the Copy Settings. Costing Template and Property Tab Builder menus, learn how to use the Routing Library Manager and Routing Component Wizard dialogue boxes, and see how to run diagnostics, system maintenance and configuration tasks in SOLIDWORKS Rx and SOLIDWORKS Treehouse.

SOLIDWORKS CAM

Computer-Aided Manufacture tutorials for SOLIDWORKS helps users to prepare designs for machining. Create and customize Features, Operations and Toolpaths specifically designed to work with your tools. You’ll be introduced to CAM processes and applications, as well as new elements in your User Interface.

The typical course will walk you through the standard workflow for SOLIDWORKS CAM. From Defining the Machine, Stock and Features to Generating Operations and Toolpaths. Additional learning includes a deeper dive into the different types of features and geometry that can be milled in SOLIDWORKS CAM.

SOLIDWORKS 3D Printed Product Enclosure

Knowing how to use SOLIDWORKS core program and plug-ins to design a 3D printed product enclosure is another of the most popular requests for instruction guides among new and experienced users alike. This area of training enables designers to really influence and define the look and feel of a newly designed or refreshed electronic device.

You’ll begin by reviewing the basics of 3D modelling in CAD software, before going on to examine in closer detail the process of using key SOLIDWORKS tools and functions such as Shell, Offset and Extrude commands on enclosures designed to house a PCB. Courses will also cover the vital steps in polishing, preparing and exporting your final models for 3D printing – even 3D printing objects directly from SOLIDWORKS – accompanied by high-quality design renders.

How to Get Certified in SOLIDWORKS

TECHNIA offers various dedicated on-demand preparatory courses for students looking to become fully certified to Associate or Professional level via SOLIDWORKS CSWA and CSWP exams.

Our CSWA (Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate Prep) course covers:

1. The SOLIDWORKS Certification Process
2. Skills Review
3. Drafting Competencies – Drawing Views
4. Interpreting Drawings for 3D Modelling
5. Practice Exercises – Interpreting Drawings for 3D Modelling
6. Practice Exam & Walkthrough – Basic / Intermediate Part Creation
7. Practice Exercises – Basic / Intermediate Part Creation
8. Practice Exam & Walkthrough – Intermediate / Advanced Part Creation
9. Practice Exercises – Intermediate / Advanced Part Creation
10. Practice Exam & Walkthrough – Assembly Modelling
11. Practice Exercises – Assembly Modelling
12. After the Exam

Our CSWP (Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Prep) sessions aim directly to enhance employment or promotion potential, in a course covering:

1. The SOLIDWORKS Certification Process
2. CSWP Segment 1 – Practice Exam
3. CSWP Segment 1 – Walkthrough
4. Practice Exercises – CSWP Segment 1
5. CSWP Segment 2 – Practice Exam
6. CSWP Segment 2 – Walkthrough
7. Practice Exercises – CSWP Segment 2
8. CSWP Segment 3 – Practice Exam
9. CSWP Segment 3 – Walkthrough
10. Practice Exercises – CSWP Segment 3
11. After the Exam

In Our Experience…

Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in CAD – and the wider world of PLM – is a full time job in itself. Often you won’t know there’s a knowledge gap until you encounter one.

So, if you’re interested in giving your teams the opportunity to upskill, SolidProfessor provide a Skills Analyzer service that helps you to identify any potential skill gaps and provide targeted training through online learning.