Introducing SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS is a 3D design software that's officially capitalized to SOLIDWORKS. It is one of the leading pieces of engineering 3D design software globally. Today, more than 2 million organizations use SOLIDWORKS to bring in products and innovations, which represent a large proportion of over 6 million SOLIDWORKS users in total. In this section, we will explore the different applications that SOLIDWORKS supports.
SOLIDWORKS applications
SOLIDWORKS mainly targets engineers and product designers. It is used in a variety of applications and industries. Some of these industries are as follows:
- Consumer products
- Aerospace construction
- High-tech electronics
- Medicine
- Oil and gas
- Packaging
- Machinery
- Engineering services
- Furniture design
- Energy
- Automobiles
Each of these industries utilizes SOLIDWORKS for its design applications to some extent. Within SOLIDWORKS, several disciplines correspond to different design and analysis approaches. They are as follows:
- Core mechanical design
- Two-dimensional (2D) drawings
- Surface design
- Sheet metal
- Sustainability
- Motion analysis
- Weldments
- Simulations
- Mold making
- Electrical
Even though the preceding list highlights some possible domains where SOLIDWORKS can be applied, it is not necessary for a single individual to master them all. However, they do demonstrate the capabilities enabled by the software and the fields it can serve. This book will focus on addressing applications within the core mechanical design disciplines. These disciplines will cover the most common usage scenarios for SOLIDWORKS.
Core mechanical design
Core mechanical design skills are the most commonly used foundational design application for SOLIDWORKS users. This includes the fundamental 3D modeling features that are essential for modeling mechanical components; this book will focus on this type of design application. Mastering this will enable you, as a learner, to draft complex parts and assemblies. These can include engines, furniture, and everyday consumer products such as phones and laptops.
We will cover all the knowledge and skills needed to achieve the two major SOLIDWORKS certifications under the core mechanical design discipline. These are the Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA) and Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP) levels. Also, mastering core mechanical design concepts can be considered as a prerequisite to learning most other specialized modeling disciplines, such as sheet metal and mold making. Because of that, we will only cover a common foundation for mechanical core design in this book. Later in this chapter, we will discuss all the certifications and levels in more detail in the Exploring SOLIDWORKS Certifications section.
Now that we know what SOLIDWORKS is and the different applications and disciplines it covers, we will cover the principle under which the software operates: parametric modeling.
Sample SOLIDWORKS 3D Models
As SOLIDWORKS caters to a variety of fields, it is possible to create 3D models with varying complexity using the software. Here, you can find samples of 3D models from different fields that have been made using SOLIDWORKS:
Figure 1.1 – A 3D Model of "Gallon." Image courtesy of TforDesign
Figure 1.2 – Gears assembly for a pump. Image courtesy of TforDesign
Figure 1.3 – A turbine rotor. Image courtesy of TforDesign
Figure 1.4 – Geometric bookshelf design. Image courtesy of TforDesign
Figure 1.5 – A mechanical seal. Image courtesy of TforDesign
These models are selections from different fields that can show the flexibility and the range of possible applications. In reality, SOLIDWORKS is a tool, and it will remain up to you as to what you will use it for.
