How to start learning SW. 1

[Mech1]

I've decide to learn SW but want to know if i should take a course, which i've seen go for as much as $950/class for four classes, or to buy a student version and a good text and learn on my own. In most of the posts i've read it seems that SW hasn't a large learning curve like Pro/E does for example but want to know if taking a series of courses is the way to go.

 

[SBaugh]

Mech1,

If you want to learn like I did you will not need to take any courses. I taught myself how to use SW. Your best bet is to go thru the online tutorial (that is if you use SW2001). After that, if you have any old drafting books or engineering books you could try and make some of the samples at the end of the chapters. Some of those are challenging to do.

But to be efficient at SW you have to use it a lot. When I was teaching myself. I used it everyday, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. I used it at home just to make fun shapes and stuff like that. I spent a lot of time at the newsgroups, and talking to my VAR about problems that would arise.

Newsgroups: comp.cad.solidworks

I'm still using it today. Which makes it about 5+ years since I started. I just passed my Certification this past year. It makes me very proud to add the CSWP at the end of my name, and to be only one of two in the state of Indiana with it.

If you want to find some books on SW go to

http://www.amazon.com

and look for Inside SW.

I hope this helps you and everyone that reads this,
Cheers, Scott Baugh, CSWP
George Koch Sons,LLC
Evansville, IN 47714
sjb@kochllc.com

 

[swertel]

Agreed, Scott.

SolidWorks is very easy to learn. If you have a real project to work on, not just look around for things to recreate, then you should have no problem learning SWX as self-taught--even well enough to pass the certification exam.

I'm also going to agree with Mr. Baugh again as to reading the newsgroup comp.cad.solidworks. Even if you just lurk in the background and never post, you'll still learn a lot. Always feel free to post any question to that newsgroup and this forum. There are a lot of very talented and very helpful professionals and both sites that are more than willing to offer their expertise and advice.

--Scott

 

[MadMango]

I also have to agree with the "Scott Duo". It doesn't take more than 1-2 hours aday for 2 weeks to go through the tutorial that is supplied with the software. However, it you don't use what you have learned on a daily basis, then you will loose it.

I have found that by doing the supplied tutorial, when you run across some modeling problem, something clicks in the back of your mind, "Hey, I've seen this before." and you only have to do that part of the tutorial again to refresh your memory. Also, the online Help Topics within SWX are very good too. As the saying goes, a moment to learn, a lifetime to master. = ) "Happy the Hare at morning for she is ignorant to the Hunter's waking thoughts."

 

[tutorial]

we can teach sw2000 online (overinternet) & material are provided

visit

http://www.techsolservices.com

info@techsolservices.com