need Solid Works

[WS6]

So in my quest to secure my future and actually be offered a job once I graduate, I spoke with Stacey Tucker and another guy named Ryan at DSE over the weekend. She said learn solid works. So I better get started. I have found they have a student edition. Considering I am a student, will this be good enough? Where is the best place to purchase this? Is the solid works for dummies book any good? I fighure I'm a dummie so I better get help somehow.

Thanks

[Paul_J]

I found the student version the same as the regular version. I don't know what your background is with modeling software but if you don't have any I would consider taking a class. And good luck!

[WS6]

only autocad. Solid works isn't offered here at school. I guess I better get the idiots guide too then.

[bochnak]

SW is real easy to learn. I think any book will do.

Google search on "solidworks tutorials"
http://www.google.com/search?q=solidworks+tutorials&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a


Also, learn ProE, because they are the 2 most common.

[Bigblue73]

Solidworks is available through a dealer network or authorized resellers. The student version did not have all the FEA and other analyzing parameters, when I bought it 3 years ago. It is powerful, it is quickly becoming the CAD software of choice. You just need to think in steps, but once you get the hang of it, it actually is fun to use. Good luck.

[Declawed69]

I have the student edition as I'm in a manufaturing engineering graphics class. Like others have said it doesn't contain all the things and features of the full solid works, like a catalogs of premade screws, nuts and bolts, and other advanced features. But for learning SW it works just fine.

[bochnak]

SW also has a great help menu, so use it!

[WS6]

Thanks guys. Now is there a place I can get it for cheap?

[B Schein]

If you want to learn solid works and actually be able to use it join some sort of SAE team at you school whether it be formula which I highly suggest or one of the others like baja. Solid works will give sae teams ten free copy’s with cosmos. It hard to learn it with nothing to design you will learn how to drawl blocks and rounds but will never do any thing that complicated with out having the need to design something complicated like an fsae car.

Be careful not to get blue line syndrome once you learn solid works you will understand what that means

[WS6]

We don't have any SAE teams. I have plenty of machines I built from my machining degree I can practice on. I can also find other components to make. I figured i would need something to make though or else I would be just doodling. So I thought I'd start easy with the things I've made and work my way out from there.

What is Cosmos? (Is this the motion simulator?)

I've found where to order it from as well. However, it has 12 and 14 months beside the purchase. Why would it only be good for that long?

[B Schein]

What is Cosmos? (Is this the motion simulator?)

I've found where to order it from as well. However, it has 12 and 14 months beside the purchase. Why would it only be good for that long?

Cosmso is an and on fea program I would suggest to practice by reverse engineering things like brake calipers or a motor cycle engine they are complicated and will test you patients with modeling

The student editions are usually only good for a year

If you are qualified student you can buy it from journey ed

[WS6]

Thanks Brian. My plan was to reverse engineer things for practice. I've found two year licenses which should be good enough since I'm just looking to teach myself so I can be ready in two years to graduate. I just hate software licensing. I feel that I bought the program, it should last as long as I want to use it, but oh well. I think for $90 it'll be a good investment.