Michael Lord

There has always been a number of different ways to learn, or learn more of, SOLIDWORKS.

SOLIDWORKS provides with the software a range of documents, an Introduction to SOLIDWORKS, What’s New (for each new release), the SOLIDWORKS Help and a series of Tutorials.   Then there is the ever expanding MySolidworks site with their MyLearning training (some free, some requiring a SOLIDWORKS Subscription)

Your SOLIDWORKS Reseller will have a range of training courses, covering everything from the basic to the advance  These are intense training days normally running between 2-4days in duration.

The best free advice will come via your local SOLIDWORKS User Group and/or from the SOLIDWORKS Forum  Access to presentation is just one of many reasons to become involved in a User Group (a few more can be found on the latest blog post on DEVELOP3D)

Of course there is always the web and it’s vast number of resources.  You might discover the odd SOLIDWORKS Blog!  (Thank You if you have discovered this for the first time, or a bigger Thanks if you are returning for more)

Then there is …………….. SolidProfessor!

Whilst at SOLIDWORKS World 2015 I had the opportunity to talk to Tony Glockler, one of the founders of SolidProfessor along with Michelle Stansbury (Marketing).  Somewhere between talking Volkswagens, campervans and a few things Australian they explained the SolidProfessor experience.

SolidProfessor provides on-going learning education via it’s comprehensive video tutorials.  Covering the needs of Individuals, Teams, Corporations and Schools.   Not just for SOLIDWORKS but for a range of software packages.  As a side they also provide the videos to SOLIDWORKS for the  MyLearning on the MySolidworks site

Instead of just showing me the potential that SolidProfessor has to educate they have very generously provided me with access to the SolidProfessor SOLIDWORKS training modules.   It’s been a very long time since I have had any SOLIDWORKS training.  The last time I sat in a training room to learn was the SOLIDWORKS Essentials Course provided by my reseller ten years ago.   Since then it’s been learn as I go when required!

With time I have a gained a reasonable knowledge of the workings of SOLIDWORKS.  I very much model as I would manufacture so I’m a Parts and Assembly guy.  My drawings for manufacture are acceptable but could always do with more work.   Over the years I managed  to work out Sheet Metal, now have a reasonable understanding of Surfacing, use Direct editing at times to often and would like to think I can produce a better than average render using PhotoView360.

Some now along the way I’ve managed to become a  SOLIDWORKS Certified Professional

In saying that there are plenty of parts of the software I use very rarely or not at all.  Some of those are basics like Weldments and Mold Tools.

Using SolidProfessor I hope to be able to rectify a few of those skill storages and be able to share and document some of that progress.    So over the next few months I hope that SolidProfessor can teach this old dog a few new tricks!

Let’s get started!

SolidProfessor offers a range of Plans to suit the varied needs of both the Individual, Teams and Schools via it’s SolidProfessor website.  There is also a trial to see if their eLeaning products suit your requirements.
Once registered you are ready to  Log In and access the tutorials
After you have logged in you are presented with the Course List and can access the training videos via the website.  However there is a better way that provides access direct from inside of SOLIDWORKS.  One top of the course list is the Download link for the SOLIDWORKS Task Pane Add-InSelect the download the Add-In to suit.
Then Install the Add-In
Open SOLIDWORKS and the SolidProfessor Tab is added to the Task Pane
It can if required be toggled On or Off via the Add-In control Panel
Once Logged In to SolidProfessor (via the Task Pane) you are presented with a series of Menu options.  The Library tab provides access to the Course modules.  Once selected it allows you to drill down through the menus to the – Course List,  release year, Core subjects and Applied Features

There is also the Option of Searching for a particular subject/ topic
Along with the ability to Filter that subject to a required release year
Once you have selected and viewed a subject these can then easily be re-accessed via the Recently Viewed Tab
The Resources Tab provides access to the files/ models used in a particular training module
These files can then be downloaded for additional referencing and reviewing
Although the video are narrated in English other nationalities have been catered for over the past few years with the ability to turn on Captions in a range of other languages

I now have SolidProfessor installed and have provided some background on where I’m up to with my SOLIDWORKS education.   A introduction and overview of now SolidProfressor integrates within SOLIDWORKS.     I now need to devise a plan of attack on what I want to achieve.   Then ensure that I set aside a period of time and at this stage I’m thinking daily, so I can get the best out of the SolidProfessor.

I’ll looking forward to the next few months and the experience.   Along the way I’ll keep you advised on what I find (and hopefully} what I’ve have managed to learn