SolidWorks
The mechanical engineer's default tool for turning ideas into manufacturable parts
What it is
About SolidWorks
SolidWorks is a parametric, feature-based 3D CAD system for designing mechanical parts and assemblies, generating engineering drawings, and running basic simulation and motion studies. It's a mainstay in product design, manufacturing and medical device engineering because of its huge user base, extensive plugin ecosystem and tight integration with downstream manufacturing (CNC, 3D printing) and PDM/PLM workflows.
What you can do with it
Capabilities
Model precise parametric 3D parts and multi-part assemblies
Generate fully dimensioned 2D manufacturing drawings
Run basic FEA stress and motion simulations (SolidWorks Simulation)
Design sheet-metal, weldment and injection-moulded plastic parts
Manage design revisions and export to CAM/3D-printing pipelines
How to learn it
Learning Resources
Official SolidWorks tutorials built into the software (Help > Tutorials)
MySolidWorks online training and Dassault's certification path (CSWA/CSWP)
YouTube channels like SolidWorks Tech Tips, GoEngineer and CAD CAM CAE Tutorials
Practise by modelling a real product from measurements/photos, then producing a full drawing pack
Pro Tip
Build your parametric sketches with deliberate, named dimensions and a clean feature tree from the start — retrofitting robust parametrics onto a messy model later is far more painful than modelling carefully from the beginning
Skills that use this tool
Roles that use this tool