Product Description

Learn to effectively create, modify, and edit sketches and solid features using the latest release of one of the most popular software programs in the industry, SolidWorks 2008. A Commands Guide for SolidWorks 2008 offers readers a comprehensive reference guide that begins with an overview of the software's concepts and terminology. Subsequent chapters address System and Document properties, FeatureManagers, PropertyManagers, ConfigurationManagers, and RenderManagers as well as 2D and 3D sketch tools, sketch entities, and more. This thorough coverage provides readers with a solid understanding of the techniques for reusing features, parts, and assemblies through symmetry, patterns, copied components, design tables, and configurations. The perfect resource for users with beginner to intermediate-level experience with SolidWorks, this book illustrates clearly and carefully how multiple design situations and systematic steps combine to produce successful designs.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #437886 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 685 pages

About the Author
David Planchard is the President of D&M Education, LLC. Before starting D&M Education LLC, he spent over 25 years in industry and academia holding various engineering, marketing, and teaching positions and degrees. He has five U.S. patents and one International patent. He has published and authored numerous papers on equipment design. David is also a technical editor for Cisco Press. He is a member of the New England Pro/Users Group, New England SolidWorks Users Group, and the Cisco Regional Academy Users Group. David holds a BSME and a MSM. David is a SolidWorks Solution Partner and holds the Certified SolidWorks Associate CSWA Certification.

Marie Planchard is the Director of World Education Markets at SolidWorks Corporation. Before she joined SolidWorks, Marie spent more than 10 years as an engineering professor at Mass Bay College in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. She has some 14 years of industry experience and has held a variety of management and engineering positions. Marie has co-authored a variety of books on SolidWorks, Pro/SHEETMETAL, and Pro/ENGINEER. The founder of the New England SolidWorks Users Group, she is an active corporate council member of the American Society of Engineering Education. Marie holds a BSME, MSME, and the Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP) Certification.

Customer Reviews

The book for 2008
While it's a weighty book which looks as though it would take weeks to get through, actually the QuickStart chapter and logical grouping layout allows the user to create a part, assembly, and a drawing in the very first session while learning the new 2008 user interface, CommandManager, and features.

SolidWorks 2008 has had a major interface enhancement along with the addition of new features and tools; it is far better than any other version. This is a great book for three reasons. 1.) It is accurate, precise, and easy to understand and use. All action commands are displayed in bold lettering. The authors provide tips and design hints throughout the book. 2.) The outstanding index makes the book very user friendly; you can look something up, and readily find it. There are over 200 short learning tutorials with the initial and final models on the enclosed CD. Read, do, compare, and learn. It is that easy. 3.) The commands are short and clear with great illustrations to aid the reader. You can read it, grasp it, and 30 seconds later be on your way. This is a great book for the beginner to intermediate user.

On the negative side, the book does not cover in depth advance surfaces, advanced mates, mechanical mates, and macros. I guess this is what user groups are for!

I love these authors!
These authors are great. I've used them in college and now I use them in industry. This is a great reference book with over 200 models on an incorporated book CD.

I cracked open the book, inserted the CD and as I worked through the problems, I become more and more impressed with it. SolidWorks 2008 has a very different look from 2007. There are many neat tools and features; namely - Pop-up Context toolbars, DimXpert, MotionStudy, Instant3D and TolAnalysis to name a few.

There are some weaknesses in this book, but ones that you can work around. To have all of the answers, they would need to write a 3000 page book. The index, in particular, I found to be pretty expansive - I used it to find answers to more than one problem where I was fairly clueless. Tons of illustrations and clearly written. Keep up the good work.

Most borrowed book in my department
These authors know their stuff. It is easy to read and follow. As a new user, I can really appreciate a well written reference book. The book has a getting started section and then brakes into logical feature and sketch tool sections. The short tutorials lets you apply the tools to ensure that you understand their functionality. There are over 200 short tutorials with final models to help you learn 95% of what SolidWorks has to offer. There are full screen shots of most propertymanagers and dialog boxes which is a big help when trying to understand the various options.

It provides extensive coverage of the document properties and system options section with system defaults. This is helpful when sharing a system. This is the most borrowed book in my department. Thank you ..