Dassault, which owns the CAD software called Solidworks, has graciously given us this very powerful software to enjoy. Solidworks is used daily by engineering professionals in their work and has been the industry standard for decades. [The main industry competitor is Inventor, which is the grown-up version of Fusion 360.] At the DMS, this kind of CAD software can be used to make designs for 3D printing, for the fancy router in woodshop, for the Haas, for the laser cutter, for the plasma cutter, for the vinyl cutter, for patent drawings, for visual aids by lecturers, and so on.
DMS has been allowed the use of a full commercial license. It’s on the jump server for all of us to enjoy. Also, we can give out up to 400 student licenses to our members and to those to whom we teach the software. Companies pay $4,000 per seat for a commercial license and $1,300 per year for annual updates, so this is a great deal for us. The student licenses, although free to us, are valuable. I saw student licenses selling for $86 to $150 online, so grab one while you can.
To repay Dassault for their kindness, it’s our privilege and opportunity to teach Solidworks to our members and the community. Under our deal with them, it’s also our duty to let them demonstrate (but not own) some of our work product when they teach and promote to others. In essence, we get free software if we cheerlead for them a bit. We’re scratching each others’ backs. But, we have to use the software.
So, please take our Solidworks classes that we are now offering. The first one is next week. Even if you’re a Fusion 360 user or Inventor user, it’s nice to know Solidworks. It has some advanced functionality that Fusion 360 lacks, so I’m told, and it’s great to have a backup plan.
This class is for beginners. Advanced users can probably teach themselves everything they want to know through the in-app tutorials and youtube videos and with direct experience. Download instructions are here:
https://talk.dallasmakerspace.org/t/2017-student-solidworks-licenses/16630
We’ll be offering student licenses at no cost for everyone who attends. Also, we’ll be promoting this actively to the DFW engineering community. There’s a chance this might be popular. If we run out of student licenses, you may be out of luck until 2019, so grab yours very soon.
Very truly yours,
David Tucker (Mr. Aluminoid)