Contact ALIC: alic@allegheny.edu
- A Branch Campus of Allegheny College:
- Bessemer Commerce Park, 764 Bessemer St., Meadville, PA 16335
$850.00
This advanced-level course is designed for students and professionals aiming to deepen their proficiency in SolidWorks with a focus on manufacturing applications. Building upon foundational and intermediate skills, the course explores complex part and assembly modeling, advanced surface design, mold and tool creation, and design automation techniques. Emphasis is placed on design for manufacturability (DFM), tolerancing, simulation, and preparation for CAM and production workflows. Students will engage in hands-on projects that mirror real-world engineering and fabrication challenges, producing detailed, production-ready designs and documentation. Ideal for those preparing for careers in precision machining, product design, or tooling and fabrication industries.
Dates: March 11th – April 3rd, 2026 (Tuesday/Thursday, 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm)
Creating intricate parts using advanced features: sweeps, lofts, boundary surfaces
Multi-body part design for complex assemblies and mold cores/cavities
Managing and editing complex design histories efficiently
Building and modifying complex freeform surfaces
Repairing and closing imported surface geometry for manufacturing use
Creating hybrid solid/surface models for CNC or mold design workflows
Designing components in the context of assemblies
Managing external references and breaking links for production files
Creating master model workflows for derived part creation
Applying limit, gear, and path mates for complex motion
Simulating moving assemblies for interference and clearance analysis
Using Motion Study for mechanism analysis and design validation
Designing manufacturable sheet metal parts with custom bend tables
Creating complex sheet metal enclosures with forming tools
Advanced weldment design, including custom profiles and frame structures
Core/cavity creation using parting surfaces and shut-off surfaces
Mold base assembly and draft analysis
Using split lines and tooling features for injection molding design
Using equations and global variables to control model behavior
Creating complex configurations for product families or variants
Automating design changes with design tables and DriveWorksXpress
Creating production-ready drawings with full GD&T, weld, and surface finish symbols
Managing drawing views of complex assemblies and configurations
Detailing exploded views, cut lists, and custom BOMs for shop floor use
Running static, thermal, and frequency analyses with SolidWorks Simulation
Applying fixtures, loads, and mesh controls for manufacturable results
Interpreting simulation outputs for stress, displacement, and factor of safety
Preparing SolidWorks models for CAM software (e.g., Mastercam, SolidWorks CAM)
Defining manufacturing features like CNC-ready surfaces and tool paths
Understanding model tolerances and annotations for seamless CAM transfer
Using Pack and Go, Design Binder, and revision control
Managing references and using PDM systems for team-based manufacturing
Exporting clean, manufacturable files for CNC, 3D printing, or fabrication (STEP, IGES, DXF)
