Rating: 
Summary: Great Teaching Tool
Review: For years I have been working in Autocad 2-D Drawings. I purchased SolidWorks on the recommendation of some of my customers. Unfortunately, almost nothing from my experience in Autocad translates to SolidWorks. Since I don't have much time for classes and such, I needed a tutorial. The book and multimedia CD are great for the person who is trying to learn SolidWorks. It is a very comprehensive step by step instructional document. I will be ordering another of the Planchard's books to further my knowledge of SolidWorks.
Rating:
Summary: Good book for a new user
Review: I am a new CAD user. I obtained a job with a startup company. My company requested that I learn SolidWorks. The training budget is very tight, so I needed to learn SolidWorks on my own. I purchased this book after I talked to the local Community College CAD instructor. I was looking for a simple and easy book on SolidWorks. The author goes through a series of assemblies that combine numerous components. The provided highlighted action section for the step-by-step approach is great. The book has a very usable CD. The CD provided insight on assembly techniques, menus, commands, etc. All books should have this type of layout and I will not buy a book without an instructional CD. The CD is a real time saver and a great learning tool.
Rating:
Summary: Good book for a new user
Review: I am a new CAD user. I obtained a job with a startup company. My company requested that I learn SolidWorks. The training budget is very tight, so I needed to learn SolidWorks on my own. I purchased this book after I talked to the local Community College CAD instructor. I was looking for a simple and easy book on SolidWorks. The author goes through a series of assemblies that combine numerous components. The provided highlighted action section for the step-by-step approach is great. The book has a very usable CD. The CD provided insight on assembly techniques, menus, commands, etc. All books should have this type of layout and I will not buy a book without an instructional CD. The CD is a real time saver and a great learning tool.
Rating:
Summary: What a concept for a book!
Review: I first saw the GearsEds assembly utilized in the book at BattleBots IQ. What a great concept! The authors take you through a systematic series of assemblies that combine 70+ components in SolidWorks - you don't design them all. Instead you model the machined parts and obtain the pneumatic assembly models from the manufacturer. This book is filled with first-rate extruded part modeling and assembly techniques with symmetry, patterns and reusing information. Concentration is on good extruded parts that won't fail to rebuild in an assembly. Assembly mates are well organized to promote linear and rotational motion. The CD included with the book, created by the authors shows you all the steps. I viewed the CD before I read each project. This was a real time saver. If you are new to SolidWorks - this is the book to start with.
Rating:
Summary: What a concept for a book!
Review: I first saw the GearsEds assembly utilized in the book at BattleBots IQ. What a great concept! The authors take you through a systematic series of assemblies that combine 70+ components in SolidWorks - you don't design them all. Instead you model the machined parts and obtain the pneumatic assembly models from the manufacturer. This book is filled with first-rate extruded part modeling and assembly techniques with symmetry, patterns and reusing information. Concentration is on good extruded parts that won't fail to rebuild in an assembly. Assembly mates are well organized to promote linear and rotational motion. The CD included with the book, created by the authors shows you all the steps. I viewed the CD before I read each project. This was a real time saver. If you are new to SolidWorks - this is the book to start with.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is not really as good as people think
Review: I have to said this is the 1st SolidWorks book i purchased. But base on his "step-by-step" approach, i found that there are many steps were skip and the drawing doesnt turn out as it said in the book. Some of the instrucions dont make any sense at all.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great book
Review: I just finished writing a review on Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2003 and MultiMedia CD. I purchased both books this year. These SolidWorks books by Dave and Marie Planchard are simply the best out there. They are been writing books on SolidWorks for over four years. This book provides a great step-by-step procedure, an excellent CD and excellent projects and sample examples. Again, their is a person that is trying to trash the books by Planchard and Planchard. There were four bad reviews written on this book in two days. Do not believe them. Marie Planchard is a great author, public speaker and professor. She was at SolidWorks World last year and was great. I hope to see you this year in Boston at SolidWork World.
Rating:
Summary: Another Great book
Review: I just finished writing a review on Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2003 and MultiMedia CD. I purchased both books this year. These SolidWorks books by Dave and Marie Planchard are simply the best out there. They are been writing books on SolidWorks for over four years. This book provides a great step-by-step procedure, an excellent CD and excellent projects and sample examples. Again, their is a person that is trying to trash the books by Planchard and Planchard. There were four bad reviews written on this book in two days. Do not believe them. Marie Planchard is a great author, public speaker and professor. She was at SolidWorks World last year and was great. I hope to see you this year in Boston at SolidWork World.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for the classroom: New users
Review: If you really want to learn SolidWorks fast and you like to have a CD that supplements the book, this is the book for you. The CD contained in the book makes it very easy to follow the instructions. The book is loaded with pictures that are great for the new user. I went through the SolidWorks Tutorials but wanted more. The industry examples are filled with great tips along the way. The authors clearly explain how to address drawing templates and sheet formats. The SolidWorks icon tables and clear definitions of features were a great help. I have been teaching Autocad, CADKEY and Manual Drafting for too many years. When my department switched to SolidWorks, I didn't really want to change all my lecture notes and books. I worked through all the projects in this book as a new user. The instructions were very clear, I could follow them and more importantly my students can follow them too. Believe it or not -sometimes my students miss class!!! Now after a lecture, if you still do not understand the materials, "Watch the CD and look how it's done." What a great teaching tool to learn SolidWorks. Interwoven throughout the projects are engineering situations that stress life long learning skills, communications and standards that ABET is always looking for.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for the classroom: New users
Review: If you really want to learn SolidWorks fast and you like to have a CD that supplements the book, this is the book for you. The CD contained in the book makes it very easy to follow the instructions. The book is loaded with pictures that are great for the new user. I went through the SolidWorks Tutorials but wanted more. The industry examples are filled with great tips along the way. The authors clearly explain how to address drawing templates and sheet formats. The SolidWorks icon tables and clear definitions of features were a great help. I have been teaching Autocad, CADKEY and Manual Drafting for too many years. When my department switched to SolidWorks, I didn't really want to change all my lecture notes and books. I worked through all the projects in this book as a new user. The instructions were very clear, I could follow them and more importantly my students can follow them too. Believe it or not -sometimes my students miss class!!! Now after a lecture, if you still do not understand the materials, "Watch the CD and look how it's done." What a great teaching tool to learn SolidWorks. Interwoven throughout the projects are engineering situations that stress life long learning skills, communications and standards that ABET is always looking for.
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