Engineering Design with SolidWorks 2003 and MultiMedia CD

New in this edition: There are more illustrations and more exercises, plus this book includes a MultiMedia CD prepared by the author to support the Projects.

Please note: Project 7 - Injection Molded Part Design Basics found in earlier editions is now covered in Assembly Modeling with SolidWorks 2003.

My headhunter recommended this book to me. I am trying to obtain a position in the design field using SolidWorks. This is a great step-by-step book. There is a good mixture of pictures, text and design objectives to learn SolidWorks efficiently. The bold command sections in each chapter makes it very easy to follow. I also like the summary at the end of each chapter. The CD contained in this book alone is worth the price of the book.

Each chapter of the CD contains a sequence of movies that step you through the book. Thank you again Professor Planchard for your time and kind words at SolidWorks World. This is a great book. I look forward in seeing and buying your new 2004 book.


Anyone who buys this is a sucker!   January 30, 2004
3 out of 5 found this review helpful

I have been a Design Engineer since 1978, and have been using ACAD since 1987. In 2003 I switched to Solidworks, a truly wonderful product! Over the years I have relied on reference books to help me learn new versions and to perform rarely used functions when I have forgotten how. Whenever I couldn't figure out how to do something, I would simply look it up and learn it. This book is the worst reference book I have ever read (and I have read many over the years). If you know engineering, you already know about CAD and computers. This book will NOT help you. It spends way too much time attempting to teaching file organization and engineering practices and procedures, while being terribly short on teaching CAD functions and commands. I often attempt to use it as a reference, but it continues to be much less helpful than the Soildworks tutorial. (Actually, I have not found it to be of any help at all!) I read the reviews on this book before I purchased it. I feel so deceived, I am compelled to write this. Anyone who buys this book is a sucker, I will give you mine for free!


Good classroom book   December 27, 2003
23 out of 23 found this review helpful

I am a second year student of Professor Planchard. Professor Planchard is a highly regarded teacher with her students and uses real world examples in her classrooms and in her books.

The book provides a step-by-step learning approach and provides informing on design intent, desired outcomes and usage competencies. In my part time job as a designer, my boss was very impressed when I asked in a meeting: What is the desired outcome of the product review meeting and what was the original design intent for the product?

The book complements the on-line tutorials contained within SolidWorks and includes a great CD. The CD helps in the areas that are difficult; menus, commands and projects, etc. I enjoyed the book and valuable CD.


A Great Book   December 26, 2003
19 out of 19 found this review helpful

I purchased other books by Planchard and Planchard in the past three years. Each one of these books are great step-by-step books for new users. Thank you. I contacted the authors twice on questions, and they were more than helpful.

This book with the CD is no difference. I bought this book and viewed the CD. Thank you Marie Planchard. I am a visual learner and the CD is a great tool to learn the menus, commands and design hints provided by you in using SolidWorks.

I met Marie Planchard last year at a SolidWorks World. She is a great person, author, speaker and a very knowledge SolidWorks professor and user.

I read three reviews that were written on the same day, December 20th, by "A reader !!". All three reviews tried to destroy this book. I hope they find this person. There are no mistakes, the book is not full of errors, there are real world examples, etc. Great book to buy to learn SolidWorks.