ENGINEERING

CONCORD, MA -- The mechanical and environmental engineering department at the University of California at Santa Barbara is teaching SolidWorks three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D CAD) software to engineering students in its foundation courses for mechanical design, SolidWorks announced today. SolidWorks' short learning curve will allow first-year engineering students to gain 3D CAD skills quickly so they can spend more time on problem solving and real-world design projects. SolidWorks' intuitive, Windows-based environment is easy to learn, so students can begin honing their design skills more quickly than if confronted with complex, lengthy processes for creating designs. "The students used to spend a lot of time learning software and less time actually designing when our department used other technologies in our 3D CAD introductory courses," said Nick DiNapoli, a lecturer and academic coordinator for UC Santa Barbara's mechanical and environmental engineering department. "SolidWorks will let the students get comfortable with the technology quickly, so they can begin designing their term projects sooner than before. Another key SolidWorks benefit is students can easily fix mistakes, while other CAD packages practically force them to jump through hoops, which can be very discouraging for someone new to the technology." The department has licensed 60 seats of SolidWorks to be used in the mandatory engineering graphics course this term. DiNapoli said he and his colleagues would consider expanding the program depending on its success this year. "SolidWorks has set the standard for 3D design software, eliminating tedious learning curves and freeing students to spend more of their class time developing the skills they'll need in their professional careers," said Rosanne Kramer, director of worldwide education markets for SolidWorks. "Having tried to teach first-year students more complicated software, UC Santa Barbara's top-notch mechanical engineering department chose SolidWorks because it recognizes the importance of giving students a first-rate engineering design education and an immediate advantage in the job market." UC Santa Barbara's mechanical engineering department ranked first among similar departments in the Graham-Diamond analysis of data provided by the National Research Council (NRC). That first-place ranking in The Rise of American Research Universities: Elites and Challengers in the Postwar Era by Hugh Davis Graham and Nancy Diamond is based on research dollars, publications in prestigious journals, and awards - not subjective evaluations of institutions' reputations. For more information visit www.solidworks.com