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CONCORD, Mass., Students in the Product Realization Lab at Stanford University bring their design concepts to life for everything from thumb-operated mountain bike brakes to intricate sushi dishes using SolidWorks(r) three-dimensional computer-aided design (3D CAD) software, the company announced. SolidWorks is so easy to learn that students start creating 3D CAD models of their projects within the first few days of being introduced to the product. They then build a working prototype and present the finished product to faculty and classmates. This hands-on experience gives the nearly 100 graduate and undergraduate mechanical engineering students the skills they'll need to secure competitive engineering jobs after college. "SolidWorks is easy to learn, so it entices students to draw on all of their creative energies," said David Beach, professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford. "Engineers become proficient in product design when they can recreate their vision for a product in 3D CAD. SolidWorks helps students visualize their designs in 3D and translate those visions to physical reality." Enabling users to convert ideas to products was a significant benefit for students like Sally Madsen, a second-year graduate student at Stanford. "Designing in CAD should be more about understanding how to think about design than learning the ins and outs of the buttons and options in the CAD software. Because SolidWorks is easy to use, I didn't have to worry about figuring out how to create an extrusion, for example," said Madsen. "I instead focused on styling a decorative, wall-mounted object to hold my wallet, keys, and phone. The software's sweep, loft, and assembly tools, as well as SolidWorks Toolbox [to automate part reproduction such as screw holes in a design] were easy and problem-free. I felt like I had very direct control over the organic form I was designing." According to Beach, the software empowers students to troubleshoot problems on their own - a professional skill they'll need later. "SolidWorks is intuitive enough so students can figure out how to get out of a jam. Developing that kind of tacit knowledge and judgement to make a design work is born of the hands-on experience SolidWorks provides them." Stanford graduate students use SolidWorks in the school's Product Realization Lab to design projects that they will build using computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining. CNC machines reduce production time by automatically manufacturing parts based on CAD models. "Stanford University, and especially the Product Realization Lab, have a long legacy of providing students with real-world challenges and opportunities. Stanford teaches its engineering students to proceed as if they were already professional design engineers," said Rosanne Kramer, director of worldwide education markets for SolidWorks Corporation. "SolidWorks gives students the freedom to explore solid modeling and all of its possibilities, not just learn software. With SolidWorks, students can think creatively, design easily, and build an actual 3D model in a very short period of time. This streamlined approach to product design and engineering will no doubt enhance their future careers."