SOLIDWORKS Advanced Modelling & Drawings Workshop

Improving Productivity with Efficient Workflows & Techniques

This one-day, hands-on workshop is for experienced SOLIDWORKS users who want to model faster, create cleaner drawings, and reduce the amount of rework that happens when designs change.

If you already know your way around SOLIDWORKS but still find yourself fixing broken features, rebuilding drawings, manually editing BOMs, or repeating the same drafting tasks, this workshop is designed for you.

The focus is not on basic tool commands. The focus is on practical modelling and drawing workflows used in real engineering, fabrication, and manufacturing environments.

You will work through advanced modelling and drawing techniques that help you build cleaner models, create more reliable manufacturing drawings, and improve the way information flows from design to production.

This is a practical workshop, not a lecture. You will follow along with exercises, review real workflow examples, and leave with techniques you can apply immediately in your own work.

Who this workshop is for

This workshop is suitable for:

• SOLIDWORKS users with at least 6 to 12 months of hands-on experience
• Mechanical designers, drafters, engineers, and CAD technicians
• Fabrication, sheet metal, structural steel, manufacturing, and product development teams
• Users who already know the basics but want to become faster and more efficient
• Teams looking to improve modelling standards, drawing quality, and design-to-manufacturing workflows

This workshop is not suitable for complete beginners or users who have never created parts, assemblies, and drawings in SOLIDWORKS.

What you will learn

By the end of the day, you will have a better understanding of:

• How to model with design intent so future changes are easier to manage
• Efficient sketching habits that reduce rebuild problems
• An overview of Master Sketch modelling techniques for controlling key design geometry
• Parametric modelling using equations and global variables
• Practical use of configurations for part and assembly variations
• Multi-body modelling techniques and when to use them
• Sheet metal and structural steel modelling considerations
• Feature tree organisation for cleaner handover and easier edits
• Model clean-up strategies for inherited or problematic files
• Drawing templates, sheet formats, and custom properties
• Faster drawing views, dimensions, annotations, BOMs, and cut lists
• Understanding basic SOLIDWORKS macros and exploring automation options to reduce repetitive CAD and drafting tasks
• How modelling decisions affect drawing quality and manufacturing output
• Common modelling and drawing mistakes and how to avoid them

Ticket price

Early Bird Ticket: $199 (inc. GST) per person

Standard Ticket: $299 (inc. GST) per person

What to bring

Please bring:

• A laptop capable of running SOLIDWORKS
• A licensed or trial copy of SOLIDWORKS installed and tested before the workshop
• A mouse suitable for CAD work
• A notebook or note-taking device
• Optional: sample parts, assemblies, or drawings you would like to discuss during the workshop

Prerequisites

Attendees should already be comfortable with basic SOLIDWORKS part modelling and drawing creation.

You should know how to create sketches, basic features, assemblies, and standard drawing views. This workshop will not cover beginner interface navigation or basic modelling commands.

What is included

• Full-day in-person workshop
• Hands-on SOLIDWORKS exercises
• Reference material and productivity checklist
• Example files and workflow notes
• Certificate of completion
• Lunch and refreshments

This is an interactive workshop. Each session includes guided examples, discussion, and practical exercises so you can apply the techniques during the day.

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Welcome, setup, and workflow discussion

We will start with introductions, workshop setup, and an interactive discussion around common productivity issues in SOLIDWORKS, including modelling rework, drawing errors, and inefficient design-to-manufacturing workflows.

9:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Advanced modelling strategy and design intent

This session covers how to think through a model before building it. We will look at design intent, parent-child relationships, feature order, sketch strategy, rebuild reliability, and how to create models that are easier to modify later. This session includes guided examples and group discussion.

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Morning break

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Parametric modelling, configurations, master sketch overview, and multi-body techniques

This hands-on session covers equations, global variables, configurations, design variations, an overview of master sketch modelling, and multi-body modelling. We will look at practical examples relevant to sheet metal, fabricated parts, and structural-style assemblies.

12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:45 PM
Drawing productivity and manufacturing documentation

This interactive session focuses on creating better drawings with less manual effort. Topics include drawing templates, sheet formats, custom properties, drawing views, annotations, BOMs, cut lists, revision control habits, and reducing repetitive drafting work.

2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Afternoon break

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Manufacturing workflow, model clean-up, macros, and automation options

We will work through common real-world problems, including inherited models, messy feature trees, drawing update issues, manufacturing information errors, basic SOLIDWORKS macros, batch task ideas, and automation options for reducing repetitive CAD and drafting work.

4:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Open Q&A, troubleshooting, and workflow discussion

This session is reserved for attendee questions, workflow challenges, modelling or drawing issues, and discussion around how to apply the workshop techniques in real work environments.

4:50 PM – 5:00 PM
Wrap-up and certificate of completion

Final comments, key takeaways, next steps, and certificate of completion.

Hardik Trivedi

• Founder, OpenTech Designs

• Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional

• SOLIDWORKS Champion

• Mechanical Design Consultant
  

Hardik Trivedi is the founder of OpenTech Designs, a Sydney-based mechanical design and CAD productivity business helping engineering, manufacturing, fabrication, and product development teams improve their SOLIDWORKS workflows.

He specialises in CAD for sheet metal, structural steel members, fabrication components, manufacturing drawings, and practical design-to-manufacturing workflows.

Through OpenTech Designs, Hardik provides SOLIDWORKS licences, mechanical design and drafting support, workflow improvement, training, and CAD automation solutions.

His work focuses on helping teams create cleaner models, better manufacturing drawings, more reliable templates, and more efficient CAD workflows that hold up in real production environments.

Is this suitable for beginners?

No. This workshop assumes you already know basic SOLIDWORKS modelling and drawing creation.

Do I need to bring my own laptop?

Yes. Please bring your own laptop with SOLIDWORKS installed and tested before the workshop.

What version of SOLIDWORKS do I need?

A recent version of SOLIDWORKS is recommended. Specific file/version guidance will be sent before the workshop.

Will installation support be provided on the day?

No. Please install and test SOLIDWORKS before attending so we can focus the day on training and exercises.

Will I receive the training files?

Yes. Attendees will receive example files, reference material, and a productivity checklist.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch and refreshments are included.

Will I receive a certificate?

Yes. Attendees will receive a certificate of completion.

Can my team attend?

Yes. Team bookings are welcome. For multiple attendees or private company sessions, please contact OpenTech Designs.

Reserve your seat

Seats are limited so the workshop can stay practical and hands-on.

If you want to model faster, create cleaner drawings, and improve the way you use SOLIDWORKS in real engineering and manufacturing work, book your seat today.