Check it Out: Interactive Web Series

By Anthony J. Lockwood

Dear Desktop Engineering Reader:

Here's a fun one for you. SolidWorks – who else? -- has come up with what they call an interactive web series call “Let's Go Design.” What does that mean, I hear you say.

Good question. Now, what this means is that you get to be part of a ensemble of engineers -- known to non-engineers as a band of bothers (sic) -- that will help build some device that has not been built before. And not just any device, mind you. These are highly useful things, and you get to vote on which project the interactive design team takes on first. You have three candidates for the initial project.

Candidate number 1 is a CAD chair. Think of a game chair in some dude's media cave, only optimized as a CAD control center, complete with joystick controls, a motorized lift, surround sound, and stuff like that. Your second candidate is a breakfast prep center. This is an appliance that you might see on one of those home shopping networks: It prepares eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, and juice for four people simultaneously. Its specs do not cover walking the dog as of yet. Finally, candidate number 3 is the tinkerer's workbench. Not just any workbench. This collapsible, self-leveling, loaded to the gills workbench plugs into a trailer hitch and has saws, vises, or whatever tools you spend so much time setting up ready to go to work.

Now, your design team leader is this guy Jeremy Luchini. He has that look in his eyes that tells you that that this is going to be a fun ride. His bio says that he's designed stuff like games, musical instruments, machine tools, and sports cars. He commutes to work in a 1967 Jeep Kaiser M-715 military troop carrier that he refurbish. Jerry collaborated with Factory Five Racing to build the dragster that was unveiled at SolidWorks World 2010. See? He's one of those guys. Just like you, in other words, and no doubt a Desktop Engineering reader.

So, check out the nearly 3-minute video that introduces you to the new “Let's Go Design” interactive web series from SolidWorks. Then cast your vote for the project you'd like to start lending your expertise to first. I've already voted. Let's see what you and Jerry can come up with.

Thanks, Pal. -- Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood
Editor at Large, Desktop Engineering

Check out the interactive web series from SolidWorks.