Introduction
Page I - 1
INTRODUCTION
The Certified SolidWorks 2008 Associate CSWA Exam Guide is written to
assist the SolidWorks user to pass the CSWA exam. SolidWorks Corporation
offers two levels of certification representing increasing levels of expertise in 3D
CAD design as it applies to engineering: Certified SolidWorks Associate CSWA,
and the Certified SolidWorks Professional CSWP.
The CSWA certification indicates a foundation in and apprentice
knowledge of 3D CAD design and engineering practices and principles. The main
requirement for obtaining the CSWA certification is to take and pass the three
hour, seven question on-line proctored exam at a Certified SolidWorks CSWA
Provider, “university, college, technical, vocational, or secondary educational
institution” and to sign the SolidWorks Confidentiality Agreement. Passing this
exam provides students the chance to prove their knowledge and expertise and to
be part of a world wide industry certification standard.
Commercial customers can obtain information on taking the CSWA exam
through the SolidWorks Customer Portal.
At this time, the CSWA exam is given in both SolidWorks 2007 and
SolidWorks 2008.
Goals of the book
The primary goal for this book is not only to help you pass the CSWA
exam, but also to ensure that you understand and comprehend the concepts and
implementation details of the CSWA process. The second goal of this book is to
provide the most comprehensive coverage of CSWA exam related topics
available, without too much coverage of topics not on the exam. The third and
ultimate goal is to get you from where you are today to the point that you can
confidently pass the CSWA exam. Therefore, the chapters in this book, which are
outlined in the introduction, are geared toward helping you discover the topics that
are on the CSWA exam, pinpoint where you have a knowledge deficiency, and
determine what you need to know to master these topics.
Intended audience
The intended audience for this book and the CSWA exam