What It Is
SolidWorks is a professional parametric CAD system developed by Dassault Systemes (the same company that makes CATIA). It is the most widely used CAD tool in engineering education — more universities teach SolidWorks than any other 3D modeling software — and it is the standard mechanical design tool at thousands of aerospace suppliers, startups, and mid-size companies.
SolidWorks is free for students through most universities. If your school has a SolidWorks Education Edition license, you can install the full professional software on your personal computer at no cost. The student version is functionally identical to the commercial version — same features, same file format, same interface. This means the skills you build as a student transfer directly to the workplace.
In the aerospace industry, SolidWorks occupies the middle tier. CATIA handles the largest assemblies (full aircraft at Boeing and Airbus) and Siemens NX serves specific defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce). But SolidWorks dominates at the supplier level, at startups, and on competition teams. SpaceX used SolidWorks for early Falcon 1 and Dragon development. Rocket Lab uses it for Electron components. Every AIAA DBF team, every SAE Aero Design team, and most FIRST Robotics teams use SolidWorks or wish they did.
Aerospace Applications
Mechanical Design for Aerospace Structures
Wing ribs, fuselage frames, brackets, mounts, landing gear, and mechanism design. SolidWorks' parametric feature tree lets you modify dimensions and propagate changes through complex assemblies — critical for iterative design work. Aerospace suppliers designing structural components, actuator housings, and avionics enclosures use SolidWorks daily.
Competition Team Standard
SolidWorks is the de facto standard for student aerospace competition teams. AIAA Design/Build/Fly teams design their aircraft in SolidWorks, creating detailed part models, assemblies, and manufacturing drawings. SAE Aero Design teams do the same. Spaceport America Cup rocketry teams model everything from fin cans to recovery systems. Having SolidWorks on your resume tells employers you can produce engineering drawings, manage assemblies, and work in a professional CAD environment.
Finite Element Analysis (SolidWorks Simulation)
Built-in FEA for stress analysis, thermal analysis, frequency analysis, and fatigue life. You can check whether a wing spar will handle 3G loading without leaving the modeling environment. While ANSYS provides more advanced FEA capabilities, SolidWorks Simulation is sufficient for initial sizing, concept validation, and competition report analysis. It is included in the student license.
Flow Simulation (CFD)
SolidWorks Flow Simulation provides integrated CFD for internal and external flow analysis. While not as capable as OpenFOAM or ANSYS Fluent for research-grade work, it is fast for quick aerodynamic checks: estimating drag on a body, visualizing flow patterns around a wing, or checking cooling flow through an electronics enclosure.
Manufacturing Drawings and GD&T
Generating 2D engineering drawings with geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) — the language of manufacturing. Every machined, molded, or fabricated part in aerospace requires a drawing. SolidWorks produces these from 3D models with automated projections, section views, detail views, and tolerance annotations. Learning GD&T in SolidWorks is directly applicable to reading and creating aerospace production drawings.
Getting Started
High School
Check if your school has SolidWorks access. If not, start with Fusion 360 (free) and transition to SolidWorks in college.
- Check your school's engineering/technology department for SolidWorks licenses
- If available, complete the built-in SolidWorks tutorials (Help menu > Tutorials)
- If not available, start with Fusion 360 — the parametric modeling concepts transfer directly
- Design parts for your competition projects: rocket components, robot parts, drone mounts
- Get the CSWA (Certified SolidWorks Associate) certification — free for students, looks great on a resume
Undergraduate
Most engineering programs teach SolidWorks in freshman or sophomore design courses. Go beyond the coursework.
- Master assemblies: mates, sub-assemblies, interference detection, and exploded views
- Learn engineering drawings: views, sections, details, GD&T symbols, and BOMs (bills of materials)
- Use SolidWorks Simulation for stress analysis on your competition and project designs
- Design for manufacturing: learn sheet metal, weldments, and mold design features
- Get the CSWP (Certified SolidWorks Professional) certification — a genuine credential that employers recognize
- Join your school's AIAA, SAE, or FIRST team and take on the CAD/design role
Advanced / Graduate
Professional-level proficiency and preparation for industry CAD requirements.
- Learn surfacing for complex aerodynamic shapes — lofts, boundary surfaces, and free-form deformation
- Master top-down design: building assemblies from layouts, using in-context references
- Use SolidWorks API (VBA or C#) for design automation and parametric studies
- Learn PDM (Product Data Management) for managing files in team environments
- If targeting Boeing or Airbus: transition to CATIA. If targeting Lockheed or Rolls-Royce: transition to Siemens NX. Your SolidWorks parametric modeling skills will transfer.
Career Connection
| Role | How SolidWorks Is Used | Typical Employers | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Design Engineer | Part and assembly modeling, engineering drawings, tolerance analysis, and design iteration for aerospace hardware | Aerospace suppliers, Tier 2/3 contractors, SpaceX, Rocket Lab | $75K–$130K |
| Stress/Structural Engineer | Initial sizing with SolidWorks Simulation, then detailed FEA in ANSYS. SolidWorks for geometry, ANSYS for analysis. | Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, Triumph Group, Safran | $85K–$140K |
| Manufacturing Engineer | Tooling design, fixture modeling, process planning, and CNC programming using SolidWorks CAM | Aerospace machine shops, GKN Aerospace, Arconic, Precision Castparts | $75K–$125K |
| Propulsion Hardware Engineer | Design injectors, chambers, turbopumps, and plumbing for rocket engines and jet engine components | SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Aerojet Rocketdyne, GE Aerospace | $90K–$150K |
| Systems Integration Engineer | Manage large assemblies, check fit and clearances, coordinate between subsystem teams | Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, Ball Aerospace | $90K–$145K |
This Tool by Career Path
Aerospace Engineer →
The most widely taught CAD tool in engineering programs — mechanical design, assemblies, drawings, and FEA for aerospace structures and mechanisms
Drone & UAV Ops →
Detailed mechanical design of drone airframes, gimbals, payload integration, and manufacturing drawings
Aviation Maintenance →
Reading and interpreting engineering drawings, understanding 3D assemblies, and designing maintenance tooling and fixtures
Space Operations →
Ground support equipment design, CubeSat structures, and mechanical integration of satellite subsystems
Pilot →
Understanding aircraft structural design and systems layout through 3D visualization of assemblies