SOLIDWORKS Certification levels
Having a SOLIDWORKS Certification proves your software proficiency and can help you switch companies, earn a promotion, or receive a pay raise or bonus. There are three SOLIDWORKS Certification levels you can earn.
- Level one: Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate (CSWA)
- Level two: Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional (CSWP)
- Level three: Certified SOLIDWORKS Expert (CSWE)
The CSWP is the most common certification for professional engineers.
What is the CSWP?
TThe CSWP SOLIDWORKS Certification is intended for designers, engineers, and other product development professionals to test and prove their skills. Typically, professionals attempt to get certified after six to nine months of daily hands-on use of SOLIDWORKS software. You must have your CSWA prior to earning your CSWP. More than 30,000 professionals hold this certification.
How the CSWP exam works
The CSWP exam is three and a half hours long and consists of the following three sections.
- Section one: Part Modeling
- Section two: Configurations
- Section three: Assembly Modeling
To pass each section, you’ll need to score 75% or higher. Once you pass all 3 sections, you’ll receive your CSWP certification. If you happen to score below 75% on any of the segments, you can retake those segments after 14 days.
All candidates receive electronic certificates, business card logos — and if desired — a listing on the official CSWP directory.
How to pass the CSWP exam
Only 74% of professionals will pass the CSWP exam, which means preparation is key. Engineers who pass the course on their first try do so because they took the time to practice for the test.
SolidProfessor offers a CSWP online training course that’ll give you access to the tools you need to pass the exam. You can familiarize yourself with the different sections of the exam, review and practice sample exercises with our in-house industry experts, and take CSWP practice multiple-choice questions.
Section one of the CSWP training course (Part Modeling)
- Create an initial part model from a drawing
- Use linked dimensions and equations to fully define the model
- Report mass properties
- Update linked dimensions and equations to update the model
- Modify the part geometry
Section two of the CSWP training course (Configurations)
- Create new configurations using design tables
- Make part modifications to existing models
Note: Make sure you have Excel installed on your computer so that your Design Table functionality works properly for the prep course, and more importantly, for the exam.
Section three of the CSWP training course (Assembly Modeling)
- Add components and moving components using collision detection
- Work with flexible and rigid sub-assemblies and replacing existing components
Note: Questions in this section will build on one another reusing the same models, so it’s critical to get the initial models correct.
Prepare for your SOLIDWORKS Certification today
The best way to prepare for the certification exams is to commit to CSWP practice! You can download our instructions to model the exercise on your own, then use the video tutorials to check your work.
At the end of the course, you’ll have the opportunity to walk through examples representative of what’s tested on the CSWE exam as well.
The SolidProfessor CSWP Certification Prep Course features video tutorials and exercises with a SolidProfessor membership. You can also request a free CSWP exam voucher when you complete the course.
Start Preparing Today!
The SolidProfessor CSWP Certification Prep Course features 62 video lessons with accompanied exercises and is included in SolidProfessor Professional and Premium memberships.
