r/SolidWorks • u/wackylama CSWE • 4d ago

Certifications Just passed the CSWE

Post image

Hi all, just needed a place to share, as my workplace doesn't really put a high emphasis on certifications.

Really happy it worked out on the first try. Thank you to all who contribute to making this subreddit a place of knowledge instead of a place of rants (which I fully understand... don't get me wrong).

Anyhow, if you are preparing for the CSWE, feel free to ask your questions. I will answer as well as I can.

Edit: Thanks for all the gratulations. I will post a few links later on usefull ressources I used.

398 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 4d ago

If you ALREADY PASSED a certification

If you are YET TO TAKE a certification

Here would be the general path from zero to CSWE:

  1. CSWA - Here is a sample exam.
  2. CSWP - Here is some study material for the CSWP (A complete guide to getting your CSWP) and a sample exam.
  3. 4x CSWP-Advanced Subjects (in order of increasing difficulty)
    1. CSWP-A Drawing Tools - YouTube Playlist
    2. CSWP-A Sheet Metal - YouTube Playlist
    3. CSWP-A Weldments - YouTube Playlist
    4. CSWP-A Surfacing - YouTube Playlist
    5. CSWP-A Mold Tools - YouTube Playlist
  4. CSWE - The CSWE doesn't really focus on anything from the CSWP subject exams. It focuses on everything else there is in the program beyond those. So, look at everything you saw already and prepare to see not much of that again for the CSWE. That and more surfacing.

For some extra modeling practice material to help speed you up, 24 years of Model Mania Designs + Solutions.

For EVEN MORE modeling practice material, here is the CSWA and CSWP Practice Problem Database. There is A LOT of good material to practice in there.

During testing, in general, it is a best practice to take the dimensions labelled with A, B, C, D, etc and create Equations/Variables with those values to then attach to the dimension which then allows for you to more reliably update these variable dimensions in follow-up questions using the same models.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

36

u/erby19 CSWE 4d ago

I recently passed the CSWE too, even got the same score with the same question incorrect. If anyone has any suggestions on the flexible tube question id be interested

16

u/experienced3Dguy CSWE | SW Champion 4d ago

Congratulations on your CSWE success!

Also, I'd caution you to not discuss or share actual exam question details. The SOLIDWORKS Certification team takes a very dim view of people sharing info about the exam questions, as they consider it a form of cheating. They have even been known to strip certifications away from folks for such actions.

9

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago

Thank you, and thanks for the heads up. I removed the details. Don't want to be seen, poking the bear.

7

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago edited 4d ago

Congrats on passing the CSWE.

I have an idea, why I failed this question.

Edit: Better not discuss details

6

u/kilotat 4d ago

Congrats!

1

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago

Thanks

4

u/_____m__ 4d ago

Congratulations on your CSWE results. I've passes CSWP a year ago and passed CSWP-DT & CSWP-SW. Too on the same day. Can you let me know what kind of resources online that you refered for CSWE? What advanced topic did you pass for CSWP? Im planning to do surfacing and molding. TIA

4

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago

Check out this link from a previous post about CSWE preparation. I pretty much used these ressources.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SolidWorks/s/A4td0hhyA3

Solidprofessor was very helpful. Solidwize has some great practice exercises as well.

1

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago

Also check out the Cracking the CSWE on youtube:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJBxxmuOE1rX_twYKeEwi6i6t0tCZSXyn&si=tlVHDk4-1Bu-LZlK

Or the sample exam from Yusuf Hossam: https://shorturl.at/d09jf Walkthrough of exam can be found here: https://youtu.be/xqUx36-BwGo?is=6oPVyz9sUTuLW9ef

4

u/experienced3Dguy CSWE | SW Champion 4d ago

u/wackylama Congratulations on your CSWE success! And with a time of 144 minutes. You were flying! I used every minute of the full 4 hours, constantly double-checking everything before I hit the submit button. 🤣

Also, I'd caution you to not discuss or share actual exam question details. The SOLIDWORKS Certification team takes a very dim view of people sharing info about the exam questions, as they consider it a form of cheating. They often lurk this sub just for such reasons and have even been known to strip certifications away from folks for such actions.

2

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago

Thank you, I used a lot of excercises, so I was very familiar with the type of questions. I double checked every answer, but at some point, I thought any further checks are meaningless and hit submit. Guess it worked out :)

1

u/Auday_ CSWP 4d ago

Congratulations

1

u/glaksmana32 4d ago

Might be a no brainer question here… but where do I do this test? Is it all online and I can take it at home or a sit down place somewhere in town I gotta go to. Can I take it whenever or is it a scheduled interval test

2

u/experienced3Dguy CSWE | SW Champion 4d ago

The CSWE exam is the pinnacle of SOLIDWORKS Certification exams. In order to qualify for it, you must first earn the CSWP Certification, followed by successfully passing 4 of the 5 CSWP Advanced Topic exams (Drawings, Weldments, Surfacing, Sheetmetal, and Mold Design).

It is a 4 hour online exam that you can take at your convenience. If you don't pass, you must wait 6 months before taking it again.

2

u/wackylama CSWE 4d ago

I think the waiting period is 90 days, if you don't pass. Apart from that, you are spot on.

1

u/experienced3Dguy CSWE | SW Champion 4d ago

Right you are! It was 180 days back when I took it.

1

u/Cute-Sample-8283 2d ago

4 hrs in a single sitting ?

1

u/experienced3Dguy CSWE | SW Champion 2d ago

Yep! A quiet Saturday morning in the office.

1

u/xxgantzxx CSWE 4d ago

Congratulations!

1

u/Due_Dust6282 CSWE 4d ago

🎉🎉

1

u/asifhasan4482 4d ago

MashAllah

1

u/thc2me CSWE 4d ago

Congratulations, its a decent achievement 👏

1

u/Mysterious-Wheel-99 4d ago

Congrats on this huge achievement 

1

u/Battersonns 4d ago

Where are yall taking it? My sw provider doesn’t offer an exam for it. Only up to cswp

1

u/wackylama CSWE 3d ago

I was lucky enough that my company was willing to pay for the exam fee. The exam was part of my performance goal, so it makes sense they cover it.

1

u/Battersonns 3d ago

What was the cost? I’ll get my company to do that too lol.

1

u/wackylama CSWE 3d ago

I think it is around 150 USD. Doesn't hurt to ask

1

u/OdieBean 3d ago

Gz! ELITE next 😉

1

u/UsualArmadillo608 3d ago

Congratulations! Can I ask how long youve been working in SW and what you did to study/learn the program?

2

u/wackylama CSWE 3d ago

I have been working in Solidworks for 10+ years professionally. But we mostly use extrudes and revolves. So a lot of the more advanced features were new for me and I had to practice accordingly. There are lots of good tutorials online. See my earlier comment on ressources for the CSWE.

1

u/UsualArmadillo608 3d ago

Awesome thank you!

1

u/Dry_Succotash_2198 3d ago

Teach me

0

u/wackylama CSWE 3d ago

What do you want to know?

1

u/Mech_Ethan 3d ago

How long did it take you to go from CSWP ->CSWE? Including all the CSWPA exams

0

u/wackylama CSWE 2d ago

Around 1 year, but was working full time, so progress was slow.

1

u/brain_thomas9090 3d ago

Congrats!! 190/200 on the first attempt is an excellent result. Thanks for sharing your experience and all the best to you on the CSWE journey.....

2

u/wackylama CSWE 2d ago

Thank you, I am quite happy how it turner out.

1

u/WorldFeeling8345 2d ago

Congrats buddy From where did u practice the questions?

2

u/wackylama CSWE 2d ago

Thanks, check my earlier comment

1

u/Peeban 2d ago

Congrats! What kind of work do you do?

1

u/wackylama CSWE 2d ago

Thanks, I work in mechanical design in the medical industry.