I’ve been trying to write this post for a week now. It seems like everytime I sit down to start it, something pulls me away. Hopefully, I’ll get through it this time.
My name is Jeff Mirisola and I’m a SolidWorks addict. I’ve been using SolidWorks for 10 years now and can’t get enough of it. I know that the first step to recovery is admitting your addiction, but that’s as far as I’ll go with it. I don’t want to be cured. I don’t need to be cured. SolidWorks opened up a whole new world for me. Before it, I was just going through life without a plan. Now, my life has meaning. I get up in the morning and look forward to going to the office. I’m one of the lucky ones, y’know? I get paid to do what I love.
I remember when I first saw SolidWorks. I’d just been moved into a position as a Technical Writer/Illustrator. At the time, all of the illustrations were created in AutoCAD. I noticed some of the engineers using SolidWorks and said to myself, "hey, I bet you could create great illustrations with that!" With a bit of fanagaling, I got SolidWorks installed onto my computer and began to mess with it. It didn’t take long to start creating models. Admittedly, my first models were crap. I still hadn’t quite grasped some of the basics as far as how to properly orientate the first sketch, etcetera. This did come in time, though. My idea of creating illustrations with SolidWorks was met with quite a bit of resistance by the "old time" illustrators. They nay-sayed SolidWorks’ ability to accurately create Isometric views. They said it wouldn’t translate well into a 2D picture. They told me I was wasting my time, that it couldn’t be done. Naturally, this just compelled me to prove them wrong. And I did. Within a short amount of time, all the illustrations were derived from SolidWorks.
Life went along smoothly. I learned more and more about SolidWorks’ capabilities. I started getting involved in the SolidWorks community. I wanted to do more with SolidWorks. I wanted to learn more. These cravings drove me from the company I was with because I’d become pigeon-holed there.
Fast forward 10 years. I now am the proud owner of my own consulting and design company, a CSWP and avowed SolidWorks user. I wouldn’t be where I am today without SolidWorks. I went from being a Technical Writer/Illustrator, to a CAD Administrator, to an AE for a SolidWorks VAR to a small business owner. In there somewhere, I started writing this blog. I was honored to present at a SWUGN Technical Summit and I was further honored to be asked to present at the upcoming NESWUG summit in Westford, MA. To top it all off, I’m working on a project that I think is very cool and, from what I’ve been able to ascertain, is on the cutting edge of SolidWorks’ capabilities.
What’s my point with this post? What am I rambling on for? It’s this: If I can succeed with SolidWorks, anyone can. All you need is the will to learn, passion for what you do and the tenacity to plow through the BS thrown at you. This is why I’m a SolidWorks addict. It makes learning easy, gives me something to be passionate about and the will to see what is on the other side of the BS.
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