Practice makes perfect, and this is true whether you acquire new skills or are an expert. If you are new to computer-aided design or an expert looking to enhance a certain skill set, one of the most effective methods to better yourself is to challenge yourself to work on different Solidworks project ideas you may use for practice. Working on various Solidworks project ideas can help you enhance your CAD abilities, such as surface modeling, assembly modeling, file management, and lofting, as well as help you establish a portfolio of projects on which you have worked. With time, you will be able to proceed to more complex tasks, and you will have gained enough hands-on experience to land a job.

Solidworks Projects Ideas You Can Use For Practice

1. Design & Simulation of 360 Degree Flexible Drilling Machine

The idea for the project is to create a 360-degree flexible drill that can drill holes horizontally, vertically, or even upside down. It may be installed on a table or wall. Drilling holes in components, sheets, and structures is standard industry practice. Perfect and well-aligned drilling needs stable and powerful drills. Because of the small distance between the drill bit and the drill bed, some sections cannot be drilled with fixed drills. In such cases, we must use hand drills, but hand drills have alignment issues while drilling. Complex pieces and surfaces may be easily drilled with a 360-degree flexible drill. Rotating hinges and connections with a motor mount and supporting structure are implemented to design and build a tiny 360-degree drill for convenient drilling operations.

2. Design & Simulation of Power Generating Speed Breakers

The weight and speed of a vehicle may be used to generate energy. Therefore, a smartly designed speed breaker can produce power based on this idea. The speed breaker’s reciprocating action is transformed into rotational motion using a rack and pinion setup. A smart speed breaker can pass moving traffic from both directions while still producing electricity. The system employs a mechanical assembly that consists of metal sheets linked by spring-loaded connections that push downward. 

The system utilizes a speed breaker press, which then presses down on a generator motor while operating it with a rack and pinion setup, producing energy. A spring mechanism returns the speed breaker to its initial position.

3. Design & Simulation of Box Transport Mechanism

This project idea is a box transport mechanism. It uses a system for transporting packed goods one at a time, among which various actions may be transferred, such as inspection, closing, and naming. The products will be moved one at a time by bar connections. The light steel used for this project’s whole box shifting mechanism is used. Several connections are utilized for the system to move the cases ahead. The primary connection is related to the engine, which converts turning action into liner motion for the shifter. The box-shifting mechanism includes a time delay between moving packages. This delay may be utilized to introduce changes to the package or assist in moving the package for any other reason. As a result, this project idea can be used for various industrial uses. This device may be used in many manufacturing settings, including filling bottles.

4. Design & Simulation of Staircase Climbing Trolley

A smart stair climbing trolley is the focus of this project idea. The trolley’s clever design allows it to transport cargo up and down stairs, over flat surfaces, and through rugged terrain. The trolley’s three interconnected wheels give it the ability to do this. The system employs a trolley with a support wheel arrangement that supports when at rest and is hung in the air when the trolley is moved by raising it. Three freely moving wheels comprise the interconnected wheel system. These wheels are linked together by a connecting rod. Each wheel has three connecting shafts, with the main rod joining the three rods through a free-moving bearing mechanism.

5. Pulley-Based Movable Crane Robot

This project idea aims to design and model a motorized, pulley-based crane robot. The system consists of a chassis with a moveable frame and a pulley mechanism that uses a shaft to manage the rope. It is installed in a frame to retain the pulley shaft in a 45-degree angular position for lifting. Additionally, to move the vehicle in the correct direction, the pulley system has motors attached at the bottom of the vehicle. It also has a different motor that powers the rope pulley system. 

The top motorized mechanism drives the lifting logic, while the bottom motors move the vehicle. To demonstrate a miniature robotic system with moveable pulleys, the vehicle frame and pulley frame are made to hold the most weight possible in a compact construction. 

6. SCADA for Engineers

SCADA projects are used in electricity and chemical manufacturing facilities. Surface modeling is one of the abilities you will gain while working on the project. The goal of the project is to make businesses work more effectively. Additionally, it must be compatible with IoT. SCADA may be learned to regulate physical processes like the pipeline transportation of oil and gas, the transmission of electricity in traffic lights, and water distribution. Power generation facilities and chemical batch processing facilities are among the plants that employ SCADA. SCADA is the reason why all industries are running well. Engineers with experience in SCADA and PLC will have a good career in this industry as Industrial Automation 4.0 advances.

 

7. Drones for Passenger Transport

This project involves building a drone that can carry passengers and has multiple rotors to support the weight of many passengers. This project’s design is appropriate since the drone can operate in highly populated areas and is the most cost-effective.

8. Color Sorter Machine

You may categorize items depending on their colors using a color sorting machine. The project will employ a color sensor to read data on each color and detect things that match a certain color. Once the detection procedure has been corrected, the equipment will sort the things and place them into the appropriate bins with guide rails. For tasks like sorting clothes, this may be a useful home activity.

Conclusion

While most of the project ideas on the above list might appear complicated and challenging to complete, they are industry-based standard projects that will expose you to various skills and techniques used in Solidworks and computer-aided design. I can tell you that after you begin and finish these tasks, you will be able to identify yourself as a Solidworks Professional.