Quarterly networking and knowledge sharing virtual meetings.
DriveWorks Drivers is an opportunity for DriveWorks users from around the world to connect, share ideas and talk DriveWorks.
Sharing technical know-how and practical experience informally with each other is something we know many people using DriveWorks like to do.
These digital events enable DriveWorks users to connect more often and without the need to travel.
DriveWorks Drivers is a value add for people using DriveWorks Solo or Pro software with an active subscription. We also invite authorized Applications Engineers from our VARs with a DriveWorks focus, who contribute to the technical conversations and discussions too.
DriveWorks Drivers is held at two different times to suit most time zones – 3:00 pm (BST) and 9:00 pm (BST).
This is a 90 minute virtual networking event.
Register now to join us.
Follow the link below to register through the DriveWorks Community – you will need a MyDriveWorks account.
Click the session you would like to join – 3pm or 9pm. You will be taken to the registration page, click the register button and you’ll be signed up and will receive a confirmation email, including a calendar invitation.
When you sign up you can also suggest some topics you’d like to be discussed at future meetings, and tell us if you would like to share your story at a DriveWorks Drivers meeting.
Closer to the event we’ll email you a Microsoft Teams link so you can join the meeting from anywhere.
You will need to use your new MyDriveWorks account to register, if you don’t have an account yet, it’s quick and easy to create one.
Quarterly networking and knowledge sharing virtual meetings
DriveWorks Drivers is an opportunity for DriveWorks users from around the world to connect, share ideas and talk DriveWorks!
Sharing technical know-how and practical experience informally with each other is something we know many people using DriveWorks like to do.
These digital events help DriveWorks users connect more often and without the need to travel.
DriveWorks Drivers is a value add for people using DriveWorks Solo or Pro software with an active subscription. We also invite authorized Applications Engineers from our VARs with a DriveWorks focus, who can contribute to the conversations too.
DriveWorks Drivers is held at two different times to suit most timezones – 3:00 pm (BST) and 9:00 pm (BST).
This is a virtual networking event so you can join from anywhere.
The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and will last around 90 minutes.
Follow the link below to register through the DriveWorks Community – you will need a MyDriveWorks account.
Click the session you would like to join. You will automatically be signed up and sent a confirmation email, including a calendar invitation.
Add the event to your calendar and we’ll email you a link to join us on Microsoft Teams on the day.
Register now to join us at the next DriveWorks Drivers meeting.
You will need to use your new MyDriveWorks account to register, if you don’t have an account yet, it’s quick and easy to create one.
DriveWorks World is all about sharing knowledge. We’ve planned a packed agenda of learning opportunities, Q&As, discussions, presentations and technical courses.
We’ll be presenting DriveWorks World TV, live on air from 10am-10pm BST on Tuesday, 20th and Wednesday, 21st April via Microsoft Teams. The DriveWorks team and guest presenters will be hosting informative sessions to inspire your DriveWorks projects. We’ll also be revealing What’s New in DriveWorks 19 and asking for your feedback, suggestions and input in live discussion and Q&A sessions.Â
We’ve created over 20 technical learning courses. These self-paced online learning courses have been put together by DriveWorks subject matter experts to share knowledge and help you get the most from your software. The subject matter experts will also be hosting dedicated Microsoft Teams discussion sessions for each course, so you can ask questions and discuss concepts with other DriveWorks users and technical experts.
Follow our tips below to get set up ahead of DriveWorks World so you don’t miss a thing!
Download Microsoft Teams and test it out on the device you will be using throughout the event. Get set up early to avoid missing out – when sessions are full you will still be able to join but you will be restricted to view only mode.
Have your webcam and microphone ready to get involved in discussions, Q&As and networking opportunities. We encourage you to get involved so you get the most out of the event and get the answers you need.
Make sure you know your MyDriveWorks log-in details – the community will be the hub of the event, with links to all technical courses and live sessions. If you’re having issues accessing your account, please get in touch with our team before the event.
The technical content will be presented through easy-to-follow courses in the DriveWorks Learning Portal. Set up a DriveWorks Learning Portal account before April 20th to make sure you have the right permissions and can access everything you need to. Find out how to create an account here.
The full agenda will be posted in the DriveWorks Community before the event.
Take a look through the agenda and add sessions to your calendar in advance so you get reminders, or click to join them live.
See a sneak peek of the agenda on our blog.
If you have any questions about the event, or if you’re having trouble getting set up in the DriveWorks Community, or in the DriveWorks Learning Portal, get in touch with our team so we can help you before the event. You can reach us at events@driveworks.co.uk, or use the contact us link below.
During the event the DriveWorks World page in the DriveWorks Community will have all the links you need to get to every DriveWorks World session. Here’s a sneak peek of how easy it will be to get to the content you’re looking for:
You will be able to see a full schedule for each day of DriveWorks World TV. There’s just one join link, and you can drop in and out throughout both days and watch the sessions that interest you.
The courses will be hosted in the DriveWorks Learning Portal. On the DriveWorks World page you will be able to see the courses available for that day and access them easily.
Each of the course discussion sessions will have their own Microsoft Teams link – you will be able to view the full agenda on the DriveWorks World page, and add them to your calendar or join live.
Don’t miss virtual DriveWorks World 2021.
Register now to join us April 20th & 21st, it’s free for DriveWorks Pro Customers with Active Subscription and Reseller Technical Staff to attend.
The event is all online – so you can join us from anywhere!
You need a MyDriveWorks Community account to register.
Last week, we were excited to host the second DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting!Â
Back in December, we hosted the first-ever DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting. The first meeting was a huge success and it was great to see 90 DriveWorks users join us.
DriveWorks Drivers is an opportunity for DriveWorks users from around the world to connect, share ideas and talk DriveWorks!
Sharing technical know-how and practical experience informally with each other is something we know many people using DriveWorks like to do.
However as DriveWorks World is only once a year, we decided to use technology to set up a new digital event to help DriveWorks users connect more often and without the need to travel.
DriveWorks Drivers is a value add for people using DriveWorks Solo or Pro software with an active subscription. We also invite authorized Applications Engineers from our VARs with a DriveWorks focus, who can contribute to the conversations too.
After the success of the first meeting and lots of positive feedback from attendees, we decided to keep the event in the same format.
Once again, the event was split into two Microsoft Teams meetings, the first DriveWorks Drivers networking event took place at 3pm GMT and the second took place at 9pm GMT.Â
During the 3pm GMT meeting, we were excited to be joined by 57 DriveWorks users and 41Â DriveWorks users in the 9pm GMT meeting.
It was great to welcome even more enthusiastic DriveWorks users to share and connect.
Here’s just some of them!
The aim of DriveWorks Drivers is to create a space for DriveWorks users to share DriveWorks knowledge, ideas and connect with each other.
Whilst all DriveWorks Drivers meetings will be user-led, we wanted to give the opportunity for DriveWorks users to learn a bit more about our team and what we get up to.
During the meeting, we were joined by a member of the technical team, Ian Prossor. Â Ian shared what he has been working on recently for DriveWorks 19, his focus on creating content for Digital DriveWorks World and how we use a configurator to order our Fish & Chips on a Friday!
As well as lots of exciting conversations taking place, we also tested our customer’s and reseller’s DriveWorks knowledge with a special DriveWorks quiz!
We know how important it is for DriveWorks users to share ideas and tips with each other.
Customer presentations will be a big part of all DriveWorks Drivers meetings. We were extremely excited to welcome more DriveWors Drivers guest presenters to this session.
First up in the 3pm meeting Zach Long, from CHL Systems shared his DriveWorks story.
CHL Systems are a design/build system integration company that provides custom engineered solutions based in Souderton,PA. CHL Systems first purchased DriveWorks Pro in 2018. They had the goal of implementing a conveyor configurator and taking design time from 40+ hours down to 8-12 hours.
Zach spoke about how CHL Systems implemented its DriveWorks project. Starting off automating subassemblies, they can now easily make an entire conveyor or only subassembly.Â
It was great to hear about the huge time savings CHL Systems are making when configuring conveyors. We loved to see the presentation sparked an interesting discussion on how to approach a DriveWorks project and overcome any challenges that may come along.
Next up Joe Miller from D.S.Brown took the floor. D.S.Brown provides expansion joint systems and speciality products for bridges around the globe. Based in Ohio, Joe started as an engineering manager 21 years ago. In 2016, they developed a project to switch from 2D CAD, to SOLIDWORKS and DriveWorks, as well as introducing a PLM system.
Before implementing data automation, approximately 70% of data entry was redundant work with multiple tools being needed to capture and share data between departments.
After implementing DriveWorks, much of this process is now automated. Â As a user works through a specification, the project automates the generation of documents, 3D model creation, Bills of materials and even custom terms and conditions forms.
During the 9 pm meeting, we heard from Niels Christian Eskelund based in Denmark. Niels first stared using DriveWorks at his previous company. He began using it in his role at Green Box in 2016. Green Box produces and delivers prefabricated bathrooms in an innovative and lightweight construction with a concrete floor. They make bathrooms on a line with 16 bathrooms a day shipped out.
Green Box has been using DriveWorks to build an entire bathroom. Right now they have the shell and production drawings. The future goal is to use DriveWorks Live to bring out a DriveWorks configurator for customers and architects to configure the bathrooms.
It was great to hear that in the future Niels will be continuing to implement as much as possible into DriveWorks and continue making use of the new DriveWorks Learning Portal.
We were delighted to welcome so many DriveWorks users to the second DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting.
It was great to see everyone interacting and talking all things DriveWorks.
We will be hosting four DriveWorks Drivers events each year, with the next one scheduled for June 2021.
If you would like to register your interest for the next event, please get in touch with us.
Register now to secure your place at DriveWorks World 2021
Virtual learning & networking event for DriveWorks users
We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for virtual DriveWorks World 2021.
This is our annual technical event for DriveWorks users with an active subscription, and reseller technical staff.
This year, we’re making it a 2-day virtual event where you’ll have the opportunity to hear presentations and take courses on specialist subject areas that go beyond the DriveWorks Essentials Training.
We’ll also be presenting What’s New in DriveWorks 19.
Virtual DriveWorks World 2021 is free and online, there’s nothing stopping you from joining!
Register now to secure your place – we look forward to ‘seeing’ you there!
You will need to use your new MyDriveWorks account to register, if you don’t have an account yet, it’s quick and easy to create one.
Free online learning and networking event – Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 April
DriveWorks World is your chance to advance your technical knowledge of DriveWorks. Learning for all skill levels, you choose which sessions to attend, and tailor your experience.
Exchange tips and discuss ideas to enhance your projects and help others to improve theirs. Chat with other DriveWorks users, share your opinions, ideas and feedback.
Join the virtual DriveWorks World sessions from anywhere in the world. Use your webcam and microphone to get involved in the discussions, ask questions and share ideas.
We’re busy building the full agenda, but here’s what you can expect from virtual DriveWorks World 2021
Join our team for an exclusive technical session showcasing What’s New in our latest software release, DriveWorks 19.
Learn more about the direction of DriveWorks software. Understand the latest release so you can make the most of the new additions and functionality.
DriveWorks experts will share their tips and tricks for how best to apply the new features as part of the online learning sessions.
Share your ideas, feedback and suggestions with us.
Join the DriveWorks team for technical learning sessions covering different topics at a variety of skill levels. There will be a mix of live sessions, via Microsoft Teams, alongside on-demand courses in the DriveWorks Learning Portal.
The sessions will range from core topics such as rules, 3D, workflow, design automation, to newer trends such as DriveApps, 3D printing, CPQ, the cloud, business process automation and digital transformation.
Choose the sessions and topics that suit you and complete self-paced learning online at any time.
Throughout the event, there will be live discussions and chat channels to connect with other DriveWorks users, discuss your projects and share ideas.
We’re also inviting a number of DriveWorks customers to share their stories and present about how they use DriveWorks software.
It’s always fascinating to see how everyone uses DriveWorks differently.
It’s a great opportunity to learn from other people’s experiences, ideas and processes. Pick up inspiration for your own projects.
Register now to join us at virtual DriveWorks World 2021.
You will need to use your new MyDriveWorks account to register, if you don’t have an account yet, it’s quick and easy to create one.
DriveWorks Drivers aims to connect DriveWorks Users from around the world, invite guest speakers to share experiences and encourage questions and dialogue about the technology.
These virtual networking meetings will be hosted by us, as a value add for people using DriveWorks Solo or Pro who have an active subscription.
We will also welcome authorized Applications Engineers from our VARs with a DriveWorks focus, who can contribute to the conversations too.
On Thursday, December 10th, we hosted the first-ever DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting.
DriveWorks Drivers is an opportunity for DriveWorks users from around the world to connect, share ideas and talk DriveWorks!
Sharing technical know-how and practical experience informally with each other is something we know many people using DriveWorks like to do.
However as DriveWorks World is only once a year, we decided to use technology to set up a new digital event to help DriveWorks users connect more often and without the need to travel.
DriveWorks Drivers is a value add for people using DriveWorks Solo or Pro software with an active subscription. We also invite authorized Applications Engineers from our VARs with a DriveWorks focus, who can contribute to the conversations too.
Across the first two meetings, we were excited to be joined by 90 DriveWorks users.Â
It was great to welcome so many enthusiastic DriveWorks users to share and connect.
We heard from our CEO Glen Smith, members of the DriveWorks team and also heard from DriveWorks customers Robert Allen, Dolphin Solutions and Ismael Lopez, VanAire about their success with DriveWorks.
We are excited to announce that the next DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting will take place on Thursday 11th March.
The event will be held at two different times to ensure that you can join at a time that best suits you!
The first session will be held at 3:00 pm (GMT) and the second at 9:00 pm (GMT).
This is a virtual networking event so you can join from anywhere.
The meeting will last around 90 minutes.
The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and you will receive a link to join the event separately.
DriveWorks Drivers meetings are technical focused events for DriveWorks customers with active subscription and reseller technical staff only.
We can’t wait to welcome you to the second meeting!
We were delighted to welcome so many DriveWorks users to the first DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting.
It was great to see everyone interacting and talking all things DriveWorks.
If you would like to join us for the next meeting, please register your interest by filling in the registration form here.
We are looking forward to being a part of this year’s 3DEXPERIENCE World (February 8-11th) as a Gold Sponsor.
DriveWorks has participated in this event (formerly known as SOLIDWORKS World) for 20 years!
We love being a part of the SOLIDWORKS Community!Â
This leading industry event brings together members of the engineering and manufacturing community from all over the world in an effort to educate, connect and network with each other.
Whilst we cannot be together in person this year, we are excited about being a part of this first-ever virtual event!
Recently, we had a chance to catch up with Simge Akarsu, Senior Strategy & Program Manager at Dassault Systèmes.
It was inspiring to listen to her story and how she has applied both education and experience to grow into the roles that she has had in industry over the years.
Now, she’s responsible for creating a fun and engaging 3DEXPERIENCE World virtual event that promises to be exciting and keep everyone connected on a global level.
Simge, thanks for taking the time out of your (very) busy schedule to sit down with us. I think it would be great if you could share with everyone some background on where you are from and your education?
“Thanks, absolutely happy to share. This coming year, 2021, I will celebrate working for SOLIDWORKS for 10 years.
It’s the longest (working) relationship I’ve ever had. Currently, I am living in the Boston area, but I am originally from Istanbul, Turkey. My early education and university education are from Istanbul University where I received both my Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism as well as my Master’s Degree in Communications.
As my formal education was in journalism, my first job was working for a newspaper in Turkey.
After some time, I realised that I wanted to do something more to help people communicate, market, and promote their products. When speaking with one of my professors, they recommended that I take on an internship with a large company in Turkey.”
“In this role, my manager was a very strong woman and I learned so much from working with her.
She had a big impact on my professional development; we are still in touch and I think of her from time to time.
Shortly after this, I found a job working with a company in the cutting tool industry – Taegutec.
As a young woman, I had to learn a lot of new technologies that I wasn’t familiar with, but I was able to get up to speed very quickly.
There were not a lot of women working in the cutting tool industry. I often found myself to be the only woman at some of the trade events we attended.
After working at Taegutec for a bit, I decided to create my own business (SMG Company) and provide marketing consulting for some of my former employers as well as the SOLIDWORKS reseller, Yenasoft.
Over time, I built a relationship with Yenasoft and in 2009 I joined their team as the Marketing Manager.
While working at Yenasoft, I met the sales and marketing leadership team at SOLIDWORKS.”
The path to SOLIDWORKS…
“In 2011, I accepted a position with SOLIDWORKS as the Marketing Specialist for Turkey. I loved the people that I was working with and I was starting to meet people from around the world in sales and marketing.
Within my 1st year with the company things were going really well, I became a manager and they expanded my role to include Greece, MENA, and South Africa.
When I was approached to interview for a technical Product Manager position that would be based in Boston I really needed to give this thought. Not only had I not planned a move to the USA, but I also didn’t have a formal technical background.
After traveling to Boston for the interview, things moved pretty quickly and in March 2017 I accepted the offer for the position of Product Manager for e-Drawings. This was a new, challenging technical position for me as I had a background in marketing and communication. Needless to say, this was different.
Being a very driven person, I decided that I wanted to learn more about the software in order to do the best job that I could as a Product Manager. While it wasn’t required of me, I pursued my Certified SOLIDWORKS Associate and I am proud to say that I achieved this in 2017.”
“In 2018, I was offered the position of Strategy & Program Manager.
Once again, I found myself in a role that was going to challenge me professionally.
Having worked for SOLIDWORKS for some time, I knew that I was going to be able to do my job well as I knew many people in the business and would be working with them on SOLIDWORKS World/3DEXPERIENCE World.
With my desire to be well educated and prepared for my new professional challenge, I took it upon myself to enroll and completed courses at both Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Certificate in Management & Leadership) and Harvard Business School (Managing Sales Team & Distribution Channels).”
“Sure, my current role as Senior Strategy & Program Manager is a very challenging and incredibly rewarding position.
My role allows me the opportunity to work with people from all areas of the business in an effort to manage, support and grow this annual event and make it the best it can be.
In this position, I am the person responsible for everything to do with the 3DEXPERIENCE World event.
If anyone has any questions about the event or requires any details on something happening with the event, I am the ‘go to’ person.
We have a great team of both internal and external stakeholders that I am proud to be working with for this year’s event.
It’s exciting to have everyone working together to help define, plan and of course successfully execute the event.
Once the event is over, we will review the results in an effort to make changes and then start our planning for the next year. For me, this is a year-round full-time position!”
It was a pleasure speaking to Simge, about her education, experience in industry and the path that led her to SOLIDWORKS.
Continue the reading our interview with Simge, where Simge will be sharing more about her role and involvement with 3DEXPEIRENCE World and what to expect from this year’s virtual 3DEXPERIENCE World!
Sign up to join 3DEXPERIENCE World 2021.
Visit us at our booth and chat to the DriveWorks team live at 3DEXPERIENCE World 2021.
Sharing technical know-how and practical experience informally with each other is something we know many people using DriveWorks would like to do. It’s certainly always worked well at DriveWorks World.
However as DriveWorks World is only once a year, we’ve decided to use technology to set up a new digital event to help you all connect more often and without the need to travel.
We’re excited to introduce you to – DriveWorks Drivers.
This is an opportunity to connect with DriveWorks users from around the world, share ideas and talk DriveWorks!
We’re aiming for 4 meetings per year, and we hope you’ll join us at the first one to help shape them going forward. The meetings aim to connect DriveWorks Users from around the world, invite guest speakers to share experience,s and encourage questions and dialogue about the technology.
These virtual networking meetings will be hosted by us, as a value add for people using DriveWorks Solo or Pro who have an active subscription.
We will also welcome authorized Applications Engineers from our VARs with a DriveWorks focus, who can contribute to the conversations too.
The first DriveWorks Drivers virtual networking meeting will take place on Thursday 10th December.
We’ll be releasing more information closer to the event, but please register your interest by getting in touch with us.
We can’t wait to welcome you at the first meeting!
We plan for DriveWorks Drivers meetings to take place 4 times a year. In March, June, September and December.
Look out for future event dates on our events page and sign up to join us!
Our Tech Team Thursdays are a great opportunity to take a closer look at specific aspects of DriveWorks functionality and go beyond what you learn in the DriveWorks Pro Training and Certification.
As part of our commitment to Helping Others to Help Themselves, the DriveWorks Technical Team share their knowledge and expertise in our weekly value-added Tech Team Thursday webinars, exclusively for DriveWorks Pro Customers with Subscription and DriveWorks Reseller AEs.
In the coming weeks, the Tech Team Thursday webinars are advanced technical sessions, created for Digital DriveWorks World 2020, with the presenter joining the session for a live Q&A.
If you downloaded the session during DriveWorks World and you have questions about the topic, this is a great opportunity to get answers. Or, if you’re watching it for the first time, join us to learn and get involved in the conversation.
Learn more about DriveWorks to get the most out of your software. Throughout the webinars, you can ask questions to advance your knowledge.
Our Tech Team Thursdays are a great opportunity to take a closer look at specific aspects of DriveWorks functionality and go beyond what you learn in the DriveWorks Pro Training and Certification.
As part of our commitment to Helping Others to Help Themselves, the DriveWorks Technical Team share their knowledge and expertise in our weekly value-added Tech Team Thursday webinars, exclusively for DriveWorks Pro Customers with Subscription and DriveWorks Reseller AEs.
In the coming weeks, the Tech Team Thursday webinars are advanced technical sessions, created for Digital DriveWorks World 2020, with the presenter joining the session for a live Q&A.
If you downloaded the session during DriveWorks World and you have questions about the topic, this is a great opportunity to get answers. Or, if you’re watching it for the first time, join us to learn and get involved in the conversation.
Learn more about DriveWorks to get the most out of your software. Throughout the webinars, you can ask questions to advance your knowledge.
Digital DriveWorks World 2020 starts on Monday at 10am BST. Don’t miss out on the chance to join us for 4 days of online technical presentations and hands-on sessions, presented by the DriveWorks team.
Get involved in conversations with other DriveWorks users, share ideas and exchange tips and tricks.
New live sessions and downloadable content will be added every day next week.
Here’s how you can get involved and join us.
Digital DriveWorks World 2020 is a value-added event for DriveWorks Pro Customers with Subscription and DriveWorks Reseller Application Engineers.
The easiest way to get involved with Digital DriveWorks World 2020 is through the learning portal in the DriveWorks Community.
The learning portal has everything you need to join Digital DriveWorks World.
From the portal you can register for upcoming live sessions, join live sessions as they happen, download technical training sessions and chat with the DriveWorks team and other DriveWorks users.
New live sessions and downloadable content will be added to the portal every day so keep checking back to make the most of the event.
Of course, the portal is a DriveWorks project created using DriveWorks Pro!
On Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Glen Smith will be hosting a live webinar to introduce each day.
Choose to join us at 10am or 4pm BST – whichever suits you and your timezone best.
Tuesday’s live session takes place at 4pm BST with Glen presenting What’s New in DriveWorks 18, taking you through all the features and functionality added in this latest release.
See you there!
Choose from over 30 technical presentations and hands-on learning sessions presented by the DriveWorks team.
Sessions cover all aspects of DriveWorks and are suitable for a range of abilities.
Choose the sessions that suit you and your DriveWorks projects.
Download the content and follow along at your own pace.
We’re using Slack to facilitate conversations, discussions and to make it easy for you to ask questions.
It’s free and you can create an account on Monday from the Digital DriveWorks World Learning Portal.
If you have a question about a session you’re following, post it in the Slack conversation to get help from your peers and help others by sharing ideas, experiences and tips.
If you haven’t already created your account, create your account before Monday to avoid any delays in accessing the sessions.
If you haven’t already created your account, create your account before Monday to avoid any delays in accessing the sessions.
Birchwood Park is located in Birchwood, Warrington in the North West of England, close to the M6 and M62 motorway interchange, providing excellent links to the surrounding region and beyond.
It’s in a great location to visit lots of the UK’s top attractions via car or public transport.
If you’re planning on staying around before or after DriveWorks World, we’ve put together a list of places we recommend, so you can make the most of your stay! Click on the image of each place to find out more.
Warrington is a large town with lots to see and do. It has a busy town centre with great shopping, bars and restaurants.
Rugby
Warrington is famous for being at the heart of Rugby League and The Halliwell Jones Stadium is home to the Warrington Wolves.
Bridges
The Manchester Ship Canal runs through Warrington and there are three moving swing bridges still in operation over the canal.
Golden Gates
The golden gates have been outside Warrington Town Hall for more than a century. They were originally commisioned as a gift for Queen Victoria.
Villages
Nearby villages Stockton Heath and Lymm are historic and picturesque with independent boutiques, restaurants and canalside walks.
Museum & Art Gallery
The Museum and Art Gallery charts the development of Warrington and showcases contemporary street art exhibitions.
The Pyramid & Parr Hall
Arts centre and event venue that regularly hosts an array of music concerts and for all tastes.
Bars & Restaurants
Warrington has lots of options for food and drink, Try the new Botanist, San Lorenzo, Las Ramblas, Institution Bar, HopCo, 9Gallon and many more.
Shopping
There’s great shopping on offer including Golden Square shopping centre with many of the UK’s major brands.
Manchester
Just twenty minutes away by train with plenty of things to see and do, including the Museum of Science and Industry, Old Trafford and Etihad soccer stadiums, The Lowry, indoor ski slopes at the ChillFactore, and plenty of places to do some shopping and enjoy good food and drink.
Chester
Thirty minutes on the train will take you to this beautiful walled city filled with traditional black and white buildings, a 1000 year old cathedral, unique shopping rows, heritage tours, river cruises and great bars and restaurants as well as an interesting Roman history to learn about.
Liverpool
An historic maritime city with lots to explore that’s only a thirty minute train ride away. Visit the Liverpool FC soccer stadium, many museums and galleries, take a tour through the Mersey tunnels – an engineering masterpiece – and learn all about The Beatles’ history.
London
The UK’s capital city packed with exciting places and amazing architecture, all just a two hours away on the train. Visit the London Eye, the Harry Potter studios, Tower Bridge, The Natural History Museum, Big Ben, the Tower of London, and of course, Buckingham Palace.
Lymm Golf Course
An 18 hole golf course that runs alongside the Manchester ship canal where various prestigious events have been hosted. Just twenty minutes away by car.
Dunham Forest Golf & Country Club
One of the most beautiful parkland golf courses in the UK, featuring 18 holes and an indoor golf academy. Twenty minutes away by car.
The Mere Golf Resort
The Mere has a floating golf ball driving range and a two-tier pitching green before you head to the 18 hole championship golf course. Twenty minutes away by car.
Hollie’s Farm Shop
A shop that’s popular amongst the DriveWorks team, providing the best quality artisan produce, all from local suppliers. It’s a twenty minute walk or fifteen minute taxi ride away. Open Saturday 8am-7pm and Sunday 8am-6pm.
The Trafford Centre
With over 200 shops and restaurants, laser quest, rock climbing, bowling, adventure golf, the Sea Life centre and a cinema, it will certainly keep you busy! Just 20 minutes away by car. Open Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 12pm – 6pm.
Altrincham Market
A unique market that showcases the talent, skill, passion & creativity of the finest traders in the North West alongside some amazing food and live musicians. An hour and twenty minutes away on the train. Open Saturday & Sunday 10am – 4pm.
Cheshire Oaks
The UK’s largest designer outlet with more than 145 discounted designer shops, restaurants, bowling, adventure golf, an aquarium and a cinema. A thirty minute drive away. Open Saturday 9am-8pm and Sunday 10am-5pm.
Museum of Science and IndustryÂ
The Museum is devoted to the development of science, technology and industry with emphasis on the city’s achievements in these fields. Just a twenty minute train to Oxford Road from Birchwood. Open daily from 10am – 5pm.
Manchester Airport Runway Visitor Park
Take a front-row seat to watch the planes take-off from the end of the runway or join a tour of the flagship BA Concorde. The Runway Visitor Park is located a twenty-five minute drive from Birchwood Park. Open Saturday and Sunday 8am – 4pm.
Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre
Jodrell Bank is the home to the world-famous Lovell Telescope. Explore the wonders of the universe and learn more about the workings of the giant Lovell Telescope. Open daily from 10am to 5pm with last admission at 4pm. Jodrell Bank is just a thirty six minute drive from Birchwood Park.
Chester Zoo
The UK’s number one zoo that’s home to 20,000 animals from 500 different species. Specialists in conservation, the zoo host animal talks throughout the day and there’s a monorail you can use to explore. Open Saturday and Sunday 10am-4.30pm. An hour and a half away on the train.
Hawkshead Brewery
You can take a 45 minute tour around the Hawkshead brewery at 2pm on Saturday or Sunday. Enjoy food, beer and some live music in the Beer Hall too. Open from 12pm on Saturday and Sunday. An hour and twenty minute train ride will take you to the brewery in the beautiful Lake District.
Delamere Forest
An oasis where you can escape the crowds and find peace in the heart of the forest. If you’re feeling adventurous, have a go on the Go Ape! tree top adventure course or hire a segway! Open Saturday and Sunday 8am-5pm. Just over an hour away by public transport.
Walton Hall and Gardens
Walton Hall and Gardens welcomes you to the former home and gardens of Lord and Lady Daresbury. An Elizabethan style mansion set within acres of tranquil and idyllic parkland. Just a twenty minute drive. Open 10.30am-4.00pm daily.
Arley Hall
Arley Hall & Gardens is one of the most interesting and attractive stately homes in the North West with elaborate ceilings, impressive fireplaces and intricate stained glass windows, overlooking beautifully landscaped gardens. Only 15 minutes away by car. Open Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm.
Tatton Park
Located in 1,000 acres of the most beautiful deer park, the former Egerton family home is open for you to explore. It has huge glorious Gardens and special rare breed animals on a working farm. You can also eat, drink and shop in the Stableyard. 20 minutes away, open Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm.
Dunham Massey
A garden for all seasons, an ancient deer park and a house filled with treasures and stories. There are some special guided walks taking place on Saturday 5th March between 11am-1pm too so it’s a great time to visit. 20 minutes away and open Saturday and Sunday 11am-5pm.
Local Bus Stop
There is a bus stop located on Birchwood Park which goes to Birchwood Train Station, Warrington Bus Interchange, Warrington Bank Quay Station and Warrington Central Train Station.
Birchwood Station
Trains to Manchester Airport, Manchester Oxford Road and Liverpool Lime Street station.
Warrington Central
Trains to Manchester Airport, Manchester Oxford Road and Liverpool Lime Street station.
Warrington Bank Quay
Trains to London, Chester and the Lake District depart from this station.
For the past 19 years the team at DriveWorks have attended SOLIDWORKS World.
This year we were excited to join World as it entered a new era – 3DEXPERIENCE World.
Before heading out to Nashville, the DriveWorks 3DEXPERIENCE World team took the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform Explorer Associate Certification to learn more about the platform.
They were proud to display their 3DEXPERIENCE Platform Explorer Associate ribbons on their lanyards during the event!
Set up in the 3DEXPERIECE Playground, we spent most of our time on our booth where we had lots of people stopping by through each day. It was great to catch up with so many familiar faces from the SOLIDWORKS community as well as meeting many new people and sharing with them the power of DriveWorks.
Our booth was the perfect place to preview what’s new in our next release, DriveWorks 18, as well as showcase our range of new and updated configurators from our online configurator site driveworkslive.com.
We were all proud to show off the best of DriveWorks and show just how much work the DriveWorks team have put into creating our award-winning software.
With multiple screens displaying our configurator examples, we showed a variety of configurators at once – showing just how easy and versatile DriveWorks software is.
We were also excited to have virtual reality set up on our booth, delegates were interacting with our 3D configurators in VR.
Every morning we joined General Session to hear from the Dassult Systemes team and keynote speakers.
Gian Paolo Bassi, CEO at Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS opened General Session on day one, introducing us all to the 3DEXPERIENCEWORKS Platform. He spoke about the importance of how the SOLIDWORKS community has inspired designers and engineers to create amazing products and the mission of the platform was to provide the community with tools to build a better world.
In these sessions, we enjoyed hearing product announcements and learning alot about 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS and what is possible with the platform.
A key theme throughout the week was the importance of community and bringing together people and processes through technology.
Gian Paolo Bassi described how throughout history the efficiency introduced by new technologies resulted in more time and money. As a result, people could dedicate themselves more to think, explore, invent and exchange ideas.
The 3DEXPERIENCE Platform brings together these people and processes, with 3DEXPERIENCE WORKS information on every aspect of a product or process readily available in one place, so you can get more done in less time and have more time to think and create.
Throughout the event, we heard from a mixture of inspiring keynote speakers and industry pioneers showing what can be achieved with technology.
From impressive engineering creating Gravity Industries Jet-Suit to Magic WheelChair bringing communitites together by building costumes for kids in wheelchairs using the power of design.
It was great to learn more about what has been achieved by the amazing engineers and innovators in the SOLIDWORKS Community.
On day three, Danielle Boyer, STEAM Eductor and creator of Every Kid Gets A Robot (EKGAR) took to the main stage to speak about her incredible work.
Danielle shared how she wanted to increase access to affordable STEAM educational materials making products more available for everyone.
Starting off as a project in the FIRST Robotics Competition, the robots have since developed into an easy kit that can be created in SOLIDWORKS, 3D printed and then assembled to create an EKGAR.
Dassult Systems partnered with Danielle Boyer to hold a 3DEXPERIENCE World EKGAR workshop. Attendees assembled 150 Every Kid Gets a Robot kits during the event. With each robot being designed in SOLIDWORKS and costing less than $20, the robots are perfect to provide STEM education to kids of all ages.
Dean Kamen, Founder of DEKA and FIRST, talked about his work in preparing students to solve today’s problems and the global challenges our world will face in the future.
For over 30 years, Kamen has led the growth of FIRSTÂ to become a universally recognized leading, not-for-profit STEM engagement program for kids worldwide.
Now reaching over one million kids, FIRST works to provide young people with the skills set, knowledge and courage to succeed in the future of STEM.
As a FIRST® Robotics Competition sponsor, we are proud to be supporting teams with useful resources, learning opportunities and new skills.
As in previous year, we also presented at 3DEXPERIENCE World.
On Monday, Heather Hasz from the DriveWorks team presented in the Certified Partner Theatre about DriveWorks design automation and configurator software. The focus of the presentation was on our customer, Detroit Stoker and how they first learnt about DriveWorks at a SWUG meeting in Monroe, Michigan and what they’ve achieved since with DriveWorks Solo.
On Tuesday, Tom and Oliver delivered a DriveWorksXpress Hands-On Training Session teaching attendees about the design automation tool they already have inside SOLIDWORKS, and how to take the free DriveWorksXpress Training and Certification.
It was great to see so many getting certified throughout the event and speak to more people about becoming a CDWXA by taking the free DriveWorksXpress Certification.
World is all about community.
Every year we love being amongst the community of engineers, designers, makers and innovators to share our passion.Â
This year we caught up with lots of members of the community on our booth in the 3DEXPERIENCE Playground.
It was a great opportunity to show them our latest technology and of course, handout our famous SWUGN T-Shirts to the SOLIDWORKS User Group Leaders who stopped by our booth.
On Tuesday evening we all attended the Bash on Broadway offsite event, where we had lots of fun with the community, enjoying some beers and music and seeing more of Nashville.
Every year we celebrate a User Group Leader who stands out from the crowd for going above and beyond with their support for the SWUGN community.
This year we were proud to announce Betty Baker from LaCrosse, Eau Claire, Winona Area SWUG as our 5th annual DriveWorks award for SOLIDWORKS User Group Leader of the Year!
We were also extremely proud to see our Brand and Community Ambassador, Heather Hasz awarded with the SWUGN Choice Award for SOLIDWORKS Community Champion of the Year in Wednesday’s General Session.
Presented by Rachel York, Community and User Advocacy Senior Manager at SOLIDWORKS, Heather was recognized for her commitment to supporting others in the community.
The last General Session of 3DEXPERIENCE World 2020 closed with a final address from Gian Paolo Bassi who praised the SOLIDWORKS community for its imagination and inspiration.
Gian Paolo Bassi explained that things are changing for the better, with technology evolving and society moving forward – vision and values continue to remain at the heart of the SOLIDWORKS community.
The session finished with the announcement that next year, 3DEXPERIENCE World will be returning to Nashville!
Of course we will be back in Nashville for 3DEXPERIENCE World 2021 and we hope to see you there!
Time is running out to register for DriveWorks World 2020. Registration closes on March 20th – spaces and hotel rooms are filling up fast.
Head to www.driveworksworld.com to secure your place.
DriveWorks World 2020 is your chance to expand your knowledge with technical training, advanced talks and hands-on sessions.
Meet other DriveWorks users, exchange tips, discuss ideas and see what’s new in DriveWorks 18.
There will be something of interest and value to you, whether you are new to DriveWorks, or are an advanced user of the software.
Secure your place!
DriveWorks World is a unique event, bringing together DriveWorks experts and enthusiasts from all over the world.
The focus of DriveWorks World is on technical learning, knowledge sharing and meeting other DriveWorks users.
DriveWorks World is your chance to learn with hands-on training and in-depth discussions around Rules, Workflow, CAD Automation, 3D, Integration, CPQ and much more.
With learning for all skill levels, you choose which days and sessions to attend, tailor your experience to suit you.
Become a Certified DriveWorks Professional (CDWP) and go beyond that with advanced learning sessions.
Be amongst the first to see and use the new functionality in DriveWorks 18.
Join our What’s New in DriveWorks 18 evening event.
Learn from DriveWorks experts how to apply the new features and functionality during the training sessions.
Understand the latest release so you can make the most of the new additions and learn more about the direction of DriveWorks software.
Meet DriveWorks CEO Glen Smith, VP Maria Sarkar, DriveWorks Senior Developers and members of the Technical Team. Talk to DriveWorks experts and learn from other users. Influence future releases. Exchange tips and discuss ideas to enhance your own configurator projects and help others to improve theirs. Whether you’ve been using DriveWorks for 10 days or 10 years, we want to hear your opinions, ideas and feedback.
Take the DriveWorks Pro Essentials Training & Certification to become a Certified DriveWorks Professional (CDWP).
Choose from:
Hands-on training sessions and in-depth discussions, covering administrator capability and beyond.
Learn about using Rules, Workflow, Automating CAD, 3D, Integration, Layout, CPQ and much more, from entry-level to advanced.
Tailor your learning and choose your own sessions.
Learn why and when to use different functionality. The day starts with a keynote presentation, followed by your choice of the following:
The DriveWorks Pro Advanced Sessions on Wednesday and Thursday are made up of hands-on training and in-depth technical discussions, covering administrator capability and beyond. The sessions cover a variety of topics and knowledge levels, there’s something to suit everyone. Once you’ve registered, build your own agenda, tailor your experience and choose the sessions best suited to you and what you want to learn.
Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Sessions are already filling up fast so make sure you register asap and secure your spaces in the advanced sessions!
DriveWorks World 2020 will be held at The Engine Rooms, Birchwood Park in Warrington, UK. It is ideally located between Manchester and Liverpool and close to our corporate headquarters in the UK.
This technology-focused training facility is ideal for maximising the learning opportunities at DriveWorks World.
The EngineRooms has an auditorium, where we will start each day. The classrooms are set up for hands-on technical learning. The spaces are flexible and versatile, allowing us to tailor the training to suit each topic.
Networking is a key part of DriveWorks World. The EngineRooms has some great social spaces. There’s a coffee lounge and a large food court with plenty of tables and lots of delicious lunch options.
We’ll be setting up technology demonstrations throughout the social spaces so there’s always something to see, do and learn.
Find out more about the event and register now.
Once registered, you have 30 days to pay your invoice so you can secure your place and choose your sessions straight away.
Throughout the year, we spend a lot of time with members of the SWUG network and at SWUG meetings. 3DEXPERIENCE World is a chance for all of the community to come together in one place and it’s one of our favourite parts of the event.
On Wednesday, February 12th during the General Session at 3DEXPERIENCE World, there was a recurring theme of community.
During the session, several members of the SOLIDWORKS community were recognized for their contributions to the SOLIDWORKS community and to the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network.
The SWUGN Choice Awards were presented by Rachel York, Community and User Advocacy Senior Manager at SOLIDWORKS.
This award recognizes the most innovative SOLIDWORKS user group leader and highlights their new ideas and achievements.
This award is given to someone who hosted unique meetings, enabled up and coming presenters and shared their knowledge with other group leaders.
The winner of this award was Eric Spurgeon, South Central Kansas SWUG. Eric has been very active and engaged in developing his meetings to host a variety of topics and breakout sessions so people can choose from multiple subject areas that they wish to learn.
Eric’s focus is on creating meetings that add value to the users and their careers to help them move forward. Users can learn from each other and the content at the meetings is unique to the industries in Wichita.
Eric has spent time listening to the users who attend his meetings and the great ideas they have.
Eric is a new leader who started last year so it’s great to see how he is already bringing new ideas to the SWUGN community.
Congratulations Eric – looking forward to seeing what your meetings will bring this year!
This was an award to celebrate the biggest, best SOLIDWORKS meetup of the year. Consideration for this award was given to attendance, venue, quality of the presentations and member, vendor and reseller participation.
The winner of this award was the Central Texas SWUG Meeting hosted in Austin, Texas. This group has been around for over 20 years. The leader of this group is Steve Calvert. Steve organizes at least 4 meetings a year.
One of these meetings combines SOLIDWORKS and hockey, with the meeting hosted at a Texas Stars hockey game. Users are treated to a great dinner with a technical presentation. After this, the group joins together for an evening of hockey.
Even the mascot for Texas Stars, Ringo the Ringtail is a SOLIDWORKS User.
DriveWorks has been a sponsor for this meeting and Heather attended their very first one – it was an awesome time and such a treat for the user group.
Congratulations to this group and also to Steve Calvery – go Stars!
This award celebrates a member of the SOLIDWORKS community who best demonstrates extraordinary commitment to others in the community, either across the year or a lifetime.
This award is not limited to a user group leader. It recognizes someone that brings our community together in unexpected ways and is a long-term advocate of the entire SOLIDWORKS community, including the SOLIDWORKS User Group Network.
We are so proud to announce that the winner of this award was Heather Hasz, Brand and Community Ambassador at DriveWorks!
Before joining DriveWorks, Heather worked for the SOLIDWORKS Partner Team where she supported members of the SOLIDWORKS community, helping them gain access and support to develop their technology solutions with SOLIDWORKS.
Heather joined the DriveWorks Team in March 2016. Heather’s role is to support the SOLIDWORKS Community and SOLIDWORKS User Group leaders to help make their meetings successful.
We love being part of the SOLIDWORKS community and want to help it thrive.
Our DriveWorksXpress Training and Certification Program helps SOLIDWORKS students and users learn new skills. Heather has been promoting the certification throughout the SOLIDWORKS community.
Heather has also worked on our newly launched FIRST® Robotics Competition Team Sponsorship Program to inspire the next generation of SOLIDWORKS users and support STEM.
You will often find Heather chatting with anyone about anything – mostly dogs, SOLIDWORKS and DriveWorks – and she is always willing to lend a hand to assist anyone in need of support or otherwise be successful.
Some of the DriveWorks Team were in the audience during the General Session when Heather received her award, the rest of us at DriveWorks HQ watched it together and cheered her on from the UK!
Heather is a great community champion and is known and loved by all the leaders, who are now great friends of Heather’s and of DriveWorks. It was great to hear the SWUGN Community make a lot of noise as Heather received her award, showing their appreciation.
We’re proud to have Heather on our team, representing us within the SOLIDWORKS community and we look forward to continuing to work with a fantastic group of people.
Want to find out more about how DriveWorks can support your SOLIDWORKS User Group? Get in touch with us to find out more!
