Case Study: Lemelson-MIT achieves rapid CAD proficiency and real-world student inventions with SolidWorks

Sparking the power of invention to solve real challenges with SolidWorks soft ware

The Lemelson-MIT Program runs the InvenTeam grants that help U.S. high school teams identify real-world problems and build prototypes, but needed an easy-to-learn CAD solution so students could spend more time inventing and less time learning software. They partnered with Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp., which donates SolidWorks Education Edition 3D design software to InvenTeam members.

SolidWorks’ Education Edition and community support shortened teams’ CAD ramp-up time, gave students advanced design tools and real‑world engineering experience, and connected teams with local professional mentors. The impact included faster design proficiency across InvenTeams and tangible project success—e.g., the Troy High School coconut tree‑climbing robot modeled in SolidWorks that can ascend 100‑foot trees at a minimum speed of 33 ft/min and was showcased at Lemelson‑MIT’s EurekaFest.

Lemelson-MIT

Leigh Estabrooks

Education Officer