University of Hertfordshire Faculty for Art and Design has purchased 200 licenses of SolidWorks® 2004 Education Edition 3D mechanical design software and forms a strategic alliance with Innova Systems to provide a centre of excellence for SolidWorks.

The widespread popularity of SolidWorks within the commercial design and manufacturing marketplace means that SolidWorks is the right choice to modernise the Universities design systems.

Now all of the University's students will learn 3D solid modelling with the same software used by the UK's leading design and manufacturing companies.

SolidWorks Student edition includes the full suite of 3D design and COSMOS Analysis.

Adrian Marden, head of the Faculty of Art and design comments "We have found from our contacts with the design industry that SolidWorks now appears to be the industry standard 3D design package. Used by large and small companies alike SolidWorks offers us a cost effective way of keeping abreast of industry developments. We are about to reach the end of our seven-year agreement with Pro/ENGINEER and we have changed to SolidWorks, which is a user-friendlier package and allows us to continue to develop complex design solutions in less time.

The software will be at the core of our Digital Modelling degree programme which has gained a strong reputation for CADCAM / Product Development / Rapid Prototyping work.

"SolidWorks will enable us to introduce relevant 3D design activity to a wider student group. We are keen to ensure that our students are able to use their time with us to develop their creative skills and understandings, and work to develop their full potential. Alongside this we strive to make sure that our work is relevant to the world of work" Said Adrian.

As part of the ongoing partnership, Innova Systems and the University's centre for innovation will provide a centre of excellence for SolidWorks training and consultancy together with a jointly hosted seminar programme to local commercial companies.