In the first episode of the SPRED podcast, I had an amazing chat with Kirby Downey, the friendly host of The Core podcast and a true veteran in the 3D printing world. Together, we dove into the exciting world of artificial intelligence and engineering!

AI: Your New Co-Pilot!

Can AI really handle all the tricky tasks in SOLIDWORKS? Kirby and I had a great discussion about the quirky "hallucinations" of AI-generated designs - think the infamous Reddit mug! We’re here to remind you that the human touch is still crucial in the design process.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• AI as Your Speedy Sidekick: Find out how AI can help with those tedious tasks, like filling in screws or figuring out cable routes.
• Transforming Ideas into Reality: Learn about the amazing ability to turn a quick napkin sketch or a scanned drawing into a parametric model.
• The Pilot Analogy: You’ll discover why 90% of the job is all about keeping an eye on the dials and 10% is knowing how to steer things back on track when issues pop up.

SOLIDWORKS is Everywhere:

Think SOLIDWORKS is just for big machines and airplanes? Think again! Kirby shares some cool stories about unexpected creations, from cosplay props and video game replicas to iconic items from movies - all crafted by talented SOLIDWORKS users you'll want to know about!

Don’t miss out on these insights that could totally change how you approach your next design project. Check out the full episode and keep an eye out for the hashtag #VerifiedBySpread in the SOLIDWORKS User Forum for exclusive models and images that we’ll feature in upcoming episodes!

REAL people, REAL knowledge, REAL experiences

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES LINKS:

• IronSWUG: https://www.ironswug.com/
• The Core podcast (Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-core-podcast/id1518487724
• The Core podcast (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOREPodcast
• Kirby's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirbydowney/
• Podcast original recording timeframe: 2026-04