Practical Catia

PROVIDING CATIA TRAINING TO COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1986

 

CATIA® is a registered trademark of Dassault Systemes and has no affiliation with Practical Catia Training.

>> For a limited time, students that register for an upcoming class are eligible
to take the course a second time FREE-OF-CHARGE <<

Practical CATIA V5 Online Training

ABOUT PRACTICAL CATIA TRAINING

 

My sons and I named our course Practical Catia Training because we teach the "practical" application of the CATIA software as it is used in the industry.  Our course is modeled after our experience in the design and engineering field over the past 30 years.  We use many of the components we've designed throughout our careers as an aid in teaching the Practical Catia Training course participants to use the CATIA V5 software.

Course participants learn to model a variety of plastic and sheet metal components (see below).  To help course participants better understand how the CATIA software is used in the industry, we discuss several manufacturing methods including plastic injection molding, sheet metal stamping, roll-forming, progressive-dies, etc.  

In the true "Philpot" tradition, our intent is to not just teach the CATIA V5 software, but to try to pass on to course participants some of the knowledge we've accumulated over our combined 50+ years in the industry.  The Practical CATIA Training course is taught by designers from a designer's perspective.  We teach course participants how the software is really used in the industry and our methodology applies to all disciplines (automotive, aerospace, tooling, fixtures, special machines, etc.).

Shown below are just a few of the components we've culled from our design careers, and turned into training exercises.   

Practical CATIA Training covers the following CATIA V5 Workbenches:

  • Part Design

  • Sketcher

  • Generative Shape Design (wireframe and surface)

  • Generative Sheet Metal Design

  • Assembly Design

  • Drafting

The Sheetmetal Bracket is modeled using the Sketcher and Part Design workbenches.

 

                                 

The Plastic Spring Cap is modeled by creating several surfaces in the Generative Shape Design workbench. The surfaces are Trimmed and Filleted.  A solid is then created by using the Thick Surface and Close Surface tools in the Part Design workbench.

"It's not enough for an instructor to just know a subject very well.
  They must also be able to communicate that knowledge in a clear, concise way."

 

The Retractor Frame is modeled using the Sheet Metal Design workbench.

"The instructor must be able to walk that fine line between talking over the course participant's heads, 
while not talking down to them."

 

The Retractor Face Plate is modeled in the "Part Design Workbench" from multiple Sketches.

"Mr. Childress possesses a designer's knowledge of the CATIA software, and a teacher's ability to pass that knowledge on to the course participants in an entertaining and informative way.  A rare combination."

 

The product is assembled using the Assembly Design Workbench.

A detail drawing is creating of the Retractor Frame using the Drafting Workbench.

We guarantee that no single CAD class, CATIA or otherwise, offers this level of training,
in this short a timeframe, at such an affordable price.

Practical Catia Training offers the following:
- over 30 years combined experience providing CATIA training;
- the lowest prices and best reputation in the industry;
- courses developed and taught by seasoned design and engineering professionals;
- 50% discount to unemployed;
- 33% to those working in the design/engineering field but paying for training themselves;
- small class sizes (limited to 2 students per class);
- students are entitled to take the class a 2nd time free-of-charge (based on availability);
- offering in-class CATIA training in the metro Detroit area;
- also offering "Live One-on-One Online CATIA Training";
- FREE CD-ROM CATIA tutorial

Why choose Practical Catia Training for your CATIA training needs?

A) Experience: I began offering CATIA training while employed as the Lead Designer in the restraints (seat belts) group at Saturn Corp. in 1986. In the early nineties, I taught designers and engineers how to use CATIA while under contract as a design leader at Freightliner Truck and later at Motor Panels Inc. In the mid-nineties I partnered with the Batavia/Philpot Schools to develop and teach the Batavia/Philpot CATIA V4 course. In 1995 I began offering my own course called Practical Catia Training. Eventually I was joined by my sons Adam and Todd, and by Brandon Worley. Together, we developed our CATIA V5 course, which is based on our combined experience working in the automotive/aerospace design/engineering profession. We began offering CATIA V5 training in 2001, and to the best of our knowledge, we were the first training organization in the state of Michigan to offer CATIA V5 training.

 

B) Reputation: Since starting our school in 1995, we have earned the best reputation for providing CATIA training in the metro-Detroit area.  However, our reputation extends well beyond. Because of our school's outstanding reputation, in 2001 IBM and IBM's Business Partner MSC Software sought our help in promoting the new CATIA V5 software. IBM and MSC Software supplied our school with the CATIA V5 software for use in our classes and for our students to install on their home computers. In exchange, we agreed to allow MSC Software to advertise on our school's practicalcatia.com website and to provide MSC Software with sales leads and our students' contact information for marketing purposes. In 2004, IBM's partner, Dassault Systemes (the French company that owns of the CATIA® software), followed in its partner's (IBM and MSC Software) footsteps when Dassault contacted us with a request to advertise its new Global Certification Program on our school's website. We agreed and Dassault's banner ads appeared on our website for the next several years. (Click here to view Dassault's email and Banner Ads)

 

C) Pricing: The normal cost of our CATIA training is $1700, which is about a third less than what other companies charge for less than comparable CATIA training. However, in an attempt to help those who are unemployed, or who are employed but paying for the training out of their own pocket, we often offer up to a 50% discount off the normal cost of training. (Click here to view current discounts)

 

D. Small Class Sizes: For the past several years we have limited class size to just two (2) students per class, making our training the next best thing to one-on-one training there is. We have found through 30+ years of training experience that two students per class is the optimal number to provide the a best training experience for the student. We are unaware of any other company or training organization that limits class sizes to two students per class.

 

E. Convenient Schedule: We offer in-class CATIA training days, evenings, and weekends at our training facility conveniently located near the I-75 and I-696 interchange in Madison Heights Michigan. (Click here for course schedule)

 

F. Live Online CATIA Training: In addition to providing in-class training at our southeastern Michigan training facility, we pioneered the use of the internet to deliver CATIA training to people across the USA and around the world.  (Click here for information regarding CATIA online training)

Disclaimer: The Practical CATIA Training course is not offered as vocational training or as qualifying one for any particular employment.  There are no course credits transferable to any accredited educational institution.