Session Details

Speaker(s): Shafiq ur Rehman

Date: February 04, 2026

Video Recording

Presentation Slides

Session Abstract

My design journey began in my early engineering studies with courses like Engineering Graphics and CAD. What started as simple drawings soon grew into a final-year project: a robotic arm for cleaning solar panels. These projects sparked my passion for product design and set me on a path of growth. After graduation, I worked with international clients on design, 3D printing, and prototyping. Using SOLIDWORKS as my primary tool, I translated concepts into manufacturable designs while strengthening problem-solving and teamwork skills. Now, as an MSc student in Advanced Design and Manufacturing and leader of the Northamptonshire SOLIDWORKS User Group, I share how SOLIDWORKS shaped my academic work, professional projects, and career ambitions. My current research explores how machine learning can train algorithms to predict design iterations, material properties, and mechanical behavior, and enable advanced product lifecycle management in SOLIDWORKS.

Design Mechanical Design Consumer Packaged Goods - Retail Industrial Equipment (inc. Fabricated Metal & Plastic Products) SOLIDWORKS SOLIDWORKS Plastics SOLIDWORKS Simulation