IDEA FSP
The add-in below is still supported and still the current download. The summer programme it was built for has finished — its materials are in the FSP archive.
One add-in, two projects. Students choose at launch: chess pawn (3D printed overnight) or dogtag (laser cut overnight). Guides the full workflow from file creation to export.
Requires SolidWorks 2025, Windows 10 or later
Installation
- Extract the zip to a folder you keep (not a temp folder), e.g. C:\SolidWorks Addins\IDEA\FspPawnAddin\
- Right-click register.bat in that folder and choose Run as administrator (a plain double-click also works: it requests elevation itself)
- Open SolidWorks 2025
- Go to Tools > Add-ins and check the box next to IDEA FSP Pawn Build (both columns, to load now and at startup)
- The PAWN BUILD panel appears in the task pane strip on the right
Classroom setup
No template setup needed. The plugin creates each student's starting part (in inches) and saves their work to an IDEA_FSP folder it makes on the Desktop.
SolidWorks 3D modeling. Printed on the Bambu overnight.
Laser-cut on the xTool MetalFab. Students design the layout in the plugin.
Intro deck, print lab tour, pawn or dogtag build.
FRC and facilities deck, shop tour, Blade build.
Curriculum overview, Blade tournament, exit card.