Mechanical Engineering students at California State University, Northridge currently use the SolidWorks suite of design and analysis tools to complement classroom learning. In particular, SolidWorks, CosmosWorks, CosmosMotion, and FloWorks, plus Microsoft Excel are used to solve different types of engineering problems. Communication between the different packages can be simplified and enhanced by the use of the Visual Basic Application Programmer Interface (API). Using the API, model files

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... created in Solidworks can be manipulated directly inside of a control program such as Excel and the resulting altered parameters can be returned for further review. This paper describes how the API functions and how data can be transferred between the previously mentioned software tools. A machine design example is presented showing how a simply supported shaft can be designed in Excel, modeled in Solidworks, and analyzed in CosmosWorks for stress and deflection. The results, including stress, deflection, and mass properties are then returned to Excel for review.