Engineering Spotlight: Scott Woods
Scott Woods has been with Hawk Ridge Systems since 2008 and has over 20 years of SOLIDWORKS experience, holding degrees in both Technical and Visual Communications. When he is not working with our customers to find solutions to their design challenges, he can often be found using his design skills to create 3D-printed beehives.
Why Engineering? When did you know you wanted to pursue engineering and design?
It all started with the Tyco Fast Traxx RC. I was obsessed with it. I took it apart and reassembled it over and over just to understand how it worked. At one point, I added a second battery to make it go faster, which promptly fried the mainboard and forced me to learn how to solder. From there, I was hooked. I eventually turned it into a remote-controlled lawnmower. That one toy sparked a lifelong passion for mechanics, electronics, and anything I could control from a distance. That’s when I realized — I didn’t just like engineering. I lived it.
Why Hawk Ridge Systems?
I was working as a design engineer, and I had become the SOLIDWORKS go-to guy for everyone at the company. Whether it was fixing broken models, automating workflows, or finding workarounds, I was the one people came to. Honestly, I didn’t even realize we had a partner who could help us with engineering challenges. But then I hit a wall — something I couldn’t solve on my own — and had to reach out for support. That experience completely changed my perspective. I realized there were people out there doing exactly what I loved most: helping engineers solve tough problems and do their best work. From that moment on, I knew where I wanted to be — at Hawk Ridge Systems.
Advice to people considering engineering as a career?
Engineering comes from a deep desire to improve everything around you. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking about how to make something work better, do more, or improve life — or the world — in some small way, then you’re already thinking like an engineer.
What’s the most fun or quirky project you’ve ever worked on?
It’s hard to pick just one — I’m kind of known for always having a project in the works. But recently, I built a vertical water balloon cannon for some backyard summer fun. It’s deceptively simple, but it taps into some fun engineering principles. The core is a 120 PSI pressure chamber that launches ten water balloons straight into the air at once — while my kids run around screaming and trying to dodge the water bomblets raining from the sky. It’s a great mix of physics, pressure systems, and pure chaos. Honestly, it’s projects like this that remind me why I love engineering in the first place.
Favorite side or pet project?
One of my favorite side projects is my family-run business, PrintedNature3D. It started as a way to improve my garden without pesticides, and it’s grown into a small operation where we 3D print compostable mason bee homes and custom planters. It combines sustainability, design, and education — three things I care deeply about. We also donate a portion of every sale to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, which adds real purpose to the work. It’s creative, hands-on, and rooted in values that matter to me.
Favorite client engagement? Why? What problem did you get to help solve?
That’s a tough one — I genuinely enjoy helping clients with unique and complicated situations. I love digging into complex challenges and coming up with creative, tailored solutions. One recent engagement really stood out: I had the opportunity to revisit some of my advanced surfacing skills while helping a client in the industrial equipment space design a highly complex surface part for a water cooling tower. We tackled it using both SOLIDWORKS and CATIA blending tools to handle some very precise geometry. It was a fun challenge that pushed both my technical skills and industry knowledge, and I loved being part of something so specialized.
Recent work or side project that shows why you love engineering?
I recently designed a custom deck for the back of my house using SOLIDWORKS. I treated it like a full engineering project — every board was modeled, every detail was accounted for, and I even used a drone to map out my property boundaries for the permeable hard surface permit. When I submitted the plans, the inspector actually asked which company I had hired because he’d never seen that level of detail and precision in a deck submittal. I told him it was just me having a little too much fun with SOLIDWORKS. It was a great reminder that engineering doesn’t stop at work — it’s how I approach problems in everyday life.
What are you reading/watching/learning/playing currently?
Right now, I’ve started playing Minecraft with my kids — not just for fun, but as part of my “research.” Every year, I build way over-engineered Halloween costumes, and this year’s theme is Minecraft. Yes, it’s only June, but I take these builds seriously. I’ve never played before, so I’m diving in to understand the game mechanics, character designs, and all the little details that will go into making some pretty epic — and probably overcomplicated — costumes. It’s part bonding time, part engineering prep, and fully in character for me.
What do you want to learn next?
Right now, I’m jumping into 3D Demonstrator — a newer professional visualization tool included with SOLIDWORKS Ultimate. It lets you place your product into a simulated, virtual real-world environment so others can explore it interactively, right from a browser. I’m excited to learn how to use it to create more immersive, shareable product experiences that go beyond static renderings or PDFs. It’s the perfect blend of engineering, storytelling, and user engagement.
Favorite engineering or dad joke or meme?
When does an engineering joke become a bad dad joke?
When the punchline is apparent.
It’s awful—and that’s exactly why I love it.
What’s a recent engineering trend or innovation you’re excited about?
I’m really interested in where tools like AURA AI are headed. It’s early days, but the idea of an AI assistant built into your design environment — one that can help surface the right tools, anticipate what you’re doing, or just speed up repetitive tasks — is pretty exciting. AURA AI will come with all licenses of SOLIDWORKS with active subscription, so people will get to try it out shortly!
I’m especially curious to see how it evolves from simple prompts to something that actually understands context and intent. It’s not perfect yet, but it feels like we’re on the edge of a big shift in how we interact with CAD tools.
These smaller companies like to hit the market with these feel-good gadget CAD tools, especially when showing off new features like AI CAD. As they are fun, they are not professional. You have to wait a little while and then you get what you wait for in professional AI-driven CAD that is on the horizon. The teaser products are fun, but they lack true usability. I’m excited the most about AI CAD-driven rendering. I don’t have an ETA yet when we can expect that from DS but it’s on the way.
Where can people follow you online or see more of your work?
You can find me on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/woodsys, and I also contribute to the Hawk Ridge Systems YouTube channel and blog, where we share everything from product deep dives to customer stories and creative engineering projects.
