If you’re into mechanisms like Theo Jansen’s Creatures, the retro-futuristic Steampunk contraptions or just like to see how things work, you may be interested in the latest SolidWorks genius campaign.

It’s Leonardo Da Vinci’s self-propelled cart, taken from parchment to 3D with SolidWorks 2008. It’s a cool look at how the mechanism works and also a look at how you are lame if not designing 15th century mechanisms with the most powerful CAD application IN THE WORLD.

Four interesting aspects:

1. The mechanism is super cool
2. The phrase “you can easily push and pull“ is used about halfway through part 2
3. SolidWorks is finally using Youtube in their marketing campaigns
4. At the end of the video, the commentator stands looking at you expectantly… and taps his foot.

There’s a demo gallery *cough*link-to-more-marketing-material*cough* and a place to desecrate Leonardo’s face, by putting your own face on his likeness, that I would warn against, because I’m positive there’s a small race of people watching over Da Vinci’s legacy that look down on that and exact vengeance on the weak.

I love product marketing. I like the creativity that goes along with it. As SolidWorks user, some SolidWorks marketing comes over kinda thin. I’d like more detailed info, but then again they’re not marketing to me. This is actually a pretty thorough look at how SolidWorks handles some aspects of design. It’s gets into the 2D, the 3D and has a blurb on changes. There’s no real detailed aspect of the modeling, but then that wouldn’t be marketing material. I’ll give it a thumbs up, but I would have picked a different host. You can watch the three part video here or the first part below.

DaVinci Cart [Part1]