[Tompie]

Hi,

Is Solidworks a good mechanical design CAD software?
Does it have a lot of bugs?
What is good or bad on the program?

At this moment I design with Micro Station Modeler.

Greetings
Tom

[ttodd]

Before making the jump to Solidworks, I used Ideas, Solidworks is alot more user friendly,and because it runs with Windows it makes it easier to use also, The Ideas I ran was Unix,didn't care for it. The new release of Solidworks seems to have very few bugs and seems to be very stable.

[grantmi1]

SolidWorks kicks butt I love it.

[Tomd]

Hi!!

I am presently retired but have been using SolidWorks for 5 years. I started using 3D CAD in 1988 with CadKey. It was a great program. I was then forced to use Autodesk products. (R13,
Designer, Mechanical Desktop. I found them to be difficult to use and very buggy. In 1998 I purchased SolidWorks. It is a far superior program. I would recommend it without reservations.

I am presently using it to design Steam and Stirling engine and using Excalibur 2003 to generate G-Code for a Sherline mill, using Flashcut to drive the mill. I have only had the package for 4 weeks and am about to make my first part!!!

Regards
tomd

[cncadmin]

Originally posted by Tomd
Hi!!

I am presently retired but have been using SolidWorks for 5 years. I started using 3D CAD in 1988 with CadKey. It was a great program. I was then forced to use Autodesk products. (R13,
Designer, Mechanical Desktop. I found them to be difficult to use and very buggy. In 1998 I purchased SolidWorks. It is a far superior program. I would recommend it without reservations.

I am presently using it to design Steam and Stirling engine and using Excalibur 2003 to generate G-Code for a Sherline mill, using Flashcut to drive the mill. I have only had the package for 4 weeks and am about to make my first part!!!

Regards
tomd

Please post your results.

[speedracer]

I am looking at both solidworks and mastercam for our new CAD/CAM software. Just to let everyone know if you don't already. I can purchase a version of solidworks with camworks ( which works inside of solidworks) for less than what i would have to pay for mastercam. There is only one catch. The solidworks verison just doesn't include the ability to do automatic dimensions in a three view layout. That would have to be done manual with solidworks.

You can take that for what it's worth.

[ARB]

Solidworks is most definatly a great design program. I spend between 8 and 12 hours a day using it for product as well as tooling design. If you are looking for a program that really lets you efficiently create designs for a living then I would very much recomend Solidworks.

When we jumped into the 3D boat we also went with the full monte GibbsCam.
This is a pretty hard combination to beat for 3D work and mold making.

My 2cents

[the thrill]

you should be able to do 3 view auto dimensioning... any dimension you make on your solid model can be automatically imported to any view in your 2D drawing just press the insert model items button and that should work... unless i just read the post wrong its 5am and im still reading these darn boards

[peter]

it's top of the tree for me
in the 3d world
thrill is right it auto dimesion's
best regard's
peter

[dherbman]

I've used swx since 98+ and love it. HOWEVER, I would seriously look into Alibre (sp?). If you don't need the gold partners and have limited import needs, this is a fine app that will give swx a run for a fraction of the cost.

[the thrill]

alibre is a nice package if you have never used solidworks before... ive tried VX, alibre, and a couple other lower priced parametric modeling programs and i wasnt as impressed with them as i am with solidworks... additionally, i would like to try out inventor and solidedge since they are more on the same level as solidworks... but i just recently got onto the 3D bandwagon and i have a copy of solidworks on my desktop that i use while im home just to keep my skills sharp... i havent gone into the real complex shapes like turbines or anything like that but for the modeling ive done, i love it... if youre just starting out though, i would definately give alibre a shot since it is pretty powerful for the 1000-1200 dollars you pay for their most expensive package

[dherbman]

I've done IV and SE, but settled on swx. It seems to be ahead of the pack in development, has superior import/export options and is loaded with extras. Best, it's not ADE$K! I remember wanting that app SOOO bad, but at 10K per seat, I figured I'd never have anything so powerful.

[JIMMY]

solidworks is the best I evr used and the most user freindly.

[bgolash]

Solidworks is 100 percent better then anything from Autodesk.
Don`t purchase Autocad ..its a waste of money. The GUI is
very poor besides the fact that its non-intuitive.

[scottsss]

I played with AutoCad because well it was required and all those commands I had to learn. It just was not intuative. I found that I would have to read the AutoCad book from time to time just to pick up new commands or see if their was a quicker easier way. When you have a deadline and people want it now now now AutoCad just seemed to be a problem.

Then I took a class on Solidworks. Talk about night and day. AutoCad I always dreaded using. Solidworks I picked up a book on to learn more because I wanted to. Not because I was forced. The tutorials that come with the program you almost do not need a second reference.

It is easy to use, much easier to make changes or adjustments then Autocad and with the roll back, reordering of features and differnt part configs in the same file it was a dream come true.

Assemblies drawing, much easier to do in solidworks then AutoCad. I just don't think you can go wrong for the price.

Check out this link on the Solidowrks site. It shows the brogram being used. And how easy it is. I check these out from time to time to pick up hints and tips and improve how I use the software.

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/news...rArchives.html

Note you have to register to watch them.

[cadcam]

SOlid works is a great Cad software for designing and doing asylmbly workSolid works is great Cad software for designing and doing assembly work.

Now as for the Mastercam and solid works is a great team as this is the combo I like.

Most of the time I use the MC for all drawing and Cam of course.

Now what you have to look at on the MC side is what type of work are you going to be doing to justify the cost of both.

MC has different levels that may bring the cost down by what type of work you need to do.

Are you doing 2d or 3d or 4 & 5 axis this makes a difference.

Mastercam has a Direct from solid works to MC that will bring the Solid history with the file.

[DareBee]

I use my SolidWorks files saved in igs format to use in VisualMill 5. I have found this to work quite well and for my limited amount of use in my VMC the pricepoint on VisualMill can hardly be beat.

[daedalus]

ignore this, missed date on posts

[kevingambrell]

Hi, I made the move from Autocad 14 to SWX 05. After years with Autocad it took a bit of time de-learning a lot of comands and then learning SWX. At the same time we started using Autocad 2005 (I think) I couldnt run and hide fron the new autocad fast enough, Solid Works is brilliant very easy to pick up and a vastly easier package to master.
If I had one gripe with SWX it would be the cost but I have a fealing its going to pay for its self ten times over.
The rendering in SWX is beyond words I was shocked the first time I used the render function.
The Only function i realy like in the new autocad is the ability to grab a solid then twist and rotate it or just set it spinning at the speed you want. No real use in the work I do just looks realy good when the kids are watching LOL.

Regards Kevin

[DareBee]

You can twist and deform parts in SolidWorks, maybe not the same, but you can.