So...Swx 2006 CD's are currently being shipped. Who's gonna take the plunge and upgrade right away? I'm thinking I'm gonna wait until SP1.......
Thread of limited audience: Solidworks
- Thread starter MMike
- Start date
Ehh, not in a huge rush...out of some interest possibly....here is a King hub I modeled in SW2005
http://channell.dyndns.org/hub.htm
(any bike companies want to hire an engineer?...I'm serious
)
http://channell.dyndns.org/hub.htm
(any bike companies want to hire an engineer?...I'm serious
)
nice...alexchannell said:
ioscope said:
oh it's on now!
Solidworks is the new Autocad.
Im a Cadkey, MasterCam, Surfcam kind of guy, although I do forsee SW in my future. It was on my task list for this year to evaluate, but as always were understaffed and overworked. It just wont make sence for us not to use it as most the other departments currently do. Yes, some of the programs i use are lumbering dinos in comparison. Problem is im currently 100x faster in traditional wireframe drawing and for the simplicity of what i do most modeling packages can actually be more cumbersome and slower. Also they dont deal with the freeform elements of some of the stuff I do..... bottom line is that i need to spend the time to learn, but dont have the time.
Im a Cadkey, MasterCam, Surfcam kind of guy, although I do forsee SW in my future. It was on my task list for this year to evaluate, but as always were understaffed and overworked. It just wont make sence for us not to use it as most the other departments currently do. Yes, some of the programs i use are lumbering dinos in comparison. Problem is im currently 100x faster in traditional wireframe drawing and for the simplicity of what i do most modeling packages can actually be more cumbersome and slower. Also they dont deal with the freeform elements of some of the stuff I do..... bottom line is that i need to spend the time to learn, but dont have the time.
Gotta switch man.... SWx has 3d sketches. you can do any free form stuff you need.
I went from CATIA v4 (Pratt & Whitney and Boeing), to AutoCAD/Mechanical Desktop...and it was miserable. ACAD is just so miserable to work with.
Go through the tutorials carefully and it's pretty surprising how fast you can get good at it.... Well I can... becuase I'm a CAD god......
I went from CATIA v4 (Pratt & Whitney and Boeing), to AutoCAD/Mechanical Desktop...and it was miserable. ACAD is just so miserable to work with.
Go through the tutorials carefully and it's pretty surprising how fast you can get good at it.... Well I can... becuase I'm a CAD god......
Wow that's a blast from the past, I've not heard Cadkey mentioned in years, but it's what I cut my teeth on.oly said:
I'm a Helix man myself (the PC version of CADAM), and agree with you MMike that AutoCAD is a pain to work with...............
Maybe you guys can help me out.
I'm a 3D computer animator/modeler and I use Lightwave, 3D max and Maya
for my current job in the Ps2 Games industry...
BUT
I want to get a job in the (manufacturing) industry.
So I need to work with new software like AutoCAD or Solidworks or... etc.
What is the most used software in the industry ?
It seems that most company's ask for an AutoCAD operator.
What would you suggest for someone who has to start from scratch?
Any help is welcome.
I'm a 3D computer animator/modeler and I use Lightwave, 3D max and Maya
for my current job in the Ps2 Games industry...
BUT
I want to get a job in the (manufacturing) industry.
So I need to work with new software like AutoCAD or Solidworks or... etc.
What is the most used software in the industry ?
It seems that most company's ask for an AutoCAD operator.
What would you suggest for someone who has to start from scratch?
Any help is welcome.
I'd say Solidworks or CATIA, depending on the industry. Big aerospace companies will be CATIA, Pro E or Unigraphics.
We're a manufacturing co. and we went from Mechanical Desktop to Solidworks....but it was my decision to do so.
Totally depends on the company. But learn one package really well. It's not THAT hard to learn a new CAD software once you're good at one of them. The philosophies are all more or less the same. Most companies recognize that.
But if you are going with an Autodesk product, learn Inventor.
We're a manufacturing co. and we went from Mechanical Desktop to Solidworks....but it was my decision to do so.
Totally depends on the company. But learn one package really well. It's not THAT hard to learn a new CAD software once you're good at one of them. The philosophies are all more or less the same. Most companies recognize that.
But if you are going with an Autodesk product, learn Inventor.
I use Pro-Engineer Wildfire 2.0 here, used some Solidworks back in 2000, it was V-8 I believe, been on Pro-E ever since then. I wouldn't mind brushing back up on my Solidworks though. How much is a seat of Solidworks BTW? If you don't mind me asking.
About $5k or so.... you can sometimes haggle with the VAR though...Cooter Brown said:
Cool, thanks!
My father-in-law uses Data cad for his Architecture stuff. and Tonyhawk is the Man who supports my Father-in-law! ( talk about an Odd discovery )stosh said:
We just got mastercam X installed here at work. I hate new software!
Since our only use for solidworks is to convert/view customer files, we upgrade when our customers decide it's time to upgrade.
And if I were going to learn 1 software it would be SW. ProE is very close but it's more expensive so less companies use it.
The only companies who still us Autocad are the ones who don't know any better. Don't waste your time with it.
Since our only use for solidworks is to convert/view customer files, we upgrade when our customers decide it's time to upgrade.
And if I were going to learn 1 software it would be SW. ProE is very close but it's more expensive so less companies use it.
The only companies who still us Autocad are the ones who don't know any better. Don't waste your time with it.
Whenever I draw a bike, I start with Autocad. I think it's a ton easier to figure out all the distances between everything in 2D before I try to model it in solidworks.
Here's a gigantic picture of the most recent thing I've drawn.
http://home.rochester.rr.com/staticevo/images/Heavy 3R.jpg
Here's a gigantic picture of the most recent thing I've drawn.
http://home.rochester.rr.com/staticevo/images/Heavy 3R.jpg
Spitfired said:
YOu might want to watch this video....
http://www.solidworks.com/pages/products/solidworks_2006/documents/sketchblocks.wmv
Cadkey Roxxors!
Really though, its what i learned on, and ive been able to move around and keep using it. Unfortunalty they have made a major change to it and the new program is different. Rather than having to buy a bunch of new seats for alot of $$, and then I'd have to learn it to then teach everyone else, we will just get some more seats for SW and all learn a new Platform all on the same page.
Really though, its what i learned on, and ive been able to move around and keep using it. Unfortunalty they have made a major change to it and the new program is different. Rather than having to buy a bunch of new seats for alot of $$, and then I'd have to learn it to then teach everyone else, we will just get some more seats for SW and all learn a new Platform all on the same page.
Worst CAD software ever: CADRA
LOL - we JUST upgraded to 2003 this year, doubt my company will throw down the $$$ for it.MMike said:
I personally do not like it that much - I started on Cadkey, went to Pro/E and finally to Unigraphics... SW was a big step back from where I was.
Funny that I saw this thread. I'm actually waiting around on our computer guy because he is upgrading our Solidworks to 2006. We had a conference call with SW about a week ago, it looks like they bumped up a lot of the productivity of it. Looks promising, but that's nothing new with SW.
bah.......Pro/E all the way!!
...but I think I'm required by law to say that since I work for PTC
(the designers of Pro/Engineer, among other products)
...but I think I'm required by law to say that since I work for PTC
(the designers of Pro/Engineer, among other products)
I might have to disagree. My dad bought KeyCad at fred meyers for 12.99. That has to be THE worst cad program out there..... Its pretty funny though how they sorta piggybacked on the Cadkey name. I bet they wanted to make CadAuto, but figured AutoCads lawyers were better than Cadkeys.....MMike said:
So once you install the New SW, it permanatly locks out all Ridemonkey sessions? Wow that is boosting productivity.....XtCamZ said:
That is if we ever get it. The computer guy worked on it all afternoon, and as of this morning at 10am (that's when i left), it still wasn't running. So I can't even do my job... yay productivity! but I ain't complainin!oly said:So once you install the New SW, it permanatly locks out all Ridemonkey sessions? Wow that is boosting productivity.....
I saw about 12 boxes sitting in the IT department, we won't start using it company wide for another 2 months or so, I won't have it for another 6 weeks or more.
I learned a long time ago to never be too quick on the upgrade cycle, unless you need the latest version for customer file compatibility. SW just releases endless service packs that crash in different ways... 
Lately I'm on the EDU/Student release cycle, once a year in the fall, no service packs. Way less stress!
Lately I'm on the EDU/Student release cycle, once a year in the fall, no service packs. Way less stress!
We finally got it....doesn't look much different, yet. That's a good thing tho
AutoCAD (imo) is amazing for 2-D multi-view style work. My last job was at a boiler venting pipe manufacturer and AutoCAD rocked for that. There's no need for 3-D solid modeling when the most complex shape you work with is an elliptical cone made of .024" sheet metal. Spend some time with AutoCAD, learn all the handy shortcuts, and it becomes like an extension of your brain. Lines just start appearing and disappearing and your design comes through on the screen. You're in the zone, man. It helps to have a manager that's been using AutoCAD since like, release 1, to show you all the tricks.
When it comes to 3-D, I will agree AutoCAD is not the choice for solid modeling. Also, just run away from Inventor. I learned Pro-E at school, and Inventor pretty much sucks compared to Pro-E. It's a pain to use and there's no real precision. My coworker who learned SolidWorks felt the same. Inventor is really best used making pretty pictures for the marketing department to put in the catalog.
It helps to have a manager that's been using AutoCAD since like, release 1, to show you all the tricks. When it comes to 3-D, I will agree AutoCAD is not the choice for solid modeling. Also, just run away from Inventor. I learned Pro-E at school, and Inventor pretty much sucks compared to Pro-E. It's a pain to use and there's no real precision. My coworker who learned SolidWorks felt the same. Inventor is really best used making pretty pictures for the marketing department to put in the catalog.
XtCamZ said:
What? 2006?
My VAR says I should have my CD's next week. I think I'm going to install it at home first and dink with it there before I screw things up too badly here.
very true. when get sent a 06 file we can not open it.Denny said:I learned a long time ago to never be too quick on the upgrade cycle, unless you need the latest version for customer file compatibility. SW just releases endless service packs that crash in different ways...
Lately I'm on the EDU/Student release cycle, once a year in the fall, no service packs. Way less stress!
'06 files? What files have you received from people? SWx 06 hasn't even been available for a month. (maybe 2 months with the download version)jroymcd said:
I got my SWx 2006 CD's today...... dare I install?
I'd say go for it... but only on a personal computer, just for testing.MMike said:
Last year rolling out 2005 SP0 was a nightmare. Major printing issues that caused a week or two in delays for production drawings trying to figure out a work-around.
For production I'd say wait until at LEAST SP1.
I'm in a bind myself because I'm going to be getting 2006 here shortly. I use SW for contract work and helping my brother-in-law's business. Problem is that where I work-work, they didn't pay the subscription service and still have 2005 SP1.0. I'm figuring they won't fork out the cash for the upgrade until Jan '06. So I need the option of working on files at home.
If you do install it, let me know of any issued you come across.
We're not a bicycle company, but looks like you got some decent modeling skills.alexchannell said:...(any bike companies want to hire an engineer?...I'm serious
Send me an email (no PMs please) if you are seriously looking for an engineering position:
bruce@nilandco.com