SolidWorks vs 3D AutoDESK

[huevon]

Hi all
I spent some time learning to use Solid Works, went trough many tutorials and did a lot of drawings and assemblies. I have to say that is completely different from 2D Auto cad which I used years ago. But never did anything in 3D in AutoCAD. I would like to know what do you think about both Solid Works and the 3D version of auto cad. What advatages against each other? Any bad/good experiences, what do you use at work and why this not the other?

[Gertlex]

I'm not sure offhand if there's an actual 3D AutoCAD or if you're referring to the Autodesk Inventor, but regardless, my opinion/impression is that Solidworks is much more refined than anything from Autodesk when it comes to doing 3D work.

[Admin]

I haven't used Solid Works enough to comment on it . . . but I can say its cheaper and more popular than AutoDesk Inventor.

I do like Inventor. But . . . I wasn't the one who paid for my copy . . .

[huevon]

I'm not sure offhand if there's an actual 3D AutoCAD or if you're referring to the Autodesk Inventor, but regardless, my opinion/impression is that Solidworks is much more refined than anything from Autodesk when it comes to doing 3D work.

You are right Gertlex, what I actualy meant is Autodesk Inventor. Really hoped for someone to say this is good for that and the other for this, this and this. About the cost, we all know how to get the copy for learning purposes...

[Admin]

You are right Gertlex, what I actualy meant is Autodesk Inventor. Really hoped for someone to say this is good for that and the other for this, this and this.

They basically just imitate each other, I don't really see any differences. Perhaps some add-on packages are better implemented than on the other, but I haven't used SW enough to compare . . .

[Cristi_Neagu]

I have used SolidWorks and Inventor quite a lot. While my experience with SW was a pleasant one, i never want to use Inventor again.
Inventor seem like it was built off of a 2D program (which it probably is). The most annoying thing about it is that you need to activate a special function just to orbit around your part. When sketching, you can't exactly use axes or anything. Any drawing you do is just floating in space. Also, making the features on one part depend on the features of another (in an assembly, of course) is nigh impossible. You have to go into that 'adaptive features' business, which works only half the time, and then only if you spend half an hour figuring out what constraints you need to create. And let's not even begin talking about how backwards sketching is in Inventor. I've had simple sketches that took me 7-10 minutes to do in Inventor, and 2-3 minutes in SW or CATIA.
SW, on the other hand, doesn't suffer from those impediments. All sketches have a axis system, relative to which you can define constraints, sketching couldn't be any easier. You can edit parts easily in assemblies, and define them based on other parts in the assembly. Also, you can define various configurations for parts. Overall, much easier to use.

Everything I've said is a personal opinion. I work about twice as fast in SW or CATIA than in Inventor. I wouldn't recommend Inventor to anyone, especially beginners. If you want to draw 2D, there's nothing better than AutoCAD, but for 3D... I wouldn't go for Inventor... It's just too backwards...

[Admin]

@Cristi_Neagu
What Inventor version did you use? I suspect a very old version . . . I've used version 10 (which came out in 2004 I think), and version 2010.

The most annoying thing about it is that you need to activate a special function just to orbit around your part.

just a single button on the right hand side of the screen . . .

When sketching, you can't exactly use axes or anything. Any drawing you do is just floating in space.

In options you can turn on the grid/axis.

Also, making the features on one part depend on the features of another (in an assembly, of course) is nigh impossible.

Actually it is possible. I think its called adapt or something like that, but I never really use it.

I've had simple sketches that took me 7-10 minutes to do in Inventor, and 2-3 minutes in SW or CATIA.

Hmmmm if you know the best way to approach a sketch, it'll go fast. I never felt it was slowing me down after I beat the learning curve.

You can edit parts easily in assemblies, and define them based on other parts in the assembly.

You can also do this in Inventor.

[Gertlex]

One of the things that definitely irks me about Inventor is indeed the button + mouse requirement to rotate in 3D.  (I could fix this with Autohotkey, though... but I don't use Inventor)

Solidworks is just using a middle click.... A friend and I came to the conclusion that solidworks just plain out makes 3D navigation easy.  We've both got access (ok... i got one for free ) to $400 Logitec 3d Mice, and they just aren't faster for solidworks.

However, one navigation thing that Inventor does that Solidworks doesn't is free rotate on a plane.  E.g. you're looking at the model how you want to, and then you rotate it about a line perpendicular to the screen.

[Admin]

Inventor 2010 definitely makes rotation easier/better than in earlier versions . . . it has this 3D cube at the top right to single click your desired part rotation.

[Gertlex]

Durr. I neglected to actually give the example that led me to make that post.  Fun is a wireless mouse plugged into the computer 20 feet away that's doing the presentation at the design review.  That way I can stand closer to the reviewers, and use the mouse to manipulate the model view on the projection.

And ya, I last used Inventor 10 like 4 years ago

(I'm a solidworks fanboy after having wasted so much time being "productive" instead of doing homework)