CAD Software: Solidworks vs Inventor vs Others

[BMH]

We are currently contemplating on changing from Soldiworks to Inventor since Inventor is a whole lot easier for team members to obtain, as well as a couple other advantages.

I know there was a topic a while back comparing SW and Inventor but that was from 2007 I believe. CAD packages have changed quite a bit since then.

So which solid modeling software does your team use, and what are your thoughts on the two CAD packages in terms of advantages, disadvantages, etc.?

[BMH]

We are currently contemplating on changing from Soldiworks to Inventor since Inventor is a whole lot easier for team members to obtain, as well as a couple other advantages.

I know there was a topic a while back comparing SW and Inventor but that was from 2007 I believe. CAD packages have changed quite a bit since then.

So which solid modeling software does your team use, and what are your thoughts on the two CAD packages in terms of advantages, disadvantages, etc.?

[Spetsnazos]

I'm pretty certain that you can get free solidworks for your whole FSAE team if you contact the solidworks staff...

I'm not a fan of the sketch system for Inventor but overall I think they're identical just different GUI.

Inventor vs SW comparison is like comparing a Toyota to a Honda. Same thing, small differences...

in b4 fanboys of either SW or Inventor.

[Silente]

I have used both.

In my opinion solid works has something more overall.

Inventor is very good for libraries and for pure mechanich design, but it's a lot heavier, has a bad way to manage certain things (like space frame chassis) and have no chance to model surfaces.

[RobbyObby]

We are currently pondering this debate as well. As Spetsnazos mentioned you can obtain free copies of Solidworks through the competition, but the entire (almost) Autodesk suite is also free to download for students as well.
Solidworks is IMHO much better suited for this competition. Inventor has many more features and components for the true professional designer, but for what we are trying to accomplish, its a bit overwhelming. The interface is also a tad confusing and the help and tutorials just dont stack up to what Solidworks has got going. Solidworks is far more intuitive to the beginning learner (takes less than a month to become proficient IMO) and there's an entire youtube channel dedicated to Formula SAE tutorials.
And as Silente pointed out, the 3D sketch environment in Inventor is a cluster. As a chassis and frame guy, I easily spend 75% of my time working with 3D sketches, and Solidworks just cant be beat.
The only downside with Solidworks is that you only get 1 disc for everyone to install it from, instead of downloading it like Inventor, and its easy to misplace the install discs. Also Solidworks doesnt like handling large assembly files very well.

[BMH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RobbyObby:
The only downside with Solidworks is that you only get 1 disc for everyone to install it from, instead of downloading it like Inventor, and its easy to misplace the install discs. Also Solidworks doesnt like handling large assembly files very well. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The two points you mentioned are the main motivation we have in considering Inventor. We know we can get Solidworks for free, but its kind of a hassle having to apply every year, wait for it to come in, and then share the 1 disc among all the team members. I really like the system that Autodesk has set up. Other reasons are that all the engineering computer labs have Inventor, and that is what is taught in the CAD classes.

[BMH]

Haha, after trying to do a 3D sketch in Inventor, I was saying F THAT to myself! Robby is right, Solidworks cant be beat when it comes to 3D sketches for spaceframes...unless there is a trick that I am not aware of.

[ZAMR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Silente:
I have used both.

In my opinion solid works has something more overall.

Inventor is very good for libraries and for pure mechanich design, but it's a lot heavier, has a bad way to manage certain things (like space frame chassis) and have no chance to model surfaces. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think you've used Inventor lately.

Inventor now has built in 1D frame analysis which makes it super-easy to predict the properties of and iterate frame designs very quickly. This saves a lot of time in the initial design.

Modeling surfaces in Inventor requires a little bit of "tough love." Once you figure out how the patching functions work, creating body surfaces using complex 3D splines makes for very sexy curves. Much better than the blocky and awkward-lofty nose cones of most FSAE cars.

Inventor now has a downloadable plugin for freeform modeling via Alias studio. However I still prefer the "mechanical" design of the spline-patch method.

[ZAMR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BMH:
Haha, after trying to do a 3D sketch in Inventor, I was saying F THAT to myself! Robby is right, Solidworks cant be beat when it comes to 3D sketches for spaceframes...unless there is a trick that I am not aware of. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You have to specify positions in space with XYZ coordinates sometimes rather than pointing and clicking. What I like to do is to define my 2D parts in a 2D sketch(front bulkhead and main hoop must be planar) and build the 3d sketch off of that.

You can also import a set of points from excel if you like and play connect the dots. This is beneficial when you have points from your kinematics software.

[ZAMR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BMH:
Haha, after trying to do a 3D sketch in Inventor, I was saying F THAT to myself! Robby is right, Solidworks cant be beat when it comes to 3D sketches for spaceframes...unless there is a trick that I am not aware of. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You have to specify positions in space with XYZ coordinates sometimes rather than pointing and clicking. What I like to do is to define my 2D parts in a 2D sketch(front bulkhead and main hoop must be planar) and build the 3d sketch off of that.

You can also import a set of points from excel if you like and play connect the dots just like SW. This is beneficial when you have points from your kinematics software.

[Adambomb]

Wait...you guys actually just share the one Solidworks disc around? That sounds inconvenient. We just rip an .iso image and put it on the network drive. PowerISO is your friend.

[BMH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Adambomb:
Wait...you guys actually just share the one Solidworks disc around? That sounds inconvenient. We just rip an .iso image and put it on the network drive. PowerISO is your friend. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dang that is a great idea. Thanks!

[Ben K]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RobbyObby:
We are currently pondering this debate as well. As Spetsnazos mentioned you can obtain free copies of Solidworks through the competition, but the entire (almost) Autodesk suite is also free to download for students as well.
Solidworks is IMHO much better suited for this competition. Inventor has many more features and components for the true professional designer, but for what we are trying to accomplish, its a bit overwhelming. The interface is also a tad confusing and the help and tutorials just dont stack up to what Solidworks has got going. Solidworks is far more intuitive to the beginning learner (takes less than a month to become proficient IMO) and there's an entire youtube channel dedicated to Formula SAE tutorials.
And as Silente pointed out, the 3D sketch environment in Inventor is a cluster. As a chassis and frame guy, I easily spend 75% of my time working with 3D sketches, and Solidworks just cant be beat.
The only downside with Solidworks is that you only get 1 disc for everyone to install it from, instead of downloading it like Inventor, and its easy to misplace the install discs. Also Solidworks doesnt like handling large assembly files very well. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Our team got 5 sets of discs this year. Problem solved.

Ben

[Paul Achard]

You should contact Christine Morse (christine.morse@3ds.com) at Solidworks for sponsorship information.

[marie planchard]

You can apply for sponsorship from SolidWorks at www.solidworks.com/sae (http://www.solidworks.com/sae). We will send you DVDs of SolidWorks with all our FEA, Motion, Sustainabilty, and CFD tools. This is one installation for everything. You can place the media on your team website as stated above and then download it quickly or use the dvd's. With every sponsorhip, we will send you our SAE tutorials and provide you free credits to take our CAD certification exam to help your resume or CV - far after the competition is over - just take a look at Monster.com. Also check out our YouTube videos on FSAE and models at 3DContentCentral.com.
The time you save maybe recognized when you design your first frame. Marie

[Kirby]

The team at Adelaide switched to Solidworks after a long running affair with SolidEdge.
Probably most of the reason this change came about because it was my preference for a package from my previous experience.

I had the chance to do a course in both Pro/E (Creo) and Inventor and I must say, Inventor almost had me sold on some of the neat things it was able to do....
that was until I tried to do any sort of 3D wireframe sketching...seems like a very similarly observed problem for the chassis designers here. Pro/E, while some people swear by it, I can't just get a feel for it...it obviously has a very steep learning curve and the documentation can be hit or miss. I think the most frustrating thing I found with it were the unintuitive, almost hidden mouse and keyboard commands to do what would be considered quite simple things.


In the end, even though solidworks isn't installed on any of the university computers, which means a lot of design at home (since been solved with drop box) SW still remains the teams preference.

Additionally, I spent quite a bit of time while I was the chassis engineer designing some tools in excel using the Solidworks API to parameterise susprog models and chassis criteria directly import them into a Solidworks, allowing for very rapid and automated design updates. I found it immensely powerful once I had figured out how to do it and the team still uses them.

[Spetsnazos]

I thought there is copyright issues with burning an image of the disc. Can someone confirm this?

[RollingCamel]

We got 16 copies from Solidworks, one for each.

[NickFavazzo]

I have a feeling Marie Planchard may work for/with Solidworks, she did suggest you can host it online or use the dvd's, I don't think distributing within the team is a problem as you only get a certain number of licenses. With music you are allowed to burn the disc if you own it, and only use it personally not professionally.

[GianVioli]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BMH:
We are currently contemplating on changing from Soldiworks to Inventor since Inventor is a whole lot easier for team members to obtain. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Easier to obtain than SolidWorks? My team has been sponsored by SolidWorks since 2007 and every year we get a new set of licenses for almost every team member. They even ship the bundle for free (at least we dont pay at all, maybe the university does).

All we have to do is fill out a form, you can find the link at the SW tutorials post right on this forum.

I honestly find hard to believe that there is a easier way to get anyother software. Besides, I think SolidWorks is by far the most friendly-user software there is and quite powerfull on linear FEA right now.

[RobbyObby]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by GianVioli:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BMH:
We are currently contemplating on changing from Soldiworks to Inventor since Inventor is a whole lot easier for team members to obtain. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Easier to obtain than SolidWorks? My team has been sponsored by SolidWorks since 2007 and every year we get a new set of licenses for almost every team member. They even ship the bundle for free (at least we dont pay at all, maybe the university does).

All we have to do is fill out a form, you can find the link at the SW tutorials post right on this forum.

I honestly find hard to believe that there is a easier way to get anyother software. Besides, I think SolidWorks is by far the most friendly-user software there is and quite powerfull on linear FEA right now. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Easier than downloading the program file off the internet? I'm not so sure. I think Inventor's got that one in the bag. But that's about all it has going for it IMHO. The performance benefit and ease of use with Solidworks far outweighs the downfalls of obtaining the software.

[Jon Burford]

Personally, I prefer SolidWorks.
We got 3 sets of disks this year and the 2011 software is very good and works well with windows 7 and xp.
I tried to use Inventor and succeeded, but I instantly went back to SolidWorks.
I have seen really good cars in both, but I think it's so much easier in SolidWorks

[Adambomb]

I'll throw in another bone for Solidworks, the 2011 edition seems to be a good deal faster than previous versions. My 2 year old mid-range laptop, with a modest 2.2 GHz Turion 64 x2 processor and Radeon 3200 video (integrated, but one of the better integrated ones at least) now handles our two year old whole car model about as easily as the workstation beasts we originally drew it on.