Software question

[gokart_guy]

Can Solidworks be used to model and analyze 3d truss or wireframe models? I have used Pro/E, it is pretty good for complex 3D solid models, but not that good for trusses / wireframes with defined member crossections. Just wondering if Solidworks is more suited for that.

Thanks

[gokart_guy]

Can Solidworks be used to model and analyze 3d truss or wireframe models? I have used Pro/E, it is pretty good for complex 3D solid models, but not that good for trusses / wireframes with defined member crossections. Just wondering if Solidworks is more suited for that.

Thanks

[Grant Mahler]

Yes Solidworks can be used to do what you are asking, as can many other programs.

The consensus is that there isn't a consensus. People prefer different modeling programs for different reasons, and for different functions.

If you want to read any of the many threads regarding this subject, the Find button is located at the top of the page.

[gokart_guy]

Thanks, I just know Pro/E is really nice for making solid models, but when it comes to making models where lines would go from point to point, like a truss, it is extremely tedious to draw every single element and figure out how it intersects the others, so I wanted to make sure solidworks was better for that sort of models, where the actulal element can be just a line. I've also used Ansys, and know it is much more suitable for that than Pro/E, so I wanted to find out how Solidworks compares to those 2 programs.

[ad]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by gokart_guy:
Thanks, I just know Pro/E is really nice for making solid models, but when it comes to making models where lines would go from point to point, like a truss, it is extremely tedious to draw every single element and figure out how it intersects the others, so I wanted to make sure solidworks was better for that sort of models, where the actulal element can be just a line. I've also used Ansys, and know it is much more suitable for that than Pro/E, so I wanted to find out how Solidworks compares to those 2 programs. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I use both quite regularly, however i have never used SW for a truss analysis.

ANSYS actually can handle line bodies with a specified cross section for the members. Its one of its strengths. It also allows you to re-orientate each cross section fairly easily.

For structural analysis i would go with ANSYS as it is a dedicated FEA program, but has specific handling for line bodies like you have suggested for trusses etc.

[gokart_guy]

Thanks, I know Ansys is really good for analyzing truss models, but right now I'm a little more pre-occupied with actually modeling the frame and getting the tube lengths and cut angles rather than the FEA analysis. Pro/E seems to be really tedious to use for that, I want to know if SW is better for that purpose, where I can just connect the nodes to each other instead of protruding each tube as a solid. It seems like a lot of people here are very happy with SW as far as I've seen.

[Marshall Grice]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">where I can just connect the nodes to each other instead of protruding each tube as a solid. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I'm no expert, but I believe SW is the same in that aspect.

[Grant Mahler]

I believe you can do a full frame model (node to node as you are asking) in Solidworks, and export as an IGES file into ANSYS. The tools are there, the question is how well they work (we only got a crippled version of ANSYS at our school).

[TG]

From what I remember, a solidworks rep was on here saying that they just added wireframe/truss analysis to COSMOS this year. I'm too lazy to search for it right now, but I'm sure you can.