Autodesk Inventor/Vault v.s. Solidworks 2011/PDM 4

[sgwilliams]

Our company is in the process of deciding wether we will continue to use Autodesk Inventor with Autodesk Vault PDM or if we will move to a new system. We are a bearing manufacturer and generally do not have very complicated assemblies less than ten items per assembly. The only complicated assemblies we may have are our models for our inhouse automation (i.e. retrofitted robots to older machines, new manufacturing equipment and fixturing). We have used Autodesk Inventor since version 7 and have recently upgraded to 2011 which is a very nice package. What we did not expect from Autodesk is that they no longer offer the Vault for free. We was informed of this after we upgraded and migrated our vaulted files to the new version. We do have back ups but have minimized new file creating until we decide on what direction we are going to take with software. My question is what are the pros and cons for a comparable CAD package from Solidworks with a PDM that is comparable to the Autodesk Vault. ANy advice or help on this would be greatly appreciated. Maybe a good article that gives a good side by side comparison. Nothing beats advice from users who have had hands on experiance using both systems. Thanks!

 

[ctopher]

Since you have history with Autodesk, stay with them.
AD and SW are two different worlds, they both work good in their own ways.
If you are thinking of a switch to SW, look at the risk of updating/repairing your AD files.

Chris
SolidWorks 10 SP5.0
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[rollupswx]

Maybe a good article that gives a good side by side comparison.

My opinion is the two are essentially identical (especially for the work you desribe). I don't see a financial or functional advantage for you.
Users tend to become quite attached to what they know.
Talk to your users before making any changes.

 

[AnnaWood]

You do not get Workgroup PDM or Enterprise PDM for free with SolidWorks. You need to get at least SolidWorks Pro for each user to get Workgroup PDM. You will pay even more if you need Enterprise PDM.

Likely, SolidWorks will not be any less expensive. Also you will have considerable cost and disruption from learning a new CAD package.

SolidWorks also is in the middle of a major re-write and will be a very different CAD package in a year or two. I am guessing a 2013 release of what we in the CAD community are calling SolidWorks V6. Likely to be based on the Dassault Catia CGM kernal.

The big problem with the SolidWorks V6 re-write is no one has any good idea of what SolidWorks is going to release in the next year with the new version of SolidWorks. You may end up really PO'ed when SolidWorks V6 is released and is not what you bargained for. Way worse then you are now with Inventor.

I would stick with Inventor. The hidden costs of the switch will be much higher then you think. The uncertainty of the future SolidWorks V6 platform is to great.

Stick with what you know.....

Cheers,

Anna Wood
SW2011 SP4, Windows 7 x64

http://www.renderbay.com

http://www.solidmuse.com

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[KENAT]

Just a general comment, switching from one more or less adequate 3D CAD package to another more or less adequate 3D CAD package often incurs a lot more costs (hard and soft) than it does benefits.

There has to be a really good reason for switching, a vague notion of being more common with certain vendors/customers or moving to a more common platform ... often isn't an adequate reason.

I don't know what they charge for the PDM or how many licenses you'd need etc. but have trouble imagining you'd see any significant cost savings in anything like the short or even medium term.

Also, note what Anna says, if you were determined to change I'm not sure this is the best time.

(Disclaimer - I've only used SW a little and Autodesk not at all so the above are generalities based on efforts I've been involved with switching from Solid Edge to Pro E & SE to SW.)

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[sgwilliams]

Well since my posting our Management and Owner of our company had a long sit down and even tho our reseller did not fully disclose the new charges until after we committed, we decided stay with Autodesk and buy from a new reseller one who has full support for the products it sells. Our last one has been an issue in the past and we just decided to move forward, spend an additional 10k to get the full package for our engineering and production staff. Autodesk had given the Vault PDM software for free with Inventor subscription for quite a few years but have decided to start charging for it, which is their option they did develop it and put the time and effort into its cost and functionality. I think our relationship with the reseller was the main issue because they did not keep us informed of the upcoming licensing changes which greatly effects our projected cost for software for this year. Our company is growing very fast and these growing pains are bound too happen. Not only are we getting new software we are adding an additional section and a heat treating department to our manufacturing with a complete metallurgical lab to verify steel grain patterns for our new aerospace line of bearings. In the end we weighed many different options and what we finally decided on will benefit our company for at least another 5 years. The only issue we have with going the Autodesk way is that they do not offer an exit strategy for their product. So say if we decide to switch to Solidworks or Catia, but then again I don't know what CAD software does if any. In the end they have us short strings and we really do not have much of a choice for long term fix.

One other good thing that come out of this is we are getting a new server room and centrally locating all hardware in a cool halon protected room and have farmed out all IT aspects to the new reseller, not only do we no longer have to spend time doing IT work and new software upgrades we get more time to do engineering and lighten our load. I'm very happy with the final outcome.