CAD - CAE - CAM Integration and Formats

[MMarquevicz]

Hello! I'm new at this forum, and came here to ask for a help...

My boss needs a software that operate design, simulation and the provides control of the whole process...
We were discussing about Dassault and their products or Siemens, but there is one big problem: The enterprise
already have SolidWorks license, and don't wanna change it.

I'm making some research, but it's hard to find which softwares can open (with no or little loss) SW files.

(the most important integration is CAD <=> CAE and CAD <=> CAM)

At last, can you inform me about the common formats used in these softwares?

Thank you for the help!
Mauricio Marquevicz

 

[JMirisola]

Most 3D CAD software can save out generic file formats (*.iges, *.sat, *.step) that can then be opened by other CAD software, and CAE/CAM software. With SolidWorks, when you open a generic file format it will be featureless but editable to some extent. I suspect that the same holds true when going from SolidWorks to another CAD package. The geometry will be there, but not necessarily the features that were used to create the geometry.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWE
My Blog

 

[ctopher]

I don't fully understand the question.
Why not continue with SolidWorks and use the CAM/CAE software addons?

Chris, CSWA
SolidWorks 14
SolidWorks Legion

 

[MMarquevicz]

Hello and thanks for the help!!

Thanks JMirisola! I'll add this information in my report.


ctopher:
Hmm, it's because de addons in SW don't have good performance in simulation of mechanical behavior of composites
and can't configure the lay-up stage (as CAM software).

If the addons were as good as catia addons or FiberSIM, from Siemens, i really would indicate SW CAE/CAM (because the whole
enterprise works with it)

 

[TheTick]

It depends greatly on what type of design you do and what field you are in. If you are in automotive or aerospace, moving to UG/NX or CATIA might be prudent. Otherwise, you are likely paying for capability you just don't need.

 

[SBaugh]

In a previous job of mine they used Nastran for a CAE software in conjunction with SW, and Simulation. Solidworks was used to create all the files and they used Nastran to do the high end simulations. As far as I know they exported an STL file to Nastran. The results had little to no data loss on the translation. They also used Enterprise as their PLM. So bascially everything was Solidworks software, except for the high end Nastran software.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.superATV.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[MMarquevicz]

TheThick, we need to stay in SolidWorks as CAD, but yes, the field we work is Aerospace.
So, as you say, it will be better:
(for CAE) ==> NX or Abaqus/Simulia or Ansys
(for CAM) ==> NX or Delmia

I've read in many forums about the power of Abaqus and Ansys. But as I need a software that has an app to composite simulations,
i was thinking about NX (as Fibersim) or CATIA.


Thank you all! Really enjoy the forum and the discussions on it

 

[loki3000]

check neiworks, it's nei nastran with a solidworks interface (just as simulation)

 

[DrBwts]

I use SW to generate geometry then export to Abaqus for any FEA needed.

Abaqus will allow you to work with composite materials.

Dassault now own both SW & Abaqus, so I would expect more integration in the future.