Inv 11 vs Solidworks 2007 28

[Randy1111]

3 years ago when I was last in a postition needing to evaluate and decide on a 3d cad package, the choice was quite easy. 3 years ago solidworks had the tools needed, and inventor was playing catch up. Now 3 years later I'm once again tasked with deciding, but the race seems a lot closer.

My company makes pulleys. The assemblies are small. A typical assembly may only have 8 parts. (adding bearings may bring this up to 50) The variety of sizes of each of those parts is almost endless. Each part we manufacture has almost infinite sizes. Each purchased part like bearings, is one of a hundred or so variations.

I like to automate as much as possible. Every style will be pre done as an assembly with all drawings. When a new job comes in we change every part parameter in an assembly, and have the already done drawing update. Clean it up, and print. (with solidworks this would be done with a design table at assembly level controlling a skeleton sketch and all parts drawn in contect and constrained to the skeleton)

Inventor used to lack configurations. Now it has them.
Soliworks used to lack drawing functions. Now it has them.
Solidworks still lacks good equations and global variables.
Inventor still lacks in some tools it has.

I guess both are able to do the job for me. Inventor has caught up quickly. Will it pass solidworks in the next few years?
Any comparasin I've read in the last couple months while researching has always been versions of a few years ago. Back when the biggest points were configurations and design tables. Now that distinction appears gone.

To anyone who is familiar with both in their current state, do you have any insight that might sway me one way or another?

How is autodesk vault compared to pdmworks?

Jarery


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Randy

 

[DeSimulacra]

"It is fun.
But, I feel it is mostly about opinions than facts.
I also feel some of the articles from the links are based on opinions.
So, my opinion ... I've seen/used both, I will continue to use SW over Autodesk. (except for Arch/Civil 2D dwgs)."

Ctopher probably the best, nearest "the" truth post yet. Star fer ya.

Mark

 

[xgrigorix]

This thread isn't locked yet?!?!

(-:

 

[dutch7777]

It's the only thing keeping this forum alive...

 

[ctopher]

Thanks Mark.
I just saw the SolidWorks 2007 rollout today. There are some new features that are very nice, especially with surfaces, animation, sheetmetal & photo realistic images.
Inventor has a lot of catching up to do.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[G1DESIGN]

If I had a dollar for every time inventor has sent an error report to autodesk in the past two days id be quite happy with my earnings.

Having used inventor since version 8 I was over the moon when they rolled iassemblies out problem is it doesnt quite work and I was hoping it would compete with configurations in solidworks

This was the only reason I held a hope out for inventor 11 but boy am I drained by the last two days of producing or trying to produce drawings with it which in a lot of companies is still what gets things made L.O.L

The inventor tech support guy came round and had a full blown argument with me that i was using the software wrong
and needed training

After showing him what i wanted to do he suggested a workaround for a problem that autodesk is advertising their product as capable of doing and that i had pointed out doesnt work as it should

PROE COULD DO easily
SOLIDWORKS COULD DO easily
CATIA COULD DO
UGS COULD DO

for crying out having used the above systems and proved it seemed quite plainly that i knew what i was doing and the Inventor software couldnt do what even the tech support guy was asking it to and work as advertised

i want to use model dimension in my drawings yes even from iparts autodesks solution copy the part drawing and alter it
you cant use model dimensions from an ipart factory part its a dumb solid


ive got to admit Autodesk does produce good drawings but the
problem for me was getting the models to a stage where i can do adrawing

after two days of pulling out hair being told im doing it wrong bytech support then proving the guy wrong till he cameup with a fix yes im BASHING INVENTOR

IM NO LONGER AN INVENTOR FAN the product drove me over the edge

 

[ctopher]

Would that be to ... SolidEdge?


Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[G1DESIGN]

no im not gonna beat on a product ive never used SE

 

[ctopher]

I know, I was kidding. I've used it a little. It's actually pretty good.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[DeSimulacra]

G1DESIGN, I HEAR YOUR PAIN “We thought about it for a long time. ... Endeavor to persevere,” Lone Watie says. “And when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union(insert Inventor for Union).”
I may offer my opinion a) Switch to latest - greatest - newest version ONLY when forced to. Wait for the patches. b) Don't use Inventors Content Center as they have it set up, instead create your part and "save-as" in your working directory.I do this even for bolted connections, because Inventor typically has problems with these type of parts (iparts, content parts...) Of course these may not be viaible options.
I am not a big fan of Inventor but since the company let me spec. my system I have had almost NO error messages, look at your hardware.
Best of all tell mgmt. that you need to get SW or Pro/E if you are doing complex parts/assy's. Both do a better job importing AutoCAD dwgs than Inventor anyway.

 

[cookieman]

here is a concise and accurate description of new features in Inventor 11:

http://www.gecadnet.ro/ufolder/docs...rch="autodesk inventor solidworks dwg import"

 

[ctopher]

cookieman, nice link. Thank you.
I can pick it apart, but won't.
It does have some nice features, but seeing it and SolidWorks, I prefer SW. I wouldn't mind having Inv at home.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[J-C]

Talk about marketing spin....I'll pick it apart...because someone needs to (And you IV users are welcome to pick apart any Solidworks marketing spin you find).

11 reasons IV is the best choice for Autocad:

1. Functional design:
The only thing listed here that Solidworks doesn't have is the Component Generator and some of the Engineering calculation tools. Tubing/Piping, Cable/Harness, Frame Generator, and FEA/Motion Solidworks has.

2. Drawing Creation:
Gee...they make it sound as if IV is the only program that Acad user can use. And its statement "Inventor has long been the best choice for our AutoCAD customers by leveraging a familiar look and feel with Layers" is laughable when they just recently added layers not too long ago. Solidworks has had them for years. The rest is pure marketing as Solidworks can create sectioned detailed Isometric views. And Solidworks can move or copy dimensions between views...always have. And IV is just adding Inspection dimensions and chamfer dimensions, another Solidworks option.

3. DWG Interoperability:
DWG import Wizard.....Solidworks has it....and it has the same options to pick layers, zoom, pan, etc. It incorrectly states that you have to use DwgEditor to import DWG files. The export face/sketch statement is true as you do have to create a drawing in Solidworks to export.

4. Feature Generator and 3d grips
The feature generator sounds like a bunch of pre-defined library features in Solidworks. You can even setup the "Length, Width, etc." The 3d grips sound cool....Solidworks has an often hidden tool called "Move/Size feature" which sounds similar....its an older tool and may be more limited though.

5. Supplier Content Center Can we say 3d Content Central? Its a good idea...thanks Solidworks!!!!

6. Familar tools for Autocad users Layers and Styles.....Solidworks has them, though they don't sound as extensive as the Inventor versions. I'd give this to IV if these features are important to you.

7. Photo-realistic Rendernig and Animation
Come on, I thought this was "reasons IV is better for Acad users"? Every cad program out there worth its salt has these features. Someone with experience in both Swx and IV want to chime in how Autodesk does this so much better for Acad users?

8. Bill of materials management
Ahh...what? Again...acting like no one but Autodesk brings you this ability. Everything listed here works the same in Solidworks and most other 3d cad programs.

9. Vault for cad management
I don't know enough about vault to comment. PDM/Works handles Autocad and Office documents which Autodesk lists as a Vault advantage.

10. Collaborate with dwf
Biggest advantage I see to dwf is the ability to include a group of file in one dwf file. One could easily counter that the person on the other end doesn't even need to install eDrawings to view it. And only the person publishing the file needs eDrawing Pro for the expanded capabilities of markup, moving, sectioning. And as for having it all in one file......zip works pretty good.

11. Autodesk Manufacturing community
Well...can't argue with the fact that Autodesk has the largest online community of Acad users.....duh!!! Solidworks has many of the same online resources and I think you'll find that its users are just as active with helping people....and many are Autocad users as well.
------


Anyway...pretty weak list....I can think of other things that Inventor does better that should have been listed as most of these weren't unique to Inventor.....and several aren't tools that Autocad users would know anything about anyway. Fact is, no matter which 3d cad program an Autocad user moves, he/she will have to forgot what they know about Autocad.


Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[ctopher]

Well said Gildashard. A star.
About Vault, it works very similar to PDMWorks.
Funny, the first paragraph of Inv says it is the best 3D software for ACAD users. Of course it is! Only hard core ACAD users would promote themselves to Inv. Users from other 3D CAD would not switch to Inv unless they had to, like a job change.
Inventor is a pretty good tool, but not my first choice.
Everyday I switch between ACAD and SolidWorks, ACAD makes my days seem longer.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[DeSimulacra]

Nice and without any emotion or hype!! Already gave a star, can't give another. Now does anyone want to take SW list of new features and compare to Inv?

Mark

 

[65Roses]

I think the statement by Autodesk that Inventor is best for ACAD users is because they realize they fell behind when Solidworks was promoting how easy it was for ACAD users to learn Solidworks in years past. Solidworks really went after getting ACAD users to switch from 2d to 3d. SW used phrases in their marketing like saying how this part of the software is like ACAD in this respect or that respect to help ease the transition.

 

[Areva]

I’ve seen & read similar articles from Autodesk. It’s all market b***sht and scare-mongering.

Reason # 2 Drawing Creation….
“At the end of the day almost all our users need to create some kind of drawing”. They fail to mention all their users can’t dimension an isometric view.

Eddy

 

[ctopher]

Users? ... you mean "CAD Operators"?


Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[rich942]

cookieman, I had not seen this document, it offers a lot of insight for those who have not yet experienced Inventor.

These features are at a level of sophistication far beyond the competition, and sketch-free modeling has been very popular here among engineers and new users. And we have found Vault to be a truly scalable PLM solution, even our non-CAD team members are using it to share and archive documents. Inventor is changing the way that we think about design, now the tool serves us, instead of the opposite.

As we transition to IV, even the former Pro/E users are coming around. The previous SW users are just delighted to keep a session open all day without crashing, and learning new techniques every day with all of that extra time !

 

[ctopher]

The previous SW users are just delighted to keep a session open all day without crashing, and learning new techniques every day with all of that extra time!

As I wrote before in various threads, it's not SolidWorks crashing, it's setup errors, hardware/software configurations and user error. If I was not capable of setting up my machine correctly and that made my SW crash all the time, I would be frustrated also ... and move on to something like Inv.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[J-C]

Rich...your Inventor experience is truly unique in the world of Inventor users. There are plenty of crashing and software horror stories abound.

And this document offers nothing to people who haven't experienced Inventor....there's no substance at all. I think you're a user but you sound like you're in sales and marketing....sure you don't work for a var or Autodesk?

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2