Other CAD

[gdahll]

This is off topic, but this forum is very active ..Why are the Ashlar products not used in industry much and no one has started a forum for them here? I believe Scaled Composites -the Burt Rutan/ Richard Branson venture- is the highest profile user of the Ashlar products. Suppose the same could be asked of IronCAD.

 

[ctopher]

Ashlar is a good product, it's just not as popular. They can start their own forum here if they wish.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 04-21-07)

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

"Why are the Ashlar products not used in industry much"
Lack of marketing by Ashlar.

"and no one has started a forum for them here?"
Because they are not used in industry much.

 

[dgowans]

"And why has Ashlar not done much marketing?"
Because no one has started a forum here.

Nah, not really. I just wanted to see if I could make anyone's head spin.........

 

[Metalfixer]

Ashalr has a forum, but will not accept any new members, it's been that way for a long time. I guess if you purchase their software, or request a special dispensation for being a non-user, you can participate.

http://www.ashlar.com/sections/community/forum/Elements_Forum_Frame.html

 

[EngJW]

Maybe they are a sponsor? If 90% of the world were to use Solidworks, Rutan would find a reason to use something else, or invent his own.

 

[J-C]

Didn't Burt Rutans group use SolidWorks for SpaceShip One with some Catia for the outside surfaces? He was even at the 2006 SolidWorks world giving a presentation.

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[CMorehead]

Since Ironcad was mentioned I wondered if anyone has seen this and if they feel Solidworks can do the same thing as easily. The TriBall thingy looks pretty cool to me.

http://www.magnacad.com/Bulletins/dfm.swf

 

[gdahll]

We do have an IronCAD user who needs conversion to SW, but I do see it from his viewpoint; it is really slick and he can model VERY quickly with it.

What piqued my interest is Ashlar develops for the Mac.. maybe NX is the only other. What, with Vista about to be jammed down (or up) our collective (fill in the blank) it’s good to be aware of possible alternatives. But what business would run Mac hardware? None?

gdahll
SW 2007 SP2.2

 

[rrohret]

I worked for an engineering company that used the Ashlar 2-d software because it was so easy to train people to use. It was very easy to use and we even ran it on Macs. Compatibility with other software - Autocad became the issue. When we wanted to send a drawing to a customer they would inevitably want it to be in ACAD. The conversion to acad would require redoing all of the dimensions because the fonts would not translate at all. I am sure that it has gotten better (PDF and other file exchange systems would have solved many issues) but there is always risk in conversions. I believe some company's make changes to frustrate their competitors. Also, the Macs were not impervious to the blue-screen of death. They were as flaky or worse than any of the Windows XP machines that replaced them. The Ashlar method is great for quick training and ease of use. In being that way, some of the power for some applications is lost. Autolisp function, while cruder, gave the autocad user so much automation power that it easily outdid Ashlar's Weak Macros. This is from 6-7 years ago so much may have changed..