SolidWorks At Home Hardware/Software Reccomendations?

[4mranch6]

Our son is taking SolidWorks 3D design and drafting classes in college and we would like to purchase software and hardware so he could practice and possibly work at home. We need suggestions for a computer/workstation to run it on and best version/modules of the software to load on it.

Our budget is not extravagant, but the funds are available to get a moderately priced set up for him.

I have used SolidWorks in the past on the job, but I have almost exclusively been a UG/NX user in my electro/mechanical designer career.

Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[JMirisola]

I would suggest checking out Charles Culp's recommendation in the SolidWorks forum:

https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/55131

Jeff Mirisola
Director of Engineering
M9 Defense
My Blog

 

[ctopher]

Check out the FAQs above.
Also, SolidWorks site

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion

 

[4mranch6]

That was very helpful, thanks for the link JMirisola.

I also went to the SolidWorks qoute page and need to know if we need both the License and Subscription to get the CAD package up and running?

 

[AnnaWood]

With your son in school you will be eligible for student/educational pricing. This is considerably less expensive then a commercial seat.

Cheers,





Anna Wood
SW2011 SP5, Windows 7 x64

http://www.renderbay.com

http://www.solidmuse.com

http://www.phxswug.com

 

[4mranch6]

I realize the student version would save some dollars, but I am looking at something that would last him beyond the school year.

Can anyone help with the requirements of License and Subscription definitions?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Prices are approximate;
Standard edition of SW is about USD4000 with annual Subscription Support being about $1000. That includes tech support, service packs (SPs) and new version.
Professional edition is about USD6000 with annual Subscription Support being about $1500.
Premium edition is about USD8000 with annual Subscription Support being about $2000.

[link]http://www.solidworks.com/sw/products/mechanical-design-software-matrix.htm[/url]

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Almost forgot to mention that it's best not to purchase a licence mid-way through a SP release cycle. If you decide to not renew subs' support, you will no longer have access to the later SPs.

 

[4mranch6]

How could one determine at what point in the SP release cycle it is at?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

There are usually 5 SPs spread fairly evenly throughout the year. SP5 is normally released at about the same time as the new version at SP0.

Talk with your local VAR for more detailed pricing and any special offers.
[link]http://www.solidworks.com/sw/purchase/varlocator.htm[/url]

 

[mjcole]

Does anyone know if the student edition still has a limited 1-2yr license or has that changed. I think a college student put Jeff Ray on the spot about why they shaft students like that. I got a student Pro/E license in 2002 and it still works today.

Although not recommended SolidWorks can run quite smoothly without Real View with a Gamer Card like NVidia GeForce. You should be able to find a decent Laptop or Workstation that will run SolidWorks. He may be able to grab a license from the Colleges Server so he can install solidworks on his machine and get the license over the web.

Michael

"It's not the size of the Forum that matters, It's the Quality of the Posts"

Michael Cole
Boston, MA
CSWP, CSWI, CSWTS
Follow me on !w¡#$%
@ TrajPar - @ mcSldWrx2008
= ProE = SolidWorks

 

[Cockroach]

Actually the full SolidWorks version with Finite Element is quite expensive. The first installation of SW2004 with COSMOS cost me $CDN 18,000. Thereafter, Technical Support is about $2640 and offered through a reseller out of Winnipeg. But just to clarify, the very first software installation is the big hit.

I would also like to add, very well worth it. Probably the best system on the market for the small and medium business end user, excellent support and website access, absolute pleasure to work with and well written from the engineering point of view. I've used Algor, ProE and Inventor, SolidWorks by far is the superior product. So you're choosing the right package for the future.

Regards,
Cockroach

 

[Updraft]

Any file created in a student version carries with it a watermark that cannot be removed. This is to prevent the student edition from being used for production purposes. What a lot of people do not know though is that any production version that uses a file created in or saved in a student edition will also show the watermark.

4mranch6, I think you will be best served by talking to a SolidWorks VAR as CorBlimeyLimey has said. If there is more than one VAR for your area it is in your best interest to talk with all of them.

- - -Updraft

 

[4mranch6]

I am aware of the responsibilities and ethical ramifications of the Student Version and was not goiing to go that direction.

The advice of speaking directly to a SolidWorks rep was good and that is what we will do, thanks everyone.

 

[mjcole]

Many companies will offer SolidWorks Premium for the cost of SolidWorks Standard ~$4995 the only catch is in order to get the premium version you have to pay the higher Renewal rate that is charged for the premium package. This will save you ~$5000 but you will pay $500 more dollars more for renewal than for standard version. If your son gets a co-op at a company that uses SolidWorks they may let him install a home version with their serial number. After he leaves a company they can prevent him from updating to a later version but the one he installed will be valid for the life of his machine as long as he doesn't try to upgrade to a later service pack after they kill off his machine from being allowed to update.

As other people have said you should wait till the end of the release cycle so you get the best latest version of the current product and can update to the next years release SP5.0 within the year.

"It's not the size of the Forum that matters, It's the Quality of the Posts"

Michael Cole
Boston, MA
CSWP, CSWI, CSWTS
Follow me on !w¡#$%
@ TrajPar - @ mcSldWrx2008
= ProE = SolidWorks

 

[ctopher]

SW student purchase

Chris
SolidWorks 11
ctopher's home
SolidWorks Legion