Solidworks vs Inventor Speed 6

[curvyrace]

Two years ago, I posted a comment regarding how much better I thought Solidworks is over Inventor. That comment stirred up quite a few responses, as you can imagine. Two yars later, I am now fully convinced that Solidworks is the better package and I've finally convinced the owner of my company to consider switching. Before cutting the check though, I wanted to perform some head to head tests of the two packages. One of these tests revealed a huge performance difference between the two packages and I was wondering if anyone else has seen similar results.

I took an assembly of approximately 240 pcs that had all been created in Inventor. The assembly had about 100 iParts and other solids in it, that were, again, all created in Inventor. I launched Inventor 2012 and had it open this assembly. It took Inventor 4m51sec to open the file and be ready for editing.

I then opened Solidworks and asked it to open that same Inventor .iam assembly file and walked away. The next morning, I found that Solidworks had opened the assembly and created Solidworks copies of each component in the assembly. I then saved the newly created sldasm file and closed Solidworks. Finally, I launched Solidworks and asked it to open the sldasm file. Solidworks had the file open and ready to edit in 9 sec!

Has anyone else seen this same level of performance difference or was there a flaw in my testing procedure? I performed this same test using a smaller assembly and a single part, with similar results.

Cheers!

 

[MikeHalloran]

Now import the SW file into Inventor, save it, and open it.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[GRF]

Solidworks has a large assembly mode where it does not fully load all the compoents. You will see graphical representations of the parts but the first time you try to edit the part or open one from inside the assembly you will have to wait. They do this so assemblies open faster. Did you have this feature turned on and is there a similar setting in Inventor?

 

[rollupswx]

The fact that you can't recognize the flaws in your test and have to ask others leads me to the opinion that you don't have the required experience to be making such recommendations.

Not discounting the data.

 

[rollupswx]

BTW - you say you convinced your boss to "consider" the switch.
What happens if the boss brings in an Inventor Expert and blows holes through your "test"?
You will have forever lost credibility.
Make sure you are rock-solid in your data before mentioning this "test" to the boss.

 

[curvyrace]

Thanks Mike. That's an excellent idea and I'll give it a try.

 

[curvyrace]

Well, the test that Mike recommended is even more telling. Despite the fact that I was successful in translating from Inventor to Solidworks the largest assembly file we have in house on my first try with just a few mouse clicks, I could not get Inventor to translate even a single part back no matter what settings I used. I got a translation error report and empty part or assembly file every time. BTW, I have translated hundreds of STEP, IGES and SAT files so I do know a bit about how to do it successfully.

GRF, now that you mention that feature, I do remember that from my earlier Solidworks days. For the type of work we do though, we rarely edit parts while in the assembly environment, so I don't see a slow down in that area affecting us much. I don't know if Inventor has a similar feature and should investigate this further.

Thanks for all the great input!

 

[steinmini]

I made a much simpler test, SW2010 vs Inventor 2010 (bicycle rim). Created a simple drawing (profile) and made a revolved boss, then, created a plane, extruded cut for the tire valve, another plane, a sketch, extruded cut to make hole for a spoke, a circular pattern for the rest of the spoke holes, save and close, and reopen the file.
I repeated the same creating procedure in the Inventor, on the same machine (PC) and the time required to do it was about four or five times longer for the whole set of operations in Inventor. I can't recall the exact time needed, but it was more than enough to go to the CP and click "uninstall" (Inventor)

Since then, never had regrets or second thoughts about the subject. There are many things in SWX I'd change or details that I don't find to be the best possible way/solution from my personal point of view, but at the end, I always do the work at the end without getting nervous breakdowns.

http://www.storyofstuff.org/

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

One method to create a fairer test;
Save the IV assy to the ACIS/SAT format
Re-import to IV
Run the IV feature recognition function on all parts
Time the opening in IV.

I offer a money-back guarantee that SW is not 32 times faster than IV. If it was proven that SW was even twice as fast, SW would be shouting about it from every available 'rooftop'.

 

[kellnerp]

I then opened Solidworks and asked it to open that same Inventor .iam assembly file and walked away. The next morning, I found that Solidworks had opened the assembly and created Solidworks copies of each component in the assembly. I then saved the newly created sldasm file and closed Solidworks. Finally, I launched Solidworks and asked it to open the sldasm file. Solidworks had the file open and ready to edit in 9 sec!

Before you do that, run FeatureWorks on each part and create a feature tree for them in SWX. You are comparing a dumb solid approach to a feature based parametric model approach.


TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

http://www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport

Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

 

[curvyrace]

Thanks kellnerp, that is exactly what I did. When I had Solidworks import the Inventor assembly, I had it run Featureworks on each part it imported.

 

[rollupswx]

I could not get Inventor to translate even a single part back no matter what settings I used.

Opinion confirmed. You need training.

 

[kellnerp]

Did you also re-mate everything also?

What did SW assembly statistics tell you about the model? 5 minutes to open a 240 part assembly is a bit on the slow side depending on what hardware you are running it on. I take it both time you were loading off the local hard drive?

You might try modeling an assembly from scratch in both software using as similar technique as possible. I think that was already suggested.



TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

http://www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport

Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."

 

[curvyrace]

Thanks again kellnerp; another good point that I should have considered right away! I purposely put the Solidworks files on a local drive to keep it out of our released Inventor files on our server. Given the way that Inventor forces you to have all files within a Project to open without issues, it may be a bit tricky, but I will try moving the assembly over to my local drive and open it from there.

 

[rollupswx]

Given the way that Inventor forces you to have all files within a Project to open without issues, it may be a bit tricky...

Considered training? Ever hear of pack-and-go.
Basic file managment techniques should be a prerequisite for anyone using Inventor or SolidWorks or Creo or .....

 

[rollupswx]

I made a much simpler test, SW2010 vs Inventor 2010 (bicycle rim). ....I repeated the same creating procedure in the Inventor, ... and the time required to do it was about four or five times longer for the whole set of operations in Inventor.

Can you attach the sldprt and ipt files here?

 

[curvyrace]

Ok. rollupswx, I'd appreciate substantive, useful information concerning the topic I am seeking help with, instead of derogatory statements based on your assumptions of my skillset and training level.

Yes, I have heard of and used Pack and Go.

 

[rollupswx]

I have translated hundreds of STEP, IGES and SAT files so I do know a bit about how to do it successfully.

Those are neutral formats.

I don't see anywhere where you stated what version of SolidWorks you are using.
Post an example SWx file here that you couldn't open in Inventor 2012.
(surely you do realize SWx 2011 will not open a SWx 2012 file, and likewise SWx 2012 was released after Inventor 2012 and therefore you would need a SP1 to update status)

 

[rollupswx]

statements based on your assumptions of my skillset and training level.

The only information I have to go on are the very statements you have made here.

Post some CAD datasets that any and all can test.
Foundation of the scientific method.

 

[kellnerp]

[ignore][quote] statements based on your assumptions of my skillset and training level.[/ignore][b][ignore][/quote][/ignore][/b]

Make sure you close TGL tags per the instructions [link javascriptpenindex(450,450,'

http://www.tipmaster.com/includes/tgmlinfo.cfm?w=450&h=450',1)

]HERE[/url].

TOP
CSWP, BSSE

http://www.engtran.com

http://www.niswug.org

http://www.linkedin.com/in/engineeringtransport

Phenom IIx6 1100T = 8GB = FX1400 = XP64SP2 = SW2009SP3
"Node news is good news."