Unfortunately moving to SolidWorks 1

[Jezovuk]

Hello!

I was a ProE user at first and than changed to NX UG and was really pleased with that software. I think NX is unique and irreplaceable and i'm sad for having to change to SW at work.
So, i have a few questions.

1. Is SW more similar to ProE or NX?

2. In NX one have a posibility to directly insert a cylinder or a box for example, move it around and apply Boolean operation to objects. Does SW have similar function or u have to do all with sketch?

3. Above-mentioned function lets you to make "virtual" assembly (assembly without real constrains) and that is very helpful. Does SW have similar function?

Thank You

 

[Walterke]

If this is how you used NX I'm glad you're changing to something else

NX 7.5.5.4 with Teamcenter 8 on win7 64
Intel Xeon @3.2GHz
8GB RAM
Nvidia Quadro 2000

 

[Jezovuk]

What do You mean?

It is much easier to me to model each component of an assemly in the same part, then export each component and latter do "real" assembly.

 

[Walterke]

Until you (or even worse, someone else) have/has to make a revision.

NX 7.5.5.4 with Teamcenter 8 on win7 64
Intel Xeon @3.2GHz
8GB RAM
Nvidia Quadro 2000

 

[Xwheelguy]

I don't see an issue with top-down modeling - it's one of the concepts built into the Assemblies module. Probably just depends on the product scenario. Can't say I'd use exporting as my way of creating a component though.

You'd probably get more feedback on SW in a SW forum rather than asking a bunch of NX users, who may or may not have used SW.

Tim Flater
NX Designer
NX 7.5.4.4 MP8
WinXP Pro x64 SP2
Intel Xeon 2.53 GHz 6GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro 4000 2GB

 

[Jezovuk]

I asked in SW forum first but no one aswered yet. I guess they are not active as NX users.

So, to summarize, when it comes to TOP-DOWN modeling, as many othed things, NX is unmatched.

 

[looslib]

What reason is your company giving for switching from NX to SW? You have already paid for the NX licenses.

What product market are you in? Some markets lend themselves to one CAD system over others.

I used UG/NX for over 20 years through NX4 and have been using Pro/E for 10 years. At one company, I also had SW and CATIA and had to manage those installs as well as over 200 Pro/E seats.



"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[Xwheelguy]

I wouldn't say NX is unmatched by any means - I did a Google search for "solidworks top-down assemblies" and it appears SW 2013 supports top-down modeling. I'd read through this to get a feel for what to expect:

http://help.solidworks.com/2013/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_introduction_toplevel_topic.htm

Tim Flater
NX Designer
NX 7.5.4.4 MP8
WinXP Pro x64 SP2
Intel Xeon 2.53 GHz 6GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro 4000 2GB

 

[aluminum2]

I haven't used SW since 2009, but that version did support top down modeling/assemblies. It was also easier to use, more stable, and had more features than NX as far as solid modeling.

 

[Jezovuk]

My current company is new when it comes to 3D modeling, we used just AutoCad so far.
In last few months we were in process of decision making which software to use.
My voice definitely goes to NX, but company managment have other arguments.
Namely, NX is about four to five times more expensive than SW and is no profitable for small company with 5 seats.
Also, in my country, there is alomost no support and training courses for NX.

 

[eex23]

Jezovuk: where are you from?

 

[Jezovuk]

The Balkans
I am from Serbia.

 

[Xwheelguy]

My feelings have always been what level of modeling you're going to be doing - in addition to any data management. If you're not going to be creating or working with huge assemblies with hundreds of components and no advanced surfacing (curvature continuity or higher, Class A surfaces) or complicated machining, then the midrange softwares might be more in line with what you need. In other words, don't use a sledgehammer to crack open a walnut.

Tim Flater
NX Designer
NX 7.5.4.4 MP8
WinXP Pro x64 SP2
Intel Xeon 2.53 GHz 6GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro 4000 2GB

 

[capnhook]

....or "Don't use a microscalpel to open a can of worms..."

Proud Member of the Reality-Based Community..

[green]To the Toolmaker, your nice little cartoon drawing of your glass looks cool, but your solid model sucks. Do you want me to fix it, or are you going to take all week to get it back to me so I can get some work done?[/green]

 

[aluminum2]

If you consider SW to be a mid range program, then are you saying NX is a low grade system. Solidworks beat unigraphics to the use of constraints, assemblies, attributes, synchronis modeling and probably more. One reason NX has these features now is because their larger clients pushed them to be more like SW and Catia.

 

[JohnRBaker]

For the record, UG/NX has supported Assembly Modeling (in it's current multi-file, referenced, architecture) since 1992, Attributes since 1983 and the DIRECT EDITING of solid models (AKA, Synchronous Modeling, which BTW was developed and patented by Siemens PLM Software and therefore is NOT available in SW) since 2000.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[topgun101]

Here here John.
I have had around 5 or 6 different SW users here at our company at various times. Every single one of them has come round to say that NX beats SW hands down at true functionallity. Granted that SW interface may be a beautiful thing.... BUT beauty is only skin deep.

TonyC

 

[Dejan0707]

I worked for years in ProE, and than shifted to NX, at first I was very unsatisfied with this but gradually I get to understand that every software has its own value and it is not bad to know how to use several of them.

​

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi Jezovuk,
I respond to you to your question :
1) Similar to both, because both are similar
2) Yes with reuse object
3) Yes
4) Top-down is born with SW in 1995
For machine industry, SolidWorks is the top.

Thank you...

Using NX 8 and TC9.1

 

[Jezovuk]

Thanks Cubalibre00
Hvala Dejane!

So far the transition is not painful, but i will stick to NX in some future personal bussines and try to improve my skills.