What are the 2D capabilities of SWX 2004? 8

[Motophile]

We are an extrusion company looking to upgrade our current CAD system (AutoCAD 2000/MDT4). At this point it comes down to Solidworks 2004 or the Inventor Series. We have extrusion profile drawings that are 100% 2D (and will NEVER need to be 3D). We draw the cross section of the extrusion, dimension it, and BOOM a production drawing is created.

My question is this...what are the 2D capabilities of SWX 2004? Not drawing generation, but straight, 100%, 2D drawing capabilities? With the Inventor series, AutoCAD 2004 is included, so that's easy to answer, but if I had to draw a 2D shape and dimension it in SWX, how easy is it? and are there polyline capabilities in SWX, as we would also need the area of the 2D shape.

Please help! I'd like to have SWX in here, but it's an uphill battle at this point.

thanks,
moto

 

[SBaugh]

Well Motophile if 2D is what you want then why don't you stay with AutoCAD?

The reason you have to extrude the sketch is to make it a 3D model. The reason you want to make it a 3D model is mostly because that's the way we think. I don't sit around and think how I want to design a 2D part. I think of it in 3D, but when I need a 2D drawing that's no problem because I can take my 3D model that's in my mind and spin it to make my 2D drawing to fit. SW role is to make this process easier. In SW you build your idea in 3D and you can draft it in 2D. What doesn't make sense here? Why don't you find this to be easier and faster?

I'm sorry, but I understand this logic really well and it makes alot of sense to me (always has since college). So I have a hard time understanding your logic when you ask "why do I need to extrude a sketch?" but I never used AutoCAD (thank god) I did use Computer Vision and it was mainly a 2D tool. But I still thought and designed in 3D whether or not I was working on a 2D tool. I could only build my design in 2D because of the tool with a combination of 2D lines, arcs and thought, which took twice a long. SW makes sense to me and fits my needs to a tee. If you don't think 3D, then I guess you should stay with ACAD. But you would be the first person I have ever met that thinks in that way. - No Offence.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[MadMango]

I have a good reason for wanting 3D over a simple 2D profile... you can't run FEA on a 2D profile. Something like this would be a great benefit to your customers that are wanting you to design custom extrusions.

Ray Reynolds
"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."
Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[macduff]

I agree with Scott 110%. 3D is the way to go and also has many benefits that 2D designers don't realize.

1. Calculated weights on a new design...(No Problem)
2. 2D drawings......(it's a snap)
3. exporting 3D part models for machining.........
(great,programing is easy)
4. New design configuration from the exsisting model....
(about a 10 min job)

 

[macduff]

Sorry, I locked up on my reply to this thread and didn't finish what I was saying.

Anyway......

I consider myself as a old "war bird" in the aerospace field (15+ years) and spent time detailing on drawing boards, detailing and designing on CATIA (yuck!) and can't believe where this CAD technology is going! It's wonderful!
Every time I use to log into CATIA I saw a 3D axis system and told myself I will never be able to design in 3D. I WAS WRONG! Now I say to myself, how did I ever draw in 2D! All in all, change is hard for everyone, but you have to give it a shot! If you and your company don't change the way you do things, you'll be out of business before you know it from guys like me.

Getting back to the main topic....
I did beta testing on Inventor R6 and SW2003 and would choose SW2003 over Inventor. There was a huge problem bringing legacy 2D data from MDT/Autocad over to Inventor but not the case in Solidworks. So beware...

Regards,

Colin

 

[Motophile]

OK, first off, thanks for all of the comments. I read my original post, and I was very vague. As I said in a later post, I understand how parametric modeling, 2D drawing creation and the whole 3D design works.

macPT - I think you've got it. The 2 drafters are exclusively 2D. We are looking to upgrade all of our CAD software and ,as I was told, "we may go with the Inventor series, because AutoCAD is included, even if Solidworks may be the better software". So basically, the engineers get no say because this decision is centered around the needs of the 2D'ers. How screwed up is that?!? THAT is why I asked about the 2D capabilities of SWX.

SBaugh - I appreciate the tutorial, and I do understand it. However, I appologize for being naive in regards to Solidworks, next time I will know the answer before I ask the question.

MadMango - Unfortunately, we don't "design" the extrusions, that's more legal trouble than it's worth.

Please let this thread go, I can plainly see it's caused a lot of heartache. Anyway, thanks for all of your help.

 

[MechEng13]

Motophile,

I would not say heartache. Most of the people I have met using 3d softwares become very passionate about one or the other for their own reasons. I myself would love to be able to be working with SWKS again...but at this point that is not in the equaiton. So I am doing everything I can to learn as much about IV as I can.

Which ever way you go, for what your company does, IV and SWX should be able to do your designs. Your job will be to become the most proficient user of the tool that you are supplied by your company. Whether it be SWX or IV. Both are capable softwares with their own sets of problems. Both have your top gun users that spend time on the Forums, here and other places...utilize this knowledge and when you increase yours remember the help you got and be willing to help other newbies.

3D modeling programs are tools...but the users become passionate about them.

Use the tools you have to the best of your abilities.



Alan M. Etzkorn
Product Engineer
Nixon Tool Co.

http://www.nixontool.com

 

[SBaugh]

Motophile,

One last thing before we drop it...

"we may go with the Inventor series, because AutoCAD is included, even if Solidworks may be the better software".

You might inform them that Inventor doesn't bring in DWG's nearly as well as SW does. IMO it's more of a ploy to get you to use IV because after all it is made by the same company. Unfortunatly IV doesn't bring DWG's in that well (at least the information that I have been seeing lately) You should or they should (2D'ers) fully test both packages before they buy you or give you some crap software to use. I'll bet you that IV won't bring in DWG better than SW will. I'll also bet that SW will out run IV as well, in both 2D and 3D. I know you menitoned that "Better software" above. But this IV and AutoCAD thing IMO is a ploy to bring users like you in to the dark side . To be sure you don't get screwed in the long run... test them out and compare that's the only logical answer.

the better software will prevail.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ctopher]

I apologize, I did not mean to be rude. I was just trying to make the point that if your not going to go 3D, you might as well stay with ACAD or go with pencil/paper.
Good luck with whatever route you take.

 

[JNR]

One last shot. I started out in CAD in december 1979 - FULLY 3D. My first CAD job was I a complex mechanism (kind of a double over-center toggle four bar link with central bell crank - and everything was on compound angles!!) and some complex surface cuts and offsets. It was the horizontal stabilizer seal mechanisms on the Boeing 757. Then I wrote some programs to optimize and cylce it. So if anyone is Mr. 3D it's me. I have never really used 2D systems very much. However there are uses for flat drafting. Old style 3D systems with wire frame, maybe surface and not such good associative multi view drafting could do good 2D drafting. Modern ones do not seem to because the emphasis in solid modellers is different. But say for sake of arguement our friend here only needed the extrusion profile for catalogs and determining the die profile. Why would he then necessarily need to do anything in 3D? After all the extrusions he makes are arbitrary length - could even be considered pretty much infinite it length - and so have no real 3D model per-se - so not much need there. I can see the arguement here, even though for the other purposes I do believe the 3D would in fact be better for him. My point is that there are still 2D applications.

I was - and he did. So at least I didn't get coal.....
OK, OK, It's a reference to my holiday sig. "Be naughty - Save Santa a trip..."

 

[macPT]

Hello Mr.3D! Agree with you 100%.

Regards