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What the big guys use?

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solidmecman

solidmecman

Mechanical
Dec 7, 2005
54
I did a search in the forum and found a couple of threads from a few years ago talking about how Boeing using Catia, etc. I was wondering if any of this has changed with the latest versions of Solidworks. I was always curious as to what the big guys like Boeing, Airbus, all the big car companies, Nasa, our government, etc. uses for their engineering departments. I was watching a discover channel show about a month back where they were showing the building of the new Airbus A380 plane and there were some seens of the engineers working on their computers with a 3d model of the actual plane but I couldn't tell what software they were using, in any event, those have got to be some HUGE assembly files.
 
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I have done work with about 4-5 fortune 500 companies (Gillette, Proctor & Gamble, Boeing), and they either use Catia (pretty preminant in aircraft industry), or Unigraphics. Since Solidworks is fairly new in regards to Catia and UG, i think thats why they use them because they were the only thing available. I know that some of them are starting to move to Solidworks due to its ever growing use.

Mike Puckett
Los Angeles/Orange County
Solidworks User Group
 
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They seem to often use CATIA or other full PLM packages. It is also common for companies to developed in house packages if they need them. SolidWorks is not used for this kind of thing because it does not have fully featured PLM control and it is not robust enough to deal with such complex referencing in general.
 
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The big guys are using the likes of Pro-E and SDRC Ideas, and those companies catered to them. In slips SW and pulled the rug out from under them. Most large corporations have seats of solidworks, but may not use it as the core system. I find it similar to the Mac era when Macs hung onto life due to the extensive use in the publishing world. If you've ever seen a Pro-E demo vs. a Solidworks demo you probably know the history. I've used both SDRC and Solidworks starting back in 89 switching to SW in 96, it's definately matured over the years.

John
 
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I remember back in the early 90's when Pro/e was the new kid on the block.....I saw a reluctance to spending thousands of dollars transfering data. It was very expensive for a small company to buy a 3D MCAD design tool because they ran on UNIX based workstations which cost $25K-$50K plus the cost of software. It wasn't until the mid 90's that PTC ported Pro/e to Windows NT. Oh, times have changed thanks to SWx and Solid Edge which have put a strong hold onto PTC's customer base.

Here are the details how I know them:

Boeing aircraft(includes Phantom Works MAC-Douglas) - CATIA
Boeing Space Systems (formely Hughs Space & Comm) - Pro/e
Raytheon - Pro/e
Lockheed Martin (Skunk Works) - CATIA & some Pro/e
Lockheed Martin Missile Systems - SDRC Ideas & some Pro/e


Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." - Henry Ford




 
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Boeing- CATIA, UG, AutoCAD, some SolidWorks.

Chris
Systems Analyst
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
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very interesting, I wonder if the big guys will one day use Solidworks for their core systems.... it just seems that solidworks is so much easier to use than the others, but I am not sure of what features sw is missing over the others..
 
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solidmecman said:
I wonder if the big guys will one day use Solidworks for their core systems....
Click to expand...

I doubt it. There are some things SolidWorks isn't even close to doing as well as CATIA and UG, especially w.r.t. complex surface building. Styled surfaces and surfaces that dependend on mathematic qualities (like airfoils and nozzles) would still be better off in UG.
 
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I think that what will most likely happen, is that the translation tools between SW and CATIA may become better, allowing for smaller companies to work with the big boys. My example here is, as a boeing supplier, being contractually required to deliver in CATIA. You get CATIA, as already stated, for the PLM ability, not so much for the actual down and dirty part modeling tools.

Yes, solidworks, seems easier to use, but it is much harder to customize. This is what imho seems to make SW easier to use... because so much goes on "behind the scenes".

But since they are both owned by DS, then hopefully they will eventually integrate them better.

But who knows... people have talked about this for a couple of years now...

Wes C.
------------------------------
When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions...
 
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solidmecman said:
I wonder if the big guys will one day use Solidworks for their core systems....
Click to expand...

The cost of transfering legacy data is out of this world. Let along maintaining two high systems for a decade until the transfer is completed. I was involved in some data transfer between CADDAM and SDRC Ideas....It was a costly venture. I have a friend that did a contract with Freightliner for this very thing. They were transfering from CATIA 4 to CATIA 5 and from what I hear was a huge project that affected every department in the organization.


Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

"Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." - Henry Ford




 
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solidmecman,
The Airbus A380 is done on Catia.
 
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okay so I guess both Boeing and Airbus use Catia, interesting, aerospace is what has always interested me the greatest. I wonder if there is big money/big demand for 3d engineers in aerospace companies.
 
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I wonder what people use for castings and forgings that have complex contours. Our castings were drawn years ago by draftsmen who were pretty handy with a french curve and circle templates, plus the pattern maker might have done some blending to make it all fit together. Converting that into a solid model has been very difficult with the operations allowed by Solidworks. I also can't imagine how a shape like a car body could be done with Solidworks.
 
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These days, Engineers must know 3D design for aerospace. In general...If you can't grasp the 3D modelling concept, aerospace engineering is not your field. CATIA is the big software for aerospace and automotive.

Chris
Systems Analyst
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
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and do you think all these big engineering places use 3dconnexion controllers? I was debating whether to get a SpaceBall 5000 or the the SpaceTraveler, can't make up my mind yet..
 
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a few do. Try them both, it's your decision.

Chris
Systems Analyst
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
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EngJW,

You said: "Our castings were drawn years ago by draftsmen who were pretty handy with a french curve and circle templates, plus the pattern maker might have done some blending to make it all fit together. Converting that into a solid model has been very difficult with the operations allowed by Solidworks."

Do you know how to utilize the surfacing commands in solidworks to create geometry? Check out these sites...

 
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I heard Chrysler, BMW & Mercedes are also using CATIA. Plus I know for sure Pratt & Whitney is using CATIA.
 
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Might add - Canadair is using CATIA, so is Bell Helicopter (at least in Mirabel - Montreal)

I think Rolls-Royce is (was ??) using CADDS5
 
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From what I have seen so far with new CATIA and future, looks like CAT and SW will have more similarities. Also, possibly become one software in the future...one high end and one lower end.
I can see both capturing all engineering with the exception of Arch, that is where ADesk has the market.

Chris
Systems Analyst
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
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