solid works v autocad 1

I've spend a lot of my life with AutoCAD, Mechanical Desktop and Solidworks. SW is my choice for physical models and assemblies but Acad is still the best sketcher when you have to solve a tricky 2D problem. SW2001 has a truly amazing sheetmetal package.

I agree with earnest. It really depends on the functionality that you require. DimensionalSolutions@Core.com
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Turk,

I agree with the others above. But to just let you know, I work with many different steels, channels, and tubing. We build Large finishing systems and just about everything we build here is welded. I use SW for anything including figuring my 2D problems. SW can be used for that just like AutoCAD can be.

(Earnest if your wondering how to do that just open a new sketch and try it.)

SW is very verstile, if you know what your doing and even if you don't, that's why these NG were created.

I even use SW to make different forms of graphics and logos.

If I were you I would give SW a good run and if you have any questions, post them here. I'm sure someone inculding, myself can help you find the answer. Everyone that I have ever spoke too that used to use AutoCAD, have decided that SW is the better way to go, and my have saved their careers or it started them on a new one. It has definitely changed my career for the better. To let you know I was doing Drafting for many years till I got some SW under my belt. Now I'm doing Research and Development for the company I work for now. Not bad for an Associates degree.

I hope this helps you, Scott Baugh, CSWP
George Koch Sons,LLC
Evansville, IN 47714
sjb@kochllc.com

If you are going to compare SolidWorks to AutoCAD, then SW is the better program, but that is like comparing apples to oranges. When one compares Autodesk's Inventor to SW, then one is comparing apples to apples. I have been trained on both Inventor and SW. I found that Inventor creates a much better presentation and was easier to manipulate the assemblies for exploded views, and animated assemblies, as well as creating line drawings quickly with beautiful line width control. The adaptive and collaborative design capabilities make it an excellent design tool that can take a product from concept to finished presentation. BTW, Inventor 5 is being released on September 17, and I am looking forward to getting even more and better features. FYI - I have worked in drafting, design and illustration for over 30 years and did drafting in the prehistoric days with Leroy lettering and ruling pens on mylar ;o)

I have used both SW & Autocad. SW for 1 yr & Autocad for 11 years. It's true, SW is much more robust & powerful for solid models, hands down. However, I have lisp routines for Autocad that will run circles around SW for detailing & sheet metal/machine part dwg updates. It's just ashame that SW isn't desgined for such routines. Everyone crosses the finish line, winners just find a better way to get there!

SolidWorks is built for automation, but it is much more difficult to get it done compared to lisp. I have completely automated several product lines in SolidWorks using VB. These take a heck of a lot longer to run as well. One of my old AutoCAD R12 programs used to create 22 completely detailed drawings in less than 2 minutes. The same drawings take about 25 minutes to generate now that we have to create parts and assemblies as well. Either way, it saves the designer about 54 hours of design time per run, making the 23 minute difference negligible.

Sorry! Looks like I totally missed the original question. DimensionalSolutions@Core.com
While I welcome e-mail messages, please post all thread activity in these forums for the benefit of all members.