bamatoolmaker
Silver Member
I personally use Mastercam and have been since the dos days.If you are looking for cheap modeling packages check out the free demos for Rhino or Bobcad
Having Fun With Solidworks
- Thread starter gizmo
- Start date
- Views: 9187
jmc
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2003
- Messages
- 3,072
- Location
- SW Indiana
- Tractor
- Ford 1920 4x4 (traded in on Kubota). Case 480F TLB w/4 in 1 bucket, 4x4. Gehl CTL60 tracked loader, Kubota L4330 GST
I just finished a Solidworks course at the vocational school and it seems like magic to me. I've been limping along with an old version of Cadkey for many years and didn't know what I was missing as far as how much Solidworks will do with just a short learning curve. Your forks look good.
John
John
Pooh_Bear
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2005
- Messages
- 763
- Tractor
- Early 1949 Ford 8N
I have been using AutoDesk Inventor 9 Pro.
I'm wondering if it does animation.
I love looking at parts in 3D but would like to animate them.
Pooh Bear
I'm wondering if it does animation.
I love looking at parts in 3D but would like to animate them.
Pooh Bear
Renze
Elite Member
Pooh bear 3 years ago i have drawn a Roots blower in inventor 5.3 as a graduation project at technical engineering school. I had the most ambitious project of the class, scored 8 out of 10 mostly for the concept and the animated introduction because the actual production drawings were crap.
Since then i've never used it again and stick to AutoCad, for hobby as well as professional use.
I work at a small company that didnt have production drawings at all.. the welder used to just make something that fits between the outer dimensions the customer ordered... They have more trouble getting used to detailed production drawings and saw lists, than i have to the change of industrial kitchens to truck trailers...
Anyways it is possible to render animations in SolidWorks. Cant tell you how to, i all forgot that...
Since then i've never used it again and stick to AutoCad, for hobby as well as professional use.
I work at a small company that didnt have production drawings at all.. the welder used to just make something that fits between the outer dimensions the customer ordered... They have more trouble getting used to detailed production drawings and saw lists, than i have to the change of industrial kitchens to truck trailers...
Anyways it is possible to render animations in SolidWorks. Cant tell you how to, i all forgot that...
jimmysisson
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2005
- Messages
- 2,358
- Location
- W.Mass
- Tractor
- 1993 NH 2120 (the best), 1974 MF 135 (sold, but solid), 1947 Farmall A (bought, sold, bought back, sold again), 1956 MH50 lbt (sold, in 1980, darn it)
Any of you guys ever try SketchUp? It looks real simple, works easy, and can draw up very complex objects. You actually build each part from scratch, from lines, curves, and solids. It shows shadows, so for a building ( my use for it) you can show a customer the shadow lines on (and in!) a building during a day, at different times of year.
You could model that dump mechanism, watch it dump in 3-D and stay in perspective too! 8 hours free use to hook you in, then $500. It's NOT mechanical engineering software, though, but you can model almost anything. Takes a bit of getting used to isolating one part of an object from another, as they naturally stick together and stretch together. Once past that, you're in good shape. Good help, tech support, and a very helpful forum that rivals this one in enthusiasm.
Jim
You could model that dump mechanism, watch it dump in 3-D and stay in perspective too! 8 hours free use to hook you in, then $500. It's NOT mechanical engineering software, though, but you can model almost anything. Takes a bit of getting used to isolating one part of an object from another, as they naturally stick together and stretch together. Once past that, you're in good shape. Good help, tech support, and a very helpful forum that rivals this one in enthusiasm.
Jim
stroker_ace
New member
After using Pro/E for more than 6 years and demoing most other 3-D packages, I would have to say that Pro/E is far more advanced in the complex surface modeling aspect. However, if you are not modeling complex objects, any of them will do. Solidworks is a lot easier to learn how to use than Pro/E. The Wildfire versions of Pro/E have become a lot more user friendly since they are now Windows compatible. The only difference I have found with the student version of Pro/E is that when you create a drawing and print it out, it writes "For Educational Use Only" several times across the page. Otherwise, it is a full blown version of the software.
jmc
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2003
- Messages
- 3,072
- Location
- SW Indiana
- Tractor
- Ford 1920 4x4 (traded in on Kubota). Case 480F TLB w/4 in 1 bucket, 4x4. Gehl CTL60 tracked loader, Kubota L4330 GST
mathey said:
I think you have to document that you are taking at least 6 credit hours at a vocational school, university, etc.
Turbys_1700
Elite Member
Another product very similiar to Solid Works is Solid Edge. I teach it along with AutoCad at the local community college. We also use NC AutoCode, Art Cam Pro 7.0, and Nester Wood in conjunction with our CNC routers.
We looked at Pro E but the cost of the software and the learning curve was prohibitive. We have 80 contact hours in a semester for our cad classes. Solid Edge allows us to get our students to a somewhat profecient level in that amount of time.
These parametric modlers are very powerful tools for design and manufacturing. FWIW, the educational yearly subscriiption to Edge is $1500 per year for 20 seats. AutoCad cost us $283 per seat per upgrade. We have 68 seats of AutoCad and 20 seats of Solid Edge.
We looked at Pro E but the cost of the software and the learning curve was prohibitive. We have 80 contact hours in a semester for our cad classes. Solid Edge allows us to get our students to a somewhat profecient level in that amount of time.
These parametric modlers are very powerful tools for design and manufacturing. FWIW, the educational yearly subscriiption to Edge is $1500 per year for 20 seats. AutoCad cost us $283 per seat per upgrade. We have 68 seats of AutoCad and 20 seats of Solid Edge.
Renze
Elite Member
I think 3D modelling is only usefull in the CNC manufacturing route. 3D models arent easier to read for the welder or fabricator.
Though, the X-steel program does have advantages in designing steel structures as it also generates good welding drawings, but personally i am not a fan of any 3D modelling program at all... With 2D like autocad, the drawer (me) can decide what to show and what not, how much detail should be shown on a single sheet etcetera. With 3d the drawing is too elaborated and it usually needs lots of paper because many details you dont even need, are on the drawing.
Though, the X-steel program does have advantages in designing steel structures as it also generates good welding drawings, but personally i am not a fan of any 3D modelling program at all... With 2D like autocad, the drawer (me) can decide what to show and what not, how much detail should be shown on a single sheet etcetera. With 3d the drawing is too elaborated and it usually needs lots of paper because many details you dont even need, are on the drawing.
