troyhm

Hi everyone

What is the best modelling/design software to use. I easily have the machine to run any of them and have collected the following.

Mastercam x
Solidworks 2005
Pro Engineer Wildfire 2
CATIA V5R15
Autocad 2006
Solidedge 17
Unigraphics nx2
Autocad Inventor
Alias Wavefront
Lightwave 8
3dstudio max

I was just after some opinion on which ones to learn

thanks

Troy

SoCal GliderGuider

All have steep learning curves.

Autocad and Rhino for 3D. Inventor is not bad for setting up linkages and servo locations.

Unless you plan on a career doing high end design drafting you don't need to bother with the other high end CAD programs.

However; others will favor the full 3D software. Useful for lofting complex fuse shapes and extracting sections.

Mastercam is used for CNC work. Are you planning any?

dr_wogz

My Feedback: (3)

Hmm, you have some might deep pockets if you have 'collected' them all ... legally..

As for which is best.. You might as well ask what religeon is best! it can get that heated.

They all (the "parametric modeller" packages) are about the same in function. Some have you do it one way, or do it another. Some use one or two mouse clicks, some have you wearing out the button! Some might have an extra feature that the others don't have. Some excell at linear stuff, while some make 'organic' shapes easily.. Remember, they are all just a 'glorified pen & paper' with some funky display / animation / visualisation tools and part / assembly analysis functions. You still need to know what you inted / want in the end.

I beleive, it ulitmately comes down to preference.

And yes, most of these are used by us 'professional' on a daily basis. There is a lot of power in this type of CAD package, and more than one can learn in a few nights, from a book. Hence why the added 'extra trainging' that is usally offered when you buy the package. It is easy to adopt bad bad habits!

And also, the art of drafting should be a basic pre-requisit.

sorry to be gruff... but that's my opinion.
(I've worked with budding engineers who think they are drafters, because they have taken an Autocad course..)

SoCal GliderGuider

Gruff???

I've worked with college gradtuates who think they are budding engineers!

Origins of the software aside; AutoCAD has the most third party and end user resources. It has a learnable base programming language -- LISP. Menus (and command structures) can be rewriten and can include macros of both the LISP and the menu programming language DIESEL. It's DWG and DXF files can be translated-imported by almost all other CAD programs. It's 3D is basic to moderate and is used by many as a base (wire frame) structure for further 3D development in Rhino and other 3D slanted CAD software.

Other high end CAD packages have extensive user bases too. I don't find them as user changeable though.

hypersoniq

wow, what a collection!

I have autoCAD 2004, which I am still at the beginning of the learning curve with (job I needed it for went overseas, I didn't :-( at least they paid for it... guess it was a parting gift? lol )

anyway, AutoCAD seems good as a program that you can grow into... up and running with basic stuff first then add the use of all of those buttons/commands as you learn them. I still haven't quite mastered the whole paper space/model space thing as it relates to printing what I want to print the first time... but it's getting better.

my current job recently got me another high-ticket program... Solidworks 2005... hopefully not another parting gift... I'm still on the sink in the tutorial... haven't scheduled a class in it yet... waiting for that!