Considering a move to SolidWorks?

pak · Nov 18, 2011

I am currently using Alibre Expert w/basic CAM ( I think it's Visual Mill lobotomized) and SprutCAM Pro. I am considering moving to SolidWorks for my CAD work. I do a combination of 2 ½ D, 3D and 4th axis work – mostly mechanical assemblies, but some asymmetrical shapes as well. See attached models and photos of the finished product - except the last one.

Can anyone tell me what I will lose or gain from this move, besides the money? I’ve seen the demos on the SolidWorks site and have gone through the introductory training on Solid Professor. They just don’t go far enough in sorting through the functions and features for me to make an informed decision.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Regards,

Drew

Pics to follow

behindpropellers · Nov 18, 2011

pak said:
I am currently using Alibre Expert w/basic CAM ( I think it's Visual Mill lobotomized) and SprutCAM Pro. I am considering moving to SolidWorks for my CAD work. I do a combination of 2 ½ D, 3D and 4th axis work – mostly mechanical assemblies, but some asymmetrical shapes as well. See attached.

Can anyone tell me what I will lose or gain from this move, besides the money? I’ve seen the demos on the SolidWorks site and have gone through the introductory training on Solid Professor. They just don’t go far enough in sorting through the functions and features for me to make an informed decision.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Regards,

Drew

Pics to follow

Pak,

The biggest hurdle for you will be revision control if you do not jump to the next level of solidworks. Archiving and keeping track of parts that all fit together can be tough without a PDM solution. If your parts are not referenced to each other...not a problem. Once you start revising and editing different revisions it can become cumbersome.

Tim

len_1962 · Nov 18, 2011

behindpropellers said:
Pak,

The biggest hurdle for you will be revision control if you do not jump to the next level of solidworks. Archiving and keeping track of parts that all fit together can be tough without a PDM solution. If your parts are not referenced to each other...not a problem. Once you start revising and editing different revisions it can become cumbersome.

Tim

sorry Tim but you really don't need PDM for 80% of the users out there, so don't scare him off.

Drew,

you will scream throught the tutorials because you have been doing solid modeling.

what you need to do is alot simpler in SW than Alibre..... I have used SW since 97 and teach it....the right way....as a machinist\wood worker\10 yr old would understand. sketching is the most important part, make good fully defind sketches and you've concord most of the problems people run into.

you won't be sorry that you ddi switch and the $4 to 5.5k you spent is a drop in the bucket on the time saved ... it just works easier...promise!

micro · Nov 23, 2011

pak said:
I am currently using Alibre Expert w/basic CAM ( I think it's Visual Mill lobotomized) and SprutCAM Pro. I am considering moving to SolidWorks for my CAD work. I do a combination of 2 ½ D, 3D and 4th axis work – mostly mechanical assemblies, but some asymmetrical shapes as well. See attached models and photos of the finished product - except the last one.

Can anyone tell me what I will lose or gain from this move, besides the money? I’ve seen the demos on the SolidWorks site and have gone through the introductory training on Solid Professor. They just don’t go far enough in sorting through the functions and features for me to make an informed decision.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Regards,

Drew

Pics to follow

How much surfacing do you do (CAD surfacing not CAM surfacing)? If most of you parts are based on solid features (extrudes, revolves, lofts etc), Solidworks won't offer that much more functionality. It's when you get into surface tools that Solidworks is much more advanced. That said, before you make the jump to Solidworks, get and try the free 45 day demo of Solid Edge. Solid Edge Online Trial: Siemens PLM Software I regularly work with assemblies with 300+ part counts, and am becoming increasingly frustrated with the instability or Solidworks for large-ish assemblies.

P.S.
Nice Renders

Kev h · Nov 23, 2011

How does SE compare to SW price wise?

(Both beyond me but just outta interest

)

Cheers Kev :cheers:

micro · Nov 23, 2011

Kev h said:
How does SE compare to SW price wise?

(Both beyond me but just outta interest )

Cheers Kev

Feature for feature about the same.

len_1962 · Nov 23, 2011

things you should look at are:

1)what are your customers and venders using?
because it is easier to send or use native file types

2) does your CAM take the native files without translation?
makes changes easier along with file management

3) try 3 or 4 differnt types of solid modelers to see what works for you.
there are now 2 types out there, history based and direct, aka push pull

4) Direct modelers available: SpaceClam, SolidEdge ST4, Coecreator, Creo(ProE) and I believe Inventor has gone this way or has a version.

5) History based modelers: SW, SE (Not ST), NX (aka UG), Catia, Alibre, Inventor

they all work some better some not, but that is the subjective view of the user...so try and you decide

pak · Nov 27, 2011

micro said:
I regularly work with assemblies with 300+ part counts, and am becoming increasingly frustrated with the instability or Solidworks for large-ish assemblies.

P.S.
Nice Renders

Micro,

This is my issue with Alibre. I have a problem when I make multiple changes to large assemblies. It's very unstable. And when I export very complex parts to SprutCAM, it has a problem creating proper tool paths. If I design the part from scratch without the changes or in a simplified fashion, SprutCAM has no problem and does everything I need it to do. From what I can tell, it is how Alibre exports, not how SprutCAM imports.

I don't do a lot of surfacing. It's mostly as you say - extrudes, revolves and lofts. I will take a look at SolidEdge to see how I like it. Thank you for taking the time to respond. And bye the way, I use KeyShot 2 for my renders. From the reviews that I have read, it beats the SW render software hands down - especially in time to render. Apparently they have figured out how to render faster and with more pixel density that SW. As you can see, the renders look better than the finished projects. I hate when that happens.

Thanks to all.

Respectfully,

Drew

freeflyer · Nov 28, 2011

SW switch

I made the switch from Alibre expert to SW this year. I ended up with HSMWorks as my cam solution. Both changes have been worth the time to learn new software.

From my view now, I should have started with SW.

my 2c.

Michael

len_1962 · Nov 28, 2011

freeflyer said:
I made the switch from Alibre expert to SW this year. I ended up with HSMWorks as my cam solution. Both changes have been worth the time to learn new software.

From my view now, I should have started with SW.

my 2c.

Michael

AMEN BROTHER!!! your making more than 2cents know since the switch, Huh!

behindpropellers · Nov 28, 2011

len_1962 said:
sorry Tim but you really don't need PDM for 80% of the users out there, so don't scare him off.

I would guess that 95% of solidworks users use some form of PDM solution. I don't see how you can design and maintain an assembly economically without it.

Micro,

Please list your computer specs and solidworks version for the crashes with 300 parts in an assy.

Tim

len_1962 · Nov 28, 2011

behindpropellers said:
I would guess that 95% of solidworks users use some form of PDM solution. I don't see how you can design and maintain an assembly economically without it.

Micro,

Please list your computer specs and solidworks version for the crashes with 300 parts in an assy.

Tim

Tim

I was being generous at 80% for PDM, think about all the machine shops, sheet metal houses, mold makers where half the guys barely can run a computer let alone understand associative parametric modeling. and how many 1 to 3 person engineering firms are out there that don't need it because they've built their own way of dealing with files and REV control.
So that brings the average down, just like an open inf the 7th frame of bowling......200 game now is 170 ish!

Worked for the SW VAR for 3 yrs and tring to get the IT departments or managers to impliment PDM was a tough sell even if they got PDM with SW prem.

lenny

csharp · Nov 28, 2011

freeflyer said:
I made the switch from Alibre expert to SW this year. I ended up with HSMWorks as my cam solution. Both changes have been worth the time to learn new software.

From my view now, I should have started with SW.

my 2c.

Michael

Same here made the change to SW from Alibre Expert back at alibre 11.2
Best thing I ever did from a software standpoint. Worth every penny. Customers also use SW and send me native files.

Changed to HSMWorks this year and WOW! One of the best integration packages in my opinion. Hardly can tell the difference between SW and HSMWorks.

pak · Nov 28, 2011

I am meeting with a SW rep and software "engineer" tomorrow at 10:00. What should I be asking them. Sorry for the last minute post, but I just found out. Thanks.

Drew

El Mustachio · Nov 28, 2011

pak said:
I am meeting with a SW rep and software "engineer" tomorrow at 10:00. What should I be asking them. Sorry for the last minute post, but I just found out. Thanks.

Drew

Support, Support, Support. I've been with SW for over 10 years now and have been with 3 different VAR's (dealers). SW is a great tool but the whole thing really hinges on support in my experience. You should be asking one big question... "How long will it take me to get a real tech on the phone when I need help?"

I moved my support contract to my current VAR a couple years ago. My original VAR had been bought out by a larger one and the tech support dropped off to nothing right away. I couldn't get a tech on the phone and was rarely called back. There's nothing set in stone that you have to stick with a particular VAR, so I changed. My new VAR is spot on, I call and am on the phone with a tech in less than a minute.

So again, ask about their commitment to support. Are any of their techs CSWP certified? Do they offer training regularly in your area? Do they support a local SW User Group? Things like that.

pak · Nov 28, 2011

El Mustachio said:
Support, Support, Support.

It sounds like real estate - "Location, Location, Location" or writing - "Edit, Edit, Edit". Thank you for that!!! I will attack that with vigor.

Regards,

Drew

Mud · Nov 28, 2011

Ask if they do online seminars, for training, updates, etc. I find a 2 hour session every month or 2 very valuable. Saves time and driving, and allows you to digest training in small bites.

John Welden · Nov 28, 2011

Could PDM suck less please? I can search the entire Internet on .01 seconds but PDM sits there like its 1995. Pathetic. Interface sucks shit too.

len_1962 · Nov 29, 2011

John Welden said:
Could PDM suck less please? I can search the entire Internet on .01 seconds but PDM sits there like its 1995. Pathetic. Interface sucks shit too.

John your used too 1995 we use Surfcam :cheers:

John Welden · Nov 29, 2011

len_1962 said:
John your used too 1995 we use Surfcam

Len,

I'm so tired of surfcam. They keep adding features that .01% of users use instead of say, being able to delete more than one tool path at a time in the operations manager. Or say, select multiple operations and move them as a group? No, can't have that, but hey, the mask feature is greatly expanded! How many users were asking for more masking options? One? I did get them to add the feature where you can use check boxes next to the operations so you don't have to move crap around if you only want to post some of the ops. Wow fancy!

What a dog turd.

Considering a move to SolidWorks?

Cast Iron

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