Solidworks student edition

Pete F · Apr 17, 2015

I'm currently using Autodesk Fusion 360 (poorly, as I don't come from a CAD background). I quite like it, and the support is excellent, but Solidworks is obviously the default CAD software in the industry.

It's sometimes suggested one way to get a seat with SW to sign up to a course, and as it happened I was just looking at some post-graduate courses where SW is a foundation subject. However being a university course, it doesn't come cheap, but that's the price of degrees these days. I'm not interested in doing a course elsewhere as this forms part of the post-grad degree.

My question is, what happens at the end of the year when the student licence expires? Does the software just stop working? I ask as Autodesk seem much more generous with their licensing, and IIRC the student licence is 3 years on their products. I think SW is one calendar year? No idea whether the computer then self-destructs or what happens

jakefreese · Apr 17, 2015

Pete F said:
I'm currently using Autodesk Fusion 360 (poorly, as I don't come from a CAD background). I quite like it, and the support is excellent, but Solidworks is obviously the default CAD software in the industry.

It's sometimes suggested one way to get a seat with SW to sign up to a course, and as it happened I was just looking at some post-graduate courses where SW is a foundation subject. However being a university course, it doesn't come cheap, but that's the price of degrees these days. I'm not interested in doing a course elsewhere as this forms part of the post-grad degree.

My question is, what happens at the end of the year when the student licence expires? Does the software just stop working? I ask as Autodesk seem much more generous with their licensing, and IIRC the student licence is 3 years on their products. I think SW is one calendar year? No idea whether the computer then self-destructs or what happens

It will just quit working and ask you for a registration key. Yes autodesk is much more generous with the student versions.

charlie gary · Apr 17, 2015

You are correct in that it only lasts one year. If you happen to be a veteran with a DD-214 you can get a student version for $20.00 a year, and then you just make up some stuff about a course completion date.

Pete F · Apr 17, 2015

Thanks guys, I'm not really interested in some bogus story about being a student if I no longer am, and I try to run legit. The reason for asking is that it made the whole course idea more attractive, even if I didn't finish it I should have a basic understanding of SW and a seat thrown in on the package. However if we both turn into pumpkins come 31 January then it's not as attractive.

FWIW I've found Autodesk really helpful and progressive, not just with Fusion, but with all their products. The licensing for Fusion is, literally, unbelievably generous and I wonder if one day it will change. Personally the moment it starts generating any income for me I won't be able to get my wallet out fast enough to repay them for the faith. I appreciate Fusion isn't in the same category as SW, but neither am I!!!

alexhawker · Apr 17, 2015

Pete F said:
Thanks guys, I'm not really interested in some bogus story about being a student if I no longer am, and I try to run legit. The reason for asking is that it made the whole course idea more attractive, even if I didn't finish it I should have a basic understanding of SW and a seat thrown in on the package. However if we both turn into pumpkins come 31 January then it's not as attractive.

FWIW I've found Autodesk really helpful and progressive, not just with Fusion, but with all their products. The licensing for Fusion is, literally, unbelievably generous and I wonder if one day it will change. Personally the moment it starts generating any income for me I won't be able to get my wallet out fast enough to repay them for the faith. I appreciate Fusion isn't in the same category as SW, but neither am I!!!

Check out onshape. It's browser based cad and very similar to solidworks, at least in the basics.

Pete F · Apr 18, 2015

alexhawker said:
Check out onshape. It's browser based cad and very similar to solidworks, at least in the basics.

Thanks I had a look at that, though I thought it was a bit of a stretch to say it was similar to SW. Onshape looks like a very basic browser based CAD program but I haven't obviously used it. I actually like the fact that Fusion isn't completely cloud based as I sometimes use it when I don't have reliable internet access, or internet access at all. I could see how Autodesk could possibly extend the browser to do basic editing too, and that would be nice. While I don't yet use the CAM functions of Fusion, and slice using external apps, the CAM side of things is something I will be getting in to shortly once I'm setup for CNC milling. For the moment I'm still taking baby steps!

alexhawker · Apr 18, 2015

It's definitely very basic, but growing in functionality slowly. I meant mainly that the interface is very similar to SW, but I definitely agree with your points.

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