3D software comparison.

[SO 3D SOLID CREW]

I currently work for a company that uses solidworks, but have heard through the grapevine that other 3D systems are being looked at (not sure why).
I have heard that UG NX or Solidedge may be something we look at.

I was hoping someone on here had used either solidworks and NX or solidworks and solidedge and could possibly fill me in as to what are the benefits / weaknesses of the system compared to each other are.

To fill you in on the areas I need comparing, I currently work for a company that designs and manufactures electric enclosures, so use the following types of functionality

3D Part / Assembly modelling
2D drawing creation
Sheetmetal
Surfacing (design a few organic type shapes that fit onto the enclosures)
A little bit of eletrical routing
A little bit of large assembly
Importing of other 3D and 2D cad formats
Data Management.

I actually really enjoy using solidworks, but though I would try and get a headstart on this as I now I will be given the job of sorting it all out (
Thanks for your time

PS sorry if this question has been asked before. I'm new on here

[g.white]

Hello,

I have used various CAD Systems including SolidEdge, ProE, Catia, Inventor as well as 2D software.

I see no reason at all to move to a new or different system. SolidWorks has everything you need and it would also mean a loss in productivity changing to a new system as every body will have to learn how to use it. Even afterwards it may turn out that the dicission to change was not really that good.

Try to find out more about the reasons for a possible change. You may well find that it is more a politicle issue within your company than anything else. It could be the price, perhaps some one has had a bad time with the support (which would surprise me very much). If you like Solid (like I do) then you may do well to fight to be able to keep it?

Kind regards,

George White.

[SO 3D SOLID CREW]

Thanks for the reply George.
Trying to get rational answers from my management regarding the idea of changing design software is like getting blood out of a stone.

Yea i have to agree if it aint broke dont try and fix it. I have used Pro/E Inventor Solidworks, and I worked for autodesk for a time as well as Product One (Pro/e). By far the best package for me is inventor, but I know that productivity is more important than prefrence in the industry and Solidwoks sheetmetal is by far one of the best that i have used. My recomendation is dont switch unless u are not getting the support that u need from the reseller. Hope this helps casue i have been in this industry almost 10yrs now and i am the senior desiner for a company called Kemix ( Kemix (Pty) Ltd : Home ) So hope this helps cheerz Byron

[kujirasan]

I trained and worked on both, superficially they may appear the same, but SOLID EDGE, if far more accurate and powerful than SOLIDWORKS, depending on what you do and the competency of your staff and budgeting it is up to the company to make the decision.
My experience; and speaking personally, was that SOLIDWORKS did not have the drafting capacity and capability of SOLID EDGE, and as wel, l it lacked Boolean!
SOLID EDGE has greater capability but going with that is a higher learning curve and a lousy
documentation etc! As well it integrates well with FEMAP ANSYS Mastercam and UG NX
CAM .
On the other hand the SW has its own cam(SOLID CAM) and FEA(COSMOS) etc, last year the German Company Siemens took the whole show over, so they may indulge in some eccentric changes a la Europeans .
I found SW lot easier to teach as well.

[fcsuper]

Originally Posted by kujirasan

I trained and worked on both, superficially they may he whole show over, so they may indulge in some eccentric changes a la Europeans .I found SW lot easier to teach as well.

Wait till next year or even 2010 to consider SE or NX. They will be going through some massive growing pangs due to a major change in their software that is coming down the pipeline.

With that said, anything they do will quickly be countered by Pro-E and SW and maybe Inventor (hehe), so it may become a moot point.

From what I've seen and hear, SE is better at surfacing, but SW is just easier to use.