CAD Software: Solidworks vs Inventor vs Others

[BMH]

We are currently contemplating on changing from Soldiworks to Inventor since Inventor is a whole lot easier for team members to obtain, as well as a couple other advantages.

I know there was a topic a while back comparing SW and Inventor but that was from 2007 I believe. CAD packages have changed quite a bit since then.

So which solid modeling software does your team use, and what are your thoughts on the two CAD packages in terms of advantages, disadvantages, etc.?

[BMH]

We are currently contemplating on changing from Soldiworks to Inventor since Inventor is a whole lot easier for team members to obtain, as well as a couple other advantages.

I know there was a topic a while back comparing SW and Inventor but that was from 2007 I believe. CAD packages have changed quite a bit since then.

So which solid modeling software does your team use, and what are your thoughts on the two CAD packages in terms of advantages, disadvantages, etc.?

[Spetsnazos]

I'm pretty certain that you can get free solidworks for your whole FSAE team if you contact the solidworks staff...

I'm not a fan of the sketch system for Inventor but overall I think they're identical just different GUI.

Inventor vs SW comparison is like comparing a Toyota to a Honda. Same thing, small differences...

in b4 fanboys of either SW or Inventor.

[Silente]

I have used both.

In my opinion solid works has something more overall.

Inventor is very good for libraries and for pure mechanich design, but it's a lot heavier, has a bad way to manage certain things (like space frame chassis) and have no chance to model surfaces.

[RobbyObby]

We are currently pondering this debate as well. As Spetsnazos mentioned you can obtain free copies of Solidworks through the competition, but the entire (almost) Autodesk suite is also free to download for students as well.
Solidworks is IMHO much better suited for this competition. Inventor has many more features and components for the true professional designer, but for what we are trying to accomplish, its a bit overwhelming. The interface is also a tad confusing and the help and tutorials just dont stack up to what Solidworks has got going. Solidworks is far more intuitive to the beginning learner (takes less than a month to become proficient IMO) and there's an entire youtube channel dedicated to Formula SAE tutorials.
And as Silente pointed out, the 3D sketch environment in Inventor is a cluster. As a chassis and frame guy, I easily spend 75% of my time working with 3D sketches, and Solidworks just cant be beat.
The only downside with Solidworks is that you only get 1 disc for everyone to install it from, instead of downloading it like Inventor, and its easy to misplace the install discs. Also Solidworks doesnt like handling large assembly files very well.

[BMH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by RobbyObby:
The only downside with Solidworks is that you only get 1 disc for everyone to install it from, instead of downloading it like Inventor, and its easy to misplace the install discs. Also Solidworks doesnt like handling large assembly files very well. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The two points you mentioned are the main motivation we have in considering Inventor. We know we can get Solidworks for free, but its kind of a hassle having to apply every year, wait for it to come in, and then share the 1 disc among all the team members. I really like the system that Autodesk has set up. Other reasons are that all the engineering computer labs have Inventor, and that is what is taught in the CAD classes.

[BMH]

Haha, after trying to do a 3D sketch in Inventor, I was saying F THAT to myself! Robby is right, Solidworks cant be beat when it comes to 3D sketches for spaceframes...unless there is a trick that I am not aware of.

[ZAMR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Silente:
I have used both.

In my opinion solid works has something more overall.

Inventor is very good for libraries and for pure mechanich design, but it's a lot heavier, has a bad way to manage certain things (like space frame chassis) and have no chance to model surfaces. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think you've used Inventor lately.

Inventor now has built in 1D frame analysis which makes it super-easy to predict the properties of and iterate frame designs very quickly. This saves a lot of time in the initial design.

Modeling surfaces in Inventor requires a little bit of "tough love." Once you figure out how the patching functions work, creating body surfaces using complex 3D splines makes for very sexy curves. Much better than the blocky and awkward-lofty nose cones of most FSAE cars.

Inventor now has a downloadable plugin for freeform modeling via Alias studio. However I still prefer the "mechanical" design of the spline-patch method.

[ZAMR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BMH:
Haha, after trying to do a 3D sketch in Inventor, I was saying F THAT to myself! Robby is right, Solidworks cant be beat when it comes to 3D sketches for spaceframes...unless there is a trick that I am not aware of. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You have to specify positions in space with XYZ coordinates sometimes rather than pointing and clicking. What I like to do is to define my 2D parts in a 2D sketch(front bulkhead and main hoop must be planar) and build the 3d sketch off of that.

You can also import a set of points from excel if you like and play connect the dots. This is beneficial when you have points from your kinematics software.

[ZAMR]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BMH:
Haha, after trying to do a 3D sketch in Inventor, I was saying F THAT to myself! Robby is right, Solidworks cant be beat when it comes to 3D sketches for spaceframes...unless there is a trick that I am not aware of. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You have to specify positions in space with XYZ coordinates sometimes rather than pointing and clicking. What I like to do is to define my 2D parts in a 2D sketch(front bulkhead and main hoop must be planar) and build the 3d sketch off of that.

You can also import a set of points from excel if you like and play connect the dots just like SW. This is beneficial when you have points from your kinematics software.