My company are threatening to move me up from Autocad LT 2005 onto th
latest version of Solidworks 3D.
I have seen it but not had a chance to play with it yet, has anyon here got experiences of making this transition from 2D to 3D ?
It will initially involve going on a five day intensive course to ge up and running, followed a few weeks later by another five days to d the sheet metal and advanced training etc.
It certainly looks to be the biz, what do you think ?
I've used AutoCAD for years, mostly 3D stuff (ie, not LT), although I do a fair amount of 2D sketching as well. I found SolidWorks a little difficult to get into at first - it's basically the same 3D paradigm (draw a 2D shape and extrude it to make a 3D shape), but the approach differs, and there are some sophisiticated features that go further than AutoCAD does.
I'm currently doing the SolidWorks Essentials training course, which covers
3D modelling, making assemblies, and producing fabrication drawings. Six day course, split into three two-day sessions. Last session is next week. The course has been really good for me - I've gone from swearing at SolidWorks to feeling that I'm pretty-much convinced that SolidWorks is the way to go for mechanical engineering stuff.
Key strong points for me are the easier way to 'edit' 3D solids after they've been extruded/cut/etc, and the fun factor in being able to make assemblies that can be animated (far less hassle than writing VB code to control objects in the AutoCAD universe). For rapid sketching (scratchpad stuff), I'm currently still using AutoCAD, and I suspect it still has the edge in the construction industry.
If you can think in 3D, SolidWorks is well worth learning - it does lots of engineering stuff much better than out-of-the-box AutoCAD. If the only CAD you've ever done is 2D, then stand by for a treat - there's nothing quite like having your idea on-screen in 3D, waiting for a mouse-wiggle to rotate it before your very eyes.
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