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How Has SWks Helped We Users?

After 40 years of 2D drawings & then 2D CAD, 3D CAD has changed the way I work. 3D doesn't necessarily mean fewer "documents", nor does it solve "design problems", or stop "faulty concepts".

My top 5 most valuable features brought by SolidWorks 3D are:

  1. Easy product versions, mass properties and changes in evaluating new concepts
  2. Mating part constraints, ,measurements and interference checking
  3. Sections anywhere, anytime in std views or blowups
  4. Auto 2D views (if and when needed, which is less and less)
  5. Trivially easy product brochure images for parts and assemblies

Lots of complaining has ocurred in the SWks newsgroup in a few threads recently, but I don't buy that unresolved issues would ever lead me to abandon SWks or stop upgrading. The benefits are too great.

My 5 most valuable features are not detail related and indeed are not exclusive to SolidWorks. SolidWorks just happens to be far easier to learn than other 3D packages I tried.

What has been most valuable to you? I expect I might find things or uses I didn't know exist.

Bo

Reply to
Bo
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Bo,

I agree, and I've used most of the 3D packages out there (except Inventor and SE)

I just wish they'd stop looking over their shoulder and get their act together.

All of your points are good ones, but my favorite is CAM. I haven't programmed a part from a paper drawing in so long, I can't even remember.

Regards

Mark

Reply to
MM

Bo, no one is running down the benefits of 3D CAD however that doesn't mean that there are no reasonable stds to be reached or that SW will always be the bees knees. Just this last week I was embarrassed and let down by the software when I was showing a potential client some accurate concepts and SW crashed 3 times in different ways while trying to give them a screen capture to take away.....print window bam!...ok, save as tiff bam! ...ok, save as jpeg bam! this is 04sp5 by the way....ended up using PrtScn and using MS photo editor to crop it after they had gone.. :o( ...did that create a good impression on them ? highly unlikely...(its a realview/texture problem BTW) Absolutely I will stop 'upgrading' because it just doesn't make sense to me to sponsor what ends up being software that is only ever mostly finished or rebroken.The best thing I can do is to stop wasting time administering Spanish sp and trying to keep track of new problems. I suspect that the more work you do as an independent the more attuned to these deficiencies you become.I am sure that Paul S.will be the first to tell you that he needs no nonsense tools that deliver or his wallet directly suffers. Would I abandon SW? you bet and any CAD company out there committed to delivering things that work well is in the running.

Reply to
neil

Daniel, yes sad tale..unfortunately they just arrived at my house-I work from home-when I was in the middle of using SW....I actually wasn't about to demonstrate using SW to them...I just opened the concept parts, rotated/zoomed a bit while talking about them and then tried to get a print....never experienced CTD like that before or even thought that it could be an issue... I suppose there is a lesson there but honestly if you have to hide SW from people because you are afraid of a crash or a bug surfacing then that has to say something about what you and I have ended up putting up with as normal.

I will install an 'early warning system' and push the sleep button at the first sign of a client in the future ....may also be useful for Jehovah's Witnesses too....bless them. ;o)

Reply to
neil

You've been whining about this for 4 years, just fricking get on with it already!

Reply to
Freedom Elz

no I haven't sir, only been here about 2, get your facts sorted.

Reply to
neil

Yes, client early warning detectors are important to install around the house. Big dogs work well, but well placed ball-bearings work even better. ;-)

Reply to
daniel

Okay, it only seems like 4 years, feel better?

Reply to
Freedom Elz

just fine thanks BTW you the same Freedom Elz who posts 'colourful' opinion about Canadian politics and ice hockey?

Reply to
neil

What are you planning on switching to?

Reply to
Freedom Elz

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