×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Purchasing SolidWorks

Purchasing SolidWorks

Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
Background:
I'm a mechanical designer in the Middle East
Returing to US to finish BSME spec. in Mech. Des. Mat. & FEA for now.
I'm very familiar with Inventor Series. Advisor says SolidWorks is industry standard for true 3D.

Which package should I purchase?
How much does a license cost?

Thanks!

Jason

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

You should purchase SW.  You can buy a student editon for about $300.  You can recieve a free personal edition with a 30 day license or you could buy the full blown version which starts at $4995.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
rockguy, are you referring to the standard package? (The one below the Office Professional package.)

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

I've used both in various industries.  Assuming you will return to the Middle East, do you know which industry you intend to go into and which CAD package they use?

My personal preference is SolidWorks.  I've been using Autodesk products since the late 80's, but switched to SolidWorks a year or so ago.  It is more intuitive and is growing rapidly in popularity.  It is easier to learn if you are just starting out in 3-D.

Garland E. Borowski, PE

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
I should have specified a little more. I'm an American and do not plan on coming back here to Kuwait. I have a lot of experience with 3D, so I'm not just starting out. I am finishing my BSME specialized in F.E.A. Mechanical Design and Materials Science. I have been told by my advisor at the University that SolidWorks is the leading industry standard. I am going to go back to part time contract work when I finally settle in back in the US this August. Most companies in my area in the US are using SolidWorks & Pro-E.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

Go with SolidWorks.
Search this forum and you will read others experiences with both software. I personly do not like Autodesk products, my opinion.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

That price is for SW base package.  SW office Professional is the mid level package and runs around $5495.  SW Office Premium is the highest package and includes CosmosWorks FEA among other things.  I'm not sure what the Premium package goes for.  The SW website lists all the packages and what they include.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

I thought the base package with no add-ins was $4000?

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

Solidworks is in my opinion is the industry standard.  You will need a commerical seat of SWx if you plan to contract but student copies are nice to stay updated on functionality changes.  I'm curious what have you been doing in Kuwait?  US military or civillian contractor?

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 2.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NIVIDA Quadro FX 1400


Do you trust your intuition or go with the flow?

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
Heckler, I'm a DoD contractor supporting the US Forces in Kuwait and Iraq. I'm actually the Designer for Halliburton over here. I'm on the LOGCAP III & Operation Iraqi Freedom missions. I've saved enough money to continue my education as I've wanted to do since I graduated from NH Tech. College 2 years ago.

I do plan on doing contract work. Also, I have a plan to utilize SolidWorks for the rest of my stay over here. Right now I'm working on an up-armoring design for all tractor trailer trucks. It's a universal kit... SolidWorks would be very helpful now. I'm doing Everything with AutoCAD 2005. It's killing my laptop.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

SW Office Premium includes the routing add-in. When purchased separately, the routing add-in is almost the price of a SW Pro and it's not required for the majority of designs (that does not mean that its not useful for those who use it). So you should consider the alternative of purchasing SW base or SW pro with a separete lic of Cosmos Designer, instead of SW Premium (which includes Cosmos Designer).

Regards

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

If ACAD2005 if killing your laptop, so will SolidWorks.  You might want to search these forums for more information regarding laptops and SW.

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

How is it killing your laptop? memory? hardware?

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

I agree with macPT on SW, but would comment that NENastran seems to be pretty well linked to SolidWorks and may be more widely accepted than COSMOS because of the Nastran legacy.  If your going to purchase an FE package separately, you may want to ask on the FEA Forum (Forum727)about packages, but be prepared to get a lot of opinions (like mine!).  If you haven't done much FEA work, COSMOS may be the right choice because it and SW are owned by the same parent company.

Garland E. Borowski, PE

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

You might be right Jason.  I thought it was $4995 with the package and price changes but I could be wrong.  I guess it's safe to the price of base SW is between $4000 and $5000.  If you compare that price to full AutoCAD it's a bargin either way.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

I don't know what prices may have changed, When we bought it, Solidworks, base was $4000 and Solidworks Office was $5000. The maint was the same on both. Now the Office package is gone.

Compared to UG and Catia, it is a bargain. We are purchasing a UG bundle for a remote office here and it's around $18,000. That's for just Drafting, Modeling, & Assy.

Jason Capriotti
Smith & Nephew, Inc.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

Guys, maybe you should mention the anual SW subscription and the benefits of having it (or nightmares of not).

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

I can't imagine NOT having the subscription. Worth every dollar!

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
MadMango, I'm going to purchase a laptop. I'm using the company's laptop now.

ctopher, I'm using the company's laptop now. It's a Compaq Evo N610c w/512MB RAM - Pentium 4m 2.0GHz. When I work in 3D it's bogging it down.

Thanks for all the info. I'm checking it out.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
ctopher,
This computer can hold one gig max, but it's older, slower memory. The computer is tweaked for max performance and I'm trying to get another gig of RAM, but the requisition speed here is at a snail's pace.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

1 gig will work. An updated laptop will work great.

Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP1.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

Quote (MechElement):

I'm actually the Designer for Halliburton over here.

I have met a few Halliburton guys at SolidWorks World, so they are using SWx.  Maybe the home office could help you out?

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
MElam, I'm leaving the company, plus I'm on LOGCAP III... No SWx here.

UPDATE:
The sales rep. emailed me back with pricing details -
"Thanks for the information.  The pricing for the base SolidWorks is $3995, and subscription service is $1295 a year.  For SolidWorks Office Pro, the price is $5995, and $1495 for subscription service, and for SolidWorks Office Premium, the price is $7997, $1995 for sub service."

A bit more than I had expected for the Premium... What is this "yearly subscription service"?

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

The "yearly subscription service" gets you 'free' tech support through your VAR, access to some resources on the SWX website, and (most importantly) 'free' upgrades.

RE: Purchasing SolidWorks

(OP)
BTT...

I have received a lot of information on SWx now. The Premium Package is the only package with COSMOSWorks Designer. The Office Pro Package only has COSMOSXpress. The Standard Package doesn't have any COSMOS... Even COSMOSWorks Designer states it's for nonspecialists in FEA.

The reseller representative told me that SWx Standard Package won't run COSMOSWorks Designer, but I can purchase a standalone version of it for $3500 + $1000 subscription.

I like all functions and management the Office Pro has to offer...

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources