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SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008
11

SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

(OP)
People please help.

I've got a very attractive suggestion from Inventor. Currently I'm working with SW2007 (basic edition) and I must do my decision to continue to SW2008 (professional) or to switch to Inventor 2008 (professional). I'm starting a new project anyway, so i don't care about the parts, I've built in SW. In my design I have to perform a lot of static and dynamic simulations, my assembly has about 600-800 unique parts and many parts are from standard libraries (fasteners, bearings etc.)
Please help me with decision

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Suggest you ask this question on the SolidWorks and the Inventor Internet News Groups.  And watch the fur fly.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Advanced Robotics & Automation Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

(OP)
StefanHamminga, thank you. I did this search, but the comparisons I've founded were for older versions or for other kind of requirements to the program. I started a trial period (30 days) of Inventor and it seems that this program have much greater possibilities in analysis field and designer assistance (design accelerator, parts libraries and so on). Am I right?

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

(OP)
What is "SolidWorks and the Inventor Internet News Groups"? do you have a link to it?

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

DimaC1974,
I suggest you talk to your SolidWorks VAR. The improvements that SolidWorks has done in '08 are numerous. There's also 3DContent Central, which has thousands of parts, there's DimXpert, which will auto dimension your parts to ASME Y14 standards. There's a ton of designer assistance in '08, not the least of which is Instant 3D.
As for analysis, again talk to your VAR. I think you'll be duly impressed with all the COSMOS has to offer.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog
Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Actually, SW2008 is pretty new, most comparisons of non-beta users are more comparisons between learning curves than actual optimal program usage...

As a beta user, I found one important area of improvement: flexible subassemblies... they are faster and better working in 2008. But I have not compared to inventor...

Stefan Hamminga
EngIT Solutions
CSWP/Mechanical designer
Searching Eng-Tips forums

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Dima,
If you have been using SW and have parts already created, there will be a learning curve and possible problems with parts importing into Inv. A switch like that may hurt your company, or not. Also depends on how many users you have. Personally, I would stay with SW in your case.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Stefan's first post here also had the link.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 4.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

My experiance on this subject is as follows. I used SW2000 up to SW2007. It has problems but I got on with it OK. Moved Jobs and started on Inventor 2008. The programs come from totally differant starting blocks and this shows in the fundamental approach to working with it. It has been much more difficult to get to grips with than I thought it would. There are a lot of issues that I have with Inventor where Autodesk try to dictate to me the way I work. SW I found much more flexible in approach to working practises.
I feel that SW despite its problems is further along than Inventor and that Inventor will need to do some radical reorganisation if it wants to move forward.
Generally then just be sure you can live with the way it works and organises your work

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

I think the best way to make this decision is to do a demo of both software packages.  I'd like to see some fur fly on this boring Monday morning.....

Heckler   americanflag
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

This post contains no political overtones or undertones for that matter and in no way represents the poster's political agenda.

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

"I've got a very attractive suggestion from Inventor."

What does this mean? Did you get a good offer to switch software?

Are you considering the cost to actually make this switch (i.e. lost time, training, and implementation)?

Is Inventor really going to make you more productive?

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

2
You also have to consider why the Inventor people are making such "a very attractive suggestion". Is it because nobody really wants it? Weren't they giving it away with an ACAD upgrade a while ago?

cheers

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

I've heard of them giving it away free or nearly free.

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2008 SP0.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Quote:

I've heard of them giving it away free or nearly free.

you get what you pay for.

-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

DimaC1974 ... If you ask this question at forum790: Autodesk: Inventor I'm guessing you will get a completely different set of answers ... but nowhere nearly as quickly as here. They are quite a slow bunch over there. poke

That's probably because they are too busy trying to get the job done, whereas with SW we've got it done and are looking for something else to keep us amused and looking busy. rofl

Seriously though, the only one who can fully answer your question is you and whoever else is testing the softwares with your company's products and admin systems. All the main modelling packages are able to model almost anything that's needed. All use different approaches and methods. You have to determine which one best suits your company's products and way of working?

cheers

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

(OP)
You are absolutely right, I've posted this question on both forums at the same time, but there people are sleeping, zero answers.

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

He posted it in the Mechanical Destop forums.....its definitely dead there.

Jason

SolidWorks 2007 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2008 SP0.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

(OP)
Yes, I didn't see it, I'll try there

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

2
My seat of SW must pay for itself--bottom line.  In fact, it cannot be a source of hindering my design, either (often CAD gets in the way).  If you purchase a CAD license (whatever flavor), you're purchasing much more than a year's worth of work with that license--it's a commitment for a long term.

Just think--maybe only .5 hours of difference in performance per day between one type of CAD and another.  No big deal, right?  Add that up over a year's time.  How about over five years?  I think you just saw not only how CAD can pay for itself, but how one type can pay well beyond, while another can significantly drag into your productivity ($$$).

Suddenly the price of the CAD license itself is totally diminished next to the cost of operating that flavor of CAD over a period of five years or even one year.  Sometimes you get what you pay for and sometimes you don't even get that.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Good point Jeff, that's the bottom line productivity.  But if you're face to face with a sales person that would be perceived productivity.

Heckler   americanflag
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

This post contains no political overtones or undertones for that matter and in no way represents the poster's political agenda.

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Imagine multiplying this whole factor many times to cover each employee in a company.

I overheard a conversation last night  (cool gig at ESPN Zone in Denver put on by MCAD--my new VAR) in which a guy said he knew of a company that must have lost something like $700K by investing in the wrong CAD package (happened to be ProE).  Add up the amount of time to train each user to use the new software, plus salaries during that time, plus the fact that no production is being done during that time, plus the possibility that training wasn't quite sufficient for all the users to become truly productive, plus failing to meet existing project deadlines as a result, plus, plus, plus.  This guy said he thinks this single decision was one of the key factors to the downfall of a company.  Compare that to the price tag of the CAD package.  Yikes.

Jeff Mowry
www.industrialdesignhaus.com
Reason trumps all.  And awe transcends reason.

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

(OP)
Hi to everybody.

I agree with all your arguments, but may be I didn't explain my self clear enough in my question. I'm single user of the CAD in my company (start-up) and building of the parts and drawings in the CAD is the minor time spending. What most important to me is the power of simulations and analysis of the program. In demonstration of Inventor it have been seemed that its possibilities of these subjects were much higher of those in SW. Am I right? Does somebody of you familiar with these subjects in both CADs?

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

2
It all comes back to the VAR, the best thing to do is having them show you what they can do with the software and don't restrain yourself to their well polished demos, have them use your type of part with your kind of work and don't let them too much time to prepare, two days is enough. Then ask as many questions as you can and take notice if they are trying to avoid some subject because they won't expose the flaws of their baby. Then after you went through this you will have not only a good idea of the software but also of your VAR.

It's really important to keep an open mind when talking to them or they will feel that you are already sold on something and it will hurt their "performance". And please don't get caught up in the "we are the only ones who can do this" kind of thing, if it happens check carefully if it's true, because you are speaking with salesmen not users.

That my 2 cents

Patrick

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Maybe you should look at it differently and see the mutliple add on packages to SolidWorks for FEA and Simulations. They are above and beyond what is in the basic Solidworks. They are also way beyond what you will get with Inventor also.

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

Rocko is absolutely right, you should be looking at something like SolidWorks Premium. Contact your VAR for more details on COSMOS/Motion and COSMOS/Works.

I would find it hard to believe that Inventor has more in the way of simulation and analysis. For crying out loud Inventor has only recently added a routing add-on!

RE: SolidWorks 2008 vs. Autodesk Inventor 2008

I know this sounds like a broken record (or scratched CD), but I’m sure your SolidWorks reseller would be more than happy to demonstrate the simulation and analysis capabilities of SolidWorks Office Premium. This package includes COSMOSWorks Designer and COSMOSWorks Motion. This software is so far ahead of Inventor that Inventor is always playing catch up.  After you get a detailed demonstration of that capabilities based on your requirements, I suggest asking an Autodesk reseller to do the same thing. Bring some hard questions to the table and judge how the software handles the tasks. Pay close attention to the amount of work involved in Inventor to get to a similar result. Inventor will simply fall short in many situations.
I would strongly suggest against switching to Inventor. I would ask your SolidWorks reseller to give you an example of companies who have switched from Inventor to SolidWorks. I am sure they will be able to provide many. If you ask the same question of the Autodesk Inventor reseller they will struggle to come up with any.

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