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New to SW but vet with autocad
4

New to SW but vet with autocad

New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
New to solidworks I have SW2009 Student License for 150 days I'm a 15yr autocad user and some microstation can I learn SW in a few weeks....

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

Go through the Help>Tutorials you might want to forget most of AutoCAD for a bit.  Accept the fact that SWx will be easier in every way once you learn the techniques.

At first you will be very frustrated and not want to believe me, but if you don't get over that hump you might not succeed.

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

Here's a strategy I've suggested to others:

(1)  Take the phrase "Sketch And Extrude" and tatoo it to your hand so you can constantly see this essential solid modelling concept.  
(2)  Forget 2D drawing think.  
(3)  I tell folks that they'll need 8-16 hours contact time to learn the rudiments of Sketch And Extrude philosophy and SW navigation.  
(4)  Some weeks after that you'll be fairly competent.  Months/years after that you can be a whiz and understand the depth of features it has available to a designer.

SW Tutorials are useful.  There's a wealth of internet resources, discussion groups, and SW fanatics to help.  Buy a "How To" book.  Once you go solid, you'll never go back to 2D except for the most basic stuff.

TygerDawg
Blue Technik LLC
Virtuoso Robotics Engineering
www.bluetechnik.com

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

In the same vein as TygerDawg's (1) above, another big shift is parametricity (is that a word?).  Basically, with 2D CAD, you draw stuff exactly like you want it, then you put dimensions on.  The dimensions are driven by the geometry you drew, and their only purpose is to describe that geometry.  With SW and other parametric modelers, you sketch stuff in roughly and then use Constraints (Dimensions and Relations) to drive the geometry.  I've seen more than one person miss that fundamental shift.  They try to draw everything exactly where it goes using the line properties and stuff, and they think that SW's sketching interface is horrible and hard to use, but it's like they're trying to use a screwdriver to drive in nails.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

Format your ACAD processes and learn SW correctly. Like the others wrote, it may be frustrating or a little hard at first, but you will learn it.
Lots of tutorials on YouTube.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 08; CATIA V5
ctopher's home (updated Aug 5, 2008)
ctopher's blog
SolidWorks Legion

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
Thanks for all the support great stuff..

SO Forget 2D all together you say?

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
Can I draw different aspects of one drawing at different times and put them together like a puzzle later?.....like (xref)in Autocad......or bringing blocks into a single drawing on different plans...like drawing the top view in one file and later draw the side and combine the drawings in one central drawing for assembly is that possible?
 

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

You don't really draw drawings in SW.  You model parts, put them together into assemblies, and then generate drawings from those parts and assemblies.  All geometry in the drawings is automatically generated for you based on the model.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
Explain more (model parts) Please thank you.

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

If you already have the Student Edition, go to Help > SolidWorks tutorials and work through all of them. That will introduce you to the basic methods of using of SW.

The very first tutorial explains the differences in design methods, user interface, and terminology between AutoCAD and SolidWorks.

cheers

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
Yea, your right... I was trying to take short cut's..... but Like you suggested and Im seeing for my self. No short Cuts..... Im going to go threw the tutorials as suggested.

Thanks

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

As handleman said, all the info in the drawings come from the modeled parts and assemblies that you create.  You don't "draw" a drawing in SolidWorks.  You sketch lines and arcs and extrude them to get solid bodied models, or parts.  Once these are saved, you can drag multiple parts into a new assembly.

Some advice I always give new users:
1. Forget how you did things in AutoCAD.  SW and ACAD are two entirely different programs, don't try to use both the same way.

2. Do the tutorials that come with SW, they are very helpful.  I know people that began making real engineering models and drawings on day 2 of use.

3. Model parts as they are machined in real life.  For Example: sketch a square, dimension the sides, extrude it to length, then  chamfer the edges.

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies to make the best use of these Forums?

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

Abandon all AutoCAD-type training wheels and get immersed in SW as quickly as possible.

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
Man You Guys are great ....I'm thinking different already,  the model aspect of it all, just like working in the shop cutting and nailing...

Thanks
 

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

The only problem with the tutorials is that they haven't been updated for a while.  I.e., some of the menu selections are different or use different words from what's in the tutorial.  I found that very confusing.

I had to do most of the tutorials more than once to really comprehend what they were talking about.  They go much faster the third time....





 

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

(OP)
LOL...I'm going back and forth also.....

RE: New to SW but vet with autocad

ablackmancj,
Welcome to Solidworks (SW)! As you can see this forum is filled with many experience users that are here when you need help. This is the best SW forum on the web.

SW is awesome CAD software, and is fun to use. Looking forward working with you in the future.

Very Best,   

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2008 SP 4.0
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

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