Solidworks v Alibre Pro
Solidworks v Alibre Pro
(OP)
I'm not looking to start trouble, nor stir up fanboys. Simply put, I've been using pencil and paper for sketching things and then making prototypes with a lathe and mill. When it works, I have parts made in production quantites with CNC machines. While I have resorted to AutoCAD when necessary, it's really not the tool for 3D and a friend will usually convert my sketch using his 3D package but this is becoming awkward as volume ramps up. Hence, I now find myself investigating 3D CAD.
I quickly zeroed in on Solidworks as a suitable package but also found Alibre Pro seems to be well regarded. An important advantage of the latter is price, but saving money is soon forgotten if the tool is awkward and not efficient. Consequently, I figured who better to help me choose than folks familiar with these tools?
My parts are simple, and my assemblies don't generally exceed 100-200 parts (and more usually are 15-30 parts).
Frankly, $1500 versus $5000 is significant so what makes Alibre Pro less suited to my needs than Solidworks?
Rgeards,
I quickly zeroed in on Solidworks as a suitable package but also found Alibre Pro seems to be well regarded. An important advantage of the latter is price, but saving money is soon forgotten if the tool is awkward and not efficient. Consequently, I figured who better to help me choose than folks familiar with these tools?
My parts are simple, and my assemblies don't generally exceed 100-200 parts (and more usually are 15-30 parts).
Frankly, $1500 versus $5000 is significant so what makes Alibre Pro less suited to my needs than Solidworks?
Rgeards,






RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
From the sound of it, nothing! Alibre would seem to fit the bill adequately. If you need half decent surfacing ability occasionally, you will find Alibre lacking.
An even better deal for you might be found at http://www.freebyte.com/cad/cad.htm
I was going to recommend Co-Creates Solid Designer PE, which was free ... but it appears the money grubbing new owners (PTC) no longer offer that module.
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
http://www.ptc.com/offers/tryout/pe2.htm
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
Dan
www.eltronresearch.com
Dan's Blog
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
It all works, and depending on their current marketing policy - it changes all the time - you can buy the extra functionality you need bit by bit.
I have used Alibre quite a bit.
There is no doubt solidworks is better but not 10 times better depending on what you are doing...horses for courses.
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
It has really good import functions that would let you use any of your old models, and quite easily create new ones from existing AutoCad drawings.
www.spaceclaim.com
You can get a 40-day free trial quite easily (30days + extension of 10 days if reqired) and there are some good videos on their web site.
bc.
2.4GHz Core2 Quad, 4GB RAM,
Quadro FX4600.
Where would we be without sat-nav?
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
Dan
www.eltronresearch.com
Dan's Blog
RE: Solidworks v Alibre Pro
Specifically, why a surface modeler may cause other problems for me (swertel has been guiding me quite well with his responses, but I still have questions, so perhaps another viewpoint would help).
http://www
Many thanks folks!