Choice of 3D-CAD Program

We are a small company that produces and develops electrical Bicycle in the Netherlands. We are looking for a suitable 3D-CAD program.
I have experience with Pro/ENGINEER and I-DEAS from former jobs, but I know we don't need the high end software here and are also not willing to pay that amount of money.

Another important point is 2 other people in my company want to do some drawing as well, but they don't have much experience in drawing. We want a program that is easy to use and learn.

It has to be able to produce 2D drawings.

So, we are searching for easy to use and learn, cheap, simple 3D software. We don't need all the functionality of the high-end programs.

What software do you use for your bicycle designing and engineering, or can you recommend some software??

I'm a big fan of AutoCAD.  I use it almost every day.  I would not suggest, however, that it's "easy" to learn.  The best way would be to have an expert come in and tutor you and the others in your company until you all reach a proficient level, especially if none of you have drawing experience and want to go all the way to 3D models.  Depending on the experience you are starting with, this could take at least 100 hours of instruction and practice before your drawings are consistent and clean.  Bear in mind that you also will spend time developing your in-house templates, and setting up your plotting device.

I'm not trying to sound elitist, here, but drawing in 3D is hard for non-drafting folks to pick up.  I learned how to use the basic solids early, but it took a LOT LONGER to really do it properly.  One bit of advice that helps is to create your solid model in much the same way you would with a hunk of metal.  I have sucessfully used this technique to "machine" down a solid model.

Cadkey and Microstation are other choices, but I doubt that they would improve the learning curve.

STF

Solidworks is intuitive, relatively cheap and has good functionality. It would take a week or two to be able to produce a drawing or two but the advantages of having assemblies and sub-assemblies more than makes up for any 2D drawing package. Also the fact that all 3D CAD systems are parametric makes modifications and fine tuning designs really straight-forward (depending on the complexity of the model).

If it were up to me having experienced both 2D and 3D I would go for a 3D system every time - providing you are not going to be doing any civil engineering drawings.

Another vote for SolidWorks!

Your Pro/E backround will help you with SolidWorks (i.e. the learning curve will not be that bad for you). And you will find SolidWorks easy to use and just as powerful as Pro/E (in fact more powerful in various areas).

Best wishes.

Joseph

One more point:

GT and Mountain Bike use SolidWorks, here is a link:

http://www.cosmosm.com/success/consumer5.htm


I would never ride a bicycle that was designed with 2D software. I would only ride a bicycle that was modeled in 3D.

Cheers,

Joseph

gt dont use solidworks

they use pro e ,jim busby an external gt designer with a close working relationship uses solidworks and cosmos designstar

mountain cycle use solidworks

i worked at both companies