Is there any good CAD software?

[EsoEng]

I was trained on PRO/E. Even the tutors didn't have a good grasp of the software. I later used SolidWorks - it's terrible. I've used Inventor - it's terrible. I've used FreeCAD - I didn't stick around long enough to learn how terrible it actually is. Now, I'm using Solid Edge - it's beyond terrible.

The purpose of this thread is two-fold: to complain about the diabolical standard of available general mechanical design software; and to ask is there is actually any that is not terrible.

Solid Edge is the current software that is torturing me. I gave-up on the other programs I mentioned. I will not be using Solid Edge again after I have finished my current project. It is inefficient, it is counter-intuitive; its graphical presentation (of the model being made) is utterly deplorable (it hides errors), and it lacks basic functionality. Things that should be easy and simple are either hopelessly inefficient (requiring esoteric knowledge and a dozen steps where one obvious step would have done), or do not exist.

At this point, I know what you are thinking: that I simply do not know how to use this program properly. Yes, you are right. But then, who does? I'll tell you who does: people trained following a lengthy and involved period of indoctrination (yes, indoctrination), and whom use the software frequently - every day - know - eventually - how to use it without having a mental breakdown each time. Me? I have not had specific training for it (only tuition for PRO/E), and I do not use it every day. What chance do I have? None! Well, maybe if I hired a tutor for a few £thousand and put aside a couple of hours a day to keep practising it, like I put aside time to exercise, use the toilet, eat, and generally respire.

The software is shamefully bad to the point that I can barely comprehend that it was not made the way it is with deliberate intent. Are real-life products actually designed using this garbage software that costs so much money? I am at a loss. I don't think there is any alternative to it. All the CAD software I've used works in very similar ways - just some very bad and others extremely bad. There is nothing good out there, or is there? Is there anything I don't know about? I Google for lists of this software, but nothing looks promising out of returned options I am yet to try (because it's either browser-based or made by the same companies that made the junk I've already used).

Photoshop. This is software I also do not use every day but it is far more intuitive than Solid Edge, and I do not get stuck with Photoshop as I do with SE. Why can't SE be more like PS with respect to basic operation? CAD programmers need to study Photoshop and learn how software can be intuitive and friendly to use.

Solid Edge is beyond frustrating. I actually feel hatred towards the company and people that made it. I wish they hadn't bothered. They have cost me months of my life with their awful, horribly made garbage software. I spit on them.

 

[3DDave]

Each sort of software requires the user to have a matching mental model. PTC has done well enough with maintaining upward compatibility of their models and the mental model is rather straightforward, but you have to know what to look for.

When software doesn't meet expectations it's better to read all the documentation, look at what the expectations are, and find the features the software has that does what is desired.

Photoshop is relatively easy because it is simply taking one action after the other without much regard for all the previous steps. It is simple the way a pencil sharpener is simple compared to a CNC lathe. Photoshop can become complex if one decides to create Actions (I assume that function is still there.)

What made Pro/E/ Wildfire/Creo very usable to me is that it is an interactive parametric procedural interpreted modeler with a GUI. I can change parameters or change the procedure (AKA model tree and Program and relations) at any time; reorder to have the model better match the goals, change references, build simple to complex programs and relations to drive geometry in complicated ways with simple inputs.

I find that those who mainly have trouble have never written a program in any language; most of what is happening is that as the model is built the internal program that re-creates the model is also being built and if the user doesn't understand what that means and thinks "regenerate" is just something one has to do, they go off the rails pretty easily.

Keep in mind that one is not "building a model" in PTC software, one is building a procedure that builds a model.

 

[mfgenggear]

OP
I been out of the loop, and need to work back into it.
When Autocad was first released it was awful.
It tool a long learning curve. After some time many talented cad designers would tailor it to be more efficient. With shorter steps. You need to hang with designers that do this.you tube fails miserably in this aspect. They only show very elementary procedures. Freecad can beening free software. Is improving every day. Learning to program it , can be extremely efficient. If you learn how to tailor it. Proprietary software can also be tailored to be more efficient. Some are better than others.

 

[MintJulep]

Keep in mind that one is not "building a model" in PTC software, one is building a procedure that builds a model.

That's really insightful!

I think it applies to any "parametric" CAD software these days.

Thirty years ago, when I actually used CAD as part of my job we used AutoCAD. In those days 3D objects were built from Boolean operations on primitive shapes. It was not "parametric".

Recently I've started using FreeCAD, just for hobby stuff. Initially, with everything I modeled I was silently screaming "Why is everything so fragile?!?!".

As I learn, my models are becoming more robust. I've needed to adjust my thinking in ways that are basically aligned with what @3DDave wrote.

As with any tool, you need to learn how to wield it effectively.

There's an old adage: "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools."

 

[TugboatEng]

I liked working with Pro E. I used to make a game out of how few steps I could use to produce a model.

Inventor was buggy at the time and not intuitive to me. I never got to work with other programs.

 

[3DDave]

"It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools."

Kind of. At the time that adage was created the craftsman made their own tools or specified the main features, perhaps to a blacksmith; that the blame for the tools lay with the one who chose them, which was the craftsman.

I do understand some of the frustration. I have tried to get used to Blender a few times but, maybe for lack of a specific task to complete or a willingness to spend a lot of time with it, never really got a good handle on it.

 

[MintJulep]

According to Google Gemini:

The adage "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools" is a very old and widespread proverb, with its roots going back centuries.

Here's a breakdown of its history:

* **13th Century French Origin:** The earliest known iteration of the saying can be traced to 13th-century French, appearing as "mauveés ovriers ne trovera ja bon hostill," which translates to **"Bad workmen will never find a good tool."** This original phrasing emphasizes that a poor craftsman's lack of skill means they'll always perceive their tools as inadequate, regardless of the tools' actual quality.

* **17th Century English Variations:** By the 17th century, English versions of the proverb emerged, such as "A bungler cannot find (or fit himselfe with) good tooles." The sentiment remained similar, focusing on the workman's inability rather than the tools themselves.

* **Modern English Formulations:** Over time, the phrasing evolved into the more common forms we hear today, like "A bad workman blames his tools" or "It's a poor craftsman who blames his tools." While the exact wording changed, the core message of personal accountability for one's work, rather than blaming external factors, remained consistent.

**The Meaning and Its Nuances:**

The proverb essentially means that a skilled individual will find a way to perform their task effectively, even with less-than-ideal equipment. Conversely, an unskilled or incompetent person will often attribute their failures to their tools, rather than acknowledging their own shortcomings.

It's important to note that the saying isn't meant to imply that tools are unimportant. Good tools certainly make a job easier and can enable higher quality work. However, the proverb highlights that true mastery lies in the ability to adapt, problem-solve, and take responsibility for the outcome, regardless of minor imperfections in one's equipment. A truly good craftsman knows how to maintain their tools, choose the right ones for the job, and compensate for any limitations they might encounter.

 

[3DDave]

I have a great deal of respect for AI generated answers.

 

[ctopher]

I have been using CAD software's since the beginning.
They have evolved quite a bit.
I currently use SolidWorks, and train new users. I hear all the time how they complain that it's not like PTC, CREA, SolidEdge, etc.
You have to learn how to adapt. No two are exactly alike.
If your heart is in using PTC, find a job that uses it.