New to SolidWorks 1

[mrMikee]

I am new to Solidworks, just went through the training class, and am curious if anyone has any tips or good advice. I have used AutoCAD for 9 years but my real job is that of a structural engineer. I am the last one in the department to be going to Solidworks so there will be help available from the others if needed.

I'm just wondering what the pitfalls are, what things are important, recommended books, Internet resources, etc. I have heard the sales pitches but would like to hear from people who actually use the software. Having gone through cycles like this before I know from experience that there are ways to do things right and may ways to waste time.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,
-Mike

 

[MadMango]

You've found a great internet source here. Make sure you browse through all the FAQs in this fourm, as well as the Links. The SW Help files are great. Learn to use that when you run into a brickwall. The majority of questions you may have in the first few months will be obvious in the Help files.

My biggest advice for any long term AutoCAD user is to forget what AutoCAD "can do" and "would do". Learn how SolidWorks can do similar things (better and faster), but in a different way, even if it feels like you are putting your shoes on before your socks.

[green]"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."[/green]
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[J-C]

It will help if you can self-induce 9 years of amnesia.

Think in terms of "features" rather than lines and arcs. "My part has a "hole" or a "cut" so I chose those features.

Sketching is usually roughed in rather than precise since dimensions and relations will control the sketch. You can draw precise, but it's slower, and certainly not as quick as Acad, at least at first.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you or your company can spring for some training programmes, I highly recommend the Solid Professor and i.get.it series.

http://www.solidprofessor.com/

http://cadpo.com/pro_igetit_forsw.asp

Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[mrMikee]

I remember when I switched to Autocad years ago that it was necessary to "think" Autocad and forget the old ways of doing things. This was difficult because it took months for me to reach the break even point with the old cad software. I can see how this could be even more of an issue when going from a drafting program to solid modeling. A little selective amnesia might help.

Also I realize now that the SW forum has a very extensive FAQ list here at eng-tips. The contributors should be commended.

Thanks all for the advice.

Regards,
-Mike

 

[ctopher]

Very good advice from the others. My excercise for the day, working between SolidWorks and ACAD throughout the day. uuugh! I lose brain cells going to ACAD, then work them back when switching to SW.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 05
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716