This is a bit like the Pepsi challenge.

Cheers

Greg Locock


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What a goofy question..

like what for Inventor? Alibre is "similar" in workflow to both Solidworks and Inventor..

I have never seen Alibre.
Inventor and SolidWorks are essentially equivalent. Anyone who couldn't pick up one after learning the other should pick a different career path.
Like going to airport car rental and getting a Ford or Chevy.
Very little difference.
For something a bit different try Autodesk Fusion 360 (not to be confused with Invenor conFusion) or Creo Direct.

Well, not being familiar with Solidworks, I'm told that the interface is different from Inventor's, which almost always affects where similar items are located in menus, etc, how processes interact, and how the user plans his work can be affected. Add to that model and assembly interoperability with Solidworks, and Alibre seems a good companion tool for Solidworks.

I'm in the process of learning Inventor at work, and was hoping for something I could afford at home to work through some of my work task processes. I'll also be making fairly extensive use of Frame Generator for Structural work on the skid bases for my equipment as well, and am interested in a workalike's abilitites there too (even tho I'm guessing that this particular function may not cross over between a workalike and the main tool - Inventor). Thoughts ?

So- based on your replies and the above requirements, do I then guess that Alibre is as interoperable with Inventor as it is with Solidworks ?

Thanks -

C.

I have never seen Alibre. I doubt it translates feature tree from SolidWorks or Inventor. I suspect it has a similar Ribbon interface to Inventor, SolidWorks or Creo. While the programs might have similar (Ribbon, Microsoft driven) interfaces, and might be able to open each others files, this is typically done as "dumb solids", that is, no feature trees, no sketches, no assembly constraints.

If you are on subscription you are entitled to free home use license of Inventor.

The Inventor license allows you to install a copy at home also (assuming your company is ok with you doing so which I'd hope they would be)
So go ask your boss or whatever.. Install it at home.. and have fun. No need for Alibre

Alibre (now owned by 3d systems) is NOT a "companion" to Solidworks any more than it is to Inventor. Its a standalone program targeted towards low use end users who can't justify the cost of Inventor or SWx.

And just a suggestion..."Inventor is a professional software package and requires a professional level of training" If your company can afford Inventor they can afford to send you to some training. Its very easy to pick up bad habits trying to learn on your own. Those bad habits could easily cost you (and your company) thousands of dollars or more in lost time.

... or buy and work through a decent book, such as Banach Jones Kalameja

Cheers

Greg Locock


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Greg-

Yeah - I have a good book - Inventor 2010 for Designers (Tickoo, Raina) and its pretty good. I was able to make alot of progress that way. Still, I'd like to practice at home so I can come in the next day ready to make some progress, and not have to fumble around so much ! I'm fortunate to have colleagues willing to answer questions, but that gets old (for them and for me !) really fast.

One of the selling points for Alibre is its similar layout (very important to setting up and practicing workflow) to Solidworks. I'm VERY aware that there are similarities between Parametric systems, but if I was working through a Solidworks situation, Alibre would be fine.

Just as there are various "Workalikes" for AutoCAD, some almost identical in interface and workflow, and some not nearly close enough to work out learning issues, I was hoping to find something like that for Inventor. Not being familiar with Alibre, and with solid evidence here at our office that Soliworks/Inventor similarities aside - learning where menu items are located and working through the differences between systems, ALibre being a Solidworks workalike might not be close enough to AutoDESK Inventor to justify PURCHASE of a license for Alibre and work through the deployment issues ...

Yes a good book can be a great help, but sitting on the couch reading a book with my only access to work the exercises etc. sitting on my desk at the office, well, that's not the best approach for this situation.

Ok, thanks for all the input. I'll regroup and try a different direction.

"What a goofy question !" ? Hmmmm ... yeah apparently so !

Thanks folks -

Charley

It is a goofy question IMO..
And did you see my comment about being able to use Inventor at home.. (Its part of your license agreement.. one at work..one at home as long as both aren't being used at the same time).. Problem solved..

And the least important part of learning software IMO is button/menu location (not to mention Autodesk likes to move them around/change colors,etc.. quite often).. Learning the hotkeys will make you faster.. I'm always 1 hand on the mouse..one hand on the 3d controller (a must have for any 3D program) and I've got my most used commands programmed into the 3d controllers buttons.. I only use the number pad when entering dimensions.. as little typing of text/notes a hotkey here or there and thats about it..

There is a big fuss about Microsoft forcing the "ribbon" UI on its partners (like Autodesk,etc..) and I could care less.. The fastest cad guys don't use any of the menu/UI buttons.

Well, everyone has opinions, and most of them, well ... ;) !

Work license at home - great theory, assuming your company allows you to take your license home, and install corporate software on a non-corporate computer (maybe they'd buy me a home computer ?) I haven't worked for a corporate client who'd allow something like that for YEARS, and the one I'm thinking of that might have allowed it, well - they're not in business anymore so I really couldn't say.

Yeah, the speediest guys can cad-jockey like the wind ! Not alot of value in that if the work product is 2nd rate. I'll assume yours is among the very best - an anomaly. The very best guys spend more time on mastery of their craft and less on programming hotkeys ... just sayin'...

In any case, my goal isn't to beat the guy next to me to the finish line. Right now, as stated in my opening post, I'm focusing on LEARNING a new tool. CLEARLY where things are located and how they work are of premier importance, way ahead of how to program the hot-keys. BTW- are there even HOTKEYS in Inventor? AutoCAD, yes, but Inventor too ? Hmmmm .... not quite sure how that would even work, but hey, I'm still trying to master a new tool. SO-

Anybody aware of a good Inventor workalike that I could use at home to solve a problem I might encounter at work, much as a good AutoCAD workalike would allow ? I've hear Alibre might be a worthy candidate... Thoughts ?

Thanks-

Charley.

Just download Alibre and find out for yourself.
http://www.alibre.com/xpress/