I posted about a community project for an electric bike design/build using Onshape.
What I would like to know from the group is what would be your preferred CAD software to design a bike?
I have access and could use Solid Edge, Onshape, and Fusion 360.
Bryan ;
From my limited knowledge of Mechanical CAD packages, I think that SolidWorks probably has the most community of members and support. If you look at the size of the groups here on grabcad it kinda confirms this.
SolidWorks = ~29,000 members across (4) groups
If you are limited to these three, it may be costs, features, number of users, support, other physics modules (like stress simulations), and so on.
So really the question is what do you prefer ?
Also you may want to compare CAD packages : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-aided_design
Other NOTES :
Bear in mind that if you choose Onshape its not that others can't contribute, but that it may be most don't have it and then you are limited to a very small pool of people for the project.
Also if you want to get people to use Onshape, then I recommend starting a project and let people download it and try it out to make parts for it. This may be a better plan.
I just checked wiki to see what the model is for Onshape as a program and it is delivered over the Internet via a Software as a Service (SAAS) model. Unfortunately although popular sounding, it may present security issues and concerns that for some people don't want to even think about.
In addition, I saw its usage and it seems to develop parametric mathematical models based upon point structures. SolidWorks uses a more sophisticated approach using features, which may be why its more expensive, but yet more powerful.
In October 2019, Onshape agreed to be acquired by PTC (Creo, Pro-E)
Inventor Fusion was discontinued August 23, 2014 due to redundancies with Fusion 360.[35]
Steven
I picked Fusion 360 because the non-commercial version is free and there's a lot of tutorials. I would love SolidWorks but it's just not an option financially.
Caveman ; you're not alone !!
The problem with SolidWorks is the gun-to-the-head approach with the annual support that is required beyond the costs of getting the software.
This has turned off many people (including myself) to the annual reoccurring costs, but it seems that every software company is now embracing the monthly service model and that you never really own the software but are simply leasing it.
This is typified in Microsoft's OS releases and that there are no install or recovery disks sold with any PCs today. You simply get the installer and then 'subscribe'. If you want to own it then you pay $$$$
I see the point both ways, but it all comes down to how much money you are making off of the software to justify the costs. If you are pulling in a few hundred grand with it, then $8K doesn't seem that much and is a cost of doing business. Moreover it keeps those out of business for competing if the industry has accepted this as the defacto CAM tool (which SolidWorks is).
I use Electromagnetic simulation and antenna modeling tools that are $100K per seat and Cadence that is $12K per seat, so $4k or even $8K for SolidWorks seems cheap to me compared to the CAE or physics FEA marketplace.
So for the hobbyist or student, yes, this is expensive and the open-source Linux-based solutions seems like a good way to get in.
But insofar as the industry is concerned, if you want to make money and need to conform to what the industry is using, you need to invest in the tools and the learning to get the long-term payoff.
Everyone knows this, they just want it 'cheap' as we live in a race-to-the-bottom consumer mentality marketplace with no time or consideration for real value or performance ; just a whiney 'I want it cheap !'
Along with Fusion, here are 2 other free to use. I have gone with Onshape because of the browser base and I can use a Mac.
Onshape:
https://www.onshape.com/en/products/free
Solid Edge:
https://solidedge.siemens.com/en/solutions/users/hobbyists-and-makers/
I reviewed Onshape recently and it was acquired by PTC (Creo, Pro-E) and its okay for those who like to collaborate over the cloud, but not for me as it presents a security risk for IP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onshape
Solid Edge is what United Technologies uses and I think that it was used to design aircraft engines so I am sure that it is powerful. However it has a very quirky interface that for SolidWorks users seems very non-intuitive and therefore may be a tool for a newcomer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid_Edge
I am sure that every CAD program has its pros and cons, but there are very good reasons that SolidWorks is the leader. Also there is a reason that AutoCAD is the top program for Architectural and Civil Engineering, compared to SolidWorks for small companies and small projects, whereas an aircraft carrier needs Catia, or an aircraft engine may need Solid Edge.
Its always worth comparing and finding the best tool for your personal needs, but you cannot ignore what the industry uses, especially when working with external CAM vendors :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_computer-aided_design_software
Emmanuel ;
I have not used this software, but have used autocad decades ago which is non-parametric and creates a 2-D or 2.5-D drawing program.
A modeling program is one that creates mathematical relationships that behave parametrically against one another and is more like modeling clay than drawing on paper.
Everyone has preferences based upon what they learned, what they are familiar with, and what they use regularly (whether they like it or not). But since every program will have pros and cons, there will always be those that like one program over another.
Sometimes (but always) people simply follow what the crowd uses for compatibility and compliance. It makes life easier when you don't have to fight your way into convincing others the special aspects of the CAD program you prefer.
SolidWorks has fought its way to the top from the late 1990s and is evident from the number of users worldwide and especially here in the grabcad community.
I think that it really is a good program and I came from the Macintosh Ashlar Vellum domain in the early 2000's, from Cadkey back in the early 1990's, Intergraph / AutoCAD back in the 1980s, and the good old drafting board with vellum paper and drafting pencils. So yes, I have evolved into many design tools over the years.
Its always a good idea to try other tools and see how you like them. This way you see if there is something new and unique that it offers over what you are familiar with. Also it may let you know what to look or ask for in the features of your existing program.
I would like to use PTC Creo and Solidworks because of its user interface.
While considering commercial usage I would like to go with Autodesk Fusion 360.
Software simply drives me crazy these days.
I have found most professional packages are simply overpriced and extremely unintuitive. Many professional level packages can take months if not years to master. I find this simply ridiculous and deeply frustrating. When I spend £10.000 on one piece of software I want it to be quick to learn and easy to work with.
I simply want to concentrate on my design work, not the frustration of finding how to get around issues and making it work in software.
This is manageable if you specialise in one field on engineering however I specialise in a number of engineering fields.
All big tech firms realised this years back. If you make a user interface and software easier to work with and more productive the more people will use it.
I use solidworks but just having a little rant today.
This is the latest statistics of users on grabcad groups and the percentage of total :
Total = 47,634
SolidWorks = 19,350 = 40.62%
Inventor = 8,110 = 17.03%
Catia = 6,460 = 13.56%
AutoCAD = 4,297 = 9.02%
NX (Unigraphics) = 3,999 = 8.40%
Creo (Pro-E) = 2,913 = 6.12%
Revit = 1,260 = 2.65%
FreeCAD = 900 = 1.89%
OnShape = 345 = 0.72%
So according to the subscribers to groups that SolidWorks is 2.5x more than the closest competitor and an average of 5x more than most others.
Emmanuel ; see my stats at the end of the group thread on the number of users. - Steven
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