Can anyone tell me the descriptive difference between between SOLIDWORKS, Auto CAD,Solid Edge, CATIA and ProE?

Dear Hasnain Ashraf,

Each every tool which you mentioned as its own plus and minus but my answer the level of expertise and comfortability of the user on particular software gives the rating.

for example if solidworks is easy for i will always prefer solidworks for others also but fact is all the above software can able to give same output there may a slight exceptions.

As per my knowledge and experience.
AutoCAD- best for 2D drafting
CATIA- surface modelling and sheetmetal
ProE- Flexible modelling and skeleton modelling
Solidworks- rendering/ sheetmetal

Differences mainly lie in the total package. If you look at the top 3; Catia, NX, ProE, you'll see that they are 'complete' PLM packages. One software to model, simulate, manufacture and track every aspect of the product --the Product Life Management element of managing a manufacturing operation.

More can be gleaned from this if you look into Daimler's recent move from Catia to NX and the reasons behind that move. PLM and the idea of the 'digital factory' is really driving development in the big 3 right now.

That aside, all three have very good top-down modeling capabilities with strong parametric tools. The ability to link values, faces, geometry of all sorts from other parts, drive assemblies with equations... there is a ton of this capability within NX, Catia and ProE. All three are capable surface modelers as well, though I feel NX is now the better package in that regard.

General mechanical design; there is a lot of bang-for-the-buck in Solidworks, SolidEdge and Inventor. If I were looking for a middle tier software, these are the three to look at IMO. They all lack on the surfacing side due to having very little in the way of continuity control but they are all little brothers to more expensive/robust software, so this is likely by design. I feel that SolidEdge is the better software if you're leaning more towards industrial design due to the addition of synchronous (sub-division) modeling. I think sub-D is really going to drive things going forward, it's just a really powerful way to create aesthetic models quickly and bridges the skill-gap between a solid modeler and surfacer.

AutoCAD is still prevalent on the Civil side as is Microstation. I don't work in that field so I can't really offer much other than to say, it's a popular 2D package.

Some of the modules within the packages; mold, die, sheetmetal, welding, automotive, etc., may be a make/break dependent on the industry.

Autocad - generally Used for 2D sketch

SOlidworks Proe Catia

2D Drafting Yes Yes Yes
3D Modelling Yes Yes Yes
Sheetmetal Yes Yes Yes
Surface Modelling Yes Yes Yes
Simulate Yes Yes Yes
Manufacturing Used Solid CAM Yes Yes
Assembly Yes Yes Yes
PDM Yes no yes
Weldments Yes no yes