Solid Modeling Software

GBugg · July 17th, 2012, 8:09 AM

I've used ProE and SolidWorks for years at work. (and AutoCAD when it was on 2 5-1/4 floppies before that!) However, for my home office I can't justify the licensing costs. Are there any decent packages out there for less money?

First project, of course, is to model my chassis for mods/improvements.

Thanks!

AJWALKER · July 17th, 2012, 8:18 AM

I worked for a Aerospace giant as a Design and Structures Engineer and used on a daily basis some of the greats, UG, Ansys, LSDYNA. After retiring I was in a CAD void and someone recommended Rhino 3D. I downloaded there free trial and have been pretty happy with it. I have not used up the free saves yet so I haven't had to make a choice yet. I think the CAD only package is about 900$
http://download.rhino3d.com/rhino/4....tion/download/

*TimW* · July 17th, 2012, 10:58 AM

You can take a class at a community college (any class, not necessarily a cad class) and have student status to get SolidWorks for $130/yr. Or, as I do, be married to a professor...

TedV · July 17th, 2012, 12:19 PM

A coworker is happy with Alibre. I think the hobby version is $200?? They have a free trial version that I don't have all the details on, but something to add to your research list.

:edit: correct cell phone typo's

fitfan · July 17th, 2012, 3:21 PM

how do you want to model, and what do you want that model to do?

there are plenty of freebies (or cheap) out there -
http://sketchup.google.com/
http://www.123dapp.com/

rhino already mentioned

also you can download and and all autodesk (and most others) software (inventor, for example) for free 30 day trial... i know the autodesk stuff will still work after 30 days, you just can't "save".

most will allow you to export for 3d printing, but g-code for cnc like manufacturing will be less successful...

hope this helps

*PaulT* · July 17th, 2012, 4:45 PM

I bought the cheap version of Alibre two years ago and used it a little before I got too busy. I don't have a solid modeling background, so I don't have anything to compare with. I was able to use it to create a model of a portion of the frame for my car.

Paul

GBugg · July 18th, 2012, 8:22 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I've got 20+ yrs of solid modeling experience in the aerospace and law enforcement industries. However, my main goal at home is to model my current F5/6 chassis and try some tweaks before I build another one. So point-to-point tubes and some sweeps are the features of interest. I'm not planning to do a detailed stress analysis or the body work, just a basic 'virtual prototype'. Like what Paul did. Years ago I had Solid Works on a laptop and did my old Zink, but it's hard to take my desktop computer home for the weekend!

A lot of the cheap/free packages seem to be geared to the gamers and "visualize your new house" users. I was just curious as to your experience with them.

*PaulT* · July 18th, 2012, 9:49 AM

I also played around and created this in a few minutes. The cool thing is that you can rotate the part around while viewing with Adobe reader.

Paul

*Wren* · July 18th, 2012, 9:56 AM

One seat of solidworks entitles you to two installations, not to be used concurrently.

Depending on your company, they might let you install the secondary installation on a laptop to use at home.

jerry freeman · July 18th, 2012, 11:38 AM

George, I don't know about Solidworks but Solid Edge that I use at work allows you to have a home use seat for 6 months free. That sounds like what Wren is talking about.

Jerry

lancer360 · July 18th, 2012, 11:56 AM

They are correct, Solidworks does allow a home use install with each license you buy. It will be up to your company though if they allow employees to install it on their home computer. It is worth a shot.

Neil_Roberts · July 24th, 2012, 9:12 PM

I've used all sorts of CAD systems for 20+ years, and I'm amazed by how much I like my Alibre. If you know how to use any other CAD system, there is NO learning curve. You just start doing stuff. It's far more intuitive than anything else I've seen, and I've seen them all. Of course it won't do absolutely everything, and there are a few things that aren't as slick as other systems, but for 99% of what I need, it's da bomb.

Recently, FEMDesigner announced a version of their FEA system that integrates into Alibre, but I haven't pulled the trigger on buying that yet. Has anyone else? Good/bad?

GBugg · July 25th, 2012, 7:57 AM

I bought Alibre last night. It seems very similar to SolidWorks in the structure/approach. After a few minutes of playing with it, I've got a good start on the chassis.

Thanks for all the input!!

*Steve Demeter* · July 25th, 2012, 6:18 PM

A bit late, but drafts=ight is a free package made by a french company that escapes me, but IIRC it will do solid or 3D modeling.

WAAAYYYYY beyond my capabilities.

I just use it for a .dwg reader

chrisw52 · July 25th, 2012, 9:01 PM

If you search hard enough you can find the solid works premium for student prices.

The license is legit, but the company may or may not be around for very long.

http://applicationsale.net/product/s...-2012-premium/

YMMV

lancer360 · July 25th, 2012, 10:03 PM

You still probably have to submit some form of student ID or documentation to get that price.

chrisw52 · July 25th, 2012, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancer360

You still probably have to submit some form of student ID or documentation to get that price.

If you look carefully, they don't ask. With that in mind, this company won't be around very long and probably get shutdown once solid works find out.

I am not proud, I bought photoshop this way. The package I got was some corporate distribution, not the full individual product.

fitfan · July 27th, 2012, 8:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GBugg

Thanks for the suggestions. I've got 20+ yrs of solid modeling experience in the aerospace and law enforcement industries. However, my main goal at home is to model my current F5/6 chassis and try some tweaks before I build another one. So point-to-point tubes and some sweeps are the features of interest. I'm not planning to do a detailed stress analysis or the body work, just a basic 'virtual prototype'. Like what Paul did. Years ago I had Solid Works on a laptop and did my old Zink, but it's hard to take my desktop computer home for the weekend!

A lot of the cheap/free packages seem to be geared to the gamers and "visualize your new house" users. I was just curious as to your experience with them.

hey that very cool

i like how you have the vert. intrusion tubes added, and thats pretty much exactly where my elbows smash into mine as well

well done sir!