Solid Works CAD Software Review

Features:

Solid Works CAD has tons of features, here are several of them:

1) Workgroup Product Data Management was developed to help small engineering workgroups multiplying their effort by automatically capturing file revision history and managing data access.

2) The User Interface can be set up to suit the needs of the user; this saves time in design since the tools you need are more accessible.

3) Part Modeling allows you to create and modify parts by simply clicking and dragging. Other CAD software does that, but what’s impressive is with Solid Works you can use DimXpert to create 2D drawings and drawingless data and bring it to design production.

4) Real View Graphics allows you to view your product, parts, or assemblies without having to render. Which is a nice feature considering rendering can take some time.

5) Advanced Surfacing and complex Shapes helps you think ahead and improve the design by allowing you to modify geometry and surfaces.

6) Sheet Metal Design Tools give you the capability to create lifelike parts that even have folds, bends, tabs, etc. Allowing for more precise products.

7) Simulate Assembly Motion allows you to grab various components and check to see if there is interference and how each part will work in motion.

8 ) Assembly modeling allows you to grab various components and plug them in to other components so that you have a working prototype on screen rather than spending money on a physical prototype.

9) Data Translation provides support for the following data types: DWG, DXF^TM, Pro/ENGINEER®, IPT (Autodesk Inventor®), Mechanical Desktop®, Unigraphics®, PAR (Solid Edge®), CADKEY®, IGES, STEP, Parasolid, SAT (ACIS), VDA-FS, VRML, STL, TIFF, JPG, Adobe® Illustrator®, Rhinocerous®, IDF, and HSF (Hoops) formats.

10) Bill of Materials automatically creates a running list of materials needed according to your design. If you change your design then your bill of materials automatically updates.

Con’s

1) Some have said that the photo realistic representations are good, but they don’t solve ergonomic issues which means they have to produce prototypes after all.

2) Rendering time is slow.

3) Not fully compatible with many FEA programs.

Review:

Some users have lowered costs, improved quality, and shortened design time by thirty percent in all three categories; that has led to a twenty percent increase in market share. All thanks to Solid Works features such as its intuitive design, lofting and surfacing capabilities, ease of communication, and simulation software. Others are claiming an increase of sixty percent in gross sales, reduced turnaround over sixty percent, and improved precision of forty percent. All because Solid Works has streamlined their development process by its easy to use interface and great features like parametric design. Solid Works is an all around great CAD software product that can save time and money thanks to some great features and compatibility with your clients’ software.