Many Of Mechanical Engineers are confused about design software . Earlier we Discussed list of mechanical Useful Software which include design, analysis, Simulation , instrumentation, Coding and Programming software.
If you are beginners in design software domain , you should visit our new web portal CAD Software notes , Tutorials which is fully dedicated to only software and Engineering design tutorials .
Newbies should try first Autocad 2D Basic . I believe that every engineer should have basic knowledge of 2d autocad Commands and he should able to draw 2d drawing i.e. Front ,top and Side view of parts or Aseembly. Autocad is basic design software and had its own advantages.
Moving from Auto-CAD you can choose any one software from Solidworks, CATIA, NX-CAD, Pro-E or Creo (Creo is the latest one after Pro-E). These all software are equally important as per there applications in various industries. In fact drawing procedures are almost same but tools are different with different names. Catia there are so many versions now still being used is version v5 and newest is v6 catia itself comes with variety of workbenches, it can be used for 3d part modelling, drafting, assembly, electrical, infa and many other application but out of all these work benches one is still important and different that is machining, catia has been used for programming cnc machines as for developing nc programs for various aersospace parts, few more softwares are listed below:
Catia :designing, machining, drafting, analysis, simulation, assembly etc
Unigraphics or Nx :latest version NX9 used for designing, programming, cmm inspection, simulation, assembly, drafting etc
Solid edge : New in the market easiest and user friendly from siemens > latest version st6 used for 3d part modelling, assembly, drafting and simulation.
Solid works : Latest version 2014 comes with part modelling, assembly, drafting, motion simulation etc and it can veen be integrated with other softwares as add on like delcam, powermill, cam works, solid cam power surfacing etc.
Creo Ptc or Pro-E :used for same purpose as catia but having importance in automobile sector.
Which is the best software among SolidWorks, Creo, ProEngineer, Catia, ?
SolidWorks: easy, simple, used by many, powerful enough to build products with.
Creo/ProE: powerful, more complex/complicated, expensive, enterprise tools, you’ll want to pick this if you’re building something with 1000s of parts and tens, if not hundreds of engineers (like an airplane).
Catia: similar to Creo, also used by large companies, allows surface modeling and has strong simulation capabilities (build airplanes/rockets/cars as well as the factory in which they are going to be built kind of powerful).
My Review:
According to me , ProE /Creo is best software for designing and manufacturing the parts. For Complex Assembly and Simple Sheetmetal parts Solidwork is best software. For Assembly Particularity I prefer Solidwork. Solidwrok is again suitable for Pipe and structural Design. Complex Sheet Metal Parts Catia Is Best Software. For Analysis purpose Ansys is always Best.
Everyone has its own view for every Design Software . Comment below and share your opinion about Your Favorite design Software and why?