From SolidWorks to SE 1

[metman]

Had 2.5 years experience with SolidWorks. About 18 months ago was transferred from engineering to machine shop. As machinist still use SW to 1) Bring up models that have no dwgs to measure the model and make parts/tooling. 2) Sometimes easier to make a quick and dirty dwg using SW. 3) Some tool design.

I enjoy machinist/toolmaking but main education/experience/desire is engineering. I have yet to work out a strategem for transfer back to engineering. It was not my choice to leave that discipline and now we have new engineering and upper management.

Now our company is switching from SW to SE and 1) I don't want to be left in the dust. 2) Need a personal copy for home to persue consulting work. Therefore I am seriously considering purchasing a copy of SE. An evaluation CD was mailed to me today and I will have a month (or two if needed) to evaluate it.

Our lead engineer said that he was told not to try to make it work like SW but just go thru the tutorials.

On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was it for you to acclimate to SE after having used SW for x years?

Please only respond if you are a previous SW user and now an SE user.

Any other comments/suggestions welcome from SW--->SE users.

 

[cpatstone]

fwc -
In my experience, it's a "solid" step backward. I checked your link, and gee, I think that might be a bit of a biased review. SE's sales strategy seems to say we have all of the same features that the other guys do, and then try to exploit whatever charm the VAR can muster. In real-life use, SolidWorks' "rubustness / completeness" means a world of difference. Of the two, who's been selling more seats for the last few years? Is the vast majority of our collegues wrong?

It s*cked having to use SE for the first year, or until I basically got SW out of my head.

cheers - chp

 

[metman]

cpatstone,

Thanks for your comments. This will make me think thrice about jumping into SE purchase but keep in mind All of my comments posted on Jan 31, 2005.

 

[PatCouture]

Hi guys

I am really into the debate of which one is better between SE and SW, From my point I must say that I am a Solid Edge user and I really like SE. I don't want to argue about what cpatstone said but, I would appreciate having the opinion of someone who learned SE in the first place and then moved to SW. I'm saying this because I think that you really stick to the first software that you learn and then you just want the others software to work in the same manner. Now that I have the opinion of someone who learned and used SW and then switched to SE there must be someone who did the same thing in the other direction.

Patrick

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Pat ... you may have beter luck posting that question in the SW forum ... forum559


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[PatCouture]

Hi

CorBlimeyLimey, I know I should post this in the SW forum, but my goal was just to make sure that metman take a look at both side of the coin.

In my case I don't know enough of SW to make comparison because the last time I used it was with 2003 and it wasn't for a long time. But I do know that SE fits my design process very well and for what I do it gets the job done easily.

Patrick

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

My first experience with 3D was using CoCreates Solid Designer. It was an excellent program to learn 3D with and after 4 years I switched to SolidWorks. I found the switch to be relatively easy & painless.

Now 4 years later I am learning Solid Edge V16 and have found it to be very frustrating, (probably partly because I still use SW in my 9 to 5 job & SE "after hours"). I am sure if I had learned SE first & then switched to SW I would be equally frustrated.
I think it boils down to personal preference ... both have their own pros & cons ... both are very capable solids programs & either should suit most users needs.


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[PatCouture]

Cory

For me too the first two weeks were though especially because SE wants you to work his way, so when you already know what you want but it's not how SE does it, then it gets frustrating. But once you get to free your mind and follow the steps determined by SE then everything goes a lot better.

One day I should play a bit with SW to see how it goes but since it's the first CAD software I learned in college I still think that It would be ok.

Patrick

 

[wbednarz]

Metman,

You asked the following questions earlier:

One example is that SW will not make a SM part from a loft, or if there is a radius on a corner flange, a simple circle (lightening hole) with a 45 degree flange. Will SE do it?

Solid Edge can make a sheetmetal part from a loft. It can't be overly complex, but it can be done. I have done this before. It can be flattened also. I worked for a Solid Edge reseller for a while. This was often a problem for Solidworks and helped us when it was a required feature. In time SW will do this too, if they don't already.

When you switch programs you may not find the same features in both programs. However, SE has features SW doesn't too. They are both very good programs.

I did try to use SW for about 6 months after using SE and SDRC for a long time. I figured that it had so much market share that it would be important to become familiar with it. I did not like Solidworks workflow. I find that Solid Edge's interface is much more consistant. This consistancy allows the user to learn new features more quickly and take advantage of the many tools that are available.

It is very important to learn the interface and workflow rather than memorize the commands. If the interface is inconsistant, then it will be harder to learn. My transition form SDRC to SE was very easy. I was told to become familiar with the ribbon bar and the status bar and the layout of the toolbars. That was pretty much it.

The first time I tried SW I was told that the prompts would help me. I kept pushing stuff out of the way. The last time I tried it for six months I found the new assist tool to be good, but it made things slow in the long run because it was a crutch.

New computer viruses? That could be nice.

 

[metman]

wbednarz,
Thanks for your comments. These comments are as helpful if not more than most of the others comments.

SE is now onsite installing 16 seats at our worklplace and basic training will begin next week. In their wisdom, those who make the decisions on such things have decided they cannot fit me into the training even though my supervisor asked for me to be be included.

I was dissapointed but used this as an opportunity to handle dissapointment positvely and God is turning dissapointment into an incredible victory because of an appropriate attitude.

More on this later when the dust settles.

 

[PatCouture]

Good luck with it Metman!

Patrick

 

[wbednarz]

Metman,

If you would like for me to send you a file with a lofted sheet metal part that Solid Edge can flatten, let me know. I don't know how someone can share emails to individuals here without exposing it to everyone.

New computer viruses? That could be nice.

 

[metman]

wbednarz,
That woould be very nice but hold off for now until I get the SE evaluation disk reinstated for the second month because the initial month expired 3-7-05. I am waiting for a response from my VAR.

At that time I will email the mgmt here to find out how one can communicate via email or maybe someone will jump in here to help us.

eng-tips is one cool forum -- no?

 

[metman]

Since I will not be expected to be proficient at SE at my daily workplace, why go through the pain of learning a new 3D software program? Therefore I have purchased a seat of SW with which I am already proficient.

Thank you all for your interest.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

A wise decision (IMO), as you will probably be able to pick up SE as you go, while still keeping up to date with SW. Knowing both will make it much easier for future job searches.


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