Solids Works
Posted by stephens on May 1, 2010 in Automated Transactions, Tips & Techniques | 6 comments
I have been experimenting, developing, testing, and using solid modeling technology since 1989.
If you are not using parametric and associative solid modeling to engineer dies, then you are not really playing at the same level in the same game as the rest of us.
An acquaintance of mine, Ray Proeber, is a huge solid modeling evangelist for die design.
Check out his company, Accurate Die Design. They are industry experts that provide 3D software, training, and support to the tool, die, and stamping industries.
Their software of choice? SolidWorks.
I personally feel SolidWorks has the best user experience in the game. Of course, they are owned by Dassault Systems – the same company that makes Catia.
In my opinion, there is Catia for high end modeling and surfacing, SolidWorks for everything else, and then nothing else.
Give Ray a call … you will be glad you did.
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- Tim Stephens
alltop
the daily reviewer
Yup, Accurate is great company. We got Solidworks and Logopress3 last year and they helped us out a lot with their guides, tutorials and videos! 3D die design is simply awesome; wished we had gone into 3D die design earlier.
hi there!
Thanks for reading my blog!!
I still cannot believe that some folks still use AutoCad – and I find it remarkable that some shops actually still design manually.
Thanks for validating 3D die design …
I have spent several years designing tools in UG, Pro E and Solidworks. Solidworks is by far the best in my opinion. I great blend of power and user friendliness.
Shane Lien
West Marshland Tool Design
hi Shane!!
You are dead nuts on target with that … thanks for the insights!!
Tim,
What do you feel would be the catalyst for a business to “upgrade” to CATIA from an entry or mid-level CAD package (SolidWorks, VISI, etc.)?
hi Greg,
Great question!!
I can think of three excellent reasons to upgrade from a SolidWorks to a Catia-level modeler:
1. Major customers using Catia so you can design the tool with native product design files.
2. The need for advanced surfacing capabilities for draw die development to drive formability simulation and analysis.
3. Dies with large assemblies / high number of components.
I was tempted to add new employees with Catia experience over SolidWorks. But as Shane pointed out above, a Catia user can be up to speed on SolidWorks in less than a day.