Which 3D modelling package?
Discussion
Hello,
Just over ten years ago I left my career in the field of mechanical engineering in order to work in the buiding design and construction industry. Back in the day most of the engineering design and drawing work was all 2D based but having had a look around at recent job positions it seems that most firms use some form of 3d Cad software now.
I would like to have a go at learning how to model in my own time and was wondering if anyone could suggest which would be the best or most useful package to start with, for instance out of Solidworks, Pro-Engineer or Inventor if looking towards a future career/industry change. I am fairly fluent in AutoDesk's drawing products and can use AutoCad to create models in 3D as well as Sketchup and although the commands are different the principles of forming the solid parts seem fairly similar.
Also are these other packages user friendly enough (having been familar with the above AutoCad) to dip into the trial versions and learn myself or would some formal training be more useful.
Just over ten years ago I left my career in the field of mechanical engineering in order to work in the buiding design and construction industry. Back in the day most of the engineering design and drawing work was all 2D based but having had a look around at recent job positions it seems that most firms use some form of 3d Cad software now.
I would like to have a go at learning how to model in my own time and was wondering if anyone could suggest which would be the best or most useful package to start with, for instance out of Solidworks, Pro-Engineer or Inventor if looking towards a future career/industry change. I am fairly fluent in AutoDesk's drawing products and can use AutoCad to create models in 3D as well as Sketchup and although the commands are different the principles of forming the solid parts seem fairly similar.
Also are these other packages user friendly enough (having been familar with the above AutoCad) to dip into the trial versions and learn myself or would some formal training be more useful.
Former C.A.D. Engineer here 
A few questions first. What area of Building Design are you in? Are you doing M&E services or architectural? Will you mainly doing designs using existing parts or modelling your own components?
Depending on the answers, that will dicate the package you should look into. For example:
I'm in M&E services, offsite construction to be precise. We use two bits of software as standard, Autodesk Inventor (heavily modified to suit our purpose) and CADduct. Both use a library of parts database, so there is minimal drawing work (in the old school sense of 2D). Inventor is quite handy as you can model your own parts if they do not exist. CADduct is good because it is simple to use and most suppliers have their components model up ready to drop into a database. CADduct is also good as it is used a fair bit in the industry, so model exchanges are simple.
It isn't all straight forward though. With BIM rolling out as industry standard, the software market is becoming a busy place and choosing the right software to learn is critical.
It's similar to the VHS/Betamax of a few decades back. On one side you have Revit and on the other you have AutoCAD MEP. Both are AutoDesk, both are pretty similar, yet you cannot cross the two over. There are other packages but these are the main two at the moment.
Revit is the weapon of choice for the consultant and architectural boys.
There is hope that Autodesk will get themselves sorted out and make all their products cross compatible, but this hasn't happened yet.
Assuming you are in the same industry as me (M&E), I suggest learning Revit in the long run. It looks like it could come out on top at the end. That said, start with CADduct. Once you've learnt one 'parts database' type package, they are all pretty much alike. All our guys use CADduct and are learning Revit now pretty quickly.
In terms of learning CADduct, get yourself booked on a course. I think they are a few hundred pounds, but you should pick it up pretty quickly (especially with an AutoCAD brain).
HTH
A few questions first. What area of Building Design are you in? Are you doing M&E services or architectural? Will you mainly doing designs using existing parts or modelling your own components?
Depending on the answers, that will dicate the package you should look into. For example:
I'm in M&E services, offsite construction to be precise. We use two bits of software as standard, Autodesk Inventor (heavily modified to suit our purpose) and CADduct. Both use a library of parts database, so there is minimal drawing work (in the old school sense of 2D). Inventor is quite handy as you can model your own parts if they do not exist. CADduct is good because it is simple to use and most suppliers have their components model up ready to drop into a database. CADduct is also good as it is used a fair bit in the industry, so model exchanges are simple.
It isn't all straight forward though. With BIM rolling out as industry standard, the software market is becoming a busy place and choosing the right software to learn is critical.
It's similar to the VHS/Betamax of a few decades back. On one side you have Revit and on the other you have AutoCAD MEP. Both are AutoDesk, both are pretty similar, yet you cannot cross the two over. There are other packages but these are the main two at the moment.
Revit is the weapon of choice for the consultant and architectural boys.
There is hope that Autodesk will get themselves sorted out and make all their products cross compatible, but this hasn't happened yet.
Assuming you are in the same industry as me (M&E), I suggest learning Revit in the long run. It looks like it could come out on top at the end. That said, start with CADduct. Once you've learnt one 'parts database' type package, they are all pretty much alike. All our guys use CADduct and are learning Revit now pretty quickly.
In terms of learning CADduct, get yourself booked on a course. I think they are a few hundred pounds, but you should pick it up pretty quickly (especially with an AutoCAD brain).
HTH
I think (correct me if I’m wrong) that the OP was asking more specifically about mechanical/engineering design, rather than the buildings/construction type world.
In which case, this is what I do (Commercial vehicle design).
From my experience, particularly with working with engineers changing over from the 2D world (AutoCAD) - the hardest thing to get round is the fundamental difference between 2D drawings, and 3D modelling. This is a bit of a leap for many people.
AutoCAD, is effectively a computerised version of your drawing board and pens - you still just 'draw' although now with a more powerful tool that can copy, paste, scale, do blocks, layers etc.
You use 3D CAD to first design, then use those designs to create an output - usually manufacturing drawings (like above), but actually, your output could also be cloud data, renders and artwork, solid models, rapid prototypes or CAD/CAM or CNC code.
That’s the hard bit - The actual learning of the program (I.E what button does what) is easier, once proficient in Pro-e for instance, you could pick up Solidworks relatively quickly.
The things to learn about and understand are things like parametric modelling, configurations, formulae, simulations etc. People coming from 2D want to create drawings - in 3D CAD you don’t create drawings, you create models (geometry and features).
Only then, do the drawings come, and if you’re doing the modelling properly, the drawings practically create themselves. They are 'driven' by your models.
To be a really great 3D Cad designer, I think you need a good understanding of the theory first. Then becoming an expert in your chosen package is just down to practice and training where required.
From my experience, unless you had a specific firm or niche in mind, I'd suggest learning Solidworks. I've worked in Pro-E, Inventor, AND Solidworks, and Solidworks IMO seems to becoming more commonly asked for, I'd take a guess at the widest user base as well, hence more training courses, support, etc.
I don’t know any of the top of my head but I'd suggest looking for some good books about feature based and 3D modelling techniques, before you go anywhere near any of the actual packages, then see if you can get a free trial of Solidworks and find some tutorials.
(I'd avoid getting too involved in Sketchup as while it’s a neat & powerful package, from my limited time having a play it doesn’t really work along the same lines as 'proper' 3D Cad such as the 3 above, certainly not for mechanical/product design).
What kind of work are you looking at, out of interest?
In which case, this is what I do (Commercial vehicle design).
From my experience, particularly with working with engineers changing over from the 2D world (AutoCAD) - the hardest thing to get round is the fundamental difference between 2D drawings, and 3D modelling. This is a bit of a leap for many people.
AutoCAD, is effectively a computerised version of your drawing board and pens - you still just 'draw' although now with a more powerful tool that can copy, paste, scale, do blocks, layers etc.
You use 3D CAD to first design, then use those designs to create an output - usually manufacturing drawings (like above), but actually, your output could also be cloud data, renders and artwork, solid models, rapid prototypes or CAD/CAM or CNC code.
That’s the hard bit - The actual learning of the program (I.E what button does what) is easier, once proficient in Pro-e for instance, you could pick up Solidworks relatively quickly.
The things to learn about and understand are things like parametric modelling, configurations, formulae, simulations etc. People coming from 2D want to create drawings - in 3D CAD you don’t create drawings, you create models (geometry and features).
Only then, do the drawings come, and if you’re doing the modelling properly, the drawings practically create themselves. They are 'driven' by your models.
To be a really great 3D Cad designer, I think you need a good understanding of the theory first. Then becoming an expert in your chosen package is just down to practice and training where required.
From my experience, unless you had a specific firm or niche in mind, I'd suggest learning Solidworks. I've worked in Pro-E, Inventor, AND Solidworks, and Solidworks IMO seems to becoming more commonly asked for, I'd take a guess at the widest user base as well, hence more training courses, support, etc.
I don’t know any of the top of my head but I'd suggest looking for some good books about feature based and 3D modelling techniques, before you go anywhere near any of the actual packages, then see if you can get a free trial of Solidworks and find some tutorials.
(I'd avoid getting too involved in Sketchup as while it’s a neat & powerful package, from my limited time having a play it doesn’t really work along the same lines as 'proper' 3D Cad such as the 3 above, certainly not for mechanical/product design).
What kind of work are you looking at, out of interest?
best way to decide would be to jobsearch using the package as a keyword, see how many hits you get. i doubt there'll be a stated package for the bread and butter stuff, but will be for an industry specific aspects as already pointed out.
in my experience there is little difference between SW and inventor. the interface varies slightly but only really how the toolbar is laid out and the icons on the commands. i trained on SW but got a contract job by saying i could use inventor and was totally comfortable with it after an hour's familiarisation. SW has the edge in user friendliness but not sure if there is a free trial version.
pro E is higher end but costs more for a licence and can be fiddly. hence it tends not to be as widely used. forget CATIA for your industry.
i'd start with the free download trial for inventor and go from there. maybe speak to your autocad reseller to see if they can do you a trial with some add-ons and training material?
FWIW i am mechanically biased and reckon most companies only scratch the surface of what 3D CAD can achieve.
in my experience there is little difference between SW and inventor. the interface varies slightly but only really how the toolbar is laid out and the icons on the commands. i trained on SW but got a contract job by saying i could use inventor and was totally comfortable with it after an hour's familiarisation. SW has the edge in user friendliness but not sure if there is a free trial version.
pro E is higher end but costs more for a licence and can be fiddly. hence it tends not to be as widely used. forget CATIA for your industry.
i'd start with the free download trial for inventor and go from there. maybe speak to your autocad reseller to see if they can do you a trial with some add-ons and training material?
FWIW i am mechanically biased and reckon most companies only scratch the surface of what 3D CAD can achieve.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff