3D Software

[TLARWise]

We are looking to get some 3D software and are currently looking at Solidworks and PTC Creo.

 

Does anyone have any experience with both these software titles? Is there anything that Solidworks can do that PTC Creo cannot, and vice versa? Do you think Solidworks is worth the added expensive over the free PTC Creo? Is there any other software that I should look at that would be better than either of these?

 

Thanks

[witch]

Solidworks is a very high spec piece of kit. My daughter is studying product design engineering and both Uni and the company she has spent her placement year with have got it.

Rhino 3D is the other one used in her professional world

It might not be needed in a school though.

There are lots of free 3D modelling stuff that might be good enough - Render is a good on, or there is SketchUp?

[Arthur]

We used to use Pro/Desktop for 3D, but upgraded to SketchUp Pro instead of Creo.

 

SketchUp is easy to deploy too. The network licensed version just needs access to a share to keep track of concurrent users rather than requiring a license server installing like some other programs do.

[witch]

Forgot that one - for A level she used Pro Desktop at school

[Crumpet]

Neither, Autodesk do free educational licences for some of their software. We run Inventor 2014 over here.

[synaesthesia]

We use Solidworks here, very powerful. Absolute PITA to set up and licence.

[chilbs]

Solidedge is available free from Siemens and is just as powerful as Solidworks.

[Meldrew]

We use SolidWorks, but agree hugely difficult to setup. Also if you want to keep up to date, the software renewal is quite expensive. if you want to give copies to your teachers to use at home this is allowed, if you keep buying the new version from memory.

 

Meldrew

[BKGarry]

We currently have solidworks, but just saw the free AutoCAD, so spoke to DT and they are chewing off my arm to have AutoCAD and it is full fat versions of everything they want, very happy people (and setup seems to be a lot easier than Solidworks)

[3s-gtech]

I have to disagree on the difficulty of setup for Solidworks - you install the license server onto the network, then use the admin setup to build your deployable package which can be pushed out via msi. It'll auto update old versions too. Transferring the license server can be a PITA but impressed over the last four years of versions otherwise.

[themightymrp]

PTC Creo here, bit of a pain to setup with the license but a good piece of kit (or so I'm told). We also have Sketchup deployed and is used a fair bit. Quite easy to use too!

[livia]

Autodesk is free for school (network licenses or stand alone) and home (students and teachers) Overview

All full versions, latest versions, yearly free upgrade and plenty of resources available too

Added bonus are the browser-based apps Design Apps | Personal Design & Creativity Tools | Autodesk