SolidWorks, SolidEdge, WildFire

Hi, I am Carlos and totally new to this kind of software. I would like
to design a very dynamic clockwork kind of mechanism using either
SolidWorks, SolidEdge, WildFire. I use Macintosh, have a very limited
private budget and would therefore like to buy perhaps a back version
(from some years back?) of any of the mentioned programs.
Is there anybody out there who could help me out?
Hoping for a positive response and thanks in advance,
Carlos.

 

Try here:
http://www.journeyed.com/department.asp?DID=ptc&SKW=VPptc
This is the current student edition of the software. In it, you're getting about
$17,000 worth of professional grade software. Only difference between this and the
Flex3C package is that the SE can't exchange files with the professional version
and it watermarks prints not for commercial use. It installs on Wintel machines,
don't know about Macs. If there's some kind of Windows compatibility mode, it
might work. The professional version runs on Linux and Unix, if that's any help.

As far as what you want to do with the software, in a couple months of going
through tutorials, trying different things, reading a book here and there, using
the Help files, you'll find that the software is quite capable of doing the kinds
of things you want to do. In fact, it has two modules ~ Mechanism Design and
Design Animation ~ devoted specifically to making mechanisms and making them move,
dynamically assembling/dissasembling while moving and making mpegs of the whole
business. As with anything else, the more time you can devote to learning/doing,
the greater you chance of success and the quicker you'll 'pick it up'.

 

Carlos,
Unfortunately, I don't think you will find any solid modeling CAD software
for Macintosh. You should be able to find student versions of all three
mentioned for reasonable prices. Any "back version" will probably be
counterfeit or illegal versions. I believe the software manufacturers sell
only "recent" versions through their licensed resellers.

 

Vellum is probably the only Macintosh CAD worth considering. Otherwise
you just might have to come to the dark side to use any of the others.

 

Thanks for this. It is pitty that is not so much software available for
Mac. Very interesting everything you wrote.
Thanks,
Carlos.

 

Hi Ivan,
This sounds interesting too. Will find out straight away about Vellum
as I've never heard of it.
Thanks for this and it really looks like the "dark" is calling louder
and louder.
Carlos.

 

Hi Ivan,
This sounds interesting too. Will find out straight away about Vellum
as I've never heard of it.
Thanks for this and it really looks like the "dark" is calling louder
and louder.
Carlos.
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If you want to tie yourself to the MAC you might also look at CSI Concepts3D.
One of Ashlar's former movers and shakers is behind it (one of the better ACIS
interface programmers by many accounts). I doubt it's very "assembly-centric",
though.

PC based: I might look at Alibre. It appears to be the best deal going on a
broad scope entry level mechanical design package.

Either of those will set you back one to two thousand US.

I don't believe you can legally buy any legitimate CAD software "used" or get
discounts on old versions. Their new seat sales and upgrade revenues would go
down the tubes without artificial market controls so they've worded their
license agreements to preclude the possibility.

Most major developers offer student and / or personal use versions for one to
two hundred. Pro/E personal edition is 250 per a recent advertisement. Pro/E
is capable of taking you further than any of the rest, for my money. The
question then becomes; do you need to go that far to do what you want to do?

Whatever route you decide to pursue; consider support. Low cost or free support
resources will prove to be invaluable. You are not going to sit in a vacuum and
become proficient with any sophisticated CAD software.

- - Good luck with it.

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