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Going from Inventor to Solid Works

12 REPLIES 12
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Message 1 of 13
Mustang69
1730 Views, 12 Replies

Going from Inventor to Solid Works

I'm an long time user of Inventor.
Have used it since version 1 so I have seen it evolve from really awful to a really great program! 🙂

Today it suits me perfect and it is an extremely fast program to design in.
I use mostly the sheet metal features and big assemblies..

What I really lack in Inventor is good presentation tools like doing brochures and customer quotations.
Solid Works seams to be really good at this

Do anyone here have experience of Solid Works for doing good presentations?

Also if anyone here have experience with both programs.....how would you describe witch program is best with sheet metal design and very large assemblies?

12 REPLIES 12
Message 2 of 13
mrattray
in reply to: Mustang69

They're very similar (Inventor & SolidWorks). Have you looked at some of the other presentation tools offered by AutoDesk? I don't use them, because I just do machine design, but they look pretty powerful.
Where exactly do you find Inventor lacking? While I mentioned that I don't do "marketing-type stuff" in Inventor, I used to do it in SolidWorks. I don't remember there being anything in SolidWorks that Inventor doesn't have.
Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 3 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: Mustang69


@Mustang69 wrote:

What I really lack in Inventor is good presentation tools like doing brochures and customer quotations.
Solid Works seams to be really good at this

SolidWorks or do you mean SolidWorks Composer?

http://www.solidworks.com/sw/products/technical-communication/packages.htm?scid=hp_tab_products_tech...


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Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


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Message 4 of 13
mrattray
in reply to: JDMather

I forgot about Composer. When I was running SolidWorks my company (as in: my boss) was looking at getting Composer for doing data sheets and manuals. We got some demos on it and it looked pretty sweet, but I never got to actually use it.
Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 5 of 13
blair
in reply to: mrattray

You might look at Inventor Publisher.

 

We use Adobe Indesign for our manuals and brochures.


Inventor 2020, In-Cad, Simulation Mechanical

Just insert the picture rather than attaching it as a file
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Message 6 of 13
Cadmanto
in reply to: Mustang69

I remember some years back seeing a presentation from Solidworks on 3D Via.  That is a software that had a lot of niffty tools and may work for you, but it is pricey.

While I have never used it, what I think I have heard about Inventor Fusion, this might work for you as well.

 

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(Colossians 3:23-25)


Message 7 of 13
BryanKelley
in reply to: Mustang69

Hello Mustang69,

 

  What kind of presentation tools are you looking to create?  You mention brochures and customer quotations, but I'm not quite sure if you're looking for Inventor to create a photo-realistic document with advanced text formatting capabilities.  If so, then as far as I'm aware of, no, that does not exist within Inventor.  What Inventor can create are images and videos that can be incorporated downstream into your marketing workflow.  Also present is the capabilities to capture Parts Lists that can be consumed downstream as well.  Another aspect would be Simulation and Motion Analysis to present to your potential clients either from a website or printed media.  I hope that helps, any feedback is welcomed.

 

Thanks,
Bryan

Sr. Software QA Engineer
DLS – Mechanical Design
Message 8 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: Cadmanto


@Cadmanto wrote:

I remember some years back seeing a presentation from Solidworks on 3D Via. 

     


I just attended a SolidWorks Composer presentation - I could be wrong, but I think they said it was formerly 3D Via Composer, purchased by SolidWorks and renamed.  In any case - I suspect the OP saw something else other than vanilla SolidWorks.  An additional cost functionality.....

I am not familiar with Inventor Publisher, but I think it is important to at least be comparing apples to apples....


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Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


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Message 9 of 13
JDMather
in reply to: Cadmanto


@Cadmanto wrote:

While I have never used it, what I think I have heard about Inventor Fusion, this might work for you as well.

     


Inventor Fusion no longer exists.
Perhaps you meant Fusion 360.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Autodesk Inventor 2019 Certified Professional
Autodesk AutoCAD 2013 Certified Professional
Certified SolidWorks Professional


The CADWhisperer YouTube Channel


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Message 10 of 13
DarrenP
in reply to: JDMather

inventor publisher is the closet product i can think of

but from what i am reading in the forums its not a very good product

DarrenP
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Message 11 of 13
mflayler2
in reply to: DarrenP

Publisher is a pretty good product if you watch what you are doing.  And the cost difference between what 3D Via sold for a couple years ago (not sure about current cost) around 8,000 US compared to only 1,000 US for Publisher it was quite a steal for a lot of clients.  It is definately a niche product though and great for creating fast imagery that can be consumed in MS Word or Adobe Illustrator for image placement.  Most of these programs though need to revolve around your workflow.  If you don't need updating of the imagery during WIP changes then it doesn't really matter what you use on the back end for manuals.  The bidirectional linking in the software is nice for WIP and marketing that happen side by side, but that tends not to be the case at most companies.

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Mark Flayler - Engagement Engineer

IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog: https://resources.imaginit.com/manufacturing-solutions-blog

Message 12 of 13
Mustang69
in reply to: BryanKelley

Yes I'm looking for doing photo realistic or nice graphic documents in wich I can decsribe the product I have done

 

Making images in Inventor is really embarasing comparing how nice Solid Works does it

 

Inventor has very very crude tools for doing images and it is time consuming.

Its a mattor of working with several programs to in the end get some decent presentation.

 

Making videos in Inventor is actually a joke.

 

Many times when I have visit a customers and got the oportunity to se my competitors documents made from within Solid Works I got really amased!

 

Quite recently I got a demostration from Solid Works sales people and was then convinced how easy and fast they did nice and simple documentations.

Well I have learned not to listen to much to sales people so thats the reason I also place the question here to maybe get some real hands on information! 🙂

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfnzEpL_Q6M

 

This is what i need! 🙂

Message 13 of 13
Cadmanto
in reply to: JDMather

JD, you might be right.  When I saw this presentation it was back with SW 2009.  And Fusion 360 sounds more accurate, but that is the problem with using an older issue of Inventor.  I still have Inventor Fusion on my system.

 

check.PNGIf this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".

Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudoskudos.PNG are appreciated. Thanks!!!! Smiley Very Happy

 

New EE Logo.PNG

Inventor.PNG     vault.PNG

Best Regards,
Scott McFadden
(Colossians 3:23-25)


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