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We use Inventor, Solidworks, and Creo for our various clients. Our experience is that once a person has good modeling/drawing practices in one package, getting up to speed in a different package is quick. There is a learning curve as the user translates the command name/workflow concept from one system to another. Plan on the first few projects running slower than you want.
We try to hire based on design/drafting aptitude rather than knowing all the commands or workflows in the CAD package because we need independent drafters/designers/engineers. The specific CAD workflows, button locations, and keyboard shortcuts will come with time. The ability to understand the customer's design requirements or know what is required on a machined vs an injection-molded part print harder to find.
Steve Walton
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Inventor 2024
Vault Professional 2024
We use Inventor, Solidworks, and Creo for our various clients. Our experience is that once a person has good modeling/drawing practices in one package, getting up to speed in a different package is quick. There is a learning curve as the user translates the command name/workflow concept from one system to another. Plan on the first few projects running slower than you want.
We try to hire based on design/drafting aptitude rather than knowing all the commands or workflows in the CAD package because we need independent drafters/designers/engineers. The specific CAD workflows, button locations, and keyboard shortcuts will come with time. The ability to understand the customer's design requirements or know what is required on a machined vs an injection-molded part print harder to find.
Steve Walton
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Inventor 2024
Vault Professional 2024
Hi Greg,
This is a very interesting topic. To a degree, it is an old topic too. Not that I have a good answer, I can share my opinions on this matter. Before you bring the new hire on board, you need to clearly define what you want to do in Inventor (or any other similar packages)? Are you moving completely over to Inventor (with minimum usage of AutoCAD)? Or you want to incorporate the two tools collaboratively.
This decision is very important and it will impact what the new hire needs to know first. If your process is mostly Inventor related, you should ask the person to go through the basic Inventor tutorials since it is the primary tool he will be using. If your process requires Inventor and AutoCAD to work side-by-side, you will want to focus on DWG Interop related workflows first. This will help him use Inventor and AutoCAD effectively at the same time and getting better understanding of how Inventor works.
This is a journey many users have gone through. There are a lot of good learning materials compared to 15~20 years ago. The forum has many experts with experience in this exact topic. Please feel free to ask any question.
Good luck and best wishes,
Many thanks!
Johnson Shiue (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)
Software Test Engineer
Hi Greg,
This is a very interesting topic. To a degree, it is an old topic too. Not that I have a good answer, I can share my opinions on this matter. Before you bring the new hire on board, you need to clearly define what you want to do in Inventor (or any other similar packages)? Are you moving completely over to Inventor (with minimum usage of AutoCAD)? Or you want to incorporate the two tools collaboratively.
This decision is very important and it will impact what the new hire needs to know first. If your process is mostly Inventor related, you should ask the person to go through the basic Inventor tutorials since it is the primary tool he will be using. If your process requires Inventor and AutoCAD to work side-by-side, you will want to focus on DWG Interop related workflows first. This will help him use Inventor and AutoCAD effectively at the same time and getting better understanding of how Inventor works.
This is a journey many users have gone through. There are a lot of good learning materials compared to 15~20 years ago. The forum has many experts with experience in this exact topic. Please feel free to ask any question.
Good luck and best wishes,
Many thanks!
Johnson Shiue (johnson.shiue@autodesk.com)
Software Test Engineer
Re-modeling AutoCAD designs in Inventor is a great training task to move 2d users to 3d users. It is also nice to train 3d users on your company standards for modeling and detailing. In any case, @Frederick_Law has a good point. You will need to review/edit/correct files to make sure the new hires are following your company modeling and detailing standards.
Steve Walton
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Inventor 2024
Vault Professional 2024
Re-modeling AutoCAD designs in Inventor is a great training task to move 2d users to 3d users. It is also nice to train 3d users on your company standards for modeling and detailing. In any case, @Frederick_Law has a good point. You will need to review/edit/correct files to make sure the new hires are following your company modeling and detailing standards.
Steve Walton
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Inventor 2024
Vault Professional 2024
I'm still working on figuring out the modeling standards that would be correct for our company/product.
I'm still working on figuring out the modeling standards that would be correct for our company/product.
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