3D Modeling Techniques IRONCAD vs Solidworks Lesson Four
No Sketching Please!
When I introduce IronCAD's very
flexible design paradigm I have a hard time to get the Pro/e clone
users, like Solidworks and other programs, to understand the drag and
drop design paradigm.
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I saw some Fusion 360 exercises online and I decided to compare
IronCAD. It quickly turned into a study in modeling techniques. I have created
fifteen
"IronCAD vs
Fusion 360",
six "IronCAD vs Solidworks"
and one
IronCAD vs Creo lessons to show the difference between IronCAD
and the two programs and my modeling techniques. I found the Fusion 360, Solidworks
and Creo presenters wasting massive amounts of time
with overly complex constrained sketching procedures. I was so unimpressed that
I decided to model the parts or assemblies showing my modeling techniques plus IronCAD's superb design system.
Many of these modeling techniques can easily
be implemented even within their existing system. I call it
Streamlined Sketching and Feature Based Modeling. Please review a few of the above IronCAD vs Fusion 360
and Solidworks
lessons, there are some very stark differences.
Please watch
a Solidworks user model this part! It is quite amazing that he is
not familiar with any feature based modeling. It truly makes you
wonder it this is really 3D modeling?
Here is the drawing if you would like to
give it a try.
While creating 3D models from drawing is the very best
way to learn 3D CAD and maybe some design techniques it does not
expose the designer to the design flexibility necessary in design. IronCAD is all top down due to the single model environment.
Creating mating parts is a cruise. But modeling is just one aspect of a
well designed productive 3D CAD system.
Solidworks
is a marginal 3D CAD system based on the dated Pro/e (Creo) history
based modeling system. I have sold this product years ago and found
it, like all of the other Solidworks clones, not productive enough
for our engineering department. We use what we sell. That gives us
the experience to effectively support our user base.
I would do a
video, but I really am not good at it. So I will show you step by
step. I will try and get IronCAD support to create one. They are
very good.
As with my Ironcad vs Fusion 360 exercises
I have found the same problems with Solidworks. The modeling
technique is hugely responsible for the level of productivity. Those
of you that are only trained in the sketch, sketch, constrain,
constrain world are truly limited by not using the freedom of
feature based design, that is available in even the most
Solidworks-ish of CAD systems. If your
designers are designing in these very unproductive and time
consuming processes it might be time to review your standard design
processes. Don't have any do you? This part in IronCAD takes 8 simple
steps! And not one sketch!
Here is IronCAD. My default is inches,
so we will set the units to mm. Let's get started.
I drag and drop a
block in to the scene and size it.
Note: Why does IronCAD
call it a scene instead of a workspace? IronCAD was first released
as a graphic design program called Trispectives. It still has much
of the graphic design functionality. It truly is a wonderful mixture
of professional 3D CAD and graphic design, which puts it in a much
more flexible category as compared to the very mechanical
engineering focused Solidworks clones.
We put in the blends.
Now we
drag and drop a hole block and size it.
We
drag and drop a hole slot on the the center of the face, size it and
locate it with the Triball by locking in the vertical axis and using
the from command.
We
drag and drop a block on to the face and size it by pushing and
pulling to match faces then edit the sizebox.
We put
in the blends. This is the first time I have seen a SW user not
sketch the blends. He actually creates a full radius. I will just
put in two 15mm blends.
The
next two blends.
Then we drag and drop a hole on the face and center of the
radius, size it and we are done.
There you go. Not one sketch. IronCAD is the king of "Feature
Based" modeling.
This is
another stark examples
of how IronCAD's drag and drop of editable shapes from a catalog and
the use of the Triball can increase productivity 10X in this case. I
usually estimate 5X increased productivity in conceptual design and
10X in changes, and I believe I am being conservative. IronCAD can
edit most of the Solidworks clone parts and assemblies faster than it
can be done in the native CAD system.
Give me a call if you have any
questions. I can set up a skype or go to meeting to show this part
or answer any of your questions on the operation of IronCAD. It
truly is the very best conceptual 3D CAD system.
If you are interested in adding professional
hybrid modeling capabilities or looking for a new solution to
increase your productivity, take some time to download a fully
functional 30 day evaluation and play with these packages. Feel free
to give me a call if you have any questions or would like an on-line
presentation.
