Should I learn Pro/Engineer or SolidWorks?

[mohammad amin]

it is hard to use proE but if you learn it you can learn other software so easily .
I recommend you to learn solidwork basically and then learn ProE professionally.

 

[ddelaiarro]

I started in AutoCAD (drafting table really, but that's showing my age), moved into ProE in college. First job out of school used Autodesk Inventor, then SDRC I-DEAS, ProE (again), SolidEdge and now, for the last seven years, SolidWorks.

What I'm getting at is that they're all the same. Once you learn the basics of one, you can adjust to another rather quickly. I haven't touched ProE or I-DEAS in almost a decade (I'm not sure I-DEAS even exists anymore...) and I'm sure I could be fully functional within a few days.

Learn the concepts on a more user-friendly interface - SW or Inventor - and more on from there.

Your hypothesis that you'll make more money if you use a higher end CAD package is invalid. Employers don't care. CAD can be taught, rather quickly, and isn't worth paying more for (believe me, I know - I don't care if my interviewees know SW, just that they have CAD experience). The only thing you may get more money for is higher end FEA programs...

 

[ecfedele]

I see this is a little bit dated, but I'll still offer my two cents as a current CAD user if it'll help give some perspective.

I see a bunch of people referencing CATIA and other systems, so I want to clear up some discrepancies before the wrong information and ideas get perpetuated.

SolidWorks, Solid Edge, et. al are CAD programs primarily. This means that they're designed to help you generate a model or part or small assembly. If you want to machine it, you would need to have CAM plugins or integration to generate machining code. If you want to analyze it, SolidWorks has limited FEA/CFD analysis tools available, but you'd most likely need to outsource a CAE solution as well.

CATIA, NX, etc., on the other hand, are PLM toolchains. This means that they are used by large or professional entities with large degrees of integration. NX if coupled with something like Nastran can be used to analyze a part as well as produce machine code in a completely in situ manner; no need for exporting. These programs are used when large assemblies or projects are created. Generally speaking (and from doing a good amount of work in NX), they are the literal embodiment of a PITA if you don't need that level of performance.

Back to the original premise, a lot of engineering firms do, in fact, have a preference for what CAD system their prospective engineers are proficient in, because so many use the same system across the board to be able to have native data exchange between departments or engineers. However, the pay grade for someone well-versed in their particular program is generally the same for the level of CAD you're working with (so, an experienced PLM CAD engineer would most likely get a better entry fare than someone working just in medium-range CAD, because of the higher level of integration and experience required).

My advice at this point is to take up SolidWorks. It's intuitive, you'll grasp it quickly, plus it's available to students and learners at a far better rate than some other packages. Also, SolidWorks data formats are well-understood by industry. Once you have a good idea of the mechanics of design, you can then decide whether or not you want to migrate to another platform. All in all, though, SolidWorks will give you a good understanding of CAD workflows, and once you get proficient at it, it can be both fun and quick to use.

 

[Designman]

ProEngineer and Solid works were written by the same man. He sold each of these companies when the platform he was working with ran full course and limited future improvements. His latest platform is Space Claim. I use it, and it out performs the previous two. So simple and fast, it's amazing.

 

[MarkJW]

...Space Claim. I use it, and it out performs the previous two. So simple and fast, it's amazing.

I like Space Claim a lot, also, but i do not see it as a full functional CAD program. It is great for working with geometry (or even creating it). I ahve not used it for a couple years, so things may ahve changed. I used it mainly for preparing geometry for finite element modelling (clean-up, assembly, and preparation for meshing).

 

[Designman]

MarkJW,

Well said. I agree. Solid works would be the first program for a student to learn. Space Claim has evolved, and is an exceptional tool. Each user will find his own use for this beautiful intuitive program.

 

[shafqut]

solidworks is a more reasonable choice for industries as it provides much more features in a single package then any other software out there. but this totally depends on your field of study and your job requirements