Architosh Staff ([email protected])

6 Mar 2002

 

Reader Feedback: Users Chime in on SolidWorks for Mac OS X

Architosh has received some good feedback on the idea for SolidWorks for Mac OS X. This has come up in response to our recent features on Autocad for Mac OS X and our petition efforts. (see home page: www.architosh.com)

A Mistaken Identity?

First off, many of these readers writing in have come under the impression that Architosh is a site just for "architects". Not so! Not even close! Make no mistake about it this site is inclusive of all CAD/3D fields in addition to AEC markets. So if you are a Macintosh-based engineer or scientists please make yourself right at home here at Architosh. Join our Forums. Join our AIWUG Listings.

SolidWorks Feedback

Daniel Gratiot wrote in with a number of good points and concerns. In addition to being a dedicated SolidWorks user and showing great preference for Macintosh he also uses Rhino (another PC-only app), Alias/Wavefront's DesignStudio and Gestel's excellent solidThinking -- which is available for Macintosh. Daniel writes:

I realize your site is Architecture-centric, but I think you should also not dismiss a product like SolidWorks as engineering centric. As an industrial designer, I chose to use SolidWorks (as have many other designers I know) because it is easy to use and has many wonderful features simply not available in [other] CAID packages. Worst part of that choice for me was having to get PCs, so if I could change to all Macs, I would! -- Daniel

Daniel also remarked that solidThinking appears to be very capable for architectural modeling in addition to industrial design. Hmm? We think we may have mentioned that in the past but have yet to fully investigate.

John Weir was very encouraged by our note on SolidWorks for Mac OS X as well. He wrote in:

I'd like to offer enthusiastic support for Guy Edkins' comments about SolidWorks. He really is on the money when he describes it as fast and intuitive. Here at the University of Melbourne, we use both SolidWorks and Pro/ENGINEER as 3D modeling platforms, since they are both powerfully robust at defining the complex shapes of engineering products and assemblies. -- John Weir

John also mentions that both SolidWorks and ProE are great at developing "spatial visualization skills" in his students who "adapt to both products quite easily". He further opines:

Probably SolidWorks has the edge in terms of easy learning, whereas Pro/ENG has it in sheer industrial grunt. (We rejected Autocad Mechanical Desktop years ago as being too limited, too flaky and too awkward for serious engineering use.) -- John Weir

Jason Knox also wrote to us with positive comments about SolidWorks as well:

As a mechanical draftsman I would like to add my support to getting SolidWorks ported to OS X. SolidWorks is an amazing 3D package. -- Jason Knox

We will continue to report on SolidWorks, ProE and other CAID, and mechanical 3D/CAD applications which we think are targets for Mac OS X. So please write in with suggestions and comments. The community needs to hear that the interest is there for Mac OS X.

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