Big Daz

Up here in Scotland Inventor is the king of the hill atm, then Solidworks with Pro E close behind. On speaking to other companies it seems that although Pro E is regarded as the most comprehensive, the learning curve is far longer and as Ray says, commands more money. Smaller companies dont have the budget or the need for Pro E so pick one of the others - based on their 2D package it seems.
Most of the oil comps up here run Inventor, at least for now, although the latest version of wildfire is supposed to be good (note to self, Blag a day out for a Pro E testdrive )

Daz

Big Daz

Pete, is Mentor graphics a 3D package? We currently use Orcad but I am looking for something that will link in with Inventor / Flowcontrol / thermal analysis software to produce true 3D PCB's?

Cheers

Daz

Ray_li

Hmmmm Look at you two going all posh and taking this one step further

Big Daz

LOL, Sorry Ray
Whats worse was, I wasn't even at w**k when I posted that

Daz

ricardo_wrx

I have used AutoCAD both 2D & 3D, found it very difficult to use. Then went onro Vectorworks (old MiniCAD) Better. Now using ArchiCAD....... a weird way to duild drawings up, but wouldnt go back to AutoCRUD.

Im producing plans for shops and houses, so it might be different with engineering stuff?

Ray_li

you'll be bored going from 3D games to 3D small components

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

I enjoy the design process of creating the parts and getting them made up and approved but I hate having to produce the technical manuals to go with the final products.... bores me senseless!

GIG

I'm a Product designer for the package industry and have found that most companies designing for this sector has switched to SolidWorks for there design... Although our company decided to go for Pro-Engineer Wildfire a couple of years ago, against my recommendation, but this was mainly because we already had a couple of seats in Holland.

SolidWorks is very easy to find your way around if you have a little background in 3D CAD plus you get a lot of free useful modules included in the package. (Rendering software, animation etc)

Pro-E on the other hand is fairly difficult to grasp although the newer versions of wildfire have got rid the menus which were a pain to navigate through. (Plus the modules for this are bought separately and are as expensive as the CAD software!)

The toolmakers (injection moulding tools) we use, all seem to be using Unigraphics.

Hope this info is useful

Gig

Tidgy

I've been a cad draughtsman (although my job tittle is senior cad techntian) for about 6 years now, i started out on a 3d package called strucad. which is mainly a steel detailing package (also fairly standard along with x-steel), aka you created the model and the computer generates the drawings for fabrication from it, where as now i draw the 2d drawing not the 3d model. I work in the structural side of it and have worked on projects ranging from a lintel across a door way up to a £65 million casino/carpark/flats.

As far as computer programs go for draughting, yes there are alot out there, the single main construction industry standard seems to be autocad though.

going from 3d modeling for comp games etc to creating constuction drawings is a whole different ball game, there are strict limits on what you can and can't do to comply with building regulations and structural requirments, mainly you'll be told by a designer do this do that untill you get p to speed on the subject (bear in mind is will take several years, i'm still learning)

If you pm' your email i'll pdf you a few drawings i have done of a typical sort of thing.

DazW

iTrader: (1)

Excellent guys, cheers for the input ...& cant beleive that PSL managed to be constructive!

Tidgy you have pm!

KiwiGTI

I've heard of people who do "CAD files" and seem to spend most of their time getting paid lots of money sitting on Mexican or Thai beaches.

What's the story here? Is it just providing processing or do you need real skills?

Ray_li

I've never meet anybody in this game that has said that.
Most/all designers take their work seriously and work bloody hard

Tidgy

lucky if you can get the work lol

the company i work for deals with jobs in baku (azerbijan) so we have guys over there more or less all the time. They do work damn hard and tend to be working 24/7 whiile there out there. They have before taken holiday while they've been out there, so that might be the case.
But bear in mind, the guy who's out there at the min has been out there since week before easter and hasn't had a day off while hes been there (including working weekends)

p1mark

Im a production engineer in the automotive industry on the engine side of things. Use Pro Engineer and autocad. In the midlands so maybe wages not as high as down south but depending on experience designers command £35-£40K.

As said above, Degree or HND required, but we do take a fair few fresh face graduates on at about 25K IIRC

Many eons ago i mentioned Pro eng to PS lewis and he had never heard of it which does make me wonder a bit as he now master of all things engineering design !

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Do you guys know of any good jobs websites for people with design/CAD experience?