> Hello All,
     >
     > I would like to know which CAD tool would be easier and more
     > useful to
     > use.   I've looked and played with solid works and found it fairly
     > easyto use.  The only thing I don't care for is the licensing of the
     > software (you don't own it, you rent it).   On the other hand
     > there is
     > Rhino, I have not used it, so does it have the same functionality as
     > solid works?  Can I convert a 3-D image I created into a 2-D
    blueprint
     > with dimensions and all the other things that are associated with a
     > blueprint?   I like Rhino, because, once you buy it ? you own
    it.  But
     > the thing that concerns me, when you look at Rhino's website in the
     > gallery, all the compositions look like some kind of widget ---
     > there is
     > nothing showing you can actually create 2-D prints.
     >
     > Some advice would be greatly appreciated.
     >
     > I know this topic has come up in the past but I lost a lot of my
     > postings due to a crash.
     >
     > Thanks to all who respond!
     >
     > Burck
     >
     > Rhino is not completely functional as Solid Works as far as things
     > like fillets and shells are concerned. It is also probably more      > accurate for mechanical drawings. Rhino on the other hand does
     > compound curved solids such as cowling's better than Solid Works      > IMHO. Also I suspect the rendering may be better but I am not
     > sure about that.
     >
     > In most cases a Rhino dwg can be exported as an IGES and loaded      > into Solid Works for further processing. This works for NC machine
     > shopsthat have Solid Works as a lot of the NC software imports
     > Solid Works
     > and not always Rhino. Some more recent NC software can import Rhino
     > dwgs directly. Larry, I am sure, will fill you in on this. Plus      > there are
     > other people on here that have used both. I personally find the user
     > interface on Rhino more friendly than Solid Works.
     > --
     > Paul Lamar ...No rotor no motor.
     >
     > Solid Works is one of the best if you are going to do serious
     > design work.
     > It has many hidden capabilities than make is very powerful. There
     > is the
     > down side of it takes time to learn all the "tricks".
     > If you want to do the type of modeling that Paul is doing, he does
     > very well
     > in Rhino.
     > Larry

    I'd have to echo Larry on this one  [sorry guy's I'm a few days
    behind in
    my emails.. wedding's just screw up everything :-) ] I've used both and
    use Sw [SolidWorks] exclusively for 3D design in my day job. In the last
    two years [2007 and now 2008] SW has expaned their organic modeling     ability's 10 fold over previous years. I used to get so pissed when
    doing these types of models but now they are just a breeze. Not only
    that, but the ability to do curvature continous [c^2] curves has
    greatly
    enhanced it's ability yet again [over just a tangent fit body].
    I could show you lots of models that are mind blowing in complexity     and yet easy to accomplish and modify as needed.

    The other great advantage of Sw is it's parametric's. The model's are
    attached to the drawings in a way such that, if you change the model..
    the drawings update to match it. You can link various level's of the
    models
    so that one part "drives" another [ie: bolt circles or.. well
    really.. anything]
    this eliminates the old problems in the conventional CAD systems..     where we'd change something.. then go figure out what it effected..
    inverably missing something and having to 'fix it' on the shop floor.

    Lastly Sw is feature driven.. meaning each thing you add to the model is
    listed as a feature in a list [known as a feature tree] on the side
    of the screen.
    You can return to any feature and modify a dimension or plane it's     drawn on
    or.. any of many many things.. and then update the entire model to
    it's original
    state.. this can save 100's of hours [if not more..] when doing a
    design, instead
    of using "undo" many times and then having to re-draw geometry to
    get back
    to the point we'd been at before the edit..

    Now, having said all of that... does it mean that SW is right for you?
    Not nesc.. it all depends on what kind of design work you are doing..     is it a commercial enterprise? Do you plan on doing only a couple
    designs and thats it..? Are you trying to bring multiple item's to
    market, are you doing custom work.. All of these things will
    tie into your decision..

    As Larry said, Paul is using Rhino almost exclusively and does
    very well in presenting data to everyone on the list. At the end of
    the day, a picture is worth a thousand words [usually more ]
    so anything you choose will be an improvement over a
    pc of paper and a 2D

    Btw.. attached is a Sw model I did in 2004/5  back when Sw didn't
    have all it's gigit's and gagets to do great organic modeling..
    Imagine how much better it is if they've improved it that much since..!

    Jarrett [a Sw junkie.. :-) ]


Cool.  A mini Piaggio Avanti..  I've pondered one of those powered by a
couple of rotary engines.  Would be a practical traveling airplane.


Matt-

Hopefully the proof will be in the pudding.. [someday]
Setting up rad's for cooling is straight forward at least :-D

Jarrett


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