You won't go wrong with Alibre. It's great software that functions awesome. I use it's assembly features all the time.
Wade
I am looking for a 3D CAD program that will also do assemblies like solidworks. Is this the next best thing to Solidworks? I just dabble and cannot justify the cost of Solidworks or really anything much more than the cost of Alibre, but I like Solidworks a lot (trained in it at my last job).
I will download the demo when I get a chance, but I never have enough free time to get much use out a demo before it expires.
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You won't go wrong with Alibre. It's great software that functions awesome. I use it's assembly features all the time.
Wade
lol
Poor choice of words Jev.
IMO "next best thing" Would be Inventor, Pro E, Solid Edge.
Best budget software in lieu of.... absolutely
www.integratedmechanical.ca
I have had Alibre for two years and I think it is great. There is very little advantage to solidworks for the small user.
Alibre is a very good choice for value CAD with an excellent set of features and a user interface similar enough to other higher end packages that a transition to those in the future if needed would be very easy. I have been using Alibre since 2009 and have yet to find a reason to spend more money on anything else. I have use Pro-E and Solidworks in the past. I like Solidworks, I don't really like Pro-E at all. Neither is worth the extra money in my opintion when you can get Alibre for a fraction of the cost.
As a former AutoCAD and Pro/E user here's my $0.02: After taking a new job I needed a parametric CAD package to fill the need for mechanical design development; after looking at all of the offerings on the market, I found the best solution for the money was Alibre Design; that was back in 2007. I've used it ever since with great pleasure.
Just don't go looking for Alibre anymore. It's gone as of this morning!
It's now called Geomagic design (sigh.. Stupid name IMHO...)
From an email I got this morning;
We are excited to announce the release of the 2013 version of Alibre Design with many new tools and hundreds of enhancements. But in addition to the exciting new features now available in what is the best version ever of our software, we have one major change that you will notice – what you knew as Alibre Design is now Geomagic® Design.
Our products will now be called:
Geomagic Design Personal
Geomagic Design Professional
Geomagic Design Expert
This new name represents a new chapter for Alibre – one that brings together the resources of the entire 3D Systems software organization to provide you with awesome software and support. More information on the transition to 3D Systems Geomagic can be found at www.alibre.com.
I have to say I agree. VERY stupid name.
Alibre sounds as neat as Solidworks, or Inventor. Geomagic? Sounds like a game for a 2-4 year old.
I like the software, but the name REALLY needs work.
Wade
I purchased the Pro version of 2012 last month.
Great software but that name is just horrid!
Kelly
www.finescale360.com
If you just bought it last month then I assume you're eligible for the upgrade as well (I was with the personal edition anyhow).
My favorite reaction to the name on the Alibre forum was that "...[GeoMagic] sounds more like it belongs to a cartoon about a rainbow-spewing unicorn saving the environment..."
Thank you GaretDH!
The name change to Geomagic is all the more stupid as you still go to the Alibre website to buy it.
Martin.
I ended up buying Geomagic Design Expert (Alibre). After much research, it was the best choice for the money. So far I like it.
Alibre is now owned by GEOMAGIC. Its Okay as there is an API. I have tried to interface with the API (.NET) without success but thankfully found WizoScript which has more features anyway - presently the chap isn't charging.
You can buy a version of it as Cubify for $200.
Well you guys are replying to a 2-year old thread, but if you want SolidWorks on a budget, get in on the Onshape Beta. It is being developed by some of the original team that made SolidWorks, and it is free now in Beta. https://www.onshape.com/
CAD, CAM, Scanning, Modelling, Machining...
OnShapes web page title is the "Future of CAD"......
As an individual who works on a lot of proprietary, company owned, often protected design, how in the world can one assure any PRIVACY with a web, browser or Cloud based Anything ? If that really is the future for CAD, it's a problem.
That is not to say that any "programmer" can't install devious code into a traditional CAD program, but at least you can use software to monitor and control any software that shouldn't be "talking out". Web based programs do nothing BUT "talk out" or communicate with a zillion other servers all the time. No way to control that easily.
Perhaps OnShape is wonderful for Joe Blow Hobbyist, but not for any serious corporate CAD work...... unless you intend to freely share.
A similar technique is showing up for machine control, using browsers to send your code to machines. When plain text files can be grabbed instantly and without anyone's knowledge into a national database, how can that be secure for any real operation ?
Chris L
Better get used to it. Ever heard of Cloud Computing? Ever planning to use any Adobe products starting last year or newer? Ever planning to use Windows 10 or higher? Ever planning to use MS Office after 2-3 years from now? If yes to any of those, you will be on the cloud "sharing" your data. Obviously security needs to be taken in to consideration (and has been), but it IS the way of the (now and) future, like it or not.
Here's a timely article from the author of G-Wizard on the topic, as well. 14 Cloud Software Myths Debunked for Manufacturing Software - CNCCookbook CNCCookbook
CAD, CAM, Scanning, Modelling, Machining...
Hey Chris,
Yeah, those are "HTTPS" connections, which are a secure "tunnel" just between you and the server... There is no proprietary/security "Not Professional" issue there..... Worldwide Banking is done there......
If the concern is the security of your data on the server, it will be far more secure on the servers setup to do it than leaving the security to all the Toms, Dicks and Harry's that have notoriously in the past been responsible for their own computers..... Pretty sure their Security IT team will be "better than yours"..........
The only thing that concerns me is the lack of an "offline client", which a lot of the Cloud systems supply. I don't want to be locked out of my work if I have no internet (There are multiple scenarios where this is the case).....
from adobe illustrator to a machining ceter i think theres avery long way..
mightbe programs can be distributed, but there are too many customer who dont want internet connection with their vmc.. or lathe..
so what is th enext? someone unlike your machine from facebook, and it stops to working :-)