Alibre Users Honest Opinions

[xyzcnc]

OK all you Alibre users. We want to hear your honest opinions about Alibre. I have downloaded the demo and done some of the tutorials. Seems pretty powerful, not sure I like some of the user interface. Don't like having to double click a button after returning from another window. Why do I have to tab to the OK button in a dialog box instead of just hitting enter. I've gotten it to crash numerous times. Written in java, does not seem quit as speedy as other CAD software. Don't get me wrong there is alot to like about Alibre besides the price. Its close.... but do you think its ready for prime time?

[CNCadmin]

I've been using it and it the best parametric part modeling software I have ever used, and the instruction videos are great. I find the speed to be very fast even on my labtop, and is way faster than MD 4.0.

[jeffserv]

I like Alibre Design... I purchase the Expert package and it is great. I can now communicate to my customers exactly what I am trying to design and build. I build complete machines and sell them and Alibre makes it possible. I have given advice to Alibre and the changes are in the software now. They listen to their customers... The Price is great as well. Also I can save in AutoCad 2000.dwg format and that can be seen by most everybody... so I post my jobs online for bidding and have had great success with it. Go ahead and Spend the $5500 for something else if you want. I haven't spent near that... and in the first 16 hours of use I was able to draw up a whole machine concept. That's what sold me.... before it would have taken me a 40 hour week to do the same thing... and it would have only been a 2D drawing.

I say buy it... you won't be sorry.

[ARB]

I think that Alibre is real nice. I have not been real deep into it yet. But it easy an straight forward to use. Unlike TurboCad I don't regret buying Alibre.

Pretty slick for the money. For all but the most complex modeling this software will fit the bill nicely.

[xyzcnc]

Bought Alibre Design Professional. Got the video training CD's also. Training videos are excellent. I use two monitors, one displays training video while I practice in Alibre on the other. I pause the training when needed while I practice. Replay as many times as it takes to get it though my "Knot Head" (as Dad would call me when I did something stupid). The more I learn the more impressed I am with Alibre.

[tjones]

Love it...Took 3rd place in the express contest and have the full version now. I think my boss will be buying the next version up soon after I started using it at work. We could use the sheetmetal function that I didn't get with my 3rd place prize.

3rd place = 2nd loser

I use it along with the other software in the shop. Makes a great tool for doing everything from 3D to the 2D prints. I export out step,iges,dxf, and dwg. This makes the software great for all departments.

[AMCjeepCJ]

I just built these forward controls (middle pic) for a guy on Discovery channel. It was cool to go from a pencil sketch to a 3-D model soooo fast and being able to check clearances on the fly... The other (pic on right) is a picture of a wheel we're building with wood inlays... The other 'thing' (left pic) is some gator heads I made only the real ones have 3-D scales and fully contoured surfaces, they literally look like real aluminum gator heads. I didn't draw all of those other features in the model yet, lol, couldn't figure out how~


I've been able to make some sick wheel designs, crazy-fast, just from artists sketches scanned and sent via email... My customers love seeing their 'wheel' before its cut, saves a lot of time and money... I think Alibre is awesome but then again, it's all I could afford, lol, price and nothing else was my determining factor, so far I think I got lucky...


Nobody wanted to give me $5,000 for a used dirtbike and solid works didn't want to sell me their software for the $1,800 I got for the bike!! (Kinda cut down my options luckily)


Alibre rocks!! I'm not sure about the other software companies but I got 5 seats with that license, I've been giving them to my buddies just for kicks~


Anyone else draw up some really cool stuff and actually build it from the model??

[tjones]

Check out what can be done with the free Xpress version. Several of these entries are for actual parts that were made during the contest.

https://www.alibre.com/xpress/forum/...49e40a6ff5a6f2

The down side of Xpress is that the free version you get does have limits like exporting. However for only $99 you can get the export module. This made things easy to draw the parts and export to my CAM software. The different versions are for differnt lvls of use so check them all out before puting out for the $1800 version. I have the $1000 version and I don't have sheetmetal or photo rendering. The standerd render is fine for my work but I could use the sheet metal.

[scidog]

I started with the free package Alibre Design Xpress and used it to make a few sample projects for the R&D firm where I work. I now use it in place of SolidWorks and IDEAS.

Recently, I personally bought the full-blown expert package with a 3 year service agreement and have not looked back.

What really makes it sweet is that I have in Alibre a potent CADCAMCNC for far less than any other BASE package alone. This allows me to personally own the software and keep it fully updated without wallet strain;never a bad thing.

I use it on a TRAK DPM, a HAAS VF-3, and my FlashCutCNC.

The only thing I cannot speak on is Alibre's cut-verification/simulation. For cut verification I still use a package called CutViewer, and I use it because I am familiar with it and like it. As for generating tool paths, Alibre does just fine. It's toolpath generation engine is not fancy, but it is quite adequate.

At home, Alibre is the most impressive hobby setup I have ever owned. (But don't get me wrong: Alibre is not a "toy". I use it for serious work every day and get paid for what I make.)

Oh yeah, Alibre Design Xpress does not self-destruct after a month either. After a month you get to keep, forever, a reduced feature version that works...forever. The free version alone is great for the hobbyist.

I say buy it...and no, I do not work for Alibre. I just like Alibre because it works.

That's it,

scidog

[stevehuckss396]

Anyone else draw up some really cool stuff and actually build it from the model??

Not sure what you consider really cool but i did design this in Alibre and then build it. Still needs paint but it worked. There is no way i could afford to purchase Alibre. But i would if i could. I love it.

Video : [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2cCYrqq6fU

Photo's : http://www.floridaame.org/GalleryPages/g1M0312.htm

[tjones]

Alibre has fast become a tool we can not do without at Industrial tool Services. Not only has it enabled us to do more but increased our sales volume.

We can now show design in 3D PDF where our sales can present to the customer. Alibre has allowed direct customer feedback and solid machining where we were not capable before.

It is easy to use, with many nice tools. Every year Alibre adds new and improved features. In this past version they added the ability to directly change the solid model from the associated 2D part drawing making the design process even faster. The ability to do tool paths without having a second software makes for some very quick turn arounds on customer parts.

Another tool is the ability to directly edit an imported solid from other software. This allows editing, moving, or removing of existing features in 'dumb solids' making our life much easier since we often get solid files from our customers.

[Joe Miranda]

Tjones,

How would you compare alibre with bobcad?

Joe