SolidWorks Vs AutoCAD

The Solidworks vs. AutoCAD discussion has been going on for some time now. As with many such cases, the heat of the argument soon becomes self-sustaining and the basics that will help to find an answer are forgotten. To find the answer to the Solidworks vs. AutoCAD issue it makes sense to begin by understanding what they both are.

Solidworks

Solidworks is a Mechanical Computer Aided Design (CAD) Windows based program that has 3D capabilities. It uses the Windows structured file storage system so that the various SLDDRW (drawing files), SLDPRT (part files), SLDASM (assembly files) all have other files embedded in them along with meta-data sub files and preview bitmaps. The sub files use proprietary binary formats but there are some third party tools available for accessing them. This is a para solid based solid modeling program which means that it uses a parametric feature based process to create assemblies and solid models. Parameters can be numeric or geometric. Solidworks is a solid modeler that is used for 3D design applications. It is a "parametric" system which means that the various dimensions all have relationships with each other and when any changes are made to them during the course of the design process the solid part of the design and the blueprint are automatically modified accordingly.

AutoCAD

Like Solidworks, AutoCAD is a CAD program for both 2D and 3D design and drafting. AutoCAD was among the first CAD program to be developed to run of PCs instead of mainframes. Early versions used basic shapes and text to construct complex designs but modern versions use a C++ Application Programming Interface to support custom object design. The latest AutoCAD releases have a full set of solid modeling and 3D tools to offer easier navigation and editing when working in 3D. A drawback is that AutoCAD can run only on 32 or 64 bit Windows platforms. Emulators and compatibility layers allow for wider usage, but performance issues are known to arise at times when large objects or 3D design are being worked on.

Which One?

The answer to this question resides in the type of work that needs to be done. The general opinion is that Solidworks is the better choice when working on 3D design and AutoCAD is the optimum 2D solution. But personal preferences play a major role in deciding what program to use where and so there can be no definite settlement of the Solidworks vs. AutoCAD discussion.