AutoCAD vs. SOLIDWORKS: Which CAD Software Package is Better?

During the 1990s, the rise of technology in the industrial design workplace saw the drawing board and drafting pen replaced with a computer screen and mouse. Computer software applications enabled designers to draw lines on a screen just as they had done before with a pen and ruler. This type of drafting became known as computer-aided design (CAD). Over the next few years, CAD programs largely replaced physical drawing boards and drafting pens in the workplace.

从Switch到计算机软件出现的最受欢迎的CAD软件是AutoCAD，由Autodesk于1982年首次发布。AutoCAD的早期版本需要大型，昂贵的大型机计算机，但是随着引入较小的桌面系统，AutoCAD变得更加流行。

AutoCAD: Still the most widely used for 2D drawing

AutoCAD继续开发，并且仍然是当今最常用的CAD软件。尽管它具有3D功能，但对于许多功能而言，它仍然主要是2D绘图工具。今天的AutoCAD用户遵循与以前使用的相同技术图纸规则。设计师创建线条来表示真实的对象和文本来描述这些对象。分别绘制不同的视图，部分和预测。实际上，在AutoCAD和手动绘制中绘制的唯一区别是AutoCAD是在计算机上完成的。

SOLIDWORKS：专为3D建模而设计

SolidWorks是由MIT毕业生Jon Hirschtick于1995年首次发行的，它使用了成为MIT二十一点团队的一员，从而获得了资金。这个想法是创建一个既实惠又易于使用的3D CAD软件包。Solidworks于1997年被航空制造商Dassault收购，此后一直成为机械工程行业中领先的3D CAD包装之一。Hirschtick本人继续参与该公司的14年，然后离开建立了Belmont Technology，后来成为Onshape，这是另一个3D CAD套餐，目前正越来越受欢迎。

设计师不仅使用Solidworks来发布设计信息。他们还可以使用固体工作来检查不同组件设计之间的产品间隙和公差。SOLIDWORKS还包含模拟对象运动的工具，并确保最终产品能够按预期工作和移动。所有这些都意味着设计师可以在开始现实世界生产之前几乎可以测试整个产品设计。设计师还可以在设计过程的早期识别和解决问题，从而减少成本和时间延迟。

In a large, complex project, it’s normal for many designers and organizations to be involved in the design process. By using 3D modeling packages such as SOLIDWORKS, each designer can work on their part of the design separately. A single CAD manager then checks each designer’s component and sends feedback about product compliance and tolerances as needed.

SolidWorks可以使用逼真的材料和照明输出每个设计，从而使用户可以使用电子模型创建演示文稿。然后，用户可以将演示文稿作为图像或电影文件导出，并将其发送给客户端批准。

SolidWorks还使用参数建模系统方法进行3D CAD。参数建模记录设计功能或约束，然后将其应用于模型的其他部分。这使设计师能够快速更改模型。设计师甚至可以使用公式来指定相对于其他功能的尺寸和角度。这种智能设计已成为3D CAD世界中的行业标准，并且在任何现代高端3D CAD系统（例如Solidworks）中都是重要的功能。

SOLIDWORKS can also quickly create AutoCAD-style 2D drawing layouts. Because SOLIDWORKS users are working with a 3D model, it’s easy to choose which views or cross-sections should be projected onto a 2D layout. As other designers add their parts of the model, the layout and design views update automatically. Any future changes to the model also update each view and layout automatically.

最后，SolidWorks可以导出制造工厂可以直接使用的设计文件。虽然机械师需要解释或转换AutoCAD设计文件，但SolidWorks模型可以通过计算机数值控制（CNC）机器和3D打印机立即阅读。这大大加快了整个过程，并允许更多的内部运营，尤其是对于通常需要支付另一家公司来创建设计文件的小型企业。Solidworks和其他3D CAD计划在3D印刷公司中尤其受欢迎。

SOLIDWORKS与AutoCAD

尽管Solidworks具有许多优势，但有一些充分的理由为什么许多人仍然选择与AutoCAD合作。

首先，SolidWorks需要大量信息来创建一个良好的3D模型。在某些情况下，尤其是在设计过程的早期，没有足够的信息来在Solidworks中创建有用的3D模型。另一方面，AutoCAD允许在创建和编辑早期设计和模型方面具有更多的自由。

In addition, the amount of information required to create a 3D model means that design changes can be more time-consuming than with a 2D model. This may be worth the extra time only in larger projects where SOLIDWORKS’s automatic updates save more time in the long term.

Although AutoCAD has its own 3D capabilities, drafters tend to use them to refine the early design process rather than the final design, as with SOLIDWORKS. However, AutoCAD does include some advanced 3D tools such as realistic materials and lighting. AutoCAD also comes in different versions such as AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD Electrical, and AutoCAD Mechanical. These versions contain enhanced, industry-specific tools that allow the design to be more streamlined.

Finally, AutoCAD and SOLIDWORKS use different file formats. AutoCAD uses the .dwg file format, which many other CAD software packages can read. SOLIDWORKS uses its own set of file formats such as .sldprt for part files and .sldasm for assemblies. Both software packages can read and export to different file formats. This makes it easy for SOLIDWORKS to read an AutoCAD file and vice versa.

AutoCAD和Solidworks都有其优点和缺点，每个程序在设计过程的不同部分都是更好的选择。许多用户发现，最好的工作方法是在产品设计过程的早期阶段使用AutoCAD。设计师可以使用AutoCAD创建初步设计，并将其分为各种所需的子组件。此后，设计师可以将子组件分配给项目团队的其他成员。然后，这些设计人员可以根据设计参数对实体工程中的组件进行建模。

AutoCAD as a common starting point for all designers

While SOLIDWORKS is well suited for mechanical designs, other industries have their own version of 3D software, such as Revit for architects. The design process for these industries works along similar principles; users develop the early design using AutoCAD before moving the design to the 3D software for detailed modeling. While each sector prefers its own specialty 3D software, almost everyone uses AutoCAD at some point in the design process. This is why AutoCAD still has such a large user base and remains the most dominant design package used throughout the world today.

由于AutoCAD和SolidWorks之间的差异，它们都使用不同的文件格式。AutoCAD可用于.dwg格式，而SolidWorks则使用其自己的一组扩展名，例如用于零件文件的.sldprt和.sldasm和.sldasm。与大多数CAD软件包一样，这两个软件都可以从和导出到各种文件类型，以易于文件共享。

摘要：两者的空间

如您所见，在将AutoCAD与SolidWorks进行比较时，这不是一个简单的案例，即确定哪个更好。这两个设计软件包都有其优势：SolidWorks对于机械设计更强大，而AutoCAD在早期设计方面更具用途。这就是为什么您会发现相同的设计公司（甚至相同的人）都使用AutoCAD和Solidworks。您可以预期，这两个软件包都将在未来几年内出现。