what's the difference between inventor and solidworks?

Bot h are User friendly S/W Comparing with each other Solidworks built with more Advance features than inventor Some features not available in Inventor and solidworks too Like Configurations( Solidworks), UNDO Feature ( inventor more Advanced), Sketch & Part features (Solidworks Advanced) And for Rendering Solidworks Better if you are looking for the Best means go for Solidworks for inventor i Rate 3.5 out of 5 for solidworks 4 out of 5

SolidWorks and Inventor are smilar products from two different companies. Solidworks fromm EDS. Inventor from Autodesk.

 

Like Camry from Toyota and Altima from Nissan.

 

On few features on ot slight advantage over other. But overall both are comparable in terms of performance including price.

 

kebymathai at gmail.com

Invention is a crazy idea that crops up in your mind while searching for something else.
It is featured by being novel, clever, future oriented design and may or may not be applicable in contemporary measures!.
Solid works are related to immediate (not future), conventional (not novel), routine (nothing exciting) kind of design.
The advantage is that it earns you money immediately unlike an invention which is a hazardous gamble, however main factor in humanity development.
Statistically, few inventors enjoyed benefits of their work but definitely many humans benefited from these inventions whether at the life time or after the death of those inventors.
:-)

One major difference I would cite would be the modeling kernel. Solidworks employs the Parasolids Kernel and Inventor employs the Shape Manager kernel(partly from the ACIS kernel). Both are feature based parametric modelling solutions.

Very good question however as always a personal thing both inventor and solidworks are very similar as in part creation to assemblies and using constraints and creating engineering drawings, however Autodesk Inventor in my opinion has to be the best tool for creating working models and prototype parts, Creating piece parts complete with part properties.
To sub and full assemblies capable of generating full bill of materials to export to excel, and also has the ability to communicate with your MRP system using Vault, for greater stock manufacturing control.
Inventor also has the ability to create wiring looms within a product and complex pipe work layouts.

For Solidworks is easier, more user-friendly and more flexible.

I am not sure about the differences from the user experience point of view because I don't use either ones. But in general, Solidworks is a stripped version of CATIA, which is a big name in the industry, highly advanced in everything and most important, costs a big fortune. By the way, a stripped version of a couple of modules from CATIA aimed for individuals and budget users.

 

On the other hand, Inventor comes from another big player with great tools that exceed the scope of CAD and FEA, for example,more advanced assemblies and easy fitting with bigger solutions for the manufacture (other Autodesk products like product life management, animation solutions, ..etc).

 

Both don't have built in CAM modules (which is somehow not so trendy for budget users) and most important, they are both PARAMETRIC! 

 

Parametric modeling is a great approach, well established BUT not so ideal for all types of industries. I personally favor free form modeling over parametric modeling because it works great for me (everything is independent of everything else)

 

Best luck 

 

Fadi