I'm not an engineer, but I learned AutoCAD back in 2006-2007 while attending college for Mechanical/Motorsports Engineering. A few years ago, I started playing with Sketchup and just hated it. It just doesn't think like I do. A friend turned me on to Fusion 360 about 6 months ago, and I love it. It's much more like AutoCAD, which makes it a bit more intuitive to me. So much nice stuff and free to use as long as you make less than $100,000 per year with it.

There are some good courses on Udemy.com for it, too.

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Travis Rassat
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Noblesville, IN
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Solidworks to me is the best one to be proficient in.. If you can run one, you can learn them all.

The easy part of engineering is the modeling. If you are teaching yourself, learn new techniques on youtube. Model lots of small things.

To me, understanding the drawings aspect is what's most important. Don't underestimate this function.

I came out of school as a mechanical engineer, but ended up never actually working in the field. These days I'm a computer geek. The engineers that work for our company primarily use Solidworks. AutoCAD is a distant 2nd. The others you listed, not at all. That's just one datapoint tho, I can't speak to the actual market penetration of either product.

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"If only he had used his genius for niceness, instead of Evil." M. Smart

I'm like this guy and got my ME degree but never became an actual engineer. Did quite a bit of sales engineer/account management along with project management (currently at an aerospace company that is project based custom stuff). One side of our division I'm currently at uses Sieman's NX (GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney use it too). The other office uses AutoCAD Inventor but pretty much all the engineers hate it and they are switching to Solidworks this year (I believe) because apparently our licenses for Inventor are almost as much as a Pro/E license. Some companies still use Catia (Boeing is one).

Honestly use of Solidworks is fine. All the major CAD out there basic 3D concepts are the same and as long as you are proficient at modeling with solid methodology on how you construct the components you can easily transfer that to different CAD system (it's more just figuring out where the menu items and shortcut button tools are).

The big ones I see being used the most during my career are:

Sieman's NX (formerly Unigraphics)
Pro/E
Solidworks

Just practice on whatever you can get your hands on.

We use AutoCad Inventor at my company, I don't use it as a project manager.

From my stand point they all make pretty pictures but are pretty much useless if you can't make that image mean something to the people that have to build it. The best engineer in my office worked at a machine shop in college and therfore "gets it."

So, pick one, solidworks is what they taught MEs at my school, and know why you are doing what your doing.

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Hanging out in a machine shop is the shit. Being a machinist is kind of a lost art. I kinda got into it as a hobby a while back, but I was never serious. There's a really old guy across town that's done a lot of engine machining for me for the last decade. He's old going on dead. Great guy. He's been trying to sell his small engine machining business and retire for 20yrs. If I didn't have a family to feed, I'd go be that guy's slave unpaid assistant for a decade and learn everything he knows. It is absolutely the coolest shit.

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Books @ Amazon
"If only he had used his genius for niceness, instead of Evil." M. Smart

ME Here.

At my company (10 years now) we started with all AutoCAD, but switched to SW when we got bought out by a bigger company. I like SW much better for modeling, but we still use AutoCAD for 2D schematics.

I have AutoCAD on a home machine that I still use for 2D drawings for exporting into CAM software for running a CNC router I have in the basement.

Once you get proficient at one software package it is only a minor pain to switch to others. If I had to choose one I would go for SW.

Awesome on the 3D printer, I keep getting the bug to get one but have way too many other projects to do. I have made models in Solidworks and uploaded to Shapeways for a few projects which worked well.

Another ME here...
At my current job, we use Solidworks. At my previous job of ~10 years, we used NX.

Overall, I prefer Solidworks mostly because I feel the user interface is slightly a bit better and many manufacturers of components I use offer CAD files for download in Solidworks format (skips the STEP file conversion step, not a big deal). I think NX/Nastran is a slightly better analysis package than Solidworks Sim, but Solidworks Sim still suffices most of the time and for any in-depth simulation I'd still go to ANSYS anyway. Solidworks DWG is way better than NX, IMO...

I'll also say that IMO going from one CAD package to another isn't all that difficult. If you learn one really well, you'll be able to catch on to another pretty quickly. At least that's my experience...

I'm replying to you, but to everyone else who shared similar information.

It seems that the consensus is keep working on Solidworks, and crossover should be relatively painless. I went a few months without Solidworks before just getting it again this week, but during that period in between is when I started with Fusion 360, and the worst part (as mentioned earlier by someone) was finding the tools I want, as they're all in a different spot.

I had heard that Solidworks is very widely used, but I'm glad to hear firsthand that I'm not wasting my time :)

To those who mentioned it...

I do use Solidworks for the 2d drawings, and in my first year high school course we got the lecture about laying out and dimensioning a drawing so that a machinist can actually understand it... I don't hesitate to admit I really need to refresh those skills :)
I also plan on working with Autocad for some 2d stuff.

As for hanging out in machine shops, I've been thinking about that and I'm going to pursue that (kind of). I found the community college by me offers welding and machine courses over the summer, and I also know a few people that use these tools for their professions that offered to help me out. I want to work on those skills for a few reasons. The first of which is it looks fun, the second is to be able to communicate better to the machinists as an engineer in the future, and also to be adept at prototyping myself.


Sorry for the long, bulk response, but I appreciate the help :)

l.p. in general, once you learn one you can move to another. The user interface is always the biggest difference. That said, each package has its strength and weaknesses. We have Creo (ProE) primarily for design and some seats of NX, which were converted from IDEAS and used for analysis. Personally me and others wish westandardized on NX due to the better underlying kernel. Something like Solidworks vs Car is comes down to the hardware designs that are needed. You can get away with Solidworks for small things, but once you talk about the big boys in aerospace or automotive, it's Far is, NX, etc.

How strong are you in analysis, and are you marketing yourself on that front as well? Designers are great, analysts are great, but someone who is fully competent in both is far more valuable to me.

Well right now I am 18, so I haven't really started marketing myself a whole lot as it is. However, I have done a little bit of analysis on some really small, basic parts, and plan on actually testing some parts to test how well I did the analysis, as well as the fact that I am just curious (and want to break something :)

I'll definitely make sure to focus on studying and applying both the design and analytics throughout college, thank you for the tip :)

With regard to the other stuff you wrote, I haven't figured out yet how to acquire NX as a student, but I'm not quitting just quite yet after hearing how many people use it. Right now I'm working on the smaller to mid-size parts and assemblies, so I'm currently doing okay with Solidworks.

Thank you again!


As an aside, I'm really enjoying seeing all the same people answering my engineering and college questions, it's much more helpful than I thought it would be.

Have used Solidworks and NX here. Both pretty similar at the end of the day, though it can take a little time to adapt between them and remember where the similar commands are. But that will be a small part of your job.

I work in an engineering company with about 100 mech engineers or CAD people. I am one of a small number who is an engineer (as opposed to a CAD guy) who actually does CAD. A key point is there is MUCH more to being an engineer than CAD modelling, so your focus is probably on the wrong thing for most careers. I'm about the only one of my uni friends who actually does CAD/mechanical design.

If you love CAD modelling by all means pursue that, but an engineering (even a CAD) job involves understanding so much more than just being able to draw 3D pictures. Off the top of my head: understanding/interpreting(/creating) requirements/specs. Test planning. Running tests. Report writing. Communication (verbal, visual, written) up and down the food chain. Budgeting (time and $). Interpreting and creating paper drawings. GD&T. Prototyping. Tolerance analysis. Managing people. Manufacturing processes/limitations. Supplier negotiation. Regulatory compliance. Design for assembly. FMEA. Risk analysis. ... etc. Heaps more beyond that, and heaps that will be job/industry specific.


If you can find a job with a company with some manufacturing on site, do it, pick the brains of the people who actually have to make your designs, they are invaluable.

I agree with Tigermilk.

I'm a Project Engineer (and manager of our International project engineering group), at a large aerospace engineering company. We use NX. I'm not an Aero engineer, though. My personal background before the lobotomy was EE.

You can't learn them all, and no employer is going to expect a fresh-out to know them all. Choose a full-on professional package, and learn it inside-out. Dabble in enough others to have a handle on what the adaptation process entails.

Someone else mentioned "drawings". This too. Learn how to produce a real drawing, with real tolerances, real process notes, material specs, etc. We've worked with some pretty sketchy companies that tried to consider "the model" to be "the configuration item". At best, you are half-done once you have a shape in virtual 3-space.


This can't be overstated. Honestly, regardless of discipline. The generalist (or at least the specialist with cross-over experience) is much more valuable.

This is a little OT, but I'll also say that its hard to see into the future much farther than about 5 years with any clarity. Expect to change courses every 5---that might be as trivial as a change in tool-chain, or employer. It might also be a total career shift. 24 years ago, I was a hard core precision analog electrical engineer at a contract engineering firm. 5 years in, I became a pure software engineer (I have a degree in each) at a small startup. 7 years after that, I became a "systems engineer" at a large Aerospace firm (where I am now).

I was scared shitless at every change that I was leaving an essential career skill behind.

Look for options, and take advantage of opportunities early. If you get stuck in an "off the path" assignment...take advantage of it, and learn everything you can.

So Tom, after the lobotomy did you have an overwhelming urge to go welding?

The idea that CAD is only a small part of being an engineer is a really good one. Coming out of school as an engineer sets you up in a huge variety of jobs. Being an engineer means, essentially, you have a better grasp of anything technical, any kind of "system", then most other folks. Not only do you have an intuitive grasp of physics and electricity, but you can just kinda look at something and make a reasonable call re. it's weaknesses.

Welding is an art and I'm no artist. I can get metal to stick together, but it's never pretty. It's great that colleges are offering vocational classes like welding, but if I was hot to be a better welder, I'd go find some dude that had great skills, and pay him some money to let me spend some evenings with him, showing me how to weld. Like give him $50/night to spend 2hrs each evening with you for a couple weeks. That would be a very concentrated dose of learning, as opposed to the glacially slow rate it's going to happen at the school. Go to a shop that does welding and ask them if there's someone willing to do this that has their own welder. Or go to a muffler shop. Lots of muffler shops have some great welder working there.

I went to Purdue and San Diego St. The latter occasionally uses me as a mentor for kids that will soon be graduating. But the things I end up talking to them about have nothing to do with being an engineer. I end up talking to them about the exact same subjects I used to have to talk to 2nd Lieutenants about. The problem is that schools don't touch upon the kinds of generic things that are necessary to function as a valued subordinate, a valued peer, an effective manager of projects, and as an effective leader.

I mean things like...
1) Never give an excuse. No matter how good the excuse seems to be, just don't do it. The only exception is that when you're excuse is so perfect that you can explain it in one sentence and your boss will apologize for being annoyed with you. Over time you will develop a reputation for always taking responsibility. Then, when the day comes that you say "that was not my fault", not a person in the room will imagine otherwise.

2) Always make your boss look good. That's your whole job description right there. No matter what's going on, do good work so your boss looks good. Look out for him.

3) Don't attempt to make yourself look good. That's not your job. It's the job of your boss and your subordinates. Always deflect praise to them, always redirect criticism to you.

4) Never let your subordinates get criticized by others. One way or another, it's your fault. Somehow, some way, you should have helped your subordinate avoid that mistake.

5) Make your subordinates look good. Help them succeed in every task. That doesn't mean blow sunshine up their butt. Sometimes they have to be dragged to success kicking and screaming, but always be looking out for their best interest. Even when you're pissed at a subordinate, find a way to make the conversation developmental. Their successes and failures are your responsibility, so help them succeed.

That's the kind of shit that makes professionals succeed. That's the kind of shit an engineer will use to succeed. Getting someone to do CAD for you is childsplay. Up above is what really separates the successful professionals from the not so successful.

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Books @ Amazon
"If only he had used his genius for niceness, instead of Evil." M. Smart

Lots of replies. It really depends what field you see yourself going into. Aerospace is heavily CATIA. But Dessault bought solid works and emulated their GUI. The CAD portion isn’t that different but the back end part and assembly management is. NX had a better integration with machine centers, but that was a while ago for me so I’m not sure if they still hold that advantage. If you are just trying to build a model they all work. They start to separate when you have massive assemblies, parametric features, tool path integrated into part features, etc. 2 years ago the UX was totally different between systems so your experience in a certain platform was more relavent. These days, they’re all pretty much the same from a UX PoV

Thank you, I appreciate the insight a ton.

I understand that CAD and drawings are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what goes on in an engineering career. I'm close friends with several senior level engineers, and I have been surrounded my whole life by engineers.

The reason that I ask this question is because I do love CAD modelling, and regardless of whether it is practicle or not I'm going to do it. Hell, even if I wasn't going the engineering route I'd do it for fun, and make my own parts/toys/random shit. I just would prefer to have it be as applicable as possible when I do land a career.

The other thing that I may not have mentioned, is that I am only in my second quarter of college. (Before it inevitably comes from someone as I know that it will, no, I will not switch my major during college). I'm hitting the general college credits right now, with calc and physics being the most applicable courses that I have taken so far. So while I ask for advice about CAD, I know that I have much more important things to focus on, and those are coming.

I appreciate all of the responses, and keep them coming :) I'm definitely taking notes, and keeping these posts for current and future reference. Thank you again :)

As an engineer, you don't learn to weld so that you can weld. You learn about it so that you have the knowledge to make the bigger decisions, like:

Should I design this widget as a weldment? Or is another process more appropriate (machining, casting, moulding, sheet metal forming, rivetting...) and why (tolerances/accuracy, cycle time, part cost, lead time, tooling cost, appearance...)

If it's going to be welded, will it distort in a way that adversely affects the function? Can the design be changed to avoid adverse effects of distortion?

Can the parts be poke-yoke? Do I need a jig/tooling? What welding process is most applicable? Can I access the weld line with the torch?

If this is welded, what's going to happen to the material properties and does that affect the integrity of my design? (strength, corrosion...)

How do I analyse the weld strength? How will I measure the critical dimensions of the weldment?

How will I specify the weld on the drawing? (or interpret someone else's drawing)

Then you go and do the same for every other manufacturing process...

 Only roll cages.

Regarding a student version of NX, I have a primary point of contact for our Siemens products (not a Siemens guy, but a top tier reseller/product support). I have a good relationship with him and see if he has any ins. Getting students hooked on high priced software in college is like a gateway drug,

No pipeline welding? You survived!

FYI, found a couple of things regarding NX and students. If your university or high school has a contract or NX, you should be able to get a copy. If not, for the low price of $99, you can get the NX Learning edition:

http://www.academicsuperstore.com/.../Siemens/NX+/1575552

There's even a forum on the Siemens website dedicated to the student version - https://community.plm.automation.siemens.com/...d-p/NX-Student-Forum

Depends on what you'll go into.

All the engineers I work with use Revit