Winner: Solidworks<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThere’s just no comparison, in my opinion. I found it painful to watch the tutorial videos for CATIA because it was only so rudimentary. CATIA looks so out-dated, so you may be wondering why it is so expensive? It comes down to all the engineering-specific tools and capabilities that airplane engineers just can’t do without. Before Solidworks, it seems like there were two levels of software:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) Software that is “user-friendly” to the point of being professionally impractical. (Think Sketchup) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2) Software that is “professional-grade” to the point of being impossible for the average person to learn. (Think 3DS Max)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Solidworks somehow managed to mix both and left a lot of people pleasantly surprised and downright addicted. There is now an expectation of this kind of quality. Well, unless, of course, you are CATIA. I maintain that CATIA’s continued presence in the CAD market is due to Boeing’s company culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Left: CATIA UI – Right: Solidworks UI)<\/p>\n\n\n\n