CoCreate Personal Edition

[Arvin]

Hi,

Has anyone ever used, or is currently using, CoCreate Personal Edition? I noticed that it's a free download, complete w/ 3D and 2D capability. I currently use Pro/E Wildfire 2.0 Training Edition for all my 3D and 2D needs, and was wondering if CoCreate would be a good software to use as well.

If anyone can give me any feeback regarding the software, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[ptc-2360231]

I highly recommend it. The ease of use of CoCreate Modeling is amazing. I've used most of the major CAD systems, and I find that I can get things done much faster in CoCreate than any other product. Plus, the personal edition is free! I've used it to design a pinewood derby car for my son, and a castle project for my daughter.

Hope this helps.

[Arvin]

Hi,

Thanks for your feedback. I assume that there is also no border saying "For Personal Use Only" on the drawings when they are printed out?

Thanks again.

[ptc-2360231]

It comes with several standard borders with the CoCreate logo; however, you can modify the border to meet your needs. The only real drawback that I can see with the personal edition is that you only have a few export options, so you can't really send off part files for CNC manufacturing, etc. But for a free program, you can't beat it.

[Arvin]

Oh ok, thanks. I don't really need the CNC feature anyway, so it's all good.

[jose]

"The only real drawback that I can see with the personal edition is that you only have a few export options, so you can't really send off part files for CNC manufacturing, etc."

Here you mean:

1. it's not possible direct CNC machine control, or
   
2. after doing a part I have no way to send it as an intermediate file (vector or whatever) to a 3rd party that will convert that file to it's CNC machine? If yes, what do you think is the real usage of this program, as all parts I do become "locked" into it?
   

Thanks

Jose

[ptc-2360231]

Both are correct. CoCreate PE is not intended to be a commercial product. You can use it to create extremely detailed drawings, but if you really want to use it for production purposes, you should invest in a full CAD system.

[jose]

"You can use it to create extremely detailed drawings, but if you really want to use it for production purposes, you should invest in a full CAD system"

Hi Gary, thanks, but are you sure about that?

Well, I can't see the purpose to do detailed drawings and not to b able to use it, after all the time invested on it.

If you read the main advertising page, http://www.ptc.com/offers/tryout/pe3.htm, the only drawback explicit pointed is the max 60 parts on a piece, that is, we are induced to think that this limitation is the big one (very resonable for a hobbyst or a eventual user).

So, seems to me that is a wrong statement from PTO that it's a free software for up to 60 pieces and if you go to more serious projects, you must purchase a full copy. That would be prefectly understandableand and ok. Their last paragraph, "...Download CoCreate Modeling PE FREE today, and see how the explicit modeling approach to design can help your products come to life".... Come to life? Where? inside my computer? (well they told "see" above....) 🙂 Well I tink this is not a serious statement. And if you read further in other pages, you see that PE3 data can not be imported by the user himself if he decides to go to full version...

Well, I come to here from Alibre's homepage forum, were someone was discussing about CoCreate PE3.

There I was discussing some missing features on their $99,00 hobbyst version, like parts library and other cutted features, and sugesting another kind of limitation like this "supposed" on PE3, of 60 parts or so...(see the discussion: http://forum.alibre.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=11433&sid=2ff68e5f823e3a533d444934f893fb28).

Anyway Gary, thanks again, this saved me a lot of time!

Jose

[Arvin]

Hi,

You mentioned you were in the Alibre forum. How would you rate/compare Alibre (free version) to CoCreate PE? Also, does anyone know anything about FreeCAD (published by Juergen Riegel), and how it compares to the previously mentioned two?

Thanks.

[wathavy]

The Alibre Express is no longer useful as compare to CoCrate PE. (or PE3).

Alibre Express doesn't provide 2D drawing anymore unlike previous one. Alibre took that ability away, instead they started selling $99 Personal Edition.

Still, it does not include maintenance support fee nor quite a lot of necessary features.

So, most cases one need to by either Standard or more such as Pro or Expert. But the point is the price is much less as compare to CoCreate standard version.

So, for the hobby use CoCreate imposes significant amount of budget.

Anyway, as far as free version is concerned, PE3 is the best for this particular moment.

But unfortunately, I don't recommend to those who temporarily use it to go too much details into PE3 since 60 unique parts is easily gotten and he might get stuck with it.

Then the price tag will be the issue.

I remember the last PE2 upgrade campaign and the price was only $2,500. But was doubled in Japanese dealer.

So, I abandon the upgrade, it was pity.

[jose]

Hi Arwin

"You mentioned you were in the Alibre forum. How would you rate/compare Alibre (free version) to CoCreate PE?"

I'm a hobbyst, and I'm looking for a 3D software. At this point I don't have budget for a full system, neither justify. So, I'm studying the options, because more than a small ($99 for Alibre) or free cost, the time I will invest learning any of them is somewhat high.So, I'm unable to tell you about each program, but:

1. I think is pontless an offer like PE3, even free, if I have no way to generate an output file that I could send to a CNC machine. Even supposing (I'm not sure) that I could extratc/print 2D drawings, this is the past, not the present or future. So, I would not spent my time with PE3, if it's true that I can't generate some sort of file. It's being hard to me to believe that. Sorry Gary, not that I'm doubting of your words, but it seems so non-sense to me...
   
2. at Alibre's forum, I was asking exctly I supposed I had found here (in fact I didn't), that is, some kind of limitation based JUST on some sort of "size" of the project and not cutted features. Here you have size (60) and a no-sense no output cut.
   
3. What I can tell for you now is that they have a $99 version that has some features cutted, and I argued about a "size" limitation instead, and even the VP there was very explanatory, and following the link above, you can follow that discussion and take your conclusions. At least, seems to me that there you can send to CNC some sort of output... you canot control a CNC machine directly, but you an send files.
   

Jose

[wathavy]

Hi.

I have both Alibre Expert (used almost for nothing but 3D PDF publisher after importing assembly from CoCreate at work.)

as well as CoCreate (15.50c) user.

It took me good two years to be able to use CoCreate, but after that PE3 is invaluable since it can freely produce 2D drawing with grate ease of use.

But again, it depends, because CoCreate is not as easy as Alibre in terms of basic usage.

There are a lot of snippets under the hood.

But, like myself who is the standard CoCreate User, it is very handy and nice to have it at home to keep continue to work after I exported my current project with the real version.

Also, please note, that they once had a big bargaining on upgrade from PE2 to real version. It was only 2,500 US$ which is outrageous.

I am awaiting for the next PE3 low budget upgrading anxiously.....but it may not happen, who knows.

As an Alibre user, I can only say that there was no crucial failure or damage while I am working with CoCreate, while with Alibre, I always waste my time only for loading the model which could be loaded fraction of a time as compare to the Alibre's loading time.

Alibre itself may not be guilty, though, because most of the shortcoming comes mainly from ACIS than Albibre..

Spatial Dassault Systems is the ACIS supplier for Alibre, and they are, so to say, rather greedy on the income than the performance to me.

This is my personal impression and nothing to do with the real world.

So, please take this opinion as neutral as possible.

Thank you for your paying attention.

BTW, I love CoCreate's performance on the large assembly and it's flexibility on the creation on any Factory automation machine making.

Most cases, 2D annotation performance is impressive and it can easily be accommodated into existing ME10 2D drawing so I can still work with the hair of the ME10 2D drafting drawers team.

A happy new year to all and thanks to CoCreate's great contribution to the both new achievements and their efforts.

Bye.