I only have experience with OpenSCAD, and the rest of my team has no experience with any CAD software so we don’t have a preference for a certain workflow or anything of that sort. (I doubt OpenSCAD would be the best for something like modeling a robot design.) Our only preference is that it be cross-platform (at least Linux and OS X).
Autodesk Inventor and SolidWorks seem to be the most popular, those are windows only though
i havent seen many good ones that are cross platform, iirc SolidWorks runs fine on WINE
I think most people use Autodesk Inventor, but it’s windows only. Solidworks is another one, but also requires windows.
I believe Sketchup supports OSX in addition to windows, so it may be your best option. I’ve never used it, but I know other teams do.
My team for many years used Autodesk Inventor, but 2 years ago we switched to Solidworks.
Here is a forum discussion on a cross platform CAD software.
https://vexforum.com/t/tabors-awesome-cad-model-mojang-inventor/22026/1
If someone prefers this system I might be able to find the parts library laying around somewhere.
I have been using autodesk inventor for 3 years now and I was wondering why your team switched to solidworks.
You can run inventor on mac, with boot camp. But, well, it’s hassle. Which is essentially the reason I chose a 600+ dollar dell inspiron rather than a mac at similar pricing but better setup. I mean, I’m aerospace engineering major and I need that Inventor convenience.
If your computers are powerful enough, you can run Inventor or SolidWorks in a Windows virtual machine. I’ve been able to CAD just fine with Inventor on my MacBook Pro when I give the Windows VM 4 cores, 8GB of RAM, and 1GB of vRAM, with retina resolution turned off. If you plan to go on the virtualization route, I recommend Parallels for OSX, as it’s actually optimized best for Windows.
My team switched over to Solidworks because it is easier to work on FRC projects.
One thing I’m trying to evaluate right now is this.
https://www.onshape.com
I imported a clawbot model and it looks quote good, not sure how easy it is to maintain a library of parts though.
After getting into the real world, I would personally recommend NOT using Solidworks or Autodesk for your first CAD software. These companies are very nice and give software for free/reduced cost, but when you are no longer a student, it will cost you almost 5 figures. You will want to use a software that you are used to, but will not be able to pay for it. I would recommend using other programs first so that you get to experience low cost programs before going to the expensive stuff.
I use this at work, and I can say that I would much rather chose SW/Inventor over it!
Any specifics as to what you do not like?
It’s very slow, and crashes alot. I personally can’t use my Space Navigator mouse with it 
I have actually been working on a VEX part library for Onshape. I am still working on adding some of the parts made of multiple components (like the turntables or wheels), but most of the parts should be uploaded.
The library can be accessed here: https://cad.onshape.com/documents/518b73900c6747d29ac7c07b/w/a5548437d44a4f27b0946af3. To use it, you first need to create your own copy by clicking the “Create Private Copy” link.
https://vexforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9477&stc=1&d=1435765463
Onshape has a good set of training videos on their website: [https://www.onshape.com/learn. The “Assembly Basics” video on the “Essential Training Series” page would be a good one to start with since the parts are already created.
I have found that Onshape is pretty fast and reliable as long as you have a decent graphics card and ok internet speed (they recommended 5mb or greater).](https://www.onshape.com/learn. The “Assembly Basics” video on the “Essential Training Series” page would be a good one to start with since the parts are already created.)
Personally, I use Inventor, but I have used SolidWorks before. They both are excellent and powerful packages.
One reason I might recommend starting with something other than Inventor or SW is the steep learning curve those packages have. Both can be somewhat overwhelming if you haven’t used that kind of software before. However, I wouldn’t stay away from them just because they are expensive after you cannot get free/reduced cost educational versions. Both are pretty common in industry and if you are getting a job involving CAD there is a good chance you will need to know how to use one of them.
Recently I have been exploring Onshape and have found it to be a pretty decent CAD software. It may not have ALL the capabilities of Inventor or SW, but it has most of the features that you would need to model VEX robots and is probably easier to pick up.
Another CAD package I have played around with is Design Spark Mechanical: http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/eng/page/mechanical. It doesn’t use constraints so you cannot simulate the movement of parts, but it is free, can import .step files, and has pretty low system requirements. Great for a quick, small model on an older computer.
Personally our team uses Solidworks. Inventor and Solidworks are strong programs that aren’t too hard to get the hang of it. I personally prefer Solidworks because it’s more aesthetically pleasing which the judges are big fans of. Solidworks has a more presentable look than that of Inventor in my opinion. Also most universities use Inventor and Solidworks, so if you’re thinking about going to college or VEXU, it’d be best to get some experience under your belt with one of those programs. [FONT=“Times New Roman”][/FONT]
. To use it, you first need to create your own copy by clicking the “Create Private Copy” link.
https://vexforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9477&stc=1&d=1435765463
Onshape has a good set of training videos on their website: [https://www.onshape.com/learn. The “Assembly Basics” video on the “Essential Training Series” page would be a good one to start with since the parts are already created.
I have found that Onshape is pretty fast and reliable as long as you have a decent graphics card and ok internet speed (they recommended 5mb or greater).](https://www.onshape.com/learn. The “Assembly Basics” video on the “Essential Training Series” page would be a good one to start with since the parts are already created.)
How do I get that part library exactly? I can’t find the “create private copy” link.
EDIT: Nvm, I figured it out. I had to delete the text on your link that was “”
Inventor 2015
Last posting was in July 2015. 