Alibre and Rhino

[LP]

I looking at getting Rhino and just recently ran across Alibre. The Alibre website mentions a Rhino plug-in that allows modifications made in Alibre to be transfered to the Alibre components with Rhino.

To digress for a moment, Alibre appears to be a worthwhile entity in itself. I've only just started learning the software and I'm not sure of the limitations placed on the free version.

My question then is, without intimate knowledge of either software, since these software essentially interface with each other, it would appear that they have different strenghts (and weaknesses). What would those be?

[RThompson]

Hi Learpilot,


Alibre (I have only used a trial version for a few hours - six months ago)

Alibre is a mechanical modeller. Basically its expertise is solids modelling of straight lines and arcs (it can do more but I suspect reaches its limit quickly).
It is also parametric, that means you create relationships between objects that can be edited at a later date.
Also the history of an object can be edited after the fact.
eg you can draw a box, fillet the corners, draw another box along side and specify it to be 20mm from the first box.

Then go back and make the first box bigger, the second box will move itself so that it matains its 20mm spacing.
You might then go back and "turn off" the fillets on the first box.

It is miserable at editing organic shaped objects (as are most mechanical modellers). hulls decks etc are generally organic shapes.
It is good at interior layouts/cabinets etc.
It also has good capacity for paper layouts/printing
Good for assemblies of multiple components (maybe rhino generated parts?)

Rhino (I have much more experience with this one...)

Rhino is a (nurbs) surface modeller.
Basically you can create any shape surface with great precision and control.

You cannot edit the history of an object (very well).
solids modelling is not its forte.
Mechanical modelling can (and is) done but it is not parametric.
Not to good at print layouts and drawings (in fact - woeful).

However,
Very intuitive GUI (for me). Very easy to learn AND use.
Has surface editing and fairing tools competitive with anything available.
Very good import/export options.
besides the lack of history and parametric edits it can do almost anything a mech. modeller can do.
By far its real strength is its ability to create/manipulate organic shapes - with ease. simply and without great file overheads (file structures, history trees, component libraries, various browsers etc etc.)
Rhino also has native basic hydrostatics

finally it might say something that over the last 3 or 4 years rhino is/has becoming the weapon of choice in the skills required for "yacht design vacant jobs"

If I was to limit myself to one peice of (low price) cad software it would be Rhino, without doubt. bang for buck it can't be beaten for yacht design. (not that I'm biased or anything... )
Rhino also has a very good support service. and very active online forum

This is my opinion only.
Rob

[Raggi_Thor]

I am not neutral here as I am selling both Alibre and Rhino.
They work great together, You can model a hull in Rhino from offsets or by lofting frames imported from other programs. Alibre can then import the hull as a "surface feature". This feature can be used to trim bulkheads or frames. You can also sketch the cross section of a bulkhead at the center line and then "extrude to the surface".

I think you can do with Rhino only, but not with Alibre only.
Alibre do have a loft command. You can make a free form shape by lofting a few sections, but Rhino gives you much better control of the curvature.
Another alternative is to do all the 3D work in Rhino, then make 2D sections and use IntelliCAD (AutoCAD clone) to make presentation (working) drawings with dimensions, title blocks etc.

I suppose you know there is "Christmas offer" from Alibre Inc to all users of Alibre Xpress, upgrade to Alibre Design Professional for 50% of the normal price...

[CGN]

Hi

These are some images of parts that I been doing just for fun to learn using Alibre, Is a good software is not Solidworks or PTC but is very similar and has most of the features, the price is ok.

I really haven't using the plug-in I don't think the plug in is very useful, at the beginning I was hoping they will do the contrary of what the plug in does which is to import the surface form rhino into Alibre, so if you modified the surface in Rhino you can use the plug in to "re-import" the rhino model and update automatically the model inside Alibre, same way as solidworks - Rhino Plug-in.

cheers