Basically moving from one to the other is just a matter of learning what each calls the different tools. The learning curve for both is pretty steep, but if you know Solidworks well, it should not be that difficult to grasp. As for aerospace, both Catia and NX are widely used, probably about 50:50. It's surfacing tools are very good, and it has a module dedicated to class a automotive surfacing. If you want to get into automotive, Catia is king. They are powerful, have many really exotic features and they are really expensive. They perform well, and are reasonably priced. I have some limited experience with NX and no experience with Creo.īasic analogy: Solidworks and Creo are sport compact cars. Here is what I can tell you from my experience. If anyone can explain this in a simple way that'd be great! 😊 What can CATIA do that solidworks can't? (or the other way around) Why does dassault systemes make two CAD packages? How do CATIA and Solidworks compare to packages like NX or Creo or others on the market? From my understanding CATIA is a more beefy version of Solidworks with Creo being a competitor to solidworks and NX being a competitor to CATIA. Next, after looking into all the different CAD packages I can't really seem to understand the differences. So, my first question is which software I should spend my time learning now I'm comfortable with soldiworks? Occasionally I see things like NX or creo asked for but it seems they are less popular. After looking at job adverts it seems that solidworks is often asked for but CATIA is also popular.

I'm keen to work within the automotive (or maybe aerospace who knows) industry when I graduate but being competitive I'd like to improve my CV by learning the software I'd need (CAD is also a bit of a hobby). I'd say I'm fairly confident in soldiworks now.

Im a mechanical engineering student and have been using Solidworks (and Inventor) now for around four years and have, over the last year, been learning the more advanced modules such as animation and motion studies, fluid flow simulation and stress analysis.

Catia versus solidworks