Joe Holland -- Sidmar Manufacturing
To the gang at Alibre,
I just wanted to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for your product.
My story starts 4 years ago. Well, it was years before that I knew CAD would be in our future, but it wasn't necessary until about 4 years ago.
In 1998 I purchased AutoCAD LT 98. The brand name was well known and the $500 price was nice. I tried to learn it on my own, but found the interface to be quite different than most Windows programs. I am an experienced software user and found it odd that I would have such a difficult time learning a new piece of software. I tried their online help and still didn't get very far. After awhile, I just gave up.
In 2000, I saw an ad in a design magazine for a solid modeling CAD program. I sent for the demo CD and literature. Upon reviewing it, I knew solid modeling would be in our future. Imagine being able to design parts and assemble them into products without ever having to make a prototype part. I sat through a demonstration of the software and I was amazed. It was the perfect thing for us and I was nearly sold. When it came down to it though, the price was prohibitive. We would have to spend approximately $5,000 for the software and training plus hardware and another $1,200 per year for maintenance. We decided our small company just couldn't spend that much money.
That brings us to today. A few months ago I saw another ad for a solid modeling program called Alibre Design. The price was only $495*. My first reaction was, it must be limited in function for such an inexpensive price. I called the company and spoke with a salesman. I asked him how it compared to SolidWorks as that is the one I had wanted to buy. He said Alibre Design was partially modeled after SolidWorks. He explained the similarities between the two products. We discussed the product for several minutes until my apprehension was quelled.
The price of the software is only $495* and that includes all the training you need. I asked about annual maintenance fees and he said it is $495. I was still a little skeptical so he said I should just try it at their risk for 30 days. I couldn't say no. I bought it that day, downloaded it and was being trained the very next day. The interface is easy to learn and intuitive.
I have successfully modeled several parts in the past couple of months. The last part was drawn in Alibre Design, exported as a dwg file and emailed to a vendor that does laser cutting of sheet metal. They imported my drawing and began cutting parts. Nothing could be quicker and save more money than that. Right from design to machine. The bottom line is I am thrilled with Alibre Design. It gives me freedom to design without limits. My imagination is my only limitation.
We are developing more new products, due mostly to the capabilities of Alibre Design. I still can't believe I can get all the help I need for free. It blows me away. If you're thinking about solid modeling, start here www.alibre.com. You won't regret it!
Thanks for making such a useful product.
Joe Holland
Vice President
Sidmar Manufacturing, Inc.
| 
