11 Dec 2021

The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Get Started With CATIA | Ekeeda

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The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Get Started With CATIA


In today's competitive world, engineers have to be at the forefront to win the race against innovation and growing technology. Engineering designers need to be handy with design tools that are quick, reliable, and most importantly improve the product experience. They require specialized tools, applications, and software to develop and analyze a new product. Designers rely on Computer-aided Design (CAD) software to develop, test, and improve the product mechanism. They have to create design right from sketching to product analysis being satisfied all the constraints. CAD helps them to give a clear picture of the end product with complete analysis and design structure to make efficient and flawless product design before going to the manufacturing phase.
Several designing software’s are available in the market for aspirants such as AutoCAD, Solidworks, Fusion 360, MatLAB, Ansys, CREO, etc. One such most widely used and appreciated 3D design tool is ‘CATIA’. 
Thankfully, the internet is at your service. You ‘GOOGLE’ it and within a couple of minutes, you will get hundreds of CATIA online courses to start learning. However, be aware the market is filled with fraudsters who can easily dupe you under the pretext of career growth and future. It’s better to take genuine feedback on a particular CATIA tutorial online before you learn it. Check out the reviews and ratings to find out the best CATIA courses to get enrolled with.
Ekeeda – India’s biggest tech educational platform offers CATIA certification for beginners. Take a look –
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Our blog will introduce you to the easy and in-demand designing tool, its advantages & features, required skills, its scope, and versions of CATIA tool.
Now let’s take a sneak peek into the amazing world of CATIA

CATIA Introduction
CATIA software was developed by Dassault Systemes which is a France based multinational software company. It is an internationally recognized and widely used software that delivers 3D design, Computer-aided engineering solutions, PLM, and Computer-aided manufacturing solutions. 
The software is mainly used in Manufacturing Industries & Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). It also helps to design,  analyze, and manage new products. CATIA is an efficient model tool that combines 3D parametric features with 2D tools, and even addresses every design-to-manufacturing process. This tool also provides generating section, auxiliary, isometric, detailed 2D drawing, or orthographic.

Knowing CATIA
CATIA gives various perspectives in product creation and allows multiple options to enhance their default tools through the product development process. This encourages product designing and user experience. It is quite useful for creative designers, engineers like Mechanical, electrical, system architects, and manufacturing industries. CATIA software provides an amazing 3D design atmosphere that helps companies to share product designs and collaborations on product modelling through social media & online sharing platforms. 
About Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is a benchmark being set by industries to minimize manufacturing costs and control the revolution in engineering. It acts as a foundation for conceptualization, product definition, manufacturing, simulation, and after-market knowledge being discovered within various product lifecycle stages. Besides, it also offers the general & geometrical data connected to a product’s lifecycle stage.
CATIA Uses
CATIA software is most commonly used in the automobile industry, aerospace, defense & industrial equipment, plant design systems, consumer packaged goods, architecture firms, and construction companies, process power, petroleum, and other services. CATIA software is quite well-known for its disciplined system, sketching & rendering techniques, multi-platform, market compatibility, complete engineering insights, and collaboration.
For instance, CATIA is used in the following areas of the Aerospace Industry:

  • It is used for the design and development of the Indian Light Combat Aircraft

  • European Aerospace Airbus use CATIA software

  • BAE Systems uses CATIA

  • P3 Voith is using CATIA V6

How Is It Working With CATIA?
CATIA has a collaborative approach and a Cross-Discipline Development Platform. It makes your work easy and simple due to the amazing 3D user experience, easy-going workflows, and a Social Design Environment. CATIA is based on an Advance Surface Modelling structure, and it also has an Unbreakable Relational Design.
It helps designers model products based on real-life behaviors patterns. It also helps users in designing electronic, electrical, and distributed systems. The graphical user interface is very user-friendly compared to other 3D programs. Each tool and command in the workspace will be easily available and quite clearly defined. 
CATIA is a powerful software application; however, it will take some time to master the program. Being an extensive program, it becomes a bit difficult to use; however, it proves to be an efficient and very useful tool for numerous engineering designers and meets various design purposes.
Desired Skills: This is a computer-aided three-dimensional interactive application. A piece of prior knowledge about CAD, CAM, CAE will be useful for you, Also, it is based on PLM software solutions, and basic knowledge about the subject gives a positive result while learning the software.

CATIA Features
CATIA provides a complete engineering toolkit under a single umbrella. You will find all the products for composites and Electrical design disciplines with traditional surfacing, drafting, and solids workbenches within a consistent User Interface.
Here are some of the best features of CATIA software 

  • CATIA provides a unique solution for shape designing, styling, and surfacing workflows from industrial design to Class A.

  • CATIA can accelerate the process of engineering by 30-50%

  • It gives a complete definition of modeling, simulation, verification, and business process management.

  • It allows for the simulation of objects using a 3D digital mock-up.

  • CATIA has come up with a new feature “design anytime and designs anywhere” that enables capturing and sending the design modifications offline to the teammates.

  • It offers a productive 3D design environment that will enable designers and all stakeholders to come together and work on product modeling and share the designs.

Advantages Of CATIA
Here are some of the most important benefits of CATIA software tool:
Saves Time & Money: CATIA has built-in modification management abilities that will help you fetch auto-updates. This technique reduces the effects of various changes in the manufacturing process. With these automatic updates in the initial phase, the user saves time and money with no need to restart the entire process every time right from the beginning. 
Product Design And Styling: This product design tool offers to update surface modelling abilities to industrial and transportation designers. The innovative designers can access the tools that will help you achieve and explore principle ideas. It supports a unique 3D sketching technology that helps the designers to import the 2D sketches.
Excellent 3D Atmosphere: CATIA has a built-in 3D environment that allows the users to take part in the design process anytime. The product designs could be accessed and viewed from the 3D dashboards. The designs could be shared in their workings and designers could also enhance their designs by venturing with the various engineers or people around the globe. 
Collaborative Approach: It offers a collaborative approach for product designing and creation. CATIA fulfills the specific needs of various people to enhance the concept, process, and development of new products. 
Market Feasibility: It ensures that the engineers get adapted to the marketing rules & fundamentals. Also, understand the demands along with simultaneously reducing the overall costs of the product development.

Various Versions of CATIA Tool
The development and enhanced, modified versions of software depend on the industry requirements. No doubt, the developers of CAD software try to come up with something unique, innovative, and better. CATIA was first introduced in 1980 and has been constantly developing its version to meet the designing needs. Today, CATIA stands to be one the world’s leading solutions for and software designing tools for product development and bring innovation to all industries branches. Several institutes and learning platforms offer CATIA courses online. You master this amazing software tool at the comfort of your home!
Let’s check out one-by-one the versions in detail.

CATIA V3 
In 1982, the first version of CATIA was released. The Boeing Company opted for the CATIA V3 as its main 3D CAD tool. CATIA V3 is used to create 3D Designs. Later in 1988, CATIA V3 was moved from mainframe computers to UNIX. 
CATIA V4
In 1993, CATIA V4 was published and developed by Dassault Systems. V4 supports the 3D digital mock-up and native formats such as IGES, STEP, STL, and DXF. The CATIA V4 file extensions are .model (Part, Assemble), .session (Assembly of various model files), .exp, .dlv3, and .dlv4. Dassault Systems also designed the features to convert CATIA V4 files to CATIA V5 for easy access. 
CATIA V5 
CATIA V5 is the most popular and in-demand version of CATIA. CATIA V5 is a CAD software used for parametric and non-parametric modelling purposes. CATIA V4 was essentially replaced by CATIA V5, by including more functions such as additional platform support, ease of use, etc.

  • V5 is capable of performing basic FEA analysis & basic machining. All this without adding the products of SIMULIA and DELMIA. 

  • CATIA V5 offers a scalable platform for collaborative product creation & product data management. 

  • It helps to create, modify, and validate any freeform & mechanical surfaces. 

  • CATIA V5 provides advanced design control for Start-of-the-art engineering.

  • During product specification, it lets you integrate and share electrical products, structural design information, and systems. 

  • Through Web-based learning solutions, it offers all the required information and training under one single platform. 

CATIA V6

  • CATIA V6 is a 3D collaborative solution and gives the best CATIA 3D experience. It enables the users to model and design complex products, define and execute the driving systems to manage the product complexity and its on-time delivery. 

  • It helps engineers with Digital Prototyping, including Analysis and Simulation for design. It helps in the validation of function quality and performance at all stages of design. 

  • CATIA V6 integrates complex product behaviour smoothly into the product definition. It gives a real-time experience that will perfectly predict real-world performance.

  • CATIA combines the Shape, Architecture, Functionality, and Engineering characteristics of the product definition that integrates the digital product experience for audiences.

Why You Should Use CATIA?
There are some genuine and out-of-the-box uses of CATIA software that cannot be found in any of the 3D software tools. These are as follows: 

  1. It has a wide array of tools and if the user take a proper license, they can do anything such as sheet metal design, surface design, mechanical design, or assembly.

  2. It has parametric capabilities that can be used to modify designs.

  3. The contextual design could be maintained with publications that are used to link models and build complex design interfaces. 

  4. It offers the ability to visualize the products easily and come up with the best possible design for them. 

Take up a CATIA online course and step ahead for a promising career with Ekeeda! 
CATIA Scope
CATIA is also commonly termed as a ‘3D Product Lifecycle Management software’ package. It has a lot of scope in several industries around the globe. It helps in the process of product development and complete designing. The process includes development, conceptualization, designing, engineering, and manufacturing. It is used in Mechanical engineering, system engineering, electrical systems & fluid systems.
Learning CATIA
CATIA is a huge application and usually can be learned by anyone who is interested in product designing, 3D design, 3D digital Mockups, etc. It can be used by individuals who are passionate about the development and creation of new products. The software incorporates various approaches and dimensions in designing and developing products that allow designers to use various updated and advanced tools. It proves a handy and most useful tool for system architects, engineers, and industrial designers.
How CATIA Will Help You In Career Growth?
CATIA technology is different from other forms of software. It offers advanced yet simple tools and commands. If you learn the skills, you will gain experience & knowledge. It helps you to boost your career and lay a successful path as well as future prospects. 
On an ending note -
CATIA is strong in dealing with product designing, handling large equipment and its assemblies. Its interface will help you to create complex parametric models with ease and comfort. Its surface modelling tools are an add-on to its features lists. CATIA proves to be a strong modelling tool and good for freshers engineers. At present, it is the best software designing tool for expert users and beginners.
Hope you now have a clear idea on What Is CATIA, its advantages, and how to make efficient use of this tool. And this blog will help you make a balanced decision and secure your future.
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