[Jim Zondag]

Joe,
I have jumped back and forth between Inventor and Solidworks for several years. It used to be that I preferred Solidworks because it ran better on my laptop than Inventor, but then I got a better computer that no longer mattered. Both now run equally well on most moderately equipped PCs with assemblies of 1000 parts or more and both have a similar suite of features. Both are available free for FRC members with minimal red tape. Its almost like a Coke vs Pepsi thing now. The differences are down in the realms of personal preference.

Personally, I prefer Inventor, mostly due to my own familiarity with it. The built in tutorials are very good now and it is pretty easy to teach. I have taught numerous students how to use Inventor. Some of the advanced features like the Dynamic Simulator and FEA modules are very powerful once you figure out how to use them. If you want to make really pretty pictures, I think Inventor is a bit better.

All of these newer CAD platforms can export and import geometry to and from one another, so compatibility with suppliers or other teams is not really a big deal anymore either.