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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Autodesk Fusion

    Score7.5 out of 10
    N/AAutodesk Fusion is a cloud-based 3D CAD, CAM, and CAE tool which integrates design, modeling, and simulation capabilities.

    $70

    per month

    Simcenter STAR-CCM+

    Score9.5 out of 10
    N/ASimcenter, from Siemens, is a suite of simulation tools and software. STAR-CCM+ is a multiphysics computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to study how products operate under real-world conditions.N/A
    Pricing
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Editions & Modules
    Fusion 360 - Paid Monthly
    $70
    per month per user
    Fusion 360 - Paid Annually
    $545
    per year per user
    Fusion 360 - 3 Years
    $1635
    3 years per user
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoYes
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Considered Both Products
    Autodesk
    No answer on this topic
    Siemens AG
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    89%
    Would buy again
    8 Answers
    100%
    Would buy again
    14 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    8 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    9 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    89%
    Happy with the feature set
    8 Answers
    93%
    Happy with the feature set
    13 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    86%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    6 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    11 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    8 Answers
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    10 Answers
    Features
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Computer-Aided Design Software
    Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Autodesk Fusion and Simcenter STAR-CCM+
    Feature
    Autodesk Fusion
    7.7
    2 Ratings
    3% above category average
    Simcenter STAR-CCM+
    -
    Ratings
    3D Modeling9.82 Ratings00 Ratings
    2D Drafting7.52 Ratings00 Ratings
    Rendering and Visualization9.12 Ratings00 Ratings
    Parametric Design5.22 Ratings00 Ratings
    Collaboration and Sharing9.72 Ratings00 Ratings
    Compatibility with other software and formats9.82 Ratings00 Ratings
    Assembly Design5.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Simulation and Analysis4.72 Ratings00 Ratings
    Documentation and Annotation8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
    Customization and Extensions7.82 Ratings00 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Small Businesses
    Onshape
    Score6.4 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    Onshape
    Score6.4 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Enterprises
    PTC Creo
    Score7.6 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.2
    (17 ratings)
    9.5
    (14 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Usability
    7.3
    (3 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Availability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Performance
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    7.9
    (2 ratings)
    9.5
    (8 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Autodesk FusionSimcenter STAR-CCM+
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Autodesk
    This software has been so easy to use from day one! I couldn't be more thrilled with it. Being an SME, it is offered on an annual basis free of charge. My network of engineers are amazed I am able to accomplish what I have using this software when the companies they come from are paying thousands for licensing. I also would like to note that Autodesk offer an incredible specialization to really round out your skills via Coursera.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    A case where you are interested in modeling various physics such as
    Aerodynamics,
    Hydrodynamics, Heat Transfer & Thermal Management, Multiphase Flow, Fluid-Structure
    Interaction (FSI), Combustion & Reacting Flows, Aeroacoustics, Electrochemistry, and Electromagnetics. STARCCM+ is recommended. But if your interest is complex Structural dynamics, durability, or Motion analysis, etc. better to go with other tools.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Autodesk
    • The first PRO of Fusion 360 that always comes to mind is how versatile it is. Fusion 360 is the first CAD/CAM software that also includes other key features that CAD programs of this size don't have.
    • Fusion 360 has a generous licensing structure that gives those just starting out a place to start with a professional level CAD program. As a result, this has helped build up a huge community and user base around Fusion 360.
    • Fusion 360 is updated on a monthly basis. This has proven to be a huge advantage over Solidworks (something else I use) which is only updated once a year. The nice thing about monthly updates, other than regular bug fixes, is that the team can adapt quickly and no one is taken by storm with a big overhaul of the UI or features at the beginning of the year.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    • Meshing is very easy to do in STAR CCM+
    • Post-processing results is also very intuitive, making extracting results very enjoyable and easy to use.
    • The Advanced rendering options that are available in STAR CCM+ can really help make very well-generated videos that can make the simulation easy to visualize, share with non-technical engineers, and showcase the study done.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Autodesk
    • Fusion 360 is a very simple program, so once you begin to draw more complex 3D models, the software gets sluggish and loses its fluidity.
    • It would be really nice if Fusion 360 could output a model as a SolidWorks file so I can begin to draw something out in Fusion 360 and then pick it up in SolidWorks when I need to do some more advanced functions.
    • Because Fusion 360 is a simpler program, there are a few functions such as 3D sketches that are not intuitive like all the rest of the functions are.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    • Maybe a little bit on the automation side and if you want to script something, if you want to automate procedures, that happens through every simulation round that you have. That part could be a little bit cumbersome right now, depending on the operating system that you use.
    • Introducing the software on other platforms like Mac OSS.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Autodesk
    It does everything I need for great value.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Autodesk
    Because the tool is very useful and easy to access, it provides very basic and useful tools to start in the modeling part despite being basic processing aspects. It is also very easy to get a free, temporary, or student license, which makes it a very good CAD tool.
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    Great single window GUI
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Autodesk
    Sometimes I like using it on Saturday nights. Unfortunately, they usually do their updates at this time and it isn't available to use.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Autodesk
    It can freeze sometimes while doing heavy tasks.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Autodesk
    Support is conducted via internet Q&A boards; newcomers to 3D modeling may find that articulating their questions in the language of CAD software is the tricky part — once they find the right technical term for what they're trying to accomplish, answers come quickly. Autodesk also provides a large library of educational tutorial videos that make the initial process of learning Fusion 360's interface much easier.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    STAR CCM+ technical support was very quick to respond when a ticket was raised for issues. For support in setting up a test case for the Lagrangian particle tracking technique, a support assist agent was assigned immediately, and after having a detailed discussion, my problem was understood by them, and a suitable test case was shared, which I was able to understand and use to build my case.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Autodesk
    No. It is basic and straightforward.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    It is super easy when it comes to implementing it.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Autodesk
    Autodesk Inventor excels at daily core engineering tasks. When integrated with Vault management systems and part libraries, Autodesk Inventor is tough to beat when you need a mechanical design solution. When Inventor and Vault are setup properly it allows for a very efficient design workflow. I think it would be difficult to achieve the same amount of workflow efficiency with Autodesk Fusion 360, that said, Autodesk Fusion 360 offers a very good toolset at a much lower cost. I can maintain a yearly subscription of Autodesk Fusion 360 and get about 85% of the functionality that is available via the Inventor design suite for the cost of about 2 months of an Inventor subscription. I then also get access to manufacturing plugins with Autodesk Fusion 360 but lose a lot in the drawing environment. Inventor beats Autodesk Fusion 360 hands down when it comes to documentation.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    Competitive tools, both Fluent and STARCCM+, but the user interface and ease of learning, along with everything in a single interface, and a wide variety of proven physics capabilities, along with good scalability and automation, made the choice easy for me. Also, the user guide and tutorials available to explore various kinds of Physics capability, and A single license for access to all physics, also made it easy.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Autodesk
    It offers so much already, and the reason being is that it showed promise early on.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Autodesk
    • It gives me totally positive impacts. Its zero cost eliminates the need to search for other software to use.
    • Fusion 360's Autodesk cloud solution enables me to use 3d files generated via other Autodesk design software that are widely used by my customers.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Siemens AG
    • Time saved in creating a inhouse code, tens and tens of hours.
    • Time saved in experimental setup, tens of hours.
    • Does add some time in testing to confirm star is doing what you think it's doing, but an overall net gain in productivity.
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Simcenter STAR-CCM+ Screenshots

    Screenshot of Multiphysics Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulationScreenshot of Car aerodynamics CFD simulationScreenshot of Integrated Design Exploration and OptimizationScreenshot of Fully integrated CFD based topology optimizationScreenshot of Multiphysics CFD - Electric Motor CoolingScreenshot of Multiphase Flows