Any CAD users here???

[ignorant_newb]

I run Unigraphics NX 7.5 on a daily basis. Once I get going with this I plan to design and machine my own parts. Having a good CAD platform at my disposal should make this pretty easy.

Anybody else here run a CAD program or designed your own parts?

I'm willing to help other people out too. Shoot me a sketch and your dimensions and I will draw it up and create a 3D model for ya. You may have to take it to a local shop though.

Just a thought.....

[SMR 510RR]

Yea if you search for CAD there are a couple long threads about it.

Most of the users here seem to be on SolidWorks.

[mark reel]

i use solidworks

[C*H*U*D]

Welcome to RCC

Yes, there are many here with access to CAD software. Here's a start:

3D modeling/rendering software

Keep in mind though that there is more to making parts than just designing them.

[BUBBA069]

Had AutoCAD in school, first real design job was with a company that ran UG. Started with version 9, left the company about the time that version 15 come out. Never used UG since they named it NX. Company I work for now uses Inventor, but I have since moved to the IT side so any CAD work I do now I do for personal projects.

[ignorant_newb]

Thanks guys. Solidworks is a great program. There are many similarities between it and UG.

[ignorant_newb]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

Welcome to RCC

Keep in mind though that there is more to making parts than just designing them.

Thank you and absolutely. I design tooling and clamping for a living so I am pretty familiar with all of the "angles" to be addressed when designing.

Most of my chassis parts will likely be wirecut when possible. This would be the quickest and cheapest for me so I will design everything with that in mind.

[gregrocks90046]

I use Solid Works for design, Master Cam for tool paths, and Mach III to control the Taig.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by ignorant_newb

Most of my chassis parts will likely be wirecut when possible. This would be the quickest and cheapest for me so I will design everything with that in mind.

Post pictures of this being done when you get up and running...I'm sure a lot of people would be interested in it.

[LBTaco]

here is a good place to have your designs "printed" up.

Shapeways | Please Hold

site is down because of the storm/flooding it says.

[ghtpdm5]

back in high school i used vectorworks 10 for everything. worked well enough for my purposes then. now i'm back to paper and pencil, the modern 3d systems just don't jive with me, always fighting whatever i use from inventor to solidworks and about every open source cad system out there. tried draftsight and it didn't make me want to spike my computer into the ground, but still more dodgy for me than paper. even did some solidworks training in college and it was a major failure.

so with that comes the question: do you guys have any recommendations for 2d systems that are simple enough to use daily, but have a 3d render capability? linux friendly a plus, but i can fire up the windows laptop if need be.

[Armistice]

AutoCAD 2007. I use it on my old laptop since I can't transfer it, but I've done 3D modeling on it before. Took a class where we did 3D modeling on CAD for a bit

It's not as easy as modeling on Inventor or SW. I actually like Inventor better

[GrimJeeper91]

Old school here, use NX-Ideas 5 because my boss discontinued our software maintenance contract...

[ignorant_newb]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

Post pictures of this being done when you get up and running...I'm sure a lot of people would be interested in it.

I will try my best. Most likely I will only be able to provide the finished product rather than a picture of the actual cutting only because I may get suspended or even fired if caught with a camera in the shop.

Even the desing of our machines are proprietary considering we desing and build our own.

[ignorant_newb]

Originally Posted by ghtpdm5

back in high school i used vectorworks 10 for everything. worked well enough for my purposes then. now i'm back to paper and pencil, the modern 3d systems just don't jive with me, always fighting whatever i use from inventor to solidworks and about every open source cad system out there. tried draftsight and it didn't make me want to spike my computer into the ground, but still more dodgy for me than paper. even did some solidworks training in college and it was a major failure.

so with that comes the question: do you guys have any recommendations for 2d systems that are simple enough to use daily, but have a 3d render capability? linux friendly a plus, but i can fire up the windows laptop if need be.

Any version of AutoCAD would be your best bet there. AutoCAD is the easiest and cheapest platform to get your hands on. The newer versions are much better than what I started on 8 years ago. The 3D space is more dynamic and user friendly. They also have a good drafting package as well. I know a lot of CATIA users utilize AutoCAD drafting when creating drawings because CATIA's is not that good....at least it wasn't on V5.

If you are a student, you can buy a "Student Version" for around $200 I think. This will do all that you need it to.

OR, if you are drawing unemployment or are a Veteran, AutoCAD will actually let you use it for FREE! Go to their website and check it out.

[ignorant_newb]

Originally Posted by Armistice

AutoCAD 2007. I use it on my old laptop since I can't transfer it, but I've done 3D modeling on it before. Took a class where we did 3D modeling on CAD for a bit

It's not as easy as modeling on Inventor or SW. I actually like Inventor better

Cant agree with you more! Inventor is somewhat parametric and ACAD 2007 isn't. BIG difference!

[ignorant_newb]

Originally Posted by GrimJeeper91

Old school here, use NX-Ideas 5 because my boss discontinued our software maintenance contract...

Im not too familiar with Ideas....how does it differ from regular NX? I think the maintence packs are 4 or 5k a pop.

I know the licenses we have at work total up to about $20k a seat! NUTS!

[SMR 510RR]

Unigraphics is quite horrible in my opinion but I didn't have all that much time on it. Everything is just way harder to draw than in SW, I think SW has the best drawing tools of any CAD package I have ever used (quite a few). Something that would take me 15 min in SW would take 1/2 hour or more in Uni. Cant remember what version I used but it was NX something, we used it for a class I took but I ended up just doing everything in SW and passing it off haha.

I have never used Inventor but I currently design houses on Revit and find Autodesk's drawing tools to lack a lot when compared to SW.

[ignorant_newb]

NX2 sucked. The later versions have become more dynamic and things are easier now. You don't necassarily have to create a sketch to make things parametric anymore. It seemed like UG was the last to adopt this type of drawing. It has been a while since I have worked on anything other than NX. GM basically tells UG what to do and they do it. Us little guys kinda get looked over when it comes to the things we would like to see added to the program.

How does Revit work? I see alot of job postings wanting people with Revit experience.

[ghtpdm5]

getting autocad sounds like it then! it shouldn't be an issue with the various nefarious i know