Interested in learning cad

[yotapower07]

So I have almost no cad experience. I took a technical drawing class in high school but that was back in like 99. Is CAD something I should go back to school for or can I teach myself? Now I'm no genius but I do consider myself smarter than the average bear. I'm looking at this as a long term thing since most things are created on computers these days. Also my 12 year old son has been building some pretty intricate houses on mine craft and is liking the idea of becoming an architect. So a little while ago I posted about wanting to change jobs and I thjnk this would be a good way to go. Starting my own company designing things would be awesome. Even if I don't get it off the ground then hopefully I could pave the way for a great opportunity for my children. Any info you all can throw my way would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime I will be doing some research.

[OTHGbronco82]

Would AutoCAD and Inventor be considered good programs? I learned on both of those and it wasn't that hard. Plus, you can get the free student edition too which I have on my computer right now.

Edit: Never mind, saw that you updated your post wings.

[OTHGbronco82]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Oh... and please join a class that has been authorised by the CAD software company.They are expensive classes but worth the money. If you do try to learn it on your own, its going to take a long time to set yourself right.

^^x2 I got to take a class in high school and the teacher was really nice so I learned it pretty quick. You can try the local community college. They probably have classes.

[sickcivic95]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

There are various types of CAD softwares. Some are hard and some are easy to learn.

If you want to learn CAD so that you can get a good job, then I will suggest you learn the softwares that are pretty expensive. The reason is because all the smaller companies buy softwares that are cheap and these companies also don't pay good. The bigger companies like the aerospace and high end automobile manufacturers use the expensive and versatile cad softwares.

Some of the High end softwares are
1] Catia
2] Siemens Unigraphics
3] Inventor
3] Autocad 2d (The best 2d software ever)

Some of the Low end softwares are
1] Solid work
2] Pro-E
3] Many other new comers into the market

I personally use Unigraphics and I have to say it has a very steep learning curve. You need to continiously keep in touch with the software or you start forgetting some of it. Autodesk Inventor is a very easy and versatile software. If you want to use it for your own product designing and stuff, go for Inventor.

Can I ask why you consider solidworks a low end software? I've worked in the automotive industry for nearly 20 years and it is used by almost every OE manufacturer and aftermarket that I deal with, more so than any other cad software. As you stated their are many pros and cons to each but this is the first I've ever heard it considered as low end. It maybe that they are using Catia as its dassualts primary but I'm not 100% positive.

I'm no pro and probably barely scratch the surface when it comes to knowledge on all the functions of cad/cam software but I've used many programs from old vector works software and a few architecture cad programs to newer ones like solid-works, bobcad, and Autodesk and would personally put solidworks in the top 5 ( at least of what I've used ) for design purposes.

Again don't take this with any type of negativity, I'm not doubting you, I'm truly wondering as you seem to have some background and knowledge with cad.

-Dan

[sickcivic95]

Thanks for the elaboration, I've heard wonders on the operations of catia, and understand it's far more complex with its abilitys. I don't think I'd ever need most of those as I'm doing mainly single component design and wouldn't need the uses it offers. I feel you on command prompts, if I could cut a few out of my regulars, it would save me bundles of total sitting time

[BUBBA069]

If you know someone in college get them to hook you up with a student version of Inventor/Autocad. Fairly easy to pickup, and the basic work flow will translate to other programs.

With 3D its all in the work flow and how the sketches relate back to one another. Once that process is burned into your brain, then its just learning the interface.

Oddly enough, when learning dam near anything anymore if the tutorials that come with the program are not enough YouTube is your friend.

[NorCal 2500HD]

I did it the hard way. I got a seat of solidworks 2014 and went at it. Lots of reading, watching training videos and sitting in front of the computer. I got hurt at work in April so Ive spent at least 8-10 hrs a day in the garage on Solidworks. Then threw a 3d printer into the mix...lets just say its been one hell of a technical boot camp.

[yotapower07]

Thanks for the responses so far. I will definitely be checking with my local community college to see what they offer. There's also a slight possibility that my employer may help me out with college stuff. To what extent if any, I have no idea yet. I was told to build a solid case on my plans and intentions then bring that to management and see what happens. It seems to me that knowing how to use and understand these systems will be very beneficial in the years to come.

[BigSki]

I'm 2/3 of the way completing an AAS degree in 3D modeling, I personally would not consider SolidWorks as a low end software. I've had 2 semesters of Inventor and basic Autocad and I just finished a semester w/ SW, I plan to take the advanced course next semester. I'd take solidworks over Inventor any day of the week, simply based on how much more streamlined the line constraints are to do in SW.

Inventor and Revit ( the basic architecture 3d software) can be had on a 3 year student license to anyone with a valid school e-mail address, the Solid works cost me $20 ( including my Veteran discount) for a 1 year license. Both softwares are very capable of making very large multi-component assemblies, I feel that SW has the big edge in the ease of managing the individual part files as well as the sub-assembly files.

There are decent text books for both softwares, but I'd honestly question anyone's ability to self-teach themselves either one of these programs.
My classes are all 3 credit courses, so look into a local community college for guidance from an instructor that uses the software on a daily basis.

[NorCal 2500HD]

Originally Posted by BigSki

I'm 2/3 of the way completing an AAS degree in 3D modeling.

There are decent text books for both softwares, but I'd honestly question anyone's ability to self-teach themselves either one of these programs.
My classes are all 3 credit courses, so look into a local community college for guidance from an instructor that uses the software on a daily basis.

What surfacing programs are you guys using or are you rendering in Sworks itself? Are you planning on going into mfg or rp?. As far anyones ability to self teach, depends on the person really. Ive struggled, but I also have the help of my pops whose been doing this the last 20 something years.

[Harley]

I'm not sure what your current job pays or what you want to make in the future but just being a technical drafter isn't what I'd say has a very high pay scale. I don't think you'll see many drafters making much over $60-70K a year. An engineering degree is where you will see the pay scale increases.

I'm a civil engineer by trade and have a few drafting techs that work for me. I use a number of different programs on a day to day basis. We have all the Autodesk, Bentley and Solidworks packages.

For my typical day to day I use Microstation GeoPAK mainly. However for anything mechanical I still prefer Solidworks over any of the Autodesk programs.

[SMR 510RR]

I started out with SolidWorks while working at a Medical Device company and disagree that it is low end. There are different tools for different jobs and SolidWorks does its job very well. I took some classes in product design and they wanted us to use Unigraphics but that was horrible and I ended up just doing everything in SolidWorks rather than trying to figure out that horrible piece of software.

Now I have transitioned to Autodesk Revit for my new day job of designing houses and even after 4 years I cant stand the sketching tools. I just want Dassault to make a Revit clone and I will die happy.

If you just want to mess around with the kids download Sketchup and do some tinkering. There are also some other free alternatives I am sure you can find with a quick google search. The tools used to design a house and something like a wheel are very very different.

[OTHGbronco82]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Learning Unigraphics takes years. It has a steep learning curve and when you master it, its superb.

Some companies that use this horrible Unigraphics software


- Rolls Royce

So is that why they're so expensive?

[OTHGbronco82]

It was sarcasm.

[OTHGbronco82]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Broooo!! I am from India. Its hard to understand your sarcasm

Yeah, it doesn't come out to well on the interwebz.

[yotapower07]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Broooo!! I am from India. Its hard to understand your sarcasm

Have you been to Cali? Hahaha that made me giggle.

[yotapower07]

So another ? To go along with this. What type of operating system? As it is right now I do pretty much everything Internet related on my iPhone. Obviously that's not going to cut it so I need to look into getting a computer too. Also are online classes an option or is it a classroom setting only type of deal. Being out the door by 4am and not getting back till around 3:30 and having 5 kids kinda puts a damper on things. Although I am willing to make sacrifices for the greater good. Engineering sounds like a good fit too. So many times, I look around the production floor and wonder what the hell those people were smoking when they designed the place. The seven P's need to be drilled into every kid in school.

[SMR 510RR]

Originally Posted by wings_of_fire

Learning Unigraphics takes years. It has a steep learning curve and when you master it, its superb.

Some companies that use this horrible Unigraphics software

Like I said, there are a variety of tools for different purposes.

I think you can agree that calling SolidWorks low end software is a bit unfair. I will concede that it is in the mid range of PROFESSIONAL LEVEL software and that freeform modeling may not be its strong suit. It is one of the most widely used software packages for this type of work and it is much more approachable than Unigraphics. Everyone I worked with (most were Stanford educated engineers several with masters) had years of experience with SolidWorks and still churned out garbage models with undefined sketches. I would hate to see how bad they could butcher a more complex/"more powerful" software package.

Sketchup is a great example of a "low end" 3d modeling software IMO. For me is not useful but there are tons of people getting use out of it for various purposes. Who am I to say that anything is not suitable for their purposes? In the end it is up to the individual to produce the work that is required and a skilled person with Sketchup will do much better than someone who is using Unigraphics (or anything for that matter) for the first time.

Would you use a 30lb sledge hammer to hammer in a nail? After all it is more expensive and more "powerful" than a framing hammer.

[yotapower07]

Looking at the peninsula college website, they are using solid works software.

[wings_of_fire]

Originally Posted by SMR 510RR

Like I said, there are a variety of tools for different purposes.

I think you can agree that calling SolidWorks low end software is a bit unfair. I will concede that it is in the mid range of PROFESSIONAL LEVEL software and that freeform modeling may not be its strong suit. It is one of the most widely used software packages for this type of work and it is much more approachable than Unigraphics. Everyone I worked with (most were Stanford educated engineers several with masters) had years of experience with SolidWorks and still churned out garbage models with undefined sketches. I would hate to see how bad they could butcher a more complex/"more powerful" software package.

Sketchup is a great example of a "low end" 3d modeling software IMO. For me is not useful but there are tons of people getting use out of it for various purposes. Who am I to say that anything is not suitable for their purposes? In the end it is up to the individual to produce the work that is required and a skilled person with Sketchup will do much better than someone who is using Unigraphics (or anything for that matter) for the first time.

Would you use a 30lb sledge hammer to hammer in a nail? After all it is more expensive and more "powerful" than a framing hammer.

After working on better software's, you would not want to go back to the low end ones. Getting used to a particular software is normal for people hence the feeling 'the software I use is better'.

If some one wants to be satisfied with a framing hammer, then its their choice. When need comes for a 30lb sledge hammer, keep using the framing hammer or give way to the guy with a 30lb sledge hammer