RCCrawler Forums

ILoveRCRockCrawlin · 12-09-2005, 05:25 PM

inventor is a lot easier to use. its not as picky as to where you put planes to sketch and some stuff can be done in one click where as all these other programs you have to go through like 3 steps.

James Luce · 12-12-2005, 02:48 PM

whare do u get this stuff

ILoveRCRockCrawlin · 12-12-2005, 04:29 PM

search online. at www.download.com you can get alibre, the program i used to design my plow. if you want inventor, which i would reccomend, you could get it right now if you have paypal. you would have to search but i think its like $99. i think thats what my teacher said.

NickRummy · 12-12-2005, 05:00 PM

I think you can even dl a version of it on limewire...

If anyone is interested I almost have an associated MGT shock finished.

trplxj · 12-12-2005, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickRummy

Never heard of it. I'm currently trying to get work to fork out the cash to upgrade from autocad to inventor

What kind of design does your work do? I've never heard of inventor, but Solidworks is pretty user friendly, and gives you many, many different file types that files can be saved in. You can save files and upload them straight into a CNC mill/lathe and build the parts. But it will make a pretty good dent in the pocketbook to the tune of a about 5K per license.

NickRummy · 12-12-2005, 06:37 PM

Inventor is cool because it tells you if parts conflict with each other. I heard animation works pretty well one there also.

I design (renderings for prototypes) and detail (for production) displays for products.

Heres a link to my companies site

www.downingretail.com

ILoveRCRockCrawlin · 12-13-2005, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickRummy

Inventor is cool because it tells you if parts conflict with each other. I heard animation works pretty well one there also.

I design (renderings for prototypes) and detail (for production) displays for products.

Heres a link to my companies site

www.downingretail.com

the animation is pretty cool, but its more of how to assemble, not how it works.

fuzzhead · 12-13-2005, 10:15 PM

Inventor sure as hell isnt $99. It to is above the $5k mark.

Check It Out

but like ILRCRC my school is all decked out with design software. to bad i cant get in there more.

NickRummy · 12-14-2005, 05:39 AM

Yeh I was thinking if inventor was $99 I was heading out to buy it right now. haha

I have never personally messed with it but my friend used to work for a company that used it. He said the animation was basically to help find parts conflicting with each other.

BUBBA069 · 12-14-2005, 02:02 PM

a one year student price is like 150, student Academic Career License is like 5-600... the pro is 5k+ a seat. then there is a yearly fee for updates. we looked into it for my work. ended up with autocad again.

I have used inventor, starting to play with solidworks. I like invertor better at the moment. the interface is nicer and not as picky on PC hardware.

but if I had the coin, I would get Unigraphics. 3d design and NC programing all in the same package. easiest program I have use todate for NC programing. 5 axis programing was a snap. man I miss my old job....

run2jeepn · 12-16-2005, 12:56 AM

I found this one.

http://www.alibre.com/xpress/default...FR6XGgodMnD9Cg

Alibre Design Xpress it's free. I really tried it yet. But you really can't beat free. I have used 3D programs in the past but it was more towards Commerical Art. Strata 3D, Bryce 3D, RayDreams and Maya 3D. I have never used a CAD program before. Are they harder or easier then the above programs?

NickRummy · 12-23-2005, 04:55 PM

Wish i could tell you but I haven't used any of those programs...

Plays_with_Toys · 12-25-2005, 10:50 AM

NickRummy, I didn't see what program you are using. Is it ProE? Those are incredible drawings there. Alot of detail. I currently have a full tube frame truck with tranny, working gears, diffs, steering knuckles, wheels and tires, but still have tons more work to do on it. Its taken me 60 hours to get where it is now, and its only 60% complete. So I know how much work as gone into yours. Looks great.

By the way, inventor is ok, but it has nothing on solidworks. Solidworks is so much more user friendly. What took me 20 minutes on inventor takes me 5 in solidworks. The constraints and more complicated sketches you can do with solidworks makes multiple step problems in inventor a single or two step process in solidworks. I've heard of people contacting the company, and purchasing older software for cheaper, (ie: purchase Solidworks 2003 instead of their 2005 product). Autocad is nice, for 2d, but when you try and get into the 3d modeling, it isn't as friendly. Atleast the newer versions I've tried.

Plays_with_Toys · 12-25-2005, 11:02 AM

By the way, I just saw the very begining when neo asked about drawing gears. The following was done by using emachineshop.com's include gear maker. I drew a 45 tooth gear in 94 pitch and a 45 tooth gear in 48 pitch. Then brought it into solidworks, two planes seperated by a certain distance (I think .25") allowed me to extrude one image to the other:

Real easy, especially compared to the old way of drawing a gear (draw the inner diameter, outer diameter, pitch diameter, measure the flat at the top of the gear, draw a pitch line, blah blah blah...)

WRMorrison · 12-25-2005, 11:34 AM

Anyone in here mess around with Mastercam? I just started fooling around with it, looks like I'm gonna have to take a class on this one...

-WRM

Plays_with_Toys · 12-25-2005, 12:34 PM

What are you trying to do with mastercam? I didn't build sketches in mastercam, I transferred from solidworks to mastercam v.9 (I believe it was 9). The milling functions are pretty easy. Select a line of travel with lead ins/outs, select the number of runs to do on said line, with how much material to remove, choose your tool, and bam. I made several chassis' using it and several 3d parts out of heavy wax. Cool software, though it does take a bit of using to figure out the tricks.

I was the first and last person to use it at my high school unfortunately. Though I go back with sketches and my teachers let me use it. Says it gets their current students motivated.

Actually thinking back, the only problem I had was when the code is written and I transfered the coded lines to the milling program for our 3-axis mill, it'd try and find the x, y, z limits and when it did that I'd lose my zero. So I always had to stop the mill at the end of a set of functions so it wouldn't reset.

NickRummy · 12-25-2005, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plays_with_Toys

NickRummy, I didn't see what program you are using. Is it ProE? Those are incredible drawings there. Alot of detail. I currently have a full tube frame truck with tranny, working gears, diffs, steering knuckles, wheels and tires, but still have tons more work to do on it. Its taken me 60 hours to get where it is now, and its only 60% complete. So I know how much work as gone into yours. Looks great.

By the way, inventor is ok, but it has nothing on solidworks. Solidworks is so much more user friendly. What took me 20 minutes on inventor takes me 5 in solidworks. The constraints and more complicated sketches you can do with solidworks makes multiple step problems in inventor a single or two step process in solidworks. I've heard of people contacting the company, and purchasing older software for cheaper, (ie: purchase Solidworks 2003 instead of their 2005 product). Autocad is nice, for 2d, but when you try and get into the 3d modeling, it isn't as friendly. Atleast the newer versions I've tried.

Good ol AutoCAD version R14

The renderings are using a seperate program called Cinema 4D XL. It makes the models pretty. Designers at work use it so i thought i would play around with it. All the drawing is done in R14 though.

Plays_with_Toys · 12-25-2005, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickRummy

Good ol AutoCAD version R14

The renderings are using a seperate program called Cinema 4D XL. It makes the models pretty. Designers at work use it so i thought i would play around with it. All the drawing is done in R14 though.

R14???? I didn't think R14 could do 3d drawings? Do you draw the the three views and cinema stitches them together to create it into 3d?

NickRummy · 12-25-2005, 03:53 PM

R14 does 3d. It doesnt have quite as many easy shortcuts as 2004 and up but with some knowledge you can draw almost anything.

Here I threw together a few images.

This first one is an MGT shock i drew up. All drawn in R14. yes even the spring

Then I export that and put it into Cinema. All cinema is used for is making it look pretty. Adding materials, lights, texture. That sort of thing. This is what it looks like right from CAD.

WRMorrison · 12-25-2005, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plays_with_Toys

What are you trying to do with mastercam?

Not much, just trying to figure it out. I've never really messed with any of the "fancy" software....

All we use at work for CNC programs is an old version of Predator Editor (they're too cheap to pony up the dough for some better software). I usually just get most of the coordinates from the engineers (drawn in AutoCAD 2006 I think), then I basically just write the program the hard way through the editor.

I'm seriously thinking of taking some classes in AutoCAD and Mastercam though. I thought of buying the books, but I don't think I could keep myself motivated. Basically, I just want to learn to create 2D/3D models, then transfer them to Mastercam to create the machining program (I'm tired of doing things the hard way).

-WRM

12-09-2005, 05:25 PM	#41
ILoveRCRockCrawlin RCC Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central NY Posts: 1,980	inventor is a lot easier to use. its not as picky as to where you put planes to sketch and some stuff can be done in one click where as all these other programs you have to go through like 3 steps.

12-12-2005, 02:48 PM	#42
James Luce Quarry Creeper Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: East Quogue Posts: 242	whare do u get this stuff

12-12-2005, 04:29 PM	#43
ILoveRCRockCrawlin RCC Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Central NY Posts: 1,980	search online. at www.download.com you can get alibre, the program i used to design my plow. if you want inventor, which i would reccomend, you could get it right now if you have paypal. you would have to search but i think its like $99. i think thats what my teacher said.

12-12-2005, 05:00 PM	#44
NickRummy RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Akron Posts: 1,784	I think you can even dl a version of it on limewire... If anyone is interested I almost have an associated MGT shock finished.

12-12-2005, 06:37 PM	#46
NickRummy RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Akron Posts: 1,784	Inventor is cool because it tells you if parts conflict with each other. I heard animation works pretty well one there also. I design (renderings for prototypes) and detail (for production) displays for products. Heres a link to my companies site www.downingretail.com

12-13-2005, 10:15 PM	#48
fuzzhead Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 620	Inventor sure as hell isnt $99. It to is above the $5k mark. Check It Out but like ILRCRC my school is all decked out with design software. to bad i cant get in there more.

12-14-2005, 05:39 AM	#49
NickRummy RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Akron Posts: 1,784	Yeh I was thinking if inventor was $99 I was heading out to buy it right now. haha I have never personally messed with it but my friend used to work for a company that used it. He said the animation was basically to help find parts conflicting with each other.

12-14-2005, 02:02 PM	#50
BUBBA069 Pebble Pounder Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: st. louis Posts: 115	a one year student price is like 150, student Academic Career License is like 5-600... the pro is 5k+ a seat. then there is a yearly fee for updates. we looked into it for my work. ended up with autocad again. I have used inventor, starting to play with solidworks. I like invertor better at the moment. the interface is nicer and not as picky on PC hardware. but if I had the coin, I would get Unigraphics. 3d design and NC programing all in the same package. easiest program I have use todate for NC programing. 5 axis programing was a snap. man I miss my old job....

12-16-2005, 12:56 AM	#51
run2jeepn I wanna be Dave Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: USA Posts: 11,196	I found this one. http://www.alibre.com/xpress/default...FR6XGgodMnD9Cg Alibre Design Xpress it's free. I really tried it yet. But you really can't beat free. I have used 3D programs in the past but it was more towards Commerical Art. Strata 3D, Bryce 3D, RayDreams and Maya 3D. I have never used a CAD program before. Are they harder or easier then the above programs?

12-23-2005, 04:55 PM	#52
NickRummy RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Akron Posts: 1,784	Wish i could tell you but I haven't used any of those programs...

Sponsored Links

12-25-2005, 10:50 AM	#53
Plays_with_Toys I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Centennial, CO Posts: 2,129	NickRummy, I didn't see what program you are using. Is it ProE? Those are incredible drawings there. Alot of detail. I currently have a full tube frame truck with tranny, working gears, diffs, steering knuckles, wheels and tires, but still have tons more work to do on it. Its taken me 60 hours to get where it is now, and its only 60% complete. So I know how much work as gone into yours. Looks great. By the way, inventor is ok, but it has nothing on solidworks. Solidworks is so much more user friendly. What took me 20 minutes on inventor takes me 5 in solidworks. The constraints and more complicated sketches you can do with solidworks makes multiple step problems in inventor a single or two step process in solidworks. I've heard of people contacting the company, and purchasing older software for cheaper, (ie: purchase Solidworks 2003 instead of their 2005 product). Autocad is nice, for 2d, but when you try and get into the 3d modeling, it isn't as friendly. Atleast the newer versions I've tried.

12-25-2005, 11:02 AM	#54
Plays_with_Toys I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Centennial, CO Posts: 2,129	By the way, I just saw the very begining when neo asked about drawing gears. The following was done by using emachineshop.com's include gear maker. I drew a 45 tooth gear in 94 pitch and a 45 tooth gear in 48 pitch. Then brought it into solidworks, two planes seperated by a certain distance (I think .25") allowed me to extrude one image to the other: Real easy, especially compared to the old way of drawing a gear (draw the inner diameter, outer diameter, pitch diameter, measure the flat at the top of the gear, draw a pitch line, blah blah blah...)

12-25-2005, 11:34 AM	#55
WRMorrison Rock Crawler Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Land of the Free, because of the Brave Posts: 891	Anyone in here mess around with Mastercam? I just started fooling around with it, looks like I'm gonna have to take a class on this one... -WRM

12-25-2005, 12:34 PM	#56
Plays_with_Toys I wanna be Dave Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Centennial, CO Posts: 2,129	What are you trying to do with mastercam? I didn't build sketches in mastercam, I transferred from solidworks to mastercam v.9 (I believe it was 9). The milling functions are pretty easy. Select a line of travel with lead ins/outs, select the number of runs to do on said line, with how much material to remove, choose your tool, and bam. I made several chassis' using it and several 3d parts out of heavy wax. Cool software, though it does take a bit of using to figure out the tricks. I was the first and last person to use it at my high school unfortunately. Though I go back with sketches and my teachers let me use it. Says it gets their current students motivated. Actually thinking back, the only problem I had was when the code is written and I transfered the coded lines to the milling program for our 3-axis mill, it'd try and find the x, y, z limits and when it did that I'd lose my zero. So I always had to stop the mill at the end of a set of functions so it wouldn't reset.

12-25-2005, 03:53 PM	#59
NickRummy RCC Addict Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Akron Posts: 1,784	R14 does 3d. It doesnt have quite as many easy shortcuts as 2004 and up but with some knowledge you can draw almost anything. Here I threw together a few images. This first one is an MGT shock i drew up. All drawn in R14. yes even the spring Then I export that and put it into Cinema. All cinema is used for is making it look pretty. Adding materials, lights, texture. That sort of thing. This is what it looks like right from CAD.

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Thread: 3D modeling/rendering software