CAD packages

[brian.cunningham]

Wondering what you using.

I'd like to double check my numbers.
A 3D if possible.
I'd also like to make some decent drawings so I can get some bids on parts.

I've used AutoCad, ProE, and SolidWorks.

Cost is a real big issue, FREE would be nice! smile.gif
Any decent freeware cad programs out there?

Thanks.

[davef]

Designed my boat in Pro/E. It worked fine. If I had it to do over again I probably would use Solidworks. Pro/E has better surfacing capabilities but Solidworks is a tad easier to use and at this point has enough surfacing to do a hull. Solidworks is cheaper. I'm lucky enough to have access to both.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid80/p0976dcb4b111950437feaff2ee4143e2/fb0c0731.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid61/p97aad5b6d6b2e870331471bbe83597bb/fc3255a7.jpg

[raycon]

Don't know of any free CAD packages. A while back I remember a few young engineers speaking about student versions of PRO-E. Don't know what the limitations were..but it might be worth looking into. (Call a local University's bookstore - I think the software was purchased as part of a lab fee in a drafting class)
I've been using Solidworks to make a model of my ketch and lay out a guide boat -- works for what I'm doing.

[Keith Wilson]

Solidworks. I like it a lot, but OTOH I didn't have to buy it with my own money. I think it costs around $5K for the basic version, although there may be ways to get it cheaper. It isn't designed specifically for boats (I mainly use it for general mechanical design), so there may very well be other more specialized programs that would be better.

Lately I've been hearing a lot about Alibre (http://www.alibre.com/), which bills itself as "just as good as Solidworks but a lot cheaper". No endorsement; I've never used it. You can get a free 30-day trial. If you do, let me know how it works.

[ 12-12-2003, 09:55 AM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

[carlg]

IMSI (imsisoft.com) occasionally has good deals on their Turbocad Professional 2D/3D. The upgrade package that'll let you upgrade from almost any other CAD or drawing package is presently $295.

The best deal if you only intend to do 2D drawings is Autodesk's Quick CAD at $49. I've used it for some time and you can't beat it for the price.

[DavesFlatsBoat]

Step onto Ebay and look for older CAD packages - 2D & 3D are avialable for very little. I downloaded the free TurboCad 2D version to design my flats boat - TurboCad (http://nct.digitalriver.com/fulfill/0002.16) - wish all software was that easy to use.

Dave

[Pete Dorr]

Has anyone tried using Pro/DESKTOP Express from PTC ?
free download (http://www.ptc.com/community/free_downloads.htm)

I work at PTC but am not a Mechanical Engineer so my use of Pro/E and other PTC products has been pretty limited.

If any of you care to share your Pro/E model send it to my work address pdorr @ ptc.com.

Pete

[brian.cunningham]

thanks guys.
I think I can get 90% of the stuff I need done with the FREE stuff.

[megman]

Autocad 2004, CadKey99, Mastercam9, DesignCAD, DynaCADD, TurboCAD5 Pro w/ voice command tool bar.......

Pick one and let me know. Happy to share. :cool:

[Mark Van]

I've been using DesignCad, and am very pleased with it. I have an older version, '97, so I don't know what improvements they have added. The price is very reasonable for what you get.

[brian.cunningham]

Speaking of ProE
They make a FREE version of ProDESKTOP available on thier site.
Pro/DESKTOP (http://www.ptc.com/appserver/it/icm/cda/icm01_list.jsp?group=201&num=1&show=y&keyword=355)
http://www.ptc.com/WCMS/images/2295en_image1.jpg
I'm checking it out now.
Should do for now, at least until the license runs out! ;)

[Dave Forsman]

More stuff you don't need to know about CAD packages:

If I am not mistaken, PTC's Pro/DESKTOP is the old Prime MEDUSA CAD software. It's kind of limited in it's ability for doing conceptial design operations, but it is free.

You can buy a copy of Pro/ENGINEER for personal use for $300 ($200 if you are a student) from journeyed.com. This includes
Pro/ENGINEER-Foundation Advantage, Interactive Surfacing, Advanced Assembly, Behavioral Modeling, Design Animation and Mechanism Design.

This is enough to keep you busy for years (mostly in learning how to use the software), but there wouldn't be anything you really couldn't model or design with it. Interactive Surfacing is the ISDX module which has functionality borrowed from CDRS (Conceptual Design Rendering Software, used by automotive body designers). Behavioral Modeling gives you the ability to do feasability studies and optimizations. For example you can optimize a cross sectional area as a function of moment of inertia, holding specified dimensions to a given range. Mechanism Design and Animation is exactly would you would expect.

While $300 seems a bit steep, if you figure the average college text goes for about $100, it really is not that expensive for what it can do, assuming you have a use for it and can learn how to use it. As time goes by, all CAD packages are starting to look more and more alike. The ease of use issue, which has been a selling point for a number of CAD packages, is slowly fading as a reason for selecting one CAD package over another.

While I do all my work in Pro/E, I still keep an old version of CADKEY around when I need to do quick and dirty 2-D operations. If I want something done right now, I do a sketch on paper, or if it a 3-D project, I grab a piece of pine and go at it with the bandsaw and sander.

Computers and computer software can suck up an incredible amount of time if you are not careful. Getting something to look "just right" on a computer can sometimes take forever, though there are good arguments for making your mistakes electronically before committing expensive material.

If you got this far through this post, now you really have more background information than you need, at least on Pro/E.

[brian.cunningham]

Originally posted by Dave Forsman:
You can buy a copy of Pro/ENGINEER for personal use for $300 ($200 if you are a student) from journeyed.com. This includes
Pro/ENGINEER-Foundation Advantage, Interactive Surfacing, Advanced Assembly, Behavioral Modeling, Design Animation and Mechanism Design.
That's good to know!
PTC wants $1,000 for the upgraded version of Pro/DESKTOP! ... ie no analysis tools! :eek: