View Full Version : Simple engineering CAD ?
PeterSibley
06-27-2005, 07:00 AM
Can anyone suggest simple engineering CAD programme? I have access to Autocad 2000 and have been bouncing off it for about a week.I realise that its capabilities are far ,far beyond my needs.I need to be able to draw up simple turning and milling jobs for machines that read DXF files.The below is a C&P from an email from the machine shop,
"Our CNC Lathes run Mazak CamWare and we are running OneCNC Cad/Cam for the machining centre. Both will accept most DXF files for programming. The only problem we have is with AutoCad Inventor."
Any suggestions are most welcome,
Peter
[ 06-27-2005, 07:41 AM: Message edited by: PeterSibley ]
PeterSibley
06-27-2005, 07:00 AM
Can anyone suggest simple engineering CAD programme? I have access to Autocad 2000 and have been bouncing off it for about a week.I realise that its capabilities are far ,far beyond my needs.I need to be able to draw up simple turning and milling jobs for machines that read DXF files.The below is a C&P from an email from the machine shop,
"Our CNC Lathes run Mazak CamWare and we are running OneCNC Cad/Cam for the machining centre. Both will accept most DXF files for programming. The only problem we have is with AutoCad Inventor."
Any suggestions are most welcome,
Peter
[ 06-27-2005, 07:41 AM: Message edited by: PeterSibley ]
PeterSibley
06-27-2005, 07:00 AM
Can anyone suggest simple engineering CAD programme? I have access to Autocad 2000 and have been bouncing off it for about a week.I realise that its capabilities are far ,far beyond my needs.I need to be able to draw up simple turning and milling jobs for machines that read DXF files.The below is a C&P from an email from the machine shop,
"Our CNC Lathes run Mazak CamWare and we are running OneCNC Cad/Cam for the machining centre. Both will accept most DXF files for programming. The only problem we have is with AutoCad Inventor."
Any suggestions are most welcome,
Peter
[ 06-27-2005, 07:41 AM: Message edited by: PeterSibley ]
Ken Hutchins
06-27-2005, 08:56 AM
Simple lathe and mill files can be created in Autocad in 2D with draw commands (lines, arcs, etc.)is about as simple as most any other CAD systems. If 3D milling of shapes is required then you will have to use the solids commands. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the intersections of ALL line segments must be perfect connects without any overlaps, overlaps and disconnects will cause machine crashes. The best way to prevent the intersection problems is to radius all corners with the fillet command, make sure that the inside corners have a bigger fillet than the radius on the tool to be used. Polylines created from 3D shapes will probably work OK for 2D machine programs also.
Ken Hutchins
06-27-2005, 08:56 AM
Simple lathe and mill files can be created in Autocad in 2D with draw commands (lines, arcs, etc.)is about as simple as most any other CAD systems. If 3D milling of shapes is required then you will have to use the solids commands. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the intersections of ALL line segments must be perfect connects without any overlaps, overlaps and disconnects will cause machine crashes. The best way to prevent the intersection problems is to radius all corners with the fillet command, make sure that the inside corners have a bigger fillet than the radius on the tool to be used. Polylines created from 3D shapes will probably work OK for 2D machine programs also.
Ken Hutchins
06-27-2005, 08:56 AM
Simple lathe and mill files can be created in Autocad in 2D with draw commands (lines, arcs, etc.)is about as simple as most any other CAD systems. If 3D milling of shapes is required then you will have to use the solids commands. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the intersections of ALL line segments must be perfect connects without any overlaps, overlaps and disconnects will cause machine crashes. The best way to prevent the intersection problems is to radius all corners with the fillet command, make sure that the inside corners have a bigger fillet than the radius on the tool to be used. Polylines created from 3D shapes will probably work OK for 2D machine programs also.
outofthenorm
06-27-2005, 09:39 AM
Peter, have a look at this service
E-machine shop (http://www.emachineshop.com/)
You can download their design software. It's easy to use and pretty capable.
- Norm
outofthenorm
06-27-2005, 09:39 AM
Peter, have a look at this service
E-machine shop (http://www.emachineshop.com/)
You can download their design software. It's easy to use and pretty capable.
- Norm
outofthenorm
06-27-2005, 09:39 AM
Peter, have a look at this service
E-machine shop (http://www.emachineshop.com/)
You can download their design software. It's easy to use and pretty capable.
- Norm
Ross M
06-27-2005, 10:22 AM
This may sound crazy, but have you considered using Camware itself? The "expert" upgrade allegedly has extensive CAD capability...
Ross
Ross M
06-27-2005, 10:22 AM
This may sound crazy, but have you considered using Camware itself? The "expert" upgrade allegedly has extensive CAD capability...
Ross
Ross M
06-27-2005, 10:22 AM
This may sound crazy, but have you considered using Camware itself? The "expert" upgrade allegedly has extensive CAD capability...
Ross
All I can tell you is what was related to me by a mechanical engineer who was a good friend, and a subcontractor to me.
He was fluent in Auto-Cad, Anvil, and Adra, and used all three. He claimed that Auto Cad was the most difficult to learn and most time consuming to use after learning. If I specified Auto Cad his price for a given drawing set would be twice that of the other two.
However, most firms specify Auto Cad because it was there first.
All I can tell you is what was related to me by a mechanical engineer who was a good friend, and a subcontractor to me.
He was fluent in Auto-Cad, Anvil, and Adra, and used all three. He claimed that Auto Cad was the most difficult to learn and most time consuming to use after learning. If I specified Auto Cad his price for a given drawing set would be twice that of the other two.
However, most firms specify Auto Cad because it was there first.
All I can tell you is what was related to me by a mechanical engineer who was a good friend, and a subcontractor to me.
He was fluent in Auto-Cad, Anvil, and Adra, and used all three. He claimed that Auto Cad was the most difficult to learn and most time consuming to use after learning. If I specified Auto Cad his price for a given drawing set would be twice that of the other two.
However, most firms specify Auto Cad because it was there first.
G. Schollmeier
06-27-2005, 02:20 PM
Rhino, would be my first choice. http://www.rhino3d.com/ It is fairly easy to learn, the price is reasonable, and it is very accurate. You can do 2D and 3D, it can export many formats (including .dxf) read by most CAM software. Oh, and did I mention that it’s great for drawing boats. smile.gif Try the free demo.
Sharing files with a shop is not always straight forward, you will find some bugs, but once you work through them your in business.
Gary :D
G. Schollmeier
06-27-2005, 02:20 PM
Rhino, would be my first choice. http://www.rhino3d.com/ It is fairly easy to learn, the price is reasonable, and it is very accurate. You can do 2D and 3D, it can export many formats (including .dxf) read by most CAM software. Oh, and did I mention that it’s great for drawing boats. smile.gif Try the free demo.
Sharing files with a shop is not always straight forward, you will find some bugs, but once you work through them your in business.
Gary :D
G. Schollmeier
06-27-2005, 02:20 PM
Rhino, would be my first choice. http://www.rhino3d.com/ It is fairly easy to learn, the price is reasonable, and it is very accurate. You can do 2D and 3D, it can export many formats (including .dxf) read by most CAM software. Oh, and did I mention that it’s great for drawing boats. smile.gif Try the free demo.
Sharing files with a shop is not always straight forward, you will find some bugs, but once you work through them your in business.
Gary :D
PeterSibley
06-27-2005, 06:43 PM
Ken....the trouble is I'm finding the thing impossible to get into, maybe I'd be better with LT.I just wish you lived closer mate ...you'd be seeing me quite often for a variety of reasons.
ps..I've got my shipsaw design and components together, just have to wait for the hernia repair to heal and I can do something useful.
Norm...I downloaded E Machineshop,not bad but there are some shapes that would be very repetitive to draw....have you found a way of for instance reproducing the shape of a circular saw blade tooth 40 times on a circumference? Something I need to do, its a pawl wheel actually.
Gary,I'll have a look at Rhino, thanks.
PeterSibley
06-27-2005, 06:43 PM
Ken....the trouble is I'm finding the thing impossible to get into, maybe I'd be better with LT.I just wish you lived closer mate ...you'd be seeing me quite often for a variety of reasons.
ps..I've got my shipsaw design and components together, just have to wait for the hernia repair to heal and I can do something useful.
Norm...I downloaded E Machineshop,not bad but there are some shapes that would be very repetitive to draw....have you found a way of for instance reproducing the shape of a circular saw blade tooth 40 times on a circumference? Something I need to do, its a pawl wheel actually.
Gary,I'll have a look at Rhino, thanks.
PeterSibley
06-27-2005, 06:43 PM
Ken....the trouble is I'm finding the thing impossible to get into, maybe I'd be better with LT.I just wish you lived closer mate ...you'd be seeing me quite often for a variety of reasons.
ps..I've got my shipsaw design and components together, just have to wait for the hernia repair to heal and I can do something useful.
Norm...I downloaded E Machineshop,not bad but there are some shapes that would be very repetitive to draw....have you found a way of for instance reproducing the shape of a circular saw blade tooth 40 times on a circumference? Something I need to do, its a pawl wheel actually.
Gary,I'll have a look at Rhino, thanks.
G. Schollmeier
06-27-2005, 08:08 PM
I just checked and OneCNC will read Rhino files directly so you should have no trouble in translation. If you decide on Rhino, shop the net there are licensed resellers that have it cheaper than it sells for on their web site.
Gary :D
G. Schollmeier
06-27-2005, 08:08 PM
I just checked and OneCNC will read Rhino files directly so you should have no trouble in translation. If you decide on Rhino, shop the net there are licensed resellers that have it cheaper than it sells for on their web site.
Gary :D
G. Schollmeier
06-27-2005, 08:08 PM
I just checked and OneCNC will read Rhino files directly so you should have no trouble in translation. If you decide on Rhino, shop the net there are licensed resellers that have it cheaper than it sells for on their web site.
Gary :D
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