CAD for newbs.. anyone have suggestions ?

Ypedal

Ypedal

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Ok.. so i have a product idea.. it's a solid part i want to have machined, no electronics involved..

I would like to draw it out digitally first, but i'm starting from the ground floor in regards to CAD.. i've installed sketchup a long time ago and mucked around for fun but never put any serious time in it, but now's the time.

I would welcome any advice on what software to use and learn that can generate a file i can send to a local machinist or similar type person for a rough prototype to make their life easier.

..
poking around..example :

http://cad.about.com/od/Personal_CAD/tp/Five-Top-Free-Cad-Packages.htm
 
If the part can be designed so that the components are all flat pieces, I found the Big Blue Saw CAD to be very easy to learn and use right away. It has a very simple user interface, so that sort of results in limited capabilities compared to sketchup or solidworks, but...

The reason its free is that anything you draw in it can only be used for BBS to make the part. Maybe draw it and ask for a free quote? http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=48811
 
For 2D CAD, I would recommend AutoCAD LT. There's a bit of a learning curve, but it's pretty much universal in it's acceptance around the world for Manufacturing.

For 3D, Solidworks is where you want to go.

Neither option is cheap, although AutoCAD LT is $360 USD for a 1-year subscription.
 
http://www.deltacad.com/
>Delta Cad - World's easiest CAD program, CAD software<
I use it and love it. You can get a good handle on learning in one night. Way simpler then AutoCAD.

Download the demo.
"The DeltaCad DEMO is a fully functional version of DeltaCad, except it will only work for 45 days. You can download the DEMO and give it a try before you buy."

Put the tutorial on one side of your monitor or print it on paper. Draw the calculator and you be drawing.
 
I use a couple of CAD programs now..

-Solid works.. Honestly.. it's so worth learning to use it if you know your going to be designing stuff in the future..
-If you only need to design a couple of simple things... Google sketchup (sketchup is so easy) watch a couple of vidoes on youtube and you will sufficient.
-Openscad if you prefer to write code to make your 3d object.
people typically use openscad for parametric parts... for e.g. gears you can easily change the code to alter the number of teeth.. pitch ect....
 
Another vote for Solidworks. It has good built in tutorials, plenty of support forums/videos on the web.
 
Watched a few solidworks video's, steep learning curve on that sucker... :shock:

Sketchup is way easier to get started with, it's going to require a fair bit of time to learn but looks do-able..

DeltaCad is 2D, installed it and messing with it now, very easy to use but not as visual as 3D modeling...
 
Sketchup for explicit drawings (oo err) , openscad for parametric items.

Get "sketchup to dxf" export plugin, and quicklathe for your round part.
Flightsofideas pluging in great for exporting svg files to ponoko.

There's some good bezier arc plugins too.

Pm me if you want me to zip my plugin folder and host it on the web somewhere...
 
Ypedal said:
Watched a few solidworks video's, steep learning curve on that sucker... :shock:

Sketchup is way easier to get started with, it's going to require a fair bit of time to learn but looks do-able..

DeltaCad is 2D, installed it and messing with it now, very easy to use but not as visual as 3D modeling...
Click to expand...

I spent some time learning SolidWorks. Everything I learned I forgot. You really got to practice and use a CAD program to get good at it. The best computer programs are the ones that you learn how to operate.

For 3D I used the free program from http://www.emachineshop.com/ Its been a long time but I remember exporting and importing DXF files between DeltaCAD and emachineshop programs. Emachineshop CAD program was easy to learn. At least back in 2008 it was easy to learn.

Here is a link to my CNC Laser Cutting project from 2008. Still working on that Electric Bike. On my list of projects to finish.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3803&p=65822&hilit=torque+arm#p65822
 
How can you possibly justify the cost of SolidWorks???????

Don't waste your time learning SketchUp, it's not really the right tool.

I'd go for this, Gaston:
http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/eng/page/mechanical

If you just want a drafting program:
http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight/overview/ or
http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/solid-edge/free2d/
 
Miles said:
How can you possibly justify the cost of SolidWorks???????

Don't waste your time learning SketchUp, it's not really the right tool.

I'd go for this, Gaston:
http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/eng/page/mechanical
Click to expand...

No doubt Miles has demonstrated that you can do amazing 3D CAD modeling without either selling your soul to Solidworks or feeling guilty running a pirated copy, so certainly heed any advice he has on this front.

But if you are looking to get small production runs of these parts CNC machined by an outside shop, then I would also really second marty's suggestion of emachineshop.com
I never ended up actually ordering a finished part from them, but before we got our own CNC mill I used to frequently model various hub motor and other mechanical ebike parts on the emachineshop.com software and then get realtime price quotes and lead times. The software is free and intuitive to use so there is no cost to trying it out, and the ability to get a realtime pricing lets you optimize designs for cost effective manufacturing from the getgo. But the downside is that it's not a program for doing general purpose modeling and building assemblies, or importing/exporting other 3D files.
 
3d is not really needed when getting parts machined (mill/lathe).

generally you provide a 2d drawing like this:
0016.png


and let them worry about how to make it.

some machineshops use CAM software to generate g-code(machine paths) to machine parts (most still draw their own 3d models from your 2d drawing),
but most still hand code all parts. at least that is my (limited) experience.


of course with complex parts it is hard to get all the projections right and will be hard to visualize but is certainly doable.
this is why 3d cad is used. the computer will then generate all the views for you correctly, and you just need to add the dimensions.


sorry no recommendation on good software other than Solidworks. the learning curve is really not as steep as people think IMO
 
oo
oo
I luvs to talk cadd
I also luvs the fact I don't need to use it no mo

All cad software is nothing more than a defined database.
Some databases are, shall we say, buggy-er than others

For precision drawings:
two most needed tools are:
(1) absolutely precision snaps and
(2) grids that can have separate, definable x,y dimensions and have it's origination point redefined anytime during the drawing session
...everything else is gravy on top.

Of cads I've spent too much monies on I liked:
Generic Cadd (it was bought out by autodesk and abandoned) it contained my two most precious tools as mentioned above.
Visual Cadd ( a generic cadd spin-off thingy)
and I really didn't care for autocadd until it eventually added those precious generic cadd-like tools (much.much later)
However, I would be loath to recommend a subscription-based cadd program to anyone intending to do the occasional one-off project ( or even two, three or a dozen projects)
I used half-a-dozen 3D and a dozen 2D cad programs (and blender-lol)
Nothing good/bad to say about them as they all had their respective weaknesses. Some are absolutely un-trustworthy but today, I won't mention names

3d cad is, for the most part, not necessary for generating parts drawing for machine shops.
However, if your chosen program can generate Gfiles (Gerber files), all the better (cheaper to have a part made) But that capability (usually) comes at a (stupidly high) price.

Last year I attempted to use freecad- too many crashes for me. I suppose I could try it again... not into debugging anymore
I have been using LibreCadd with minor amounts of success, but it lacks my precious tools- also crashes a lot
There are a few other "free" and "cheap" CADs. They all lack my precious
mainly ...
I use Pencil Project with my drawing tablet but I wouldn't classify it as a "precision tool"
I also use a "paint" program with my drawing tablet (not even close to precision)...and I work with a guy who uses REAL wire frames to estimate angles and stuff- he doesn't into drawings so much :)
 
If you are a total newb to drafting/computer aided drafting (CAD), you should go and research a little bit about "orthographic projection." Essentially, it means " representing a three-dimensional object in two dimensions."

I took a drafting course a few years back, and we did everything by hand. It was very helpful though. Since I knew the rules of orthographic projection, all I had to do was learn how to use the software.
 
I am trying a "free" version of solid works. As I deal with machinist who require it to make the things I will ask for. It does look like a steep learning curve but not bad compared to what I have learnt in the last 3 years.
The emachine thing looks appealing but I'm in Canada so it will mean shipping across a border through customs.
 
Also trying freecad.

What is the file extension you need when sending a file to a machine shop? All I have been told is the shops I will deal with use Solidworks.
 
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