My day job keeps me pretty busy but I have a seat of Unigraphics on my laptop from work and I could help if it is something that wouldn’t take very long to model.

I use Blender 3D tool creates beautiful 3D design and it’s free; yet it’s not a CAD

Thomas Clark,

I’m a CAD manager and I work with civil 3D. I have found it to be good and easy software to create designs from but I’ve been doing Cad for the past 14 years. It is expensive but if you’re anything like me than you’re constantly going back to school. There are student versions for a fraction of the cost.

Mike Thomann,

If you still need any CAD help I’ll offer my services.

Paul,

Good point. That is definately something you want to check out before purchasing a CAD package as an inventor.

You can call the software company and ask if their package creates .stl or step files for rapid prototyping purposes. Then look at online forums to find out how well that feature works.

Well known packages such as Solidworks, Rhino, etc. all create good files for rapid prototyping. I imagine even some freeware 3d apps create these files these days, as it is such an important feature.

Hello:

I’m having a lot of CAD stuff done, and the pro’s doing work for me all use SolidWorks. (3D viewing, and can rotate your 3D part on the screen any way you want).

If you ever want to use that CAD file to ‘print’ a 3D part, you’ll need to use a 3D drawing program, such as SolidWorks…
(that’s my understanding of it, anyway…)

~Paul

Thomas Clark,
There are two free CAD programs available that should do the trick for most moderate to intermediate applications. Alibre and CoCreate OneSpace. Both are offered by their makers as limited versions, with the hopes that you’ll like the software, and someday upgrade to the full featured version. As with any limite version, doing some things is a pain in the neck and takes a little longer than with the full version. After a little practice you will find you can do all the full featured stuff anyway, but it just takes more time. But if you’re on a low budget, these little gems are a lifesaver, as they can output in practically every format that machinists and rapid prototypers need.

TAC, you should try a free downloadable software package called SketchUp (by Google I think). I haven’t used it myself but I’ve heard good things about it and it does 3d stuff.

All my experience is with the Autodesk products and the costs are in the thousands every year with a subscription. I could go on a jag about all the infuriating conversations I have had when I ask about the differences between Solid Works and Autocad Inventor,, If you ask a Solid Works user what the difference is you get the pat answer that “Solid Works is Three Dimensional and Autocad is not”, when I hear that I just change the subject because I know I am not going to get and usefull information.

But I digress, I have been looking at products like TurboCad and ViaCad because the are a fraction of the cost of the other products and I have a feeling it all I will really need for design parts for my inventions.

Rhino is cool, but more then I am willing to spend for now.

Does anyone know what IronCAD cost?

Thomas

Sorry, my experience is all in “high end” software, none of which I have purchased myself. I couldn’t intelligently comment on any of the other software. AutoDesk does offer AutoCad LT ($1200) which is a “light” version of AutoCad, but it only has 2D capabilities.

Jimmy

You should consider Rhino. It has some of the same commands as autocad and it’s very easy to learn.

Cost is about $900 though.

CAD people!
Jimmy, I am a daily cad user at work, but the package we use (Autodesk LandDevelopment/Civil 3-D) is not all that appropriate for modeling inventions. Further more, my ‘Barrowed’ copy of another title that I was learning to use seem to have a seriel number that has fallen from grace. So I am looking around for an “affordable” cad package for use at home. SOOOO I was wondering if you or anyone else had expereince with something like TurboCAD Delux,, ($75-$150). I was thinking about buying that one after reading stuff on the interweb.

My buddy sent me this link today, there is a free drawing tool from google, looks cool but I have not tried out yet. http://sketchup.google.com/product/gsu.html

i’m certainly interesting in lending a hand. i’ve been utilizing AutoCad for 11 years now, doing 3D modeling for the past 8+ years.

let me know what sort of work you’re looking to have done and i’ll get on it it asap.

thanks,

jimmy