Re: Beginner CCAD progarm
Bill has the thread on Hardline Vs CAD going and it made me revisit my desire to learn a CAD program. Over the years I have dabbled with AutoCAD and Sketchup. Since i don't use them often I start to learn them then get distracted by other things. By the time i get back to them i have forgotten most training. My uses would be just general drawings for parts for now, but would like to learn something that could be tied to CNC eventually. I downloaded the free GeoMagic Design program. It looks like it would be way more than i need and since I am not a teacher or school it is probably expensive. My hope for this post is to get answers from you for the following two questions.
1. What type of(CAD) software and you running and why?
2. Do you feel it would be relatively easy for a rookie to learn keeping in mind I'm no computer whiz?
Thanks for your answers!
I like CAD and resisted it for years -and like you and others, re-learned several packages every couple years. I tried TurboCAD, AutoCAD and at least 3-4 others. Solidworks was the first one that made sense back in 2007 but, it was cost prohibitive... I found Alibre/Geomagic a couple years ago. It's very, very similar to Solidworks -and since then I never looked back.
What made it stick this time was threefold: 1) A commitment on my part to learn it. 2) It was affordable 3) This particular package and the good quality, self-paced totorials was the right combination for me. --Your mileage may vary.
If you are a person just like me then, I "endorse" this product. If you are not a person just like me, you'll have to find an endorsement from someone more like you... LOL...
Have a look at their YouTube Training videos which are very good. Also, look at their hobby program which is outstanding and is the streamlined version of the professional package I use.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvpFHPSB33Eegf8Rm4sHMA26ujGeBewv- You can download a free demo of the hobby program... -Not sure about the pro packages. I would really like to get the Motion and Element analysis packages but, cannot afford them right now (just became unemployed last month).
I just happen to be communicating with Tracey Copeland of Geomagic (on a totally unrelated matter) and he passed the following info to me which, I'm sure he won't mind if I post here... FWIW, I'm trying to see if he'll offer special promotions or help for the people from this list because I sense that many of you want to get into this...
Ray... By the way, for your hobbiest community they may want to check outhttp://cubify.com/products/3d_design_software/index.aspx
Depending on the nature of their designs, all of these products will create .STL files that just about ANY 3D CAM software will take.
http://cubify.com/products/cubify_design/index.aspx this one will also create .DXF and .DWG for Export 2D CAM (plasma tables etc)
They Cubify Invent and the Cubify Design and based off the same core product is yours and was actually Alibre Personal Edition.
Cubify Sculpt is based off of http://geomagic.com/en/products/claytools/overview/ ($6000)
So all of these will be Superior to any of the other programs that are talked about in that thread. Well maybe accept Autocad inventor and most of your guys cannot afford that ($5000)
Ray