Beginner CAD progarm

Kevinb71

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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 that starts in 2D and then can expand to 3D . It looks like it would be way more than needed 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 are 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!
 
Re: Beginner CCAD progarm

My biggest problem with CAD software and books on the subject is the way they are written. Almost if not all use words I have to go look up and even then sometimes I can't figure it out. That's when the attention span drops to zero and I move on. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Question #1, I don't run any CAD program.

"Billy G"
 
YES
Bill I think that is a good part of WHY I get distracted. GeoMagic has a lot of YouTube videos( like 178) which is a testament to it's power and also it's complexity.
 
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
 
I am learning both drawing and computer drawing. I am using the TurboCAD program.
Price for the full program is about the same as AutoCAD but they offer a reduced program that does all that I think I'll need for a long time for about $200.

- - - Updated - - -

I am learning both drawing and computer drawing. I am using the TurboCAD program.
Price for the full program is about the same as AutoCAD but they offer a reduced program that does all that I think I'll need for a long time for about $200.
 
BTW: When I purchased Alibre/Geomagic, I paid several hundred dollars more to get unlimited access to the training videos. It seems now, they are somewhat updated and all available free on YouTube. -That was a smart decision on their part... I intend to review all their latest videos to learn new tricks. Anyhow, the point I'm trying to make is that everyone is different in how they learn and it takes a little practice and persistence for it to start making sense. I feel I've become OK at using Geomagic and I know there is much more for me to learn. On the upside, once you learn one of these packages, it will be much easier to learn others. I've had to deal with a couple others and found myself capable of doing it -whereas, it would not have gone so well prior to learning Alibre.


Ray
 
Here's a link to a web site reviewing a number of different CAD software packages.

http://cad-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

Grain of salt: The people reviewing the programs are software reviewers, not machinists.

Walt
Huge grain of salt.:whistle: I've found that you'll get about as many different opinions on CAD software as there are CAD packages. There is NO "one size fits all" in this category of software. I can tell you that I learned AutoCad 5-6 times and never really got anywhere near proficient with it. I've also tried a couple of other CADs that were supposedly easy to learn.

I started messing around, yesterday, with alibre design, AKA: geomagic, from Rays reccomendation, and so far I like it. I'm getting used to the way things are done in it. I'm finding that the training videos from alibre and the independent training videos on YOUtube are helping out big time. I like the way it's set up, very much.

You can take my little endorsement as no endorsement though, I haven't really gotten into it all that much yet, but, It's definitely worth a shot.

Marcel

EDIT: Another thing. Get into the free trials before you buy anything. Find what you like and make sure it's available reasonably for the entry level package before you get used to it. I was just looking at the packages that Ray linked to above. The user interface is pretty similar in the lower packages as it is in the upgraded packages from the same maker, which is a huge plus. You don't want to relearn everything over again, should you have to get more powerful features.
 
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Re: Beginner CCAD progarm

I couldn't agree more ! AutoCAD is exceptionally user challenging. The help section could often as not confuse a Philadelphia lawyer.


My biggest problem with CAD software and books on the subject is the way they are written. Almost if not all use words I have to go look up and even then sometimes I can't figure it out. That's when the attention span drops to zero and I move on. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Question #1, I don't run any CAD program.

"Billy G"
 
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 that starts in 2D and then can expand to 3D . It looks like it would be way more than needed 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 are 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 use CadStd and eMachineshop programs on this laptop. I am trying other free programs but I feel they are better suited for desktop computers with a mouse. I still sketch my ideas out on paper. I was trained to be a draftsman in collage. Cad was not out back then (1970's). It is a challenge on this machine but I like learning. Find what feels right for you and the computer you are using.

Good Luck in your search.
 
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