CAD program?

[bowman41]

Ok so I've been doing some research and I was hoping that some of you could point me in a good direction. I'm an outside salesman in an industrial electric market. I have no prior experience with any CAD programs but I would like to find one that I can mess around with for free and try my hand at designing rearset mounts for the rearset s that I recently ordered. A fairly simple task I could draw up on some cardboard but I figure and shop would probably laugh at it. That's why I am interested in attempting to create a more "professional" layout that they could possibly use. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fix]

Google sketch up is great for learning, and it's free.

 

[bowman41]

Do you know if a shop would be able to use the file created? Thanks for the info

 

[Dingo]

Rhino 3D is pretty easy to use and you can save your files as an .XDF file that most shops can use.

I use CATIA V5, that's like a more advanced Solid mostly used for aeronautic stuff.

 

[ToastyTofu]

personally, i rarely use 2D cad softward. "...but when i do..." i use draftsite. it's the DS version of autocad, but free. it even has most of the same command prompts.

normally if im drafting, i use solidworks. however, autodesk123d is a great free alternative; basically autodesk's free response to solidworks.

http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/overview/
http://www.123dapp.com/

also, if you are looking at cad cam software, try mastercam. it's fairly straightforward, if a bit outdated; the software is based off of an old version of autocad, cadkey(?) circa 2000ish.

 

[ToastyTofu]

http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=36203

... and based on this, depending if you are exporting a 2d drawing or 3d.

2d with .dwg is fairly compatible with everything.
3d, not so sure, i'm pretty certain that .dwg files only open in solidworks as 2d files. never heard of the other ones, but doesn't mean it won't open in solidworks.

my 2c.

 

[Mr.B]

Yes Google SketchUp is a nice free tool to start with, You can make accurate blueprints with it. And it's somewhat simple to use (depending what you are used to before that is, my brother finds it utterly confusing but I had no trouble using it.)


As for "Real" CAD, I use AutoCAD.

 

[cqyqte]

http://www.emachineshop.com/ it's free!

 

[cqyqte]

Download the program and start designing. If you want to use your drawing as a template you can print it to scale or you can export the file as a .DXF and take it to your local CAD Lasercutter.

 

[BCBarker]

CAD program?

Not free but a "real" CAD program that it way easier to pick up than AutoCAD and about half the price is VectorWorks. I pay about $500 a year for my subscription, but I use it almost everyday. AutoCad is nice if you want to build a space ship, but VectorWorks does everything AutoCad does with tools that are more intuitive IMHO.

 

[bowman41]

Awesome info guys. I'm not building spaceships or anything complicated. I just looking for a more accurate and professional way to bring my ideas to the table.

 

[ToastyTofu]

professional = solidworks

from what i've seen, its what's used most in industry.

nuff said.

 

[jeunemotard]

actually next level shit is catia
but solidwork is really user friendly and auto cad is cool for basic stuff 2 D drawings, I used the tree of them and my favorite is solidwork for it simplicity but Catia is way more powerful

 

[crazypj]

I've found all the software/freeware has a real steep learning curve
I find it's quicker to just sketch stuff then add dimensions if I'm making a second part (very rare)

 

[Walms]

I use Solidworks but tough to justify the 5k +1.5k maintenance per year if you don't plan to make money with it... Great software though, all one really needs.