what is some good CAD software?

[Luckydevil]

Looking for something that is fairly simple to use. I'm not making anything too crazy. What do you guys recommend for CAD software?

Whatever software I use it will have to be able to save so I can take it to a machine shop and they can make the part. By that I mean that I am not sure what formats are used and if they are all compatible.

[OI812]

Geez Luke thats a tough one. I own AutoCad LT 2004, which is a great 2-D cadd program. Capabilities are great, but not the most user friendly. There is definately a learning curve with it.

The only format that I know those drawings are save in is a "*.dwg" . I believe and maybe wrong, but I think that is fairly typical for all CAD software. What are you trying to draw and how much complexity and accuracy do you need? Who will be printing it or working off your drawings? What program are they using? Could they draw it for you for a price? ACAD LT 2004 is around 700-900 in cost. There are some cheaper versions, and I don't know much about them. If I know what you are trying to do I may be able to draw it for you.

[chopt49]

If your looking to get some parts machined - try http://www.emachineshop.com/ it's free download software and easy to use. Then choose materials (ie matal type), save, check price and then submit and they will mill the parts and ship it to your door.

I also own Auto CAD and others ..this seems to be a one-stop-shop.

My 2 cents.

[avsfan733]

the emachine shop program is crap

the only ones that I know that will be universal for what your looking for (your gonna probably want to save as an iges file are Proe and Solidworks...solidworks is really easy to learn and the help menu is great Solidworks can also save as a proe file so your pretty much covered on that front

[chopt49]

:headscrat - well okay - tell us what you really think of emachine

[OI812]

So is the Solidworks program similar to Autodesk inventor program? I know all the CADD software I have seen is always in a dwg format. Most of that CADD software is building software. However they always show it being used for mechanical design to. Is the other format so that the milling machines can read the files?

[avsfan733]

the iges format is a pretty much universal one that can be read by afaik all CAD/CAM programs...basically if Luke does a part at home then takes it to the the machine shop they will plug it into a CAM (computer aided machining or manufacturing) program which will analyze the part and the guy runnign it will get it all set up to generate a set of instructions which will actually be the movement comands for the machine of choice. WHen executed it ends up spitting out G-code which is the machining equivalentvery detailed instructions which the controller on the machine then translates into the appropriate movements Solidworks is a lot like inventor however it can be expanded to do just about any engineering task you want to accomplish including stress analysis, machining, and fluid flow calculations

Chop:
I think the idea behind the emachine is awesome and I have bought parts from them, however i cannot stand working in that program the interface is terrible IMHO, not to mention that there parts are pretty pricey compared to other vendors i've used

[Luckydevil]

Thanks guys!

[93sky4x]

i've used solid edge, that's what we have in the shop. it's nice, 3d is much better for visualizing. just takes getting used to

tried emachine shop but got fed up with it

[imported_banzaitoyota]

I use Microstation and PDS day in and Day out. When I want to play, I run solidworks or inventor

[moparfreak]

I've used several CAD programs, AutoCad, Unigraphics, Pro-Engineer, Solidworks, even a little bit of CatiaV5 at work...

As far as user-friendliness, I'd say Solidworks is head and shoulders above others...the ability to do a quick FEA on your part is real nice as well.

I've only started to get into CatiaV5, but it seems hella powerful...overkill for what you'd need though.

I'd suggest solidworks.

[Baketech]

A wide range of recommendations here from 2D to parametric solid modelers...but to get some good feedback, it would help to know what your budget is...

For example, SolidWorks will cost you around 5g's....and around 1g/year maintenance.... :eyecrazy:

[Kevin54]

A good drawing program that you can download from thenet on a trial basis is DeltaCad. But it is not a CAM program. You can draw and dimension with it and that is all. I use it at work quite a bit for jobs I design and need to save to file. You can check it at www.deltacad.com

Kevin