3D Drafting and Design Software Comparison

[Maryak]

Ray,

I purchased it from the Australian Turbocad site online. It is also available on the TC international site. Ken Doyle also has a companion DVD for 2D Turbocad.

Thanks Pat and Ray for your encouragement.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[RMS]

To All you Cad gurus,

I don't know about Solidworks...............but after a week of SOLID WORK............Success with Turbocad V 14. ;D ;D ;D ;D

My 1st 3D Drawing that I did following Ken Doyle's excellent tutorial DVD.

.


I'm Chuffed................. You can teach an old dog new tricks.

Now onto the worthwhile exercises.

Best Regards
Bob

Hey Bob,

Nice looking model! Seems like Turbo Cad has a nice photo realistic rendering package.

I just had my work load SolidWorks on my computer and comparing this to NX 3D, and AutoCAD 3D I have to admit that SolidWorks is a really simple 3D platform to use, I really like it. Right now I am dong the Elmers H-Twin in it at 2x scale, and next week I should have a 3D assembly done with the motor feature to check for mistakes. Then I hope to build my first engine!

Rob

 

[Maryak]

Rob,

Thanks for the input. :bow: Hope to see your drawings in plans and the engine in work in progress. ;D

Best Regards
Bob

 

[steamer]

Hi Bob,

Looks Great! Using 3D cad is tough if you've been used to 2D drawings for years...like I was about 15 years ago

You just have to keep with it and you'll start thinking 3D, then it flows again and you can bypass the extra "translator" in your mind. Think of it as learning a new language through total immersion....pretty soon you will start thinking in that lanquage too.

Having my boss check on the status of the drawing package I was struggling with on every 15 minutes really focuses the mind too! :big:

Dave

 

[Maryak]

Dave,

Thanks for the support. :bow:

I am now re-drafting the Maryak 10 in 3D. Like you say a new language. I think the penny dropped for me with starting a part as a solid and then taking 2D plans from it rather than trying to do the reverse and wondering why a rectangle wouldn't become a cylinder and when it did why it was at 90o to where I wanted it etc.

My 1st Cad package was Quickcad by Autodesk which was a pretty good 2D package. Next I tried Autocad 2000 but I could not come to grips with it nor did I like the way it operated. Then it was Turbocad 14 to design our house, (I had big ideas about a 3D design). I also had a dabble in Alibre. In the end I was determined not to have wasted the money I paid for Turbocad hence the tutorial DVD's and here I am.

As you go up in price it seems to me that you also go up in accuracy. The algorithms and straight out mathematics of the top range programmes are far superior to those at the lower end of the scale.

I like Turbocad's user interface, (which has a windows "feel"), and I like the fact that it shows what will happen, (in the inspector bar), before you hit enter. My version does not do animations but I don't know about the latest versions.

More practice with straight out 3D and then it's onto materials, lighting and backgrounds.

An Inspired Bob

 

[RMS]

Learning any CAD package is tough without a good book or taking a class in it. They all have there own little ways or "steps" needed to execute typical commands, and its all too easy to get bad or no results at all.

I have used CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and back in the early 1990's a cad program called Personal Designer. I don't think I could have learned any CAD package without some kind of good training aid, either a book, dvd, or a class, then its just a matter of sticking with one package and putting in the time creating parts, or what ever it is you are interested in then it takes years to master. Cad drafting & design ....this stuff is a trade all in its own!

Rob

 

[deere_x475guy]

Nice job with the drawing Bob...it looks great. How much time to you think you have into learning to get this far?

 

[wareagle]

Bob, excellent work on the CAD! Very nice. :bow: TSConspiracy, that is insane! Has that been made "real" yet? If so, pics pleeeeze!

Unfortunately (or not), I am stuck with AutoCAD for design/drafting work. I have to use that platform in my profession (and on occasion, CATIA), so I don't see the reason to learn another. Kind of like a comfortable pair of jeans... you know there are others out there, but what is wrong with these? ;D

Echoing what others have said; just roll the sleeves up and get after it. Try and try again until you get it mastered (if there is such thing). After due diligence in selecting a platform, of course!

 

[RMS]

.....Unfortunately (or not), I am stuck with AutoCAD for design/drafting work. I have to use that platform in my profession (and on occasion, CATIA), so I don't see the reason to learn another. Kind of like a comfortable pair of jeans... you know there are others out there, but what is wrong with these? ;D

Just out of curiosity what do you do more of 2D or 3D, and what version of CATIA? I love AutoCAD for 2D, though not so much for 3D.

 

[wareagle]

Just out of curiosity what do you do more of 2D or 3D, and what version of CATIA? I love AutoCAD for 2D, though not so much for 3D.

The CATIA I have worked with (actually fumbled through ) is V5R14 (IIRC). That is actually on a client's machine, so it is hit and miss (no pun) that I get any time with it. I have ACAD 2008 & ACAD 2010 on different machines. On the 2D/3D, I have been doing close to 50-50 between them of late. Where 2D has been the standard for years (construction industry), more and more 3D files are coming out these days.

 

[doc1955]

I have used Catia where I work but am more at home with NX5 & 6 (unigraphics). I prefer NX over Catia but that may be because I us NX every day. When I started drafting and designing it was on a board with a -T- square :big: Back then you had to think through fold lines in 3d in your mind. CAD has made things a lot easier! I enjoy working with CAD I work designing hydraulic, pneumatic and vacuum fixtures. If you have any questions on the NX package I maybe able to help but Catia I doubt I would be much help as every time I use it I have to stumble my way through it.

 

[Maryak]

Nice job with the drawing Bob...it looks great. How much time to you think you have into learning to get this far?

As of now and just with 3D about 250 hours.

Thanks for the support guys. :bow: :bow: :bow:

The penny has finally dropped and It is a really great tool for finding design and measurement mistakes. :-X

Here is my latest effort - just to show if you can't make them draw them. ;D

Best Regards
Bob

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Darn you Bob. You're making me get interested in this.
I must stay away. I must.
I program 8 hours a day as it is...
I've used up at least 2 mice and lost one ball
(which ain't bad when you think of it!)

 

[ironman]

Bob,

You seem to be learning very quickly. I am still modeling the pencils. I am up to Vid 12 now. Thanks again for posting about that CD. I did a couple of gears last night.

By next week you may be HMEM"s master 3D man. ;D Keep at it.

Ray (ironman)

 

[deere_x475guy]

Darn you Bob. You're making me get interested in this.
I must stay away. I must.
I program 8 hours a day as it is...
I've used up at least 2 mice and lost one ball
(which ain't bad when you think of it!)

Zee,
Did you buy Alibre last year?

 

[doc1955]

Darn you Bob. You're making me get interested in this.
I must stay away. I must.
I program 8 hours a day as it is...
I've used up at least 2 mice and lost one ball
(which ain't bad when you think of it!)

:big:Is it really called a lost one ball?

At work I use a gamers mouse and a 3Dconnexion space ball (I'd like to have the space pilot but too spendy) I know of another brand of 3d mouse but not sure of the name.
For at home I use the same gamers mouse and I purchased the 3Dconnexion space puck it was only 50$. I know what you mean I am working with 3d models all day but I must say when you are modeling some thing for your self there is suddenly enjoyment instead of dread. :big:

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Zee,
Did you buy Alibre last year?

I did. I've opened it twice. And both times my head immediately exploded.
It would do that with any drawing package I open.
But I'll try again.

 

[Maryak]

I've used up at least 2 mice and lost one ball

Zee when it comes to balls.................. Mine kept getting all furry :

An optical mouse as opposed to a ball mouse runs much easier with no balls ups and with a centre wheel for clicking, scrolling and zooming are painless.

In Turbocad all the mouse commands can be duplicated with various keys but it's nice to have control of the cursor and drawing items in your hand.

Ray,

I had 3 attempts before I managed to make the pencils. The thing I could not get my head around for some time was that in 2D you draw up, down, left, right; whereas in 3D you draw "into the page away from you" then view the entity using the various 2D projections. I became confused when I would start one entity from top, (plan), view and the another from front view meaning they went into the page at right angles from what I expected and from each other. I have almost disciplined my self to start each item from top view but the odd lapse means when you zoom extents the drawing size is a football field big and the entities are difficult to find...............Just part of life's rich tapestry.

Best Regards
Bob

PS the other thing I do is dimension my drawings in print space. I found that if you use model space the dimensions appear as a thin black line in a view other than the one you used for the dimension and are often quite remote from the entity in 3D space. Having looked and removed the offending thin black line it took me a while to realise I had deleted my hard won dimension. I don't know if this is standard practice but until I learn more it's working for me and has removed one more bit of confusion from my understanding. I guess I don't yet fully understand workplanes.

 

[doc1955]

Zee when it comes to balls.................. Mine kept getting all furry :

An optical mouse as opposed to a ball mouse runs much easier with no balls ups and with a centre wheel for clicking, scrolling and zooming are painless.

In Turbocad all the mouse commands can be duplicated with various keys but it's nice to have control of the cursor and drawing items in your hand.

I believe Zee is refering to a 3d mouse like this one. This is the one I use at work.
SpaceBall


PS They are really cool with Google Earth!

 

[Maryak]

Doc,

That's an impressive mouse. I had no idea such a thing existed, (now why am I not surprised).

Galina likes a track ball mouse but I find it an absolute PITA.

What sort of price tag are we talking here because it looks and reads like it costs more than my computer

Thanks for your input. :bow:

Best Regards
Bob