CAD /Autocad Help

[SmithDoor]

Hi All,
I'm still running Autocad 14 in XP( I have full programme on disc) on a stand alone comp. It's not connected to the net so no nasty updates. I don't use it much any more but is great when needed.
Cheers
Andrew

You may want try VB and run Autocad on new windows 11.

Dave

 

[Ghosty]

You may want try VB and run Autocad on new windows 11.

Dave

Dave, I don't even run windows 11, and Autocad runs fine on XP on a stand alone comp, not connected to the net so nothing changes in the comp.
I also have 8 and 16mm film and slide/negative scanners that the software wont run on any thing after windows 7 and no you can't get updated drivers, the company never made them. But the systems run well on XP, so why try to fix what is not broken, also I don't have to pay monthly fees to use a program that I don't use all that much now.
Cheers
Andrew

 

[SmithDoor]

Hi All,
I'm still running Autocad 14 in XP( I have full programme on disc) on a stand alone comp. It's not connected to the net so no nasty updates. I don't use it much any more but is great when needed.
Cheers
Andrew

Dave, I don't even run windows 11, and Autocad runs fine on XP on a stand alone comp, not connected to the net so nothing changes in the comp.
I also have 8 and 16mm film and slide/negative scanners that the software wont run on any thing after windows 7 and no you can't get updated drivers, the company never made them. But the systems run well on XP, so why try to fix what is not broken, also I don't have to pay monthly fees to use a program that I don't use all that much now.
Cheers
Andrew

I can see that.
I wish still had my Windows ME it work great but lives on a VB today.
I even have on my Windows 11 RS232 port .

Dave

 

[CFLBob]

I am not a user of this program right now, but I foresee this will be my future solution.
3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers | SOLIDWORKS
Cost is 100$ per year very affordable in my opinion
I currently use ironcad innovate! This is a very expensive program and I have not paid for updates in a couple years.
I plan to use it until I get my investment out then change to this program. And I can only hope this will still available and still costs about the same.
Anyway this might solve some of the problems here and allow some people access to modern cad tools!

I saw this yesterday and took a look at it; it almost seems to be in the "too good to be true" category.

Does anyone have any experience with it? In particular, is it "real" Solidworks, or something different? I never used it at work, but I know it's approaching being standard now.

Any comparison between "3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS" and Fusion 360?


Bob

 

[SmithDoor]

I saw this yesterday and took a look at it; it almost seems to be in the "too good to be true" category.

Does anyone have any experience with it? In particular, is it "real" Solidworks, or something different? I never used it at work, but I know it's approaching being standard now.

Any comparison between "3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS" and Fusion 360?


Bob

I still use CAD programs like was drafting. I have use 3D in past but still I need a good set of drawings to make parts.

Dave

 

[Richard Hed]

Putting aside the Russian connection for a moment, NanoCAD works just like Autocad. I could only use it in Demo mode. When I tried to register it I received the 404 notification - not sure why.

I'll have a look at the other packages which have been suggested - I really had no idea they existed since I was so content with AutoCAD. There is of course the nagging feeling that I should be on the path of 3D but my question to myself is - can I afford the time investment to learn a new way of life! I am sure my wife would have a view - if she was asked which might not happen!!!!
Mike

3D is actually EASIER TO learn

 

[ajoeiam]

I saw this yesterday and took a look at it; it almost seems to be in the "too good to be true" category.

Does anyone have any experience with it? In particular, is it "real" Solidworks, or something different? I never used it at work, but I know it's approaching being standard now.

Any comparison between "3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS" and Fusion 360?


Bob

I choose to do a quick look to see what might be involved.

Well - - - for me - - - two strikes right off the bat.
Needs Win 11 AND is cloud based.

So to use this I would need to either buy another machine and try to figure out how to keep win 11 secure (impossible imo!!) or buy a copy of win 11 and run it on something like virtualbox.
Secondly - - - I distrust any of the 'cloud' systems.
Somehow I'm not excited about anything that I do being totally in anyone else's control.
Some of the other cloud type environments EULA actually states that anything done there is 'owned' by the cloud software provider.
Dunno if I like feeding the less than reputable my work on a silver platter.

It seems that when it comes to CAD the options are quite limited - - - usually by $$$$$ available - - - at least in my case.

 

[CFLBob]

I choose to do a quick look to see what might be involved.

Well - - - for me - - - two strikes right off the bat.
Needs Win 11 AND is cloud based.

So to use this I would need to either buy another machine and try to figure out how to keep win 11 secure (impossible imo!!) or buy a copy of win 11 and run it on something like virtualbox.
Secondly - - - I distrust any of the 'cloud' systems.
Somehow I'm not excited about anything that I do being totally in anyone else's control.
Some of the other cloud type environments EULA actually states that anything done there is 'owned' by the cloud software provider.
Dunno if I like feeding the less than reputable my work on a silver platter.

It seems that when it comes to CAD the options are quite limited - - - usually by $$$$$ available - - - at least in my case.

I hate Windows 10 with a burning passion, but have vowed to never use 11. (I have to buy Win 11 and then they use it to push ads on my desktop?) But that must be a different version of Solidworks. The website (Item 5 under "Questions? We Have Answers" says:

"3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS (SOLIDWORKS Connected) and NC Shop Floor Programmer require a download and installation onto your computer with Windows® 10 operating system. "

So Win 10 and on your own computer. It is a subscription model, and subscribing to it gives you access to other programs that are cloud based. Neither seems interesting or necessary to me.

"3D Creator (xDesign) and 3D Sculptor (xShape) are completely online and do not require any installation on your computer. Please note, 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS (SOLIDWORKS Connected) cannot be installed on the same computer as Desktop SOLIDWORKS 2022. "

 

[Daryl_bee]

I agree.
Still have my drafting tools just incase

Dave

Don't knock paper. The ultimate stand-alone, non powered, version independent, platform immune, archival medium. I'm working on an article about a 700+ year old clock described in latin manuscripts, The dead sea scrolls are still retrievable. My 20 year old Mac Generic CADD designs are not. Lost to history except for the printouts. Even the floppys faded away. Sigh....

Yes I use Creo, Solidworks, NX but keeping designs valid/current as time progresses is a full time job. Maybe that's why they call it software, it's like the wind ;-D

 

[dnalot]

Don't knock pape

Pencil and paper are very powerful tools. Reminds me of the constipated mathematician that worked it out with a pencil.

Mark T

 

[davidl]

For what it's worth, some years ago I settled on FreeCad. It's free, parametric, open source, focussed on engineering, intuitive and has a large active cohort of users and ongoing developers. Runs on Windows, Mac, Linux operating systems.
https://www.freecadweb.org/David L

 

[Ozwes007]

I use LibreCad for 2D work and Openscad for 3D. I have designed complete roll cases with saws etc for Businesses I have worked for. From within OpenScad I have generated work drawings as DXF files that I bring into LibreCad to produce Production drawings for manufacture. total cost of Software is $0. I like to donate to them though. Best thing is the Software is Multiplatform.

 

[SmithDoor]

Pencil and paper are very powerful tools. Reminds me of the constipated mathematician that worked it out with a pencil.

Mark T

I agree
Before computers all we made was pencil and paper. The big jump slide rule. All drawings was hand drawn. If need copy it was done by hand before blueprints.

Dave

 

[Ghosty]

Before computers all we mad was pencil and paper. The big jump slide rule. All drawings was hand drawn. If need copy it was done by hand before blueprints.

I agree, but CAD has its uses, still have my drawing stuff and still use every now and then just to keep the hand in.
Cheers
Andrew

 

[awake]

I still use CAD programs like was drafting. I have use 3D in past but still I need a good set of drawings to make parts.

3D is actually EASIER TO learn

There may be an inverse relationship between these two quotes - I have heard it said that one of the hardest things about learning 3d CAD is unlearning 2d. Don't know if that is true, but in my own experience I would at least say that my 2d skills certainly did not help in learning 3d. The first steep climb in the learning curve was getting a handle on how to think 3d modeling, and it is almost entirely different than how I approach 2d drafting. In fact, I just realized as I wrote that sentence that two key words describe the difference for me: 3d is modelling, while 2d is drafting. Not sure that makes sense to anyone else; might just be evidence of my disturbed mind ...

 

[Mike Ginn]

Andy I completely agree. The issue I had with F360 and TurboCad was my thinking. For years I have been a 2D man (I guess I should now be saying "person") and I found it difficult to change my way of thinking to the point that I haven't made the transition. I probably need a project which forces me to use 3D. Maybe in the winter months!

Mike

 

[lee webster]

When I started using CAD about two-ish years ago, I contacted Solidworks and asked If as a retired hobbiest I would qualify for a copy of the student (free) version of Solidworks. They said yes! The download didn't work, my computer is quite old, and I contacted them again and said I couldn't download the software. They sent me, free of charge, the installation dvd which took less than a week to get here (Cornwall UK). The programme was a revelation compared to others I had tried and I got stuck in. After a month or so I saw the hooha concerning Fusion 360. Now, my student copy of Solidworks had a licence good for a year, what would happen after that? I stopped devoting time and effort to the programme and concentrated my efforts on what I knew I could own and use forever, FreeCAD and DesignSpark Mechanical. I can't use a cloud based sofware package because my CAD computer isn't on line, it's faster and safer that way, I use my old computer for any web work. FreeCAD is an amazing CAD programme but in many ways DesignSpark is better. But out of the two of them, I would rather have Solidworks. I also have Solidedge installed on my CAD computer, but I hardly use it. I believe that Solidworks Student edition is now about £100 per year.

 

[SmithDoor]

There may be an inverse relationship between these two quotes - I have heard it said that one of the hardest things about learning 3d CAD is unlearning 2d. Don't know if that is true, but in my own experience I would at least say that my 2d skills certainly did not help in learning 3d. The first steep climb in the learning curve was getting a handle on how to think 3d modeling, and it is almost entirely different than how I approach 2d drafting. In fact, I just realized as I wrote that sentence that two key words describe the difference for me: 3d is modelling, while 2d is drafting. Not sure that makes sense to anyone else; might just be evidence of my disturbed mind ...

The companies selling software say how great 3D drafting.

But how times do you a 3D drawing to see your part.
It is nice see part in 3D but I am building in real life then I can touch too and use it too.

3D is great for a few types of work. But the labor cost is high for 3D compared to 2D.

I thing worst I saw in was a CNC Mill setup using a 3D drawing for cutting a keyway.

Dave

 

[Ozwes007]

2D drawing is additive, you add bits till you have a complete shape.
3D is the opposite, you start with a block(whatever shape) and you remove pieces, you mould pieces, you extrude pieces to get the complete shape.
That is how I sell it to apprentice’s

 

[SmithDoor]

2D drawing is additive, you add bits till you have a complete shape.
3D is the opposite, you start with a block(whatever shape) and you remove pieces, you mould pieces, you extrude pieces to get the complete shape.
That is how I sell it to apprentice’s

Who makes blocks?

I do agree for some types of work the 3D great .
But 3D drawings are over use today . The draftsman of today need more 2D drawing training.
Today they call a draftsman a engineer they can do any calculations unless show them how to plug the numbers in.

Dave