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Model Forum / General / Models / March 20083D CAD
Hi folks, I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know what you think is the best 3d design package for the home computer. I worked before retiring with industry 3d systems like PDS and PDMS but they cost a fortune and require massive back up. I use 2d microstation at present but would like a useable 3d/2d package if I can afford it? I only design my own home ideas etc no busy business etc. Regards Alan >Hi folks, >I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Regards >Alan There's a free/demo version of Intellicad going round that was released without a time limit as I understand it, that does 3D, but package usefulness depends on what you want to do with it. We do our metalwork drawings in Autocad, but use Intellicad to look at them in Windoze and print to our A3 laser. The Acad is an early DOS version which I prefer to the later cluttered screens of the Windoze versions. You can configure intellicad to run on a command-line basis which I find useful, YMMV. Peter -- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: diesel@easynet.co.uk http://www.oldengine.org/members/diesel http://www.stationary-engine.co.uk http://www.oldengine.co.uk > I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know > what you think is the best 3d design package for the home computer. I > worked before retiring with industry 3d systems like PDS and PDMS but > they cost a fortune and require massive back up. I use 2d microstation > at present but would like a useable 3d/2d package if I can afford it? > I only design my own home ideas etc no busy business etc. Autodesk Inventor can be had rather cheaply in a Student's version for non-commercial use. The 2008 version is limited to 14 months of use. Alibre Design http://www.alibre.com/ had a free 3d package that I tried for a short time a couple of years ago. I don't know how it is now, try looking at their web site.  SignatureVenlig hilsen/Best regards Erik Olsen DK http://www.modelbaneteknik.dk/ > Hi folks, > I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Regards > Alan I've been using TurboCAD (TC) for years now. It has very good 3D modelling and photorealistic rendering. The following link from the IMSI (makers of TurboCAD) User-forum shows a helicopter modelled entirely in TC V14 Delux. http://forums.imsisoft.com/forums/Attachment.cfm?CFApp=200&Attachment_ID=63012 They do two basic versions: Pro and Delux, the Pro has all the bells and whistles you could want, and the Delux is simply their name for the standard version. V15 has just been released and is rather expensive. The best value is V11 Pro - a friend got one for about £20 on eBay about a month ago. Avoid V12 like the plague, it was a real dog. There wasn't a V13 and V14 is still expensive. I still use V11 Pro. According to the TC User-forum, TC's 3D facilities exceed those of Autocad. Since I have no personal experience of Autocad I can't comment. SignatureRegards, Gary Wooding (To reply by email, change feet to foot in my address) -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com > > Hi folks, > > I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > -- > Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com Thank you all for your replies. Gary You have told me exactly what I wanted to hear so I will look out for Turbocad V11 pro. In the past I have tried 2d Autocad and did not find it very user freindly. Microstation is a good logical 2d program in my opinion but I cannot use their 3d Thanks again Alan >> Hi folks, >> I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > According to the TC User-forum, TC's 3D facilities exceed those of > Autocad. Since I have no personal experience of Autocad I can't comment. I have a copy of TC V14 - not really that impressed by it. It is a 2D drawing package with some 3D capability. There are too many things it won't do in 3D for me, such has shelling solids, drilled holes etc, which should be standard. The helicopter is really neat, but I don't need rendered images for engineering drawings. Regards Steve >> I've been using TurboCAD (TC) for years now. It has very good 3D modelling >> and photorealistic rendering. The following link from the IMSI (makers of [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > >Steve I feel a lot of thought has to go into what you want to do . Some of these 3D packages have impressive demo's and examples but have you ever wondered just how long these took. Now if you want impressive 3D render parts then fine but as Steve says if you are just needing working drawings it can be time wasting both in time and the steep learning curve. My son drives Solid Edge for a living and he's not bad at it. Yesterday he spent nearly a whole day drawing a rotating tool turret, looks nice but if that was my job one hour in 2D CAD would have me working DXF's for the CNC to handle. I get the usual "Well it can spot mistakes and see if everything fits" Bollocks to that, it's that simple that if it didn't fit you would be considered eligible to hold a plate on your lap. Now if you are dealing with customers or the great unwashed then this is another point to bear in mind but my drawings are for me, full stop. Any excess of time comes off the bottom line and I pay for it. You have to read into the above the points that affect you. Regards, John Stevenson Small CNC Support. >>> I've been using TurboCAD (TC) for years now. It has very good 3D modelling >>> and photorealistic rendering. The following link from the IMSI (makers of [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] >John Stevenson >Small CNC Support. OK - I'll now go off at a bit of a tangent. I've managed up until now without CAD. I've never felt that I've needed it. However there are some projects that would be better with a drawing to help with planning and it seems that I can't put it off any longer. Any suggestions as to an easy to learn and cheap 2D CAD package? Thanks Charles > I've managed up until now without CAD. I've never felt that I've > needed it. However there are some projects that would be better with a > drawing to help with planning and it seems that I can't put it off any > longer. > Any suggestions as to an easy to learn and cheap 2D CAD package? Autosketch, Charles I use this for my own stuff, bits of full size steam locos (like reverse engineering an injector body), and have used it for full size beaver-tail plant truck bodies, including a hydraulic folding tail ramp. I started with Turbocad, but ditched it in favour of Autosketch about 10 years ago. Even with a simple 2D package, the initial learning curve can be a bit steep, but this does not take long. Some of the concepts are rather alien until the pennies start dropping. I also have Turbocad 9 pro, but have used it very little. SignatureCharles >> I've managed up until now without CAD. I've never felt that I've >> needed it. However there are some projects that would be better with a [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >I also have Turbocad 9 pro, but have used it very little. I'm ashamed to say that I use Visio for all of my 2D drawings. But only because I use it a fair bit at work and it does a far neater job than me and my collection of Rotring pens ever did. Mark Rand RTFM >> I've managed up until now without CAD. I've never felt that I've >> needed it. However there are some projects that would be better with a [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >I also have Turbocad 9 pro, but have used it very little. Talking about 3D CAD, I have an original boxed copy of Autodesk Mechanical Desktop release 5 (forerunner to Inventor) sitting on my shelf which I have never used. This was given to me when a friends business closed down (should have been binned by the liquidators really), but I never used it as I had just got into Solidworks which was much more versatile and user friendly. Anyway, if anyone who is not a lurker (i.e regular poster on the NG) wants this FOC, and is happy to struggle with it <G>, then it's yours for the cost of postage. Of course you will probably need to obtain a license key, but I stress that this is a genuine item and not a dodgy illegal copy. Peter Peter > Talking about 3D CAD, I have an original boxed copy of Autodesk > Mechanical Desktop release 5 (forerunner to Inventor) sitting on my [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Peter If not too late already, I would like to take you up on that please Peter. SignatureCharles Lamont > ...snip... > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Steve Steve, Since the V11 Pro that I use can shell solids, I suspect you are using V14 Delux rather than V14 Pro. As I mentioned, the Delux version is really the standard version. Its not necessary to render the 3D models; they can be printed and displayed in a variety of ways: wire frame, hidden lines removed, standard render and photorealistic render - in ascending order of m/c time requirements. Wire frame and hidden line removed modes are very fast and can be rotated and zoomed in real time. Photorealistic renders require a fast m/c and lots of patience. SignatureRegards, Gary Wooding (To reply by email, change feet to foot in my address) -- Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com >> ...snip... >> [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > can be rotated and zoomed in real time. Photorealistic renders require a > fast m/c and lots of patience. Yes it is V14 Deluxe - it would better if they called it 2D Standard! Steve > Hi folks, > I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > at present but would like a useable 3d/2d package if I can afford it? > I only design my own home ideas etc no busy business etc. I use Alibre which is good and not too expensive. There is a free version available with restrictions on the number of part you can have in an assembly. They are at <www.alibre.com> Hth, SignatureBoo > Hi folks, > I am just trying to pick your collective brains. I would like to know [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Regards > Alan Before parting with your money take a look at Rhino. http://www.rhino3d.com/ Has a free downloadable demo, exports fairly pukka single and 3 angle blueprints as well as just about any file format you can shake a stick at, works on a low spec pc easy enough, not much of a leaning curve. No excess cruft like "will it fit" or "will it work" or "will it be the same version". |
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