??CAD software for ultra newb? (1 Viewer)

[Wile E Coyote]

Forgive if this is misplaced post, but figured if any group of folks were using CAD.......ya know

Total newb here, as posted. I've googled and don't know even what to make of the results( yeah I said I was a newb).
Did I day I was cheap too? I'm looking for freeware or the like for designing bumpers and small brackets until I can get good and then I'll upgrade.
Thanks in advance

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Wanted to add....I fully realize that a large group of regular Joe's and even pros never put their ideas through CAD. I think of it as a learning op. that's all.


Here's just one of the top google hits....
http://www.cocreate.com/OneSpaceModelingPE.cfm#

 

[rusty_tlc]

I'd suggest Auotsketch, not free but reasonable, $130 which is cheap for a CAD program that works. And you will be able to transition to Autocad fairly easy. Autocad is the industry standard for CAD. If you spend less than $100 you will probably be disappointed.

 

[adventr]

The link that you threw up there to the CoCreate product looks pretty good.

If you are interested in doing 3D modeling, then I would advise against anything AutoCAD. Except maybe Inventor.

Reason being, is that while AutoCAD IS the industry standard for CAD, its mainly just a 2D program.

I use SolidWorks pretty much 8hrs a day, 5 days a week, and the amount of work that I accomplish during that time would easily be cut in half (or more) if I had to do it all in AutoCAD.

Most 3D modeling programs use a system of Parts and Assemblies. You design each part, then open up an assembly and put all the parts together to create the whole project.

It LOOKS like that CoCreate program works in a similar way, so I would try that out if I were you.

If not, try to get yourself a Student Copy of SolidWorks. I think its only ~$150 or so.

That's a good price when you compare what the full version costs, $5,000 and up.

Here's a little rendering to show what the program is capable of:

There are around 100 parts in that assembly. Only took about 8hrs to do.

-Tim

 

[rusty_tlc]

Solidworks look great, I've heard of it but never used it or looked at it. My Co is commited to another CAD package so it only leads to heartburn looking at other options.
I found the student edition of solidworks HERE on the first google page for $140.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Thanks for the advice. My math/science background just does absolutely nothing to prepare me for this new interest. Give me a dying human heart, and I'll just about work magic, but this is new ground for me.

As a sheer coink-a-dink, the CoCreate site had a totally free, personal edition for download. Holy crap am I at the bottom a HUGE uphill climb.
This free edition lacks the ability to talk to the more universal programs, at least I think. Don't wanna even ask the price of the full featured version.

Now for the 'tech'..........Anyone got a<< CAD for dummies >>type reference for me? A www or the like? At least some of the majoer terminology? Would the core terminology be universal across each platform/package? Again, I'm really just looking to be able to render a decent bracket, or bumper and such.
Is there stripped down, layman-biased software out there? (Keep the MS Paint cracks to yourselves, hehe)

 

[adventr]

3D Modeling Software can seem a bit overwhelming when you are first looking at it.

As far as books go, I don't really know of any for the CoCreate software.

One thing that SolidWorks has, are Tutorials. These pretty much walk you through the basics, and are VERY helpful for a beginner.

I would search google for CoCreate Tutorials or something like that. Maybe someone will have written a guide for you.

But the basics are, creating a part, creating an assembly, inserting parts you've created into the assembly, and then, well, assembling them.

For doing single brackets, you wouldnt even need to worry about assemblies. But for bumpers, you would. Well, unless your bumper is built out of 1 piece of material.

As far as Rendering goes, I don't know if the CoCreate package includes a Render feature.

Rendering is SolidWorks is done with a sub program called PhotoWorks. What that does is allow you to create photo-realistic renderings of parts and assemblies, such as the picture that I posted in my previous post.

Here is what the model looks like in SolidWorks, as it's being built:

Also, here is a bumper prototype I've been playing around with my for FJ80. I took a screenshot of how everything looks, as well as added a caption to show you where the Parts are. My MSPaint skills are lacking, i know...

-Tim

 

[eleblanc]

There are around 100 parts in that assembly. Only took about 8hrs to do.

-Tim

8 hours cause all parts were already designed....

I use inventor at least 20 hours a weeks, no way i can design 100 parts get them together and create a scene for render in 8 hours...come on..

Skid i've done with inventor
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=120826&highlight=skid

 

[adventr]

8 hours cause all parts were already designed....

I use inventor at least 20 hours a weeks, no way i can design 100 parts get them together and create a scene for render in 8 hours...come on..

Skid i've done with inventor
https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=120826&highlight=skid

That design is one i've been working on for a while, it's gone through several revisions.

However, the scene you are looking at right there was done in a day. (8hrs)

And you're right, I did have the SSC Board already designed up.

Just out of curiosity, what made you go with Inventor over SW?

-Tim

 

[rusty_tlc]

Every CAD program I've ever used had different terms for the same things so I doubt there is a CAD for dummies book that will help much. Most packages offer decent tutorials, taking time to go through them step by step will help you get the most out of whatever program you buy.

What is consistent are the basic drafting terms so you might look for a drafting text book to get you started.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Thanks again for the great example TK99. Your bumper example is just the type of end product I'm after.
CoCreate has tutorials, and I've downloaded 2, 50 min each webinars for future ref.
I still have my lack of basic terminology/concepts as a hurdle. That, along w/ my own constant continuing education required by my choice of professions, will cause this to be a looooong uphill journey. I found an ultra-basic "CadStd" download last night. It's a whole 'nother thing to learn, but it could at least get me aquainted with terminology and the like.
Rusty....good advice, as I see how basic drafting terms would be universal, and at least help me get more oriented. Thanks, to you, too.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

As an FYI for future search hits, the CadStd site seems to be a usable 2-D program for the ultra-newb. The CoCreate freeware will get you well beyond newb, and has a much steeper learning curve.
You still will need to learn basic concepts. MIT has an online handbook that covers a select few groundwork ideas, directed at their own students.

MIT basic concepts:
http://pergatory.mit.edu/2.007/Resources/index.html

CoCreate 3-D modeling freeware:
http://www.cocreate.com/OneSpaceModelingPE.cfm#

CadStd basic 2-D drawing freeware:
http://www.cadstd.com/

Feel free to add/critique as warranted,

 

[eleblanc]

That design is one i've been working on for a while, it's gone through several revisions.

However, the scene you are looking at right there was done in a day. (8hrs)

And you're right, I did have the SSC Board already designed up.

Just out of curiosity, what made you go with Inventor over SW?

-Tim

Part of equipment we design are air pollution control equipment for heavy industries, such has mines. Often customer send us architectural 2D CAD drawing of floor elevation and side view for each column (if you are familiar with building dwg). We use those drawing and place them in a 3D environment then place our equipment and design piping around column, beam and customer equipment. We then send customer drawing back with our equipment located in it. We still have to work alot with customer drawing and they all use autocad...It was just easier for us. Also 80% of our model we have here have been done with Mechanical desktop. Buying inventor grants us new version of MDT.

Has far has inventor vs solidworks, i've try both and it is pretty much the same. I haven't run solidwork alot so i do not know if it has the small issue i bump into once in a while in inventor, but i'm happy with it.

For someone starting from scratch, probably the best deal you get would eb the one you use.

 

[adventr]

Part of equipment we design are air pollution control equipment for heavy industries, such has mines. Often customer send us architectural 2D CAD drawing of floor elevation and side view for each column (if you are familiar with building dwg). We use those drawing and place them in a 3D environment then place our equipment and design piping around column, beam and customer equipment. We then send customer drawing back with our equipment located in it. We still have to work alot with customer drawing and they all use autocad...It was just easier for us. Also 80% of our model we have here have been done with Mechanical desktop. Buying inventor grants us new version of MDT.

Has far has inventor vs solidworks, i've try both and it is pretty much the same. I haven't run solidwork alot so i do not know if it has the small issue i bump into once in a while in inventor, but i'm happy with it.

For someone starting from scratch, probably the best deal you get would eb the one you use.

Ahhh, I see. It makes sense to use Inventor if you also work with AutoCAD. I actually started out on Inventor a few years back, and while its similar to SW, it doesn't offer everything I need. That's why I went with SW.

I use COSMOS quite a bit for the brackets I design. It allows virtual stress analysis to be performed. You can simulate a load on your part and the direction of the load, and it will show you where the part will begin to deform.

-Tim

 

[eleblanc]

Ahhh, I see. It makes sense to use Inventor if you also work with AutoCAD. I actually started out on Inventor a few years back, and while its similar to SW, it doesn't offer everything I need. That's why I went with SW.

I use COSMOS quite a bit for the brackets I design. It allows virtual stress analysis to be performed. You can simulate a load on your part and the direction of the load, and it will show you where the part will begin to deform.

-Tim

I have inventor pro so i also have FEA, what feature that INV didn't have, that SW had?

 

[Enigma]

Speaking of inventor, is their any inventor files available of landcruisers? I don't want to rip off anyones designs, but would like to save a lot of time if there is already a parametric model available of a stock 'cruiser body/frame etc.
I use acad at work (for the past 15 years), and am in the process of taking an Inventor course at night school. It was kind of intimidating at first, but really not that complicated once you get into it.
My instructor is Bill Fane, a CAD guru around these parts. Very knowledgeable guy.

 

[eleblanc]

I've posted my BJ skid plate, done on inventor. Seach my name and inventor.