It's been a long time since I've used CAD software. But, I figure since I'm about 2 years out from my first weld, why not read up on
chassis design and test some theories. In the locost spirit, I'm not looking to drop a bunch of dough. Freeware would be great! Any suggestions
are welcome. Thanks
autocad is probably the best 2D cad system to use, but I'm not sure exactly how much it cost.
I use Solidworks for 3D assembly modelling, and a small bit of Autocad for 2D.
Solidoworks is definitely not cheap though! its about £5000 for a license!
I believe that TurboCAD is freeware (if not free, its definitely cheap), and it seems a common choice.
HTH,
Chris.
autocad is the best IMHO
did my city n guilds course using R13 (aaaages old) and now have ACad 2004 - such a fantastic piece of software.
well worth hunting for a download 
autocad for 2d, solid works/edge for 3d, and rhino for complex surface modelling i reckon
all are available as 'freeware' if you know where to look
tom
All the suggested CAD software is very steeply discounted if you are (or know) a university student. 5000 UKP for Solidworks is expensive, but the
student price is around 100UKP.
I've tried AutoCAD and SW. AutoCAD is impossible to learn and is a very cold environment to work in (IMHO). SW took me a while to learn, but it
works a treat now.
--Chris
AutoCAD in conjunction with AutoSolids for 2D and 3D (makes it parametric). I also have SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Anvil and Alibre Design, but AutoCAD wins hands down for ease of use and the ability to stay in just one program.
I bought Turbo Cad Designer Essential for £9:99 from PC World recently. I'm not finding it difficult to learn and it's been very useful when
designing parts for the car. The label says it does 2D and 3D, (not got onto the 3D bit yet)
Mick
Autocad is the best 2D and Inventor the best and fastest growing 3D, and there both from Autodesk so they are totaly compatible.
I'm using AutoCAD 2004. earned it in 2 weeks from online tutorials. I find it quite simpe and easy to use also for 3D.
Creating a drawing is a bit tricky at first.
Janis
We've used solidworks for our design work. It's pretty intuitive and easy to learn but I think I've only scratched the surface. Jon
(blueshift) has played a good deal more and has modelled a nice parameterised locost chassis . It's been really useful for generating templates
for the angled ends of tubes and so on.
SW2005 does even more apparently, things like creating frames from 3D sketches is a breeze in the new version I think.
Here is a place or two to start looking.
FREE STRUCTURAL SOFTWARE
Free Mechanical Engineering software
Easiest one to run? Not a clue, I usually mess around with the +2000£ stuff. Don't have to pay the license myself
Any suggestions for decent free FEA- programs appreciated
i am sure there is a linux fea package with is open source, caan't remember what it is called though
i reckon that the easiest drafting package is microstation. i have used both autocad and microstation and without a doubt no question it is 20 times
easier/faster than autocad,
however this is probably due to the fact that when i use microstation i have the luxury of a graphics tablet and puck
i am going to buy the student version of solidworks its only £135 and it comes with all sorts of goodies(fea, kinematics ...)can't wait
[Edited on 3/9/04 by liam.mccaffrey]
quote:
Originally posted by leto
Here is a place or two to start looking.
FREE STRUCTURAL SOFTWARE
Free Mechanical Engineering software
Easiest one to run? Not a clue, I usually mess around with the +2000£ stuff. Don't have to pay the license myself
Any suggestions for decent free FEA- programs appreciated
THere are a boatload of them. Anybody used any of these? I'd rather not have to learn 5 programs just to get a good one
don't any of you people have any lead in your pencil.
canyou not do it with full scale sketches and plot the movement of things can you not take moments about a fixed point, don't you know what a
vector diagram is, for every action there is a reaction etc.
draw it full size and calculate the lines of force.
have done it both ways, manual and with my new edition of solidworks 2005
I'll do it the easiers way thanks!!!! NO point making work harder than it needs to be!!!
I am sure that, though we wouldn't like to say it on here, lots of us have come across "free" copies of Solidworks and AutoCad!!!
I have used both. Solidworks is one industry "standard" and is useful with the sheetmetal package for bend radii etc.
AutoCad is what I learnt at college (version 13 again!!) but was sneered at by any industry I have dealt with since.
I then used the fairly old in 1998 "ME 10" software, which uses a tablet and pen and discovered what the draughtsman where I was working was
on about!!
ME10 was much much easier and more intuitive to use than AutoCad!!!!!!!!!
I now tend to use a combination of AutoCad and Solidworks but would use ME 10 if I could still get it free!!
As for the "do it the manual way"......why??????????????
Why take 2 hours to do a job manually that you can do in 20 mins on CAD??????????????
I am a stickler for being able to do things "from first principles" and I am terrible for "fag packet design" but equally I will
use CAD when it is needed and helpful!!
A recent use I have found is the increasing number of subcontract laser/plasma cutting companies willing to take on small orders for profiling work to
fill sheets or 10 min gaps in their schedules, and that can accept DXF files by email. Just compile all your brackets and widgets onto files for each
thickness of sheet that you need, name the files appropriately, email to them and give them a call to explain briefly. Pop in a week later and pick up
the bits and pay the bill. Saves hours of jigsawing steel sheet and is so neat!!!
If you know any kids in secondary schools, they can get hold of a program called Prodesktop. Its far easier to use than AutoCad etc. The school will be able to give them(you) a copy on CD without breaking copyright rules. Airbus industries use the software, so its very powerful ! Look it up on the net !
Got Solidworks 2004 simply for the 3-d aspect of it. I have completed some of the online traing for it and it is comming pretty easy. Thanks to all
who made suggestions.
Getting a copy of AutoCAD is pretty easy, as the trail CDs are identical to the full versions except they are packaged without a serial number.
[Edited on 24/9/04 by Project7]
Some people laugh when I say I use autosketch at work... but to be able to draw your 2d image and then extrude, chop and all the other bits and
produce a good,acurate drawing that even a general manager can understand... well that speaks for itself..
i would recommend autodesk inventor if u can get a copy, much more user friendly than autocad or machanical desktop but uses the same files (so u can import autocad).
I'd like to learn CAD. I'm a fair "pencil draftsman" with a copy of autodesk mechanical desktop, which intimidates me. I also
don't have time to attend classes, so it's going to have to be tutorials at 10 PM.
The main things that I want to be able to do are sheet metal pattern drafting (For my job) and chasis/skins for my passion. I can draw tube chasis and
sheet metal development, but once you've got compound curves, you need the power of a computer.
What's my best bet? So far solidworks sounds most promising, and my sister can get it through her university at the student rate.
My 2c (2p)
2D........ AutoCAD (LT is fine)
Solid modelling (I'm deliberately avoiding saying 3D)......... Solidworks
Just to be different you could try Vectorworks. It is a full power 2D or 3D available on Mac or PC a fraction of the cost of Autocad and really
intuitive to learn unlike Autocad that I still find a PIA after a full specialist course last year. In vectorworks you draw in scale and see exactly
what you will get on paper as you go. Unless you want to earn money in CAD then I would avoid autocad as there is too much to learn IMHO
Caber
I use both AutoCAD and Solidworks and frequently switch between them depending on what I'm trying to achieve.
Some of the newer or lesser known CAD products are very good and often put the big names to shame, but there's such a dearth of on-line support
for the likes of AutoCAD, Inventor, Solidworks etc that you'd be better starting off with one of them untill you have the confidence/time to play
with others. IMHO that is.
All of the major named 3d solid modelling software is very similar, both in looks and ease of use.
I have used Solidworks, ProD, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, Pro Engineer etc. If you can work one you can work any of them, most of the features are
even called the same thing. About the only thing that differs is the order you do things in, but thats easy enough to figure out.
As for 2d, I would say now-a-days not to even bother. A lot of the software is difficult to use in comparison (AutoCAD is just horrible!). All of the
3d solid modellers can generate 2d drawings direct form the part/s you have drawn.
I havent used any of the lesser known freebie modellers so cant vouch for their ease of use or compatability with any other systems. I have both ProD
and shortly will be getting a student version of Solidworks.
David
(PS if anyone wants a copy of freeware ProD U2U me)
CommanderAce used SketchUp on his roll bar modelling - certainly the best looking job I have seen.
What is it like to use?
Call me strange but what is wrong with a pencil........o i wish i could make autocad work!!!
Thanks Mark
Yeah SketchUp is very user friendly and easy to pick up. You can get some good results once you know how. You can
download a free trial from their site if you want to play, and they have lots of very useful
video tutorials to watch and learn from.
Pete
Edit: I could even send you a Sketchup of my chassis, mind its 22mm box rather than 25mm and not complete but its something to play with to get your
bearings
[Edited on 8-11-05 by CommanderAce]
Limewire is wonderfull isn't it!!
tut tut! Bit Torrent is betterer 
quote:
Originally posted by CommanderAceEdit: I could even send you a Sketchup of my chassis, mind its 22mm box rather than 25mm and not complete but its something to play with to get your bearings
Done!
Right as I'm all for open source I thought that I'd make my plans avaliable to everyone to download and play with and in keeping with the
idea of open source I ask of you to make your version avaliable to everyone if you make any major changes.
My plans
SketchUp free trial
Cheers
Pete
I have solid works 2004 I like it but Im not good enough to do anything useful in it yet I played around with Rhino for a bit a few years ago
I need to Design a frame for saleen S7 style car and then I need to design the body which I first desided to use CAD for because I want to use the CNC
machine Im currently building to cut the molds out of foam.
Is there any tutorials on how to design a car body in solidworks or any help on designing it in general. Drawing is not one of my strengths and I am
actually quite bad at it so anything to help make it easier would be great
I'm with ayoungman on this one I use pro desktop and can endorse it 100%.
Especially if you have a school aged kid who can get a nice free copy
It's interesting that answers are all over the board. I think some folks are forgetting that the title says "easiest to learn". I've got a pal who self-taught himself autocad, then 3-D studio. Took him about a-year-and-a-half, and he's a pretty obsesive guy.
You could try using Pro/Engineer, you can pick up a full domestic version from www.ptc.com with a tutorial book for around £170. Plus if you do a
search for Pro/Engineer tutorials on google, it'll give you a page at staffs.ac.uk with really good tutorials. I'm a designer and I use
AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor and ProEngineer daily, I'd thoroughly recommend going down the Pro/E route due to cost and ease of learning.
HTH.
My collegiate sister's going to get me a stiudent edition of Solidworks. Now my old computer probably isn't up to the demands of this program, and as my company will pay for it, I'm going to get a new computer. I'd rather not go too much over USD $1k. What specs will I require?
quote:
Originally posted by kreb
My collegiate sister's going to get me a stiudent edition of Solidworks. Now my old computer probably isn't up to the demands of this program, and as my company will pay for it, I'm going to get a new computer. I'd rather not go too much over USD $1k. What specs will I require?