what cad programs do you use any info would be great

AutoCAD fusion 360!
Its 2D, 3D and free! Cloud based, which is annoying (but quite good) in that you download a programme, do your business, and save, but it saves online rather than your PC. This is surprisingly good in that you can also open drawings on your phone or tablet, and any PC. Even send a link to someone else using fusion 360, and they can open and edit too.
Also full movement of 3d parts with joints and stuff, all beyond me, but it free, and its AutoCAD!

solidworks for me!

Solidworks for work and play. . .

Draftsight has also been used for basic 2D stuff

Autocad for work. Sketchup for 3d play.
Onshape is supposed to a good free 3d cloud based product, but not used it myself.

[Edited on 22-10-15 by loggyboy]

solidworks, great with the simulation pro package,..

CATIA V5 and NX8.5 at the moment but have used Solodworks and UG in the past.

AutoCAD, Sketchup, Solidworks.

AutoCAD is best by miles for traditional 2D drafting; Solidworks best by miles for 3D stuff.

Sketchup is a lovely, smple user interface and great for architectural 3D work, but barely better than a toy for mechanical engineering stuff.

I use OpenSCAD for designing stuff for 3D printing. Mostly because it's free, but also because it runs on Linux (as well as other operating systems). Very powerful, but can be tough to learn as the documentation isn't sorted very well.

It also helps if you can visualise your object in your head, then translate it into a text description - designs are written in the SCAD language, which has a structure similar to computer code, or HTML. Once written, it is VERY easy to make changes without breaking the model.

I use autocad and tekla at work (although that's really only for buildings, civils and structural stuff)

I always liked Rhino for 3D modelling, its great at doing curvy things


No package will do everything well, it depends alot on what you'll be modeling / drawing and what you want to do with that model/ drawing afterwards....

Have previously used Medusa, CADDS5, Varimetrix but have a student version of AutoCAD that I use for developing profiles for laser cutting at the moment.

Really depends what you are going to use it for - 2d profiles/drawings, 3D mockup/visualisation or 3D for CNC machining. Horses for courses.

SW, but I prefer NX.

Onshape.com is a cloud based one very similar to SW (written by ex-SW folk I believe).

DraughtSight

Catia V5 and a bit of Rhino

catia V5 and onshape CAD

Catia V5 for me, learnt at uni then carried on into work. I want to learn Siemens NX to help open my career options if anyone knows of a free copy to learn with lol

thanks for all the replys what cost are they

I use Google Sketchup and OpenSCAD. Because they are both free and have lots of online help, examples and tutorials.

I cut my teeth on AutoCad v10, complete with tablet and puk (are they still used?) with a plotter the size of a small office. For home I use AutoCad Lite and still do now. A bit antiquated but does me fine for the odd bracket I draw, never bothered with 3D stuff just used my imagination.

Been using AutoCAD since 1994 professionally and still do about 6 hours a day.

Had a copy of LT V2 at home (still do on an old lap top) but compatibility issues over the years with drawings from newer cad became increasingly problematic and I needed something cheap (or free) that worked.

Eventually discovered Draftsight and it is the best free product I have found (and I have tried many). 100% compatibility with AutoCAD (tried as new as 2013). You just get a warning when opening a drawing saved in Draftsight in AutoCAD that the file was not saved using an AutoDesk application. Not an issue but shows you are a cheap skate.

[Edited on 2/11/15 by Paul Turner]