Cad software for dummies.

[Peter Simpson 3Participant @petersimpson3]

High can anybody recommend some Cad software for a total beginner. Looking to draw bushes, sleeves and other simple engineering projects. It need to run on windows 10

[Peter Simpson 3Participant @petersimpson3]

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Do you want CAD, or drawing? You can use a dwg package to generate simple "engineering drawings" but it won't have the bells and whistles that real CAD has.

While my endlessly-delayed project to learn proper CAD takes shape I continue to use Open Office Draw which does lots of good things like dimension lines and stuff. It's part of the OpenOffice suite and can be downloaded for free:

**LINK**

You also get a capable spreadsheet, word processing and other stuff.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Deltacad

Tony

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

How old are you? May seem daft & impertanant but its relevant as if you're an 'oldie' I would stick to pencil and paper as it takes a hell of a time to get even basically competant with any CAD (as I found out). If you've plenty of years in reserve – ok, but I agree with John Haine – if its dead simple engineering drawings you're after us a drawing package as he suggested – will run on any PC.

If you still want to run with CAD, do a search of this site (use the search box halfway down the home page, not the one at the top here – it's better) and search for 'Basic' CAD , simple CAD etc and you'll find plenty of suggestions as this has been aired many, Many times before.

What you will find though, is there a hundred and one different suggestions and preferences to the point of confusion. Doesn't help much I'm afraid – but there are truly 'Free' ones (limited performance usually) like LibreCAD which work ok.

Best of luck Mike

[Peter Simpson 3Participant @petersimpson3]

Mike I'm certainly an oldie just shy of 70. I think a drawing package would suffice.

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Alibre Atom might be worth a go. It is paid for software but you can get a free trial it is a full CAD package not just drawing. There are tutorials on the forum and quite a few threads here about it. Try this thread to start with.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 14/12/2022 09:57:48

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 14/12/2022 09:29:26:

Deltacad

Tony

Thanks for that suggestion Tony, I've downloaded the demo and will give it a try.

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by Journeyman on 14/12/2022 09:55:50:

Alibre Atom might be worth a go. It is paid for software but you can get a free trial it is a full CAD package not just drawing. There are tutorials on the forum and quite a few threads here about it. Try this thread to start with.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 14/12/2022 09:57:48

Trouble with Alibre Atom is that the free trial is only for 30 days. So if one gives it some intense effort one still would not get overly profficient in that time. I must admit that having looked at the tutorials I did think of giving it a go. But when I emailed the UK distributor & was quoted £269 + VAT I decided that it was just a silly price to pay for the amount I would use it. I have been told by others that this includes £70 + VAT support but that does not sweeten the pill much. So it was not even worth playing with the free trial.

25 years ago I was lightening fast with Auto sketch, but that skill has long since gone & I am not sure if it will run on my current platform. But if it is obtainable it is good if one can use it enough to get used to using the key presses to speed up the operations.I expect it has been superceded by much better programmes . Trouble is they often get harder to learn..

I am currently trying Freecad. I am having difficulty getting started. But at 75 years of age that is hardly surprising. I expect that I will crack it over the winter though, as there is little else to do. It is a case of finding the right set of You Tube tutorials. I did try one & it was not so good. I am on another & find it much better.

So I think that one has to decide how far one wants to go & how much effort one wants to put into it. If the answer is not a lot, then one has to go for a simple sketching one & be aware that it will not do much more than pencil & paper & not much quicker. But it will rub out & alter things easier.

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 14/12/2022 10:25:17

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

If it will run on your computer Designspark Mechanical is very good for basic widgets

mouse keyboard controls are pretty easy, a 5 button/1 wheel mouse is best

I'm afraid you will have to download a few of these things before you find one you like, unless you get lucky

While it's quite advanced I really can't be bothered with the learning curve but it's useful for drawing simple parts in 3D, letting me visualise any snarlups and see closer tolerances

Edited By Ady1 on 14/12/2022 10:35:01

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

What are you hoping to achieve? 'Simple parts' like sleeves barely justify the time spent on a dimensioned sketch, let alone a drawing.

The real reason for CAD is not the final drawings, but to simplify the design stages of parts that do justify more than a dimensioned sketch. That will require a considerable amount of time and effort to learn the principles and whatever software you decide upon. And as you've probably noticed, advice for the 'best' CAD system is just like asking five people which is the 'best' beer.

[HOWARDTParticipant @howardt]

Stick to paper and pencil. There is little to be gained from using CAD unless you are creating multiple parts which you hope to fit together, even then it is only worth the effort if you are going to do it again and again. To become even a little proficient using a computer for anything is if you keep using the same software again and again. I spent thirty years using CAD, both 2D and 3D and it surprised me how many draughtsmen that I came across that struggled to use the software even after a year or so. I still use Fusion 360 as well as an old copy of Inventor, but my most go to is the pad and pencil on my desk, yes I am retired and over 70.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

I use QCAD (community edition is free) for 2D-drawings when they get beyond squared paper complexity, or are going to be shared with someone else. QCAD-Pro is paid for, but adds some useful features. LibreCAD is a fork of QCAD-community edition.

3D-CAD is more difficult to choose. I have:

• FreeCAD – for single parts. It's free and open-source – no licence or other restrictions.
• SolidEdge Community Edition – for multi-part assemblies. It's free, almost full-function, and runs locally on your computer but has licence conditions. They're not onerous for a hobbyist, but that might change! I found SE harder to learn compared with Fusion 360, partly because I was used to FreeCAD and Fusion's way of doing things.
• I used Fusion 360 for over a year. Also good for multipart assemblies, and being a relatively new product, the ergonomics are good. I like it. Unfortunately being a cloud product brings privacy and control issues, and the owners have taken to disabling features in hope of nudging users into buying a full licence. I don't blame Autodesk for wanting to earn money, but my hobby interests don't justify the cost of a full licence.

Learning 3D-CAD is non-trivial, almost a hobby in itself. Not everyone can do the mental gymnastics needed to think in 3D and drive complicated software, but once mastered 3D-CAD is wonderful if anything complicated is afoot.

Dave

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

If all you want to do is create non scale sketches there is a very simple package within MS Word if you already have it. You start it by creating a text box.

Dimensions in text boxes, arrows to point with, you can draw a sleeve by grouping two boxes together and two circles for the 2 required views. Just drag stuff to proportion.

Edited By Dave Halford on 14/12/2022 11:49:25

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A few years ago SOD posted this nice tutorial on this forum for FreeCad. Just follow it in stages and you will find it quite easy.
Fusion was the tops for hobbyists but got messed around with as they try to pressure amateurs into buying it,
Alibre looked good when they offered a free trial for ME readers but then asked silly money for the amateur version (and twice what the USA got it for)
Solid Edge is getting a following but has in the last few weeks got an update and the tutorials are only for the older version and tend to be aimed at more advanced users.

SO stick with start off with FreeCad and the tutorial at least to dip your toes in, (possibly the wrong metopher given the weather).

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Peter,

You have chosen a sensible pastime for the winter. It'll take most of it to become proficient in any CAD program. However, if as has been said above, all you want to do is draw simple line drawings with or without dimensions, free drawing programs are readily available. Like you, I was around 70 when I started using the computer to make drawings for the workshop. I started with LibreOffice Draw in the LibreOffice suite of free software – itself an off-shoot from OpenOffice, but quickly migrated to the free version of QCAD for its enhanced features and ease of use. Much impressed by it, I purchased the Pro version and continue to use it to this day with a paid annual subscription. In 2018 I followed the Alibre Atom tutorial series in MEW and downloaded the extended six month trial version available alongside the articles. I found it relatively easy to pick up with help from a number of respondents on this forum, notably Jason Bellamy and David Jupp. I used it to great effect when one of my designs won me a 3D router and in order to use this machine and to produce g-code, I also dabbled with Fusion 360 (the non- commercial, free version). I still use a combination of these programs to this day. First, I lay down my ideas for a project in Alibre, so as to "see" my thoughts in 3D, then use it to manipulate and fine tune the design. After that, I export the drawings to DXF files which I lay out and dimension in QCAD (because I am much more used to it and can produce better-looking drawings with it!). If I need to produce g-code for the router, Alibre allows export to STEP files which then go into Fusion for processing and post-processing.

So, there you have it. As Mike Hurley said early in the thread, you'll get 101 answers to your query. Actually 102, if you include mine and everyone has their own favourite program. These just happen to be mine.

I hope I've not muddied the waters further for you. Take your time to find one that you're happy with and stick with it. I'm sure you'll get there in the end – but bear in mind it's often a steep learning curve, especially if, like me, you've had no technical drawing training at school or in industry.

Best of luck,

John

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I don't think age should come into it, more aptitude. I've answered a couple of queries from a guy on HMEM forum who was using the Atom 3D trial and this is what he was getting upto in less than two weeks – modelling parts, assembling them and producing 2D working drawings. BTW he is 86 and not used any 3D package before.

Edited By JasonB on 14/12/2022 13:58:08

[Clive BParticipant @cliveb55652]

If you're a beginner with 2D CAD (like me) then QCAD 2D could suit you well. What I found difficult was finding an affordable 2D package that came with decent tutorials aimed at a beginner. I bought the excellent tutorial book available from QCAD which I worked through in a couple of days and was up and running very quickly. And yes you have to buy the book, but a version of the software is free (see post by SOD).

The emphasis on 3D seems to me to be fine for those with CNC or 3D printers but for many users of manual machine tools I would have thought that 2D is a simpler option?

Clive

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I don't think 3D has to be the domain of CNC and 3D printer users. I was using it a long time before I got the CNC to design engines and I still only make a very small percentage of parts on the CNC.

The ability to assemble the 3D parts and have them move in their correct relation to each other is the biggest bonus as that is not something you can easily do with 2D drawings unless you want to start cutting out bits of card or paper. Even then if you need to make a change it's out with the scissors again after having redrawn the item, with a 3D package it's just a couple of clicks to alter the individual part and then the whole assembly will update.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 14/12/2022 11:18:06:

I use QCAD (community edition is free) for 2D-drawings when they get beyond squared paper complexity, or are going to be shared with someone else. QCAD-Pro is paid for, but adds some useful features. LibreCAD is a fork of QCAD-community edition.

• SolidEdge Community Edition – for multi-part assemblies. It's free, almost full-function, and runs locally on your computer but has licence conditions. They're not onerous for a hobbyist, but that might change! I found SE harder to learn compared with Fusion 360, partly because I was used to FreeCAD and Fusion's way of doing things.

Learning 3D-CAD is non-trivial, almost a hobby in itself. Not everyone can do the mental gymnastics needed to think in 3D and drive complicated software, but once mastered 3D-CAD is wonderful if anything complicated is afoot.

Dave

Peter,

There is a half way house with Solid Edge, in that it can be used in both 2D and/or 3D mode.

To use 2D drafting, you just open a new 'Draft' document (rather than a 'Part' document) and select the 'Sketching' tab (at the top). You will then have all of the drawing tools used in 3D design – without the problem of worrying about any of the 3D stuff. It is not hard to learn and everything learned will be useful should you ever be tempted to try SE in '3D'.

Whilst this YouTube is designed as an introduction to 3D modelling, it also will give you a very good idea of what sketching in Solid Edge 2D is like, because you use exactly the same drawing tools.

Introduction to Solid Edge – Sketching

Just a thought.

Regards,

 

IanT

Edited By IanT on 14/12/2022 17:45:10

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

My off-the-cuff comment about age was only meant to light hearted – you're never too old to do / start anything. Saw Pru Leith (of 'bakeoff' fame) on the TV last night, she's 82 and was chatting on about her upcoming one-woman show tours of the UK and USA next year! Made me ashamed sitting idly in front of the box.

Its just that sometimes it can be very disheartening to start something and struggle, time is precious (more so the older you get) and its useful to be pre-warned I think. Everyone learns at different speeds so one chap may well become a reasonably competant user after a few weeks others will not. The forum members have ,as usual, provided a wealth of suggestions and useful comments to assist in choosing a possible route. It would be interesting to hear what the OP decides to do and how he progresses. Any chance you could do that Peter?

regards Mike

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Problem with drawing electronically is no matter which system you go for, there's a learning curve to become proficient. As one or two have suggested, there's always pencil and paper and how many bits can you get onto an A4 sheet? AND, don't forget, you can SCAN and save the results. You may not be drawing at full size but for simple parts, does it matter?

Regards Ian.

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

I think it is false economy to go for a simple CAD package in terms of time and effort. In every system the basics are simple to do irrespective of the capability of the software as a whole. If you are on a PC then solid edge community edition is a good choice. If all you want is simple sketches then stick to pencil and paper but if you want to switch to CAD then you should go the whole hog. It’s up to you then how much of the more complex features you use. If you are paying for a system then maybe there is an argument for simpler less expensive software but if it’s free then go for full functionality.
regards Martin

[Pete WhiteParticipant @petewhite15172]

Loads of options and preferances as we see. Qcad has served me well for a very long time, so much so I upgraded to the pro version, I have never done before paid for software being a linux fan.

I dabbled with 3d a while back but had issues with Freecad bugs, so went for the free home / hobby version, fully working, from Onshape. Its web based and to my mind user friendly with loads of online help and utube stuff. Can't fault it.

As a bonus being web based its the only drafting package that works on my chromebook, a real plus, exports dxf and dwg file also, plus others of course.

Pete

[VersabossParticipant @versaboss]

Thanks, Pete, I can fully agree. But it is a shame that many people don't even try Onshape, because it is 'in the cloud'. It would cost them only a few clicks, and if they don't like it, just forget it (no deinstall necessary).
My oldest 'designs' (which I didn't delete), go back to 2016, and all is still there.
The help I got from them, when I also had some troubles in the beginning, can't be bettered.
I still consider Onshape the easiest CAD on the market just now, and I tried a lot since I attended an Autocad course back in 1989 iirc.

Season's greetings.

Hans

[Author]

Posts