Simpler the Better -what do you use?

[Johan CrousParticipant @johancrous15881]

I agree with you John Although it works great, not everyone have that money to spend.

Although I use ViaCAD 8 Pro (PunchCAD) as mentioned (it can also render and show everything in 3D as well as imports), there are freeware equivilants like Blender 3D (3DS Max equal) – it can do rendering and animations as well. Then you get FreeCAD as well – How good I do not know.

A relative affordable alternative is TurboCAD, but the Pro is getting expensive. There are also a few software giants that allow free student or amateur users to use their products with a few limitations.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Has anyone tried TotalCad 2D-3D?

I ask as I picked up a copy for £10 as it promised to be simpler than TurboCad (It isn't from where I'm standing, but the help files seem to be written better).

Neil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 28/12/2013 20:10:50:

Has anyone tried TotalCad 2D-3D?

I ask as I picked up a copy for £10 as it promised to be simpler than TurboCad (It isn't from where I'm standing, but the help files seem to be written better).

Neil

You wuz robbed Neil, Maplins has it for 8 quid

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 28/12/2013 20:10:50:

Has anyone tried TotalCad 2D-3D?

I ask as I picked up a copy for £10 as it promised to be simpler than TurboCad (It isn't from where I'm standing, but the help files seem to be written better).

Neil

I've never seen anything to compete with ViaCAD 2d/3d, for the money, especially when it's discounted.

Martin.

[SverreEParticipant @sverree]

I have used AutoCad LT (2D) for several years, and Alibre PE (Personal Edition) for a couple of years. Alibre is a full parametric 3D program with "all" functions, but has a relatively high user threshold. The PE version has – as far as I know – no interface to CAM programs.

But – have a look at "Designspark Mechanical" – it is a FREE version supplied by RS and Allied (Electronic parts), and this program is a very good full 3D design program! Ok – no CAM interface, but an excellent way to design in 3D, put parts together and see if they fit. Designspark Mechanical is a downsized version of "Spaceclaim" – used by professionals like Boing etc. There are lots of documentation, tutorials etc. freely available!

Just follow this link: **LINK**

You got nothing to loose! Regards Sverre

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

There are many 3D programs out there are a lot of them share the same basic 3D drawing engine but that means a lot work like each other, especially the cheaper ones.

The more expensive ones have better features as they can afford to employ their own code guys.

One big drawback with the cheaper ones is they are pure modelling programs that rely on internal geometry.

A good test on features is to see if they can import a 2D DXF CAD drawing and convert it to a model.

Alibre can, Solid Edge and Solid Works can but I'm not sure about others. I have a copy of Viacad but the help files don't help.

At the moment I'm designing a new gearbox but the gears are so special they have to be imported by DXF.

As an example two gears have to be the same diameter as they are driven by the same pinion but they have a tooth difference of 5 teeth.

[Ron ColvinParticipant @roncolvin83430]

To those of you that had been happily using CAD systems that were 10 or 20 years old and then had to give them them up when they were no longer compatible with the latest version of your operating systems, have you considered installing a virtual machine.

A virtual machine is a software implementation of a computer that runs its own operating system and programs independent from the host machine.

One such virtual machine is VirtualBox, which I have been using for a number of years. It is available as a free download and will run under Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. This has allowed me to continue to run my old programs on old operating systems.

One advantage I find with running anything over 10 years old, is there is no compulsion for the operating system/programs to call home at every opportunity, so no screen messages telling me that what I am running is out of date and needs updating.

Ron

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

This is why I like ViaCAD – it is one of the few programs that will import almost every variant of DXF cleanly and is compatible with many of 'the big boys' because of its ACIS modelling kernel.

As for the help files, well there are better out there, but I managed to get the hang of most functions without too much hassle, although it does depend on how complex the thing is you want to achieve.

Any imported 2d stuff will extrude and revolve to create solids as well.

Martin.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Martin, sending you a Pm in a few minutes

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Can anyone give me a link to a 'test' DXF file to test the import on this programme?

> they have a tooth difference of 5 teeth.

Sounds like my Dad's mouth… before he got his false teeth.

Neil

Edited By Stub Mandrel on 29/12/2013 11:34:23

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 29/12/2013 11:33:17:

Can anyone give me a link to a 'test' DXF file to test the import on this programme?

> they have a tooth difference of 5 teeth.

Sounds like my Dad's mouth… before he got his false teeth.

Neil

Edited By Stub Mandrel on 29/12/2013 11:34:23

Try this link to my Skydrive

Martin.

[Mark CParticipant @markc]

For a solid to extrude from a 2D shape it must be an enclosed area (a perimeter if you like) or the 3D system will "extrude thin" if it has that ability when it will accept the line/lines as an open ended "shape" and give it an arbitrary thickness. This happens with sheet metal parts in the more expensive systems and you only want to draw the basic shape of a sheet part rather than draw a thin section etc.

The problems start when the DXF import does not contain joined up parts (usually due to the original software not being very thorough with the geometry) and the importing 3D system does not "merge" the end points very well – often due to the import settings not being adequately understood.

So in summary, if you have trouble importing DXF and then extruding the 2d shapes, it is either the conversion was poor or the import settings need attention – if it really is a software conflict, the 2D will not import in the first place due to blocks or other 2D shortcuts!

Mark

[David JuppParticipant @davidjupp51506]

Overlaps (a line wholly or partly on top of another line) are another very common cause of the failure to extrude/revolve that Mark C mentions. These can be quite tricky to spot. The overlapping lines don't cause any problem in 2D, in 3D the software simply doesn't understand them.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Thanks Martin,

It imports, but I'm not sure if what I get is what you intend!

Neil

[Mark CParticipant @markc]

Yes David, overlaps (duplicate lines) are a real problem, when I get these I normally abandon the import and resort to other methods (usually tracing over the geometry) and doing something akin to a raster import…. The other problem are poly splines instead of true arc geometry!

Mark

[blowlampParticipant @blowlamp]

Posted by Stub Mandrel on 29/12/2013 17:47:01:

Thanks Martin,

It imports, but I'm not sure if what I get is what you intend!

Neil

It should look like a 14 toothed gear wheel, with spokes and a circle around it.

Martin

[Mark CParticipant @markc]

Martin, it does and it contains 756 individual entities (lines)!

Mark

[Peter Edwards 5Participant @peteredwards5]

I use Solidworks which is a full 3D modelling package. I have been using it for many years in my job and now for my own entertainment. I can produce 3Dmodels on request for any part or mechanism.

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Martin, for some reason I don't see one side of each spoke

Thanks

Neil

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