Member postings for David Jupp

Major brands may cost more, but manuals in something closer to English, plus there is a support system where if necessary you can speak to real people.

From previous reports here, some vendors also give very good support - so that's another good option.

If you are totally confused, I'd suggest stick with a major brand or a recommended vendor.

Nigel, for Win10 Professional - last time I looked you could purchase genuine licences on-line (licence code only) for less than GBP 20. There seems to be a few people in typical on-line marketplaces who specialise in these code only licences, but you do have to dig around to find them (price and availability vary widely).

Now that Win11 is available, a quick looks suggest Win10 licences are still available, but less common than they used to be.

Noel,

The UK Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (that SI 2000 No. 128) is still in force. It had nothing directly to do with EU regulations. It isn't a construction code though Regulation 4 relates to Design & Construction.

Regulation 8 relates to the Written Scheme of Examination.

The EU Pressure Equipment Directive, has been transferred into UK law by The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016, as amended by the Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. So it essentially remains in place, but with UKCA mark replacing the CE mark.

In the UK specific codes are not mandated - you can work to any code or standard as long as you can show it satisfies the Essential Safety Requirements laid down in regulations.

Nigel,

In most 3D CAD the terminology has very specific meanings.

2D sketch - a simple profile that is used to define the outline (shape/size) of a 3D Feature. The Feature when combined with other Features will produce a Part. A sketch is not unlike a traditional 2D drawing but contains much less information - it needs just enough to define a part outline, or perhaps a hole. It definitely doesn't define the entire part. Keeping sketches simple makes later editing much easier.

3D sketch - typically a path in 3D space, might be used for example to Sweep a 2D Sketch along to produce (for example) a piece of formed pipe. 3D sketches are not used very often - they tend to be tricky to produce. The same result can often be achieved with 2D sketches (perhaps on newly added reference planes). I would suggest avoiding them in the early days.

Your use of terminology contrary to how it is usually used in 3D CAD is probably not helping you to follow what other are saying, and vice versa.

I don't know enough about TurboCAD to make any fair comment about it, so I won't criticise it.

In most 3D CAD systems you can very easily both set and change the sizes of features after doing the initial sketches. Ease of making changes as a design evolves is a major strength of 3D CAD.

Measurement tools are provided in the 3D workspace.

Workshop drawings can be prepared from any part or assembly, by switching to the 2D drawing module - choose paper size, scale, required views, place dimensions (which are automatically populated). Better still, if you edit the part/assembly (change size, or add a hole) the workshop drawing updates to reflect the changes - no need to re-draw anything. If you later want to change the sheet size or re-scale a view, it takes a few seconds.

I would do a screen share session for you to run through this - but it would be Alibre based, which you've already decided against. It would be best not to confuse you further even if the basics are similar to most 3D CAD systems.

3D sketches are only used for very specific things in 3D CAD (and are not even available in all products). For now don't even think about 3D sketches.

2D sketches are the basis of all 3D parts.

Nigel,

Working in 3D CAD has much more in common with making and handling the real parts, than it does with 2D drafting.

Whatever 2D representations (drawings) you want will be semi-automatically generated from the 3D models.

Try not to think of 3D CAD as 'drawing' at all.

I'll go back to what I said earlier - I believe that you need to choose a system that somebody can show you at least the basics of, and answer your questions as you go along - then build on that with tutorials or a manual. Unless you pick up the basics, I don't think you'll ever find any 3D CAD system will make any sense to you.

Alibre, Fusion, SolidWorks, SolidEdge and many others work in a similar way (though lots of detail differences between them). My very limited exposure to TurboCAD suggests to me it works rather differently.

For low cost software, it is very difficult to offer one-on-one or small group training at a cost that anyone is prepared to pay. The less that people pay for the software, the less they are prepared to pay to learn how to use it.

3D CAD is not horribly difficult, BUT is does require a very different mindset from 2D CAD / manual drafting. You need to get some help to make that leap, or you'll struggle forever (regardless of which software you choose).

My comments are based upon experience live and remote training both novices and those with prior 2D CAD experience, in the basic use of Alibre Design. I've seen and heard that 'lightbulb moment' when trainees suddenly 'get it'.

Find somebody to help you, either in person or by live screen share. A few hours spent with a reasonably knowledgeable (patient) user will make a huge difference. The 2 day course that I used to teach was based on a few simple but structured exercises to cover all the main topics, and left enough time to look at specific items the trainees brought up.

Good luck in your quest.

Edited By David Jupp on 28/12/2021 10:18:49

There is no such thing as 'isometric modelling', nor 'isometric CAD'.

Isometric refers to a particular family of view/projection orientations. Like any other projections, these can easily be derived from the 3D model, in most modern 3D CAD systems.

You can also buy M8 male to M6 female threaded sleeves.

Nigel,

I can't comment on Solid Edge as I don't use it. Given your difficulty with, and your remaining misconceptions about Alibre (or maybe it's mainly very odd usage of terminology), I'd suggest that for any CAD system you might be interested you'll need to find someone will to show you (in person or by screen share) how to use it.

There is a lot in common between many of the 3D CAD systems and how they work, though also a few that behave quite differently. I'd judge it just as likely you'll have difficulties with SE, as with the others you've tried.

If video tutorials and written exercise manuals don't work for you, you may well benefit from something closer to a traditional classroom situation. Being able to have you questions answered as you go along, and those little problems fixed as they happen will make a huge difference.

Good luck.

Digital camera sensors will respond to IR. I've used a video camera before to check that an IR remote control was actually emitting. Phone camera may well work for this - check first against a known working device (TV remote ?).

It was buying the new ones that 'did it'.

The instructions for my 3D printer say the bed should be levelled before every use !

I think that is excessive, but clearly they do expect the thing to move.

Perhaps start by reviewing the documentation for the chosen inverter - that will often include guidance on how much space to leave around the inverter when mounting.

A metallic enclosure will to some extent act as a heat sink - but depending on size of enclosure it may still be necessary to arrange ventilation of the enclosure. Typically 2 grilles, and perhaps a fan. Some inverters include a fan on the integral heatsink that might help stir the air around any enclosure.

A metallic enclosure is generally preferred for EMC reasons as well as thermal management.

Some (not many) inverters are designed for installation without a protective enclosure, but most are designed to be mounted inside a suitable control panel or other enclosure.

Ventilation grilles, dust filters, fan modules etc are typically available as accessories for electrical enclosures.

Be aware that depending on how the originals were scanned to PDF - and if they'd ever been held on microfilm during their life, there may some lens distortion embedded in the PDF. Lines that should be straight may not be so.

I once tried to scan and convert to CAD some 1970s drawings that had gone via microfilm - it ended up being quicker to manually re-do the drawing from scratch just using the original as a guide and to give dimensions.

You could be lucky, and technically you can use software to correct for lens distortions, but it certainly isn't a 'press the button' process.

Also to extract the meaningful lines, you need a very clean print to start from. There will usually be some speckles and marks to remove manually, which also takes up a lot of time.

Older 'pre-CAD' produced drawings often contain features which are simply not correctly sized - it was always intended that the dimensions would be used to drive manufacture, not the profile on the paper. The paper drawing was good enough to convey the intent, but 'DO NOT SCALE' was on the drawing for good reason.

In many locations surface runoff water goes into the same sewer system as foul water (sewage). Heavy rainfall can lead to huge flow rates, many times more than the usual sewage flows.

I've used Biostrip previously - you do have to be patient, and it may take several applications, but it is not unpleasant to work with.

Biostrip

Control = Violet perhaps ?

Control could connect to battery positive or to ground to turn fan on...

It could expect a PWM signal, or even an analogue variable voltage if variable speed control is expected.

Maybe check the wiring diagram of the donor vehicle for clues....

Several companies will tell you their CAD product is 'Industry Standard' - whatever that is supposed to mean. It is marketing people that pen such meaningless statements.

Take it all with 'a pinch of salt', and just worry about if the particular package does what you need it to do.

Some of the proposed fields may either not be clear, or may be used differently by different companies (or both).

Several terms are very subjective, hence potentially difficult to get a fix on.

Don't let me put you off though....

One slight problem with a comparison based on what others report is that there are some reports in this thread that contain factual errors. I've noticed it with regard to the products that I know, so it probably also applies to others.

I doubt that the errors are deliberate - but they could be important to somebody making a choice.