So what design software will you use in 2022?

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On that occasion, Vic … it was just the one that pops-up on the iPad when I press ‘Look Up’

But I earned a living doing this stuff, and it only confirmed what was already familiar to me.

MichaelG.

Having retired at 48, all subsequent 'work' was essentially a hobby - it never constituted commercial work. Whilst still working , Solid Edge and CATIA were the mainstay - Solid Edge because of the work we did for BAe and they stipulated its use, CATIA because we did lots of work on Mirage upgrades around the world and all Mirage docs back then were in CATIA..

After I retired I purchase RhinoCad version 4 at that stage, with RhinoCam, a MECSOFT plugin that does all the CAM work.

Rhino is not parametric, but I never found that to be an impediment. Rhino is a one-time buy, no rental, and no annual support fees. You receive all updates forever so long as it is not a version change, ie, Vers 4 to Vers 5, etc. Rhino is now at version 7, so it went from 4 to 7 in 15 years. I stayed with Vers 4 till October 2020, and only purchase Rhino-7 because Mecsoft's CAM plugin has been enhanced tremendously, and my CNC lathe project was taxing my old version of CAM a little.

But before upgrading, I went through a menopausal period..All the talk about Alibre on this forum led me astray - I obtained a trial package, and actually did a small project with it. I also had the Alibre-CAM plugin from Mecsoft loaded. It did all the 3D work nicely - I ran out of trial period and thought I knew it all, so I purchased Alibre-Pro and the CAM plugin. 5 weeks later I begged a refund, and purchased a RhinoCAD-7 / RhinoCAM bundle from Mecsoft...They did not lose out so were happy to in essence swap out.

Alibre is totally biased to working with 3D models and concepts. It has NO 2D cad capability. And that was the deal breaker for me. It is not possible to quickly sketch out 2D concepts, not possible to create easy text documents capturing the concepts, Ideas, design drivers, etc. Cannot do simple Engraving of panels with text.. It is over complex to create basic 2D items, that you may later wish to turn to solid...There were for me just to many tribulations at most turns...

Rhino-7 is chalk and cheese to Rhino-4. It has very good 3D modelling capabilities, excellent NURBS capability ( fantastic for mold makers, 3D printing of 'freehand' 3D models - handheld instrument cases, etc) - top notch 2D capability , ability to generate text/graphic documentation inline with the design - creating a user manual with graphics from the design, etc. Not in Alibre...

The CAM side - does up to 5axis mill, 2 axis lathe, good engraving capability, with many machining features, roughing, re-machining, finishing, etc. Does not do the latest in Constant Chip load pathing etc...

Rhino-7 is a One time license buy, no annual fees, full support till it becomes a new version ( 8 and greater) Since I survived for 14years with Rhino-4, I do not see myself upgrading again soon...If you upgrade 1 version, ie, 7 to 8, you get up to 20% discount of the new version price. 

Rhino CAM differs - you pay an annual maintenance fee, and if you remain current, you receive all updates, major versions included.

Similarly, unless Mecsoft updates the CAM software to fully include Miil/Turn on a C axis lathe with Live tooling, I doubt I will ever upgrade again.

The Rhino-7 /RhinoCam bundle was USD 2,600.00, inc the first year CAM support of USD 300.00.    I paid a similar value price for Rhin-4/RhinoCAM  vers 4.0  14 years back. That's USD 2,600.00 over 14 years..I think that is very good value!  

Those who have seen what sort of 'stuff' I get up to should see there have been some complicated bits - Rhino-7 coped easily..

Unless you earn your living from that derived from CAD/CAM work, either directly or indirectly, I feel one should beware the incessant chasing the latest, newest versions. features, etc...Yes, a Change to Win11 may mean all the old versions will be replaced, and if your fees are not current you have to buy new. I have a handfull of very powerfull PC's, very good graphics cards, etc, NON of which are Win11 capable. I still run two WinXP machines with specific Antenna modelling software that will not work on Win10. If this is part of the Hobby, why should I 'upgrade' at great cost?

The fear that most seem to have of the 'free' packages becoming not free needs to be weighed up against the value of what you are doing. If what you do is frivolous, then by all means use those packages. If what you do gives you great pleasure, maybe earns pocket money, but won't destroy anyone when the free goes away, then stick with the free by all means. But it seems that many a free has expensive shortcomings - No CAM package attached - you have to use the CAM of another 'free' package, and these two packages don't quite talk to each other, or they did yesterday, but not today..You want free, live with the consequences and don't moan!

Rhino is a good buy - you will be very hard pressed to exceed it abilities, and at the bundle price, with NO annual fees, with a good 3 to 4 year version life, you will have paid the purchase price twice , paying the annual fees of other packages..

I have NO connection with Rhino or Mecsoft - Mecsoft has provided good support and service.

I did try Fusion....did my Polar 3D printer design with it ...No thanks..

Joe

Edited By Joseph Noci 1 on 12/11/2021 14:04:09

I'm an onshape user.

It's an online type thing, so runs through a web browser, very functional (comparable to Solidworks) and free if you don't mind your jottings being public.

I'm very happy with onshape. I've tried a few of the low cost / no cost / trimmed down for domestic versions and this is one of the easiest to get to grips with.

Has a decent forum with reasonable responses to questions.

Iain

I will continue to use MoI.

When I started to make things a few years ago I tried out the trial versions of various CAD packages. Never having been trained in 2D drafting or anything similar I found it very difficult to get to grips with the paradigm(s?) on which most of the tools are based.

Having tried the trial of MoI ( which is a cheaper version of Rhino I believe), I found its paradigm far easier for me to get to grips with. So much so that I took the plunge and bought a license for it.

Since getting a 3D printer it has proven invaluable. I find I can design almost anything I need to create fairly quickly and output it via a slicer to the printer. For things I want to make on the lathe or mill I can output 2D views, with dimensions, sufficient for my needs.

I'll stay with TurboCAD 19 Pro.

I might investigate its new version that like the existing one appears to be by a one-off payment at a very reasonable price; but I'll be stuck if like the Solid Edge Community I tried recently, it demands WIN-10.

One of its prime advantages to me is that unlike say, Fusion and Alibre, it gives a direct choice between very complicated 3D modelling, or the straight orthographic drawing you need for workshop use.

My PC uses W7 Pro and I am not going to W10 if I can help it, after my past disaster with W10. WIN 11? I'm not made of money, neither for the bloatware itself, nor for any of the few PCs powerful enough to use it!

Incidentally, I can't speak for the Siemens products, but I don't regard TurboCAD as design software. It is drawing software - I still have to design what I am drawing. I suspect this is so of most, certainly more basic, packages.