Learning CAD

Hmm Browsing around the web it appears Lazycam cannot import 3D DXF files properly.

There is some mention of the pro version doing it better, maybe, You also need a Full version of Mach 3 or you will only get the first 50 lines.

Not that good really.

Regards
John

LazyCAM is a 2 or 2.5 D CAM tool, it isn't a full 3D tool, so would not know what to make of 3D files. It works with 2D DXF files.

Hi Mark c

thanks for the post, at work so will have a good look tonight.

i think i have an old version of solid works kicking around.

thanks Phil

OK my bad, didn't realise it was a 3D dxf file but still getting errors in Bobcad and Geomagic with the linked file.

Had a look at Solid Edge Student edition.

Although it says students and anyone working outside of work when you come to fill the form in, one of the needed boxes is to fill in what college / university course you are on.

I'm also wary about these time limited programs. The most expensive part of any of these is not the software but the learning curve. They know this as well and are liable to move the goal posts.

Alibre did it by withdrawing the free PE edition and moving on to the paid for edition but at least they kept a low cost hobby version out there.

What do you do when two years ? down the line with a load of legacy drawings they change the rules ?

John,

Save everything in an archive folder in a generic form (iges/step for 3d stuff) then plod on learning. The solidedge offering would give you something that "should" be transferable into industry should you ever chose to go that route.

Mark

PS, you can often obtain viewers for the program that cost nothing (edrawings is a good example) and these allow you to open old stuff if you no longer have the program. I find it really tedious that Solidworks is not backward compatible and that I often need to have two versions available as my clients don't all stay on subscription. I also hold off installing the latest version 'till after the 3rd update as I can't afford to be testing software for free! This is a problem as well 'cos some clients like to get the latest version as soon as it is available.....

here goes, one o thse shold wor

http://www.mediafire.com/download/3fe15uzgme99t66/track_plate.dxf

**LINK**

Hi Rebekah

Yep It works...
Well done.

Regards
John

Edited By John McNamara on 28/10/2013 14:12:32

Good advise.

Not sure if it's Solid Edge but one of the higher end program did state, or used to state that the full version will not open the student edition files.

Tried downloading the student version of solid edge but it won't let me without I fill in a college or university course.

I'll try and make one up and see what happens, failing that I'll email them and ask them to clarify the "using out of work " clause.

[EDIT] Dammit, must learn to read.

from the Solid edge website:-

The duration of this offering is for one year, but can be extended with a re-registration. Usage of the student edition is intended for academic course work, so files cannot be opened in commercial versions, and 2D drawings are watermarked.

Edited By John Stevenson on 28/10/2013 19:57:16

Hiya all,

making good progress but I need to see if this will translate into a 3d gcode in order to have a milling machine cut it out.

At the moment I'm flapping around like an octopus on acid on a dance floor.

many thanks

John,

I would be interested to know how they can stop 3rd party programs from opening the student copy? I suspect if you save a solid file and email it to me I can open it in SW's..... Also, you save it as iges or step and most other systems will open it I would think

Mark

Mark,

No idea how it works.

I did register using the name of the local college, there was no check and I think they are quite open with it as they say once you get the program you can give it to your fellow students but they will have to register to get an unlock code.

However they said they would email the download instructions but so far nothing ?

There will be a file with the host computer registry or a couple of lines within the command file identifying the program for it's use.

i presume that there is either a time limit initiated to it's just a restriction set by it to restrict it's us to students

Well checked my email for the solid edge student download and no link sent, checked spam and nothing there either so scrub that one.

Why do they bother ?

To sell on your details if they're like other places.

Martin.

Rebekah,

I had a look at the sizes you mentioned and they will go in if you make some detail changes but you will be working at a small scale which will increase the demands on accuracy significantly. There are a few other alterations needed and I will probably finish them off if I get a spare five moments and send the model over if you are interested.

Mark

PS. The size is 34 dia x 70mm long (excluding the shaft)

Edited By Mark C on 01/11/2013 00:17:47

all ways interested.

if you can explain what you are doing too then that would be benificial to my learning.

I have downloaded bobcad trial version. a day later I recieved a phone call from them from the US. then last night another (arranged) phone call. this time they linked to my PC over the internet and demo'd the software with my part.

wow, very nice and straight forward. just somehting to get used to. the price was exceptional too. not the couple of grand most charge.

regarding the hydralic motor I found a grub screw (M3) with bearing on the end of it. this might be what I need for the little pistons.

Hi All

My Son who is an architecture student registered the student version of Solid edge software without a problem.
The return email was within a minute. The download worked without a hitch and installed and registered

Regards
John

Hi All

Creo Elements 4 free version. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
There are other free tools as well.

**LINK**

I have just downloaded it. The 64 bit version 32 bit is available.
They say it is limited to 60 parts in an assembly.... That L Do for me

Has anyone tried It?

Will report back when I have tried it.

Regards
John

john

Hi All

Gee It looks like all is quiet on the CAD front ?

You have to be cynical.... The commercial free programs are carefully crafted to work reasonably well alone, while making it hard to use them in the real world as the following observations show.

Ok Creo Elements 4 free version is out for me.
A bit limited with its drawing capability and the only two available file export formats are STL and VRML. STL is OK for 3D printing but not much else and you cannot import STL files directly into AutoCAD, AutoCAD Fusion (a still free 3d program) can import STL and Export to AutoCAD DWG, but the incoming file is a mesh. Not convertible from within AutoCAD itself to a solid. Maybe there is a way around it but too much work, So their little honey trap (To make you buy a commercial version did not work)

Inventor Fusion itself is worth trying... Now fusion 360. Both free. But sooner or later they will charge. It is a serious memory hog. very slow to use and load.

As for Solid Edge which my son downloaded, it does work and there is a reasonable number of export formats, although no DXF export. The trial runs for a year and they say that it can be renewed as long as he is a student.
The catch for this one is that if they turn off your time limited license you are left in the cold. It costs just a bit less than Solidworks. If was going to buy, at the cost of a small car..... Solidworks is more commercially accepted, your CAD skills learnt may have a value for employment in the future.

However this is not what this forum is about.

I just downloaded an open source program Freecad. Open source meaning a free license to use or modify is given in perpetuity including the source code. Open source programs as in the case of this one are developed by a group of contributors.

You can also download a compiled release version that just installs like any other program. it is available on Windows (I have it running on windows 7). It is also available for the Mac and Linux.

http://www.freecadweb.org/

It installed without a problem. The interface is a little different to other programs I have used but will not be that hard to learn. There is a number of getting started and features videos on YouTube.

https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=ctrl&ei=XHp4UubgL8ON8QfMqYCoAw&gws_rd=cr#q=free+cad+video

Judging by the activity on the net there is a growing following and the developers are active meaning there will be regular (free) upgrades.

Using FreeCad I was able to export DXF to AutoCAD and it can export to a number of other commonly used formats.

If you are interested in Parametric 3D drawing this program is well worth trying. Parametric meaning you determine the size of a line or an object by typing in a value. not just dragging with a mouse. As used by the major commercial programs.

Regards
John

Edited By John McNamara on 05/11/2013 05:05:36

John

Yes, I completely agree with you about being left in the lurch when the academic license is pulled at some future point and I am most unlikely to be able to justify the commercial license. In my case, I was mainly attempting to pick up Solid Edge so that I could help(?) my daughter who is required to use it as part of her engineering course at uni. I have to say, I suspect she has left me behind already - quite a sobering outcome! I have mixed feelings about devoting time to learning a tool I would have to leave behind at some point.

The Freecad development is a pretty interesting application I've not seen before. It seems to offer all the benefits of parametric modelling and is clearly aimed at becoming a fully featured design tool. Thanks for pointing that out - as you suggest, this is a good fit for the likes of us who fall somewhere between the professional and the hobby user.

I'm not an expert on the history of 3D CAD development but it seems that Autocad, Alibre and others (possibly including Solidworks) all use the same "ACIS" kernel for their 3D applications, so I wonder how this open source project has managed to create its own equivalent without falling foul of the patent coverage, now owned by Dassault.

I'll definitely be taking a closer look at this myself and I'd be interested to know how you get on with it too.

Muzzer