Posted: 5/11/2005 9:19:49 AM EDT
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I was wondering if anyone could recommend some very simple, cheap and easy to use CAD software. From time to time I need to make scale drawings and would love some software where I could for instance, draw a box and then specify the dimensions and the softwars draws it to size. I'd also like to be able to save it as an adobe file so I can email it. Any ideas? Bomber |
| We're using AutoCAD 2004 here at school but it costs an arm and a leg. I tried looking up something for my iMac and found CADintosh for $32 bucks but couldn't find any download sites that were up and running. I'd like to find some freeware that'd run on a Mac so I could play with CAD at home. |
Me too. But it sure doesn't fit the bill for low cost. See if you can pick up an older copy of AutoCAD on Ebay or something if all you need to do is simple 2D drawings |
Not planned at this time, the company has a number of design offices across the world and is ruled from Switzerland. There are 10+ years of IDEAS data for our products. I know the data will migrate, but unless EDS makes us a darn good deal on software costs it isn't going to happen. My only complaint about IDEAS is the lack of a polished user interface, and every once in a while, we will create a part that the software can't handle. UG has the second problem from time to time as well. |
That's the only reason I didn't let management switch to Solidworks. >>>>>>>>>>>Automotive Body Designer here. I gotta have the good stuff. 
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Product development and design here. We do lots of surfacing work as well. Solidworks would be fine for most of the internal components in our products, but it would choke on some of the housings. |
What do you use for your surfacing work? I also do a lot of surfacing (product development/design) and I have found Solidworks to be ok, but sometimes it requires some ingenuity to try and figure out how to make certain surfaces, that I've either drawn or thought up in my head, into actual 3D models. |
I-deas w/ the Surfacing package. "Variational Sweep" is one cool command. 
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Microstation is what we use. Microstation is a full 3D package and hauls ass on a desktop. Acad changes their file format every two years or so, forcing you to upgrade and keep their cash flow rolling. Most federal and state governments use Microstation/Intergraph. It must be doing something right. |
Same here. |
| I think UG's surfacing is pretty powerful, but when I was working one airplane project the guy was using some graphic design software (?) to do some lofting and it looked sweet. Not tightly controlled or highly accurate, more free-flowing, but pretty cool. I have always heard UG and CATIA were the best for surfacing, but that might be different now. |
Well - hell! I 'spose I could send you a copy of Cadkey 97 too... I might even still have a set of diskettes for version 6 around here somewhere. IM me if interested. **Disclaimer - we have upgraded to a newer version at work so I am *NOT* pirating software. I specifically asked the software dealer and they *encourage* give-aways of outdated programs. It's free advertising for them, and can lead to additional sales opportunities.** Edited to add: Neither version requires a password / lockout key.
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I was licensed for both - and promptly lost both after getting ProE (which i never used) |
I think Catia and Imageware are probably on the same level. We'd have went with Catia here, but it wasn't available on the Win NT platform when we needed to step up our CAD program, and we didn't budget for the increased price of UNIX boxes. One of those "The best we can do right now" situations. 
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