Guest iskone Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 My work doesn't seem to want to invest in a CAD program now. They now want me to use some sort of DTP program. However, since I want to pursue a degree in ME anyways I've been thinking about taking this online class http://www.cadinstitute.com/enroll2000.htm#Cost It looks rather in depth because it is an accredited class but does not require any pre-reqs. The course lasts for 8 weeks and the say that you'll spend a minimum of 10hrs a week using the software. Also this will give me a real feel for going back to school. I may decide to go in a different direction after the class, such as maching. Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonsZ Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 4g and you got Autocadd AND Inventor, Inventor is by far the easiest program to learn. It has a flavor of Solidworks with all the bugs worked out, and if you find that you are reverse retarded you can use mechanical desktop comes with it! I've used: SDRC IDEAS (crashes WAY too much, but fun) 3 yrs SOLIDWORKS (too buggy, gets old fast) 1 yr Cad-Key - ok for line drawings 1 yr AUTOCADD 2002, 2004, 2006 (although mechanical desktop is supposed to be very powerful if you can stand it, I couldn't stand it) 3 yrs (Love it for drafting.) INVENTOR 7 <- totally awsome, wish I had it again, very sad... I don't know any program where you can UNDO PAST a SAVE??? That's #1 in my book. 2yrs Solid Edge - Crapola, junky solidworks wannabe (1 month) PRO-E (currently) totally sucks. 2 yrs... and very dissapointed in it's overcomplicated bugginess and hard to find menus/buttons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 So I went ahead and signed up for the CAD class. I'll let you guys know how it goes after a while. I'll be using Autocad 2005. If this stuff goes well I might take the 3D class too. Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icice9 Posted January 12, 2006 Share Posted January 12, 2006 im using autocad 2006 and im loving it.. been using autoCAD since release 9 i think that was like back in 88.. its not hard once you learn all your basic commands. and use your object snaps.. 3D wont be that hard once you get the hang of autocad.. should take about a month to 2 months to get the hang of it.. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonsZ Posted January 13, 2006 Share Posted January 13, 2006 So I went ahead and signed up for the CAD class. I'll let you guys know how it goes after a while. I'll be using Autocad 2005. If this stuff goes well I might take the 3D class too. Isk Excellent choice, and if you buy Inventor you can import the drafting to autocadd and do beautiful draftings. Mechanical Desktop WILL require a class or more to master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 Autocad's principal advantage is that it is the most natural analog of old-school manual drafting. So if you learned drafting on a drafting board, Autocad is a good choice. Also, Autocad is very convenient for 2D drafting. Just be sure that 2D is really what you need, and not merely what you'd like to start out with. Solidworks has become the industry standard in most areas of mechanical engineering. As an Autocad to Solidworks convert, I've also had considerable trouble with the learning curve. The concept of parametric sketch is still counterintuitive to me, but automatic drawing of fasteners, for example, is very convenient. Both Autocad and Solidworks have tremendous support in user literature: "for dummies" manuals, and so forth. Also, the Solidworks user interface can be configured to sort-of emulate Autocad, complete with a command prompt. Niche industries such as aerospace have been using Catia or Unigraphics, because of their "lofting" features - that is, they perform complicated operations on compound curves semi-automatically. This is the one area in which Solidworks is still inferior, but it's growing fast. Pro-Engineer is the original parametric drafting program, but it's fast becoming overtaken by Solidworks. Bottom line - either Autocad or Solidworks. Final choice might come down to price/availability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy280 Posted January 14, 2006 Share Posted January 14, 2006 I learned AutoCAD R14 in high school (about 7 years ago). It was intuitive and easy to learn. I haven't had a chance to mess around with the newest version though, but I would guess it's just as easy to learn. Just sit there and screw around with it for a couple afternoons and you'll learn most of what you need to know for 2-D. We used AutoCAD to design and build our projects in Engineering class, like a balsawood bridge, glider, a human-powered gokart, etc. We even used our AutoCAD files for a CNC machine to cut out parts for a few projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted January 15, 2006 Share Posted January 15, 2006 Man, I thought I was the only one who liked Cadkey better than Autocad! Autocad was never intuitive to me, but Cadkey was. Pro-E was not easy to learn, but once you get the idea, it's nice because changes are - parametric. I haven't used this stuff in years though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted January 16, 2006 Share Posted January 16, 2006 For others who want to learn and not pay I found this site after I enrolled in the pay class. I got through a few lesons and I've already done a few simple drawings. Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Alright, So I'm in the class amd i've done the first couple of units already, since they were very simple and I've already gone past that. I still got a few tips that helped/confused me. Anyway the "textbook" is in pdf format that was sent to me on a cd. Not what I would like Since I'll have to print it up. Problem is when I got to the 4th unit all the pdf's are just a scan of the book, and they suck. They look all grey and slightly blurred not good when you're staring at a screen for a few hours and trying to read blurry text and drawings with dimensions. I sent the instructor an e-mail asking where I can find a hard copy, he replies with there isn't one. Guess what I found the book on Amazon. Not just a book similar but the book I looked through the contents and all the previews on the site. So I send the instructor an e-mail with the link to the book (not the one that lets you view the contents). I get another response, "As I mentioned there is no hard copy". That's all. So now I'm like WTF!? I'm sure he could have very valid reasons but he sure didn't try to tell me. I guess what makes me leary now is that the instructor is the AUTHOUR of the book., which in my mind is even more reason for him to tell me a valid reason why the book is no good. I don't want to cancel but these type of things usally turn out bad, so I normally cut ties before hand. Think I should stick around if I get a good answer or ask for a refund if he feeds me some BS? Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve72z Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Excellent choice, I have been using CAD since ~1992 (Release 12). Something to think about is how the skills you learn will benefit you later. When I first took CAD classes I had a desire to go into Architecture. The past 14 years have taken me into the electrical and communications industries. AutoCad has helped me to secure employment with well respected electrical companies. What I am trying to say is I believe you are making an excellent choice due to the number of future prospective employers which may value your AutoCad skills. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonsZ Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I still say Inventor/Autocadd is the "big brother" to the "little sister" Solidworks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyxius Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I've used Autocad, Unigraphics, Catia, and Rhinoceros v2.0. As far as easiest to use and learn, Rhino takes the cake. I still use it to draw things and then import them into other programs. Unigraphics and Catia are both high end packages that cost lots of money and have way more features than you would ever need (FEA, assembly modeling, etc.) The main thing about learning how to CAD is learning the mindset you have to have. Once you do that, adapting to other packages is quite easy. I've been working with CAD, FEA, and CFD for the past 3 years, and to start out with, I'd strongly recommend Rhino. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Well things have been coming along. I've decided what ever bs the instructor is feeding me I'll stay in the class and just buy the book, I've looked in the book and they are the exact same thing. I've found that I prefer the way autocad is command line based. Some of the others that use the mouse alot ar a pain for me to use. Like I have so much experience to even have an opinion like that. With the stuff I've done for work so far they are very impressed and the boss man doesn't wince when I start tlaking about Solidworks and sending me to a 40hr class in Seattle. Of course I tell I'd like to see how things go with Autocad first, but I'd love it if they sent me to Seattle for a few days and I didn't have to pay. Hell, if I learn a 3D program like Solidworks I'd try to do a 240Z in cad. That would be the sheet!! Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phyxius Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Reproducing something as complex as a car accurately without a 3d scanner is nearly impossible. You can come pretty close with perfect profile photos, though. I once attempted to draw a P-40E Warhawk in CAD. It looked a lot like one but I never got it good enough to suit me. I'm not trying to discourage you though . When you get the 240z done, you can draw a 280zx btw... If you'd like, I can get you a trial version of Rhino. Just shoot me a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Yeah, I dind't think doing a car in 3d was really in my future. But I'll dink around with something likt that one day. I've got the tial version of Rhino from the site, I made a box! But I couldn't fill it. I only spent a couple minutes with it though. Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Maybe I can get some help from you guys with this, remember I've not been at this for long. I can never seem to figure this one out. Let's say I want to draw a cross section of a tube but the tube is only .062" No matter what I've tried I can't seem to get the drawing to apper correctly in the layout without changes to the Dims of the drawing. I've tried to divide the paper size by 10 (1.2,.9) but that doesn't help it only makes my drawing apper in the very bottom left corner of the layout, WTF!? This has been ticking me off! Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zuhow Posted February 2, 2006 Share Posted February 2, 2006 iskone try this: open up the "properties" window (button looks like a finger pointing at a table) or you can use (ctrl+1) to open properties as well. click on the viewport border to select it under the "misc" tab in "properties" is a box that says "standard scale" it will most likely be set to "custom" click on where it says 'custom' (or whatever it's set to ) and from the drop down choices select something like '10:1' depending on the paper size you have set. you will (most likely) have to set the dimensions for that scale- type 'dimstyle' at the command line- push enter and when the window pops up choose 'modify' click on the 'primary units' tab amd on the left about half way down clik in 'scale factor' and set that to whatever you choose for ' standard scale' above- if you choose 10:1 set it to 10, 4:1 set it to 4, if you choose some thing like 1/4"= 1' -0" you need to set it to (12 * x ) where whatever you choose was 1/x"= 1'-0". click the box that says "apply to layout dimensions only" select OK at the bottom, then choose "set current' and you should be good to go.... hope that helps paperspace is your friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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