What's new
By:
Filters

Cad software that doesn't cost a testicle.

I guess fusion 360 isn't compatible with windows 7. Are there any other decent cad cam programs available for my old computer
 
JohnnyJ said:
For 2D CAD, I've been happy with QCad. Reminds me of 80/90s Autocad that I learned on.

If when I want to build up a 3D object, then I'll bite the bullet and learn F360 or something else. In the 90s I used Autosurf quiet a bit, but that's long gone.
Click to expand...
Off to check this out. I am getting closer to ordering a 3d printer and the early phases of learning cad cam...

sorry to bump an older thread :flipoff2:
 
SHARPMACHINE said:
Off to check this out. I am getting closer to ordering a 3d printer and the early phases of learning cad cam...

sorry to bump an older thread :flipoff2:
Click to expand...

Please for the love of all that is 3d learn something good like SW or F360. It's not worth the struggle of learning inferior software.
You can be running SW in under a weekend with a few hours of YouTubeUniversity.
 
so last night i got my SW for makers, so far i am on a struggle bus to say the least.
things i am having trouble with are the initial set up. like tool bars and that very basic shit. when i watch youtube my tool bar looks completely different so i spend alot of time sorting that out. but it is coming along. only spent about an hour or so last night after it down loaded. so hopefully by the end of the weeknd i can make a shape. :&) :beer::beer:
 
I know I say this in every one of these threads, but try Onshape. It’s free, browser based, and seems full-featured to me. It’s a billion times better than say, sketchup, and is always up to date. Something that doesn’t get used that often for most people—the always up to date thing is important. I’ve found the videos very useful, as well.
 
chaplinfj60 said:
so last night i got my SW for makers, so far i am on a struggle bus to say the least.
things i am having trouble with are the initial set up. like tool bars and that very basic shit. when i watch youtube my tool bar looks completely different so i spend alot of time sorting that out. but it is coming along. only spent about an hour or so last night after it down loaded. so hopefully by the end of the weeknd i can make a shape. :&) :beer::beer:
Click to expand...
When I'm using youtube for this type thing, I find the channel I want to use, then take the time to set my toolbars up the same way as the trainer to streamline that information uptake.

It's a sharp learning curve too, so for a few days you'll struggle, then a LOT of it will click and you'll progress faster and faster.
 
Squatch said:
When I'm using youtube for this type thing, I find the channel I want to use, then take the time to set my toolbars up the same way as the trainer to streamline that information uptake.

It's a sharp learning curve too, so for a few days you'll struggle, then a LOT of it will click and you'll progress faster and faster.
Click to expand...
thats good advice. i will take more time to set up better.

thanks
 
The still available relic from DOS and 1993 is now called General cadd. Way overpriced at almost $600 for a single license. But if it is 1/2 as easy and intuitive as the original Generic CAdd, there is no learning curve. It's that good.

General CADD - Overview

General CADD
generalcadd.com

Here is a link to a DOS dinosaur free download - Generic CADD 6 : Generic Software, Inc : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

I tried this once, even bought 1 floppy drive, b ut could not get it to install in Windows XP.
 
Last edited:
FreeCAD

Not as polished as SolidWorks or Fusion, but blows SketchUp away. I like Onshape too, but with FreeCAD all of the files are yours and everything is on your local machine. There is no cloud and no one can see what you're doing unless you share the file with them.

FreeCAD is open source and constantly improving. There are lots of add-ons and macros usually referred to as workbenches, developed to do just about anything. Any of the big name software can do.

FreeCAD has its warts too, if you're used to Solidworks or similar. It takes a little retraining yourself to learn to reference all measurements to datum planes instead of part surfaces.

You can still reference a new drawing to an existing face, point, or edge by simply clicking the external geometry tool and clicking what you want to reference from, but if you edit that preexisting surface the new drawing referencing it is probably going to be broken, like 80% chance. It will have lost its reference and will give you an error. It's usually not an error that's easy to correct, making the simplest solution to delete and redraw whatever is broken.

Assemblies work okay. After an extremely frustrating experience attempting to make assemblies with SketchUp, I find FreeCAD to be downright amazing.

Even as good as FreeCAD is, I'm tempted to get a Russian copy of some other stuff. I really miss Solidworks.
 
Lee said:
FreeCAD has its warts too, if you're used to Solidworks or similar. It takes a little retraining yourself to learn to reference all measurements to datum planes instead of part surfaces.

You can still reference a new drawing to an existing face, point, or edge by simply clicking the external geometry tool and clicking what you want to reference from, but if you edit that preexisting surface the new drawing referencing it is probably going to be broken, like 80% chance. It will have lost its reference and will give you an error. It's usually not an error that's easy to correct, making the simplest solution to delete and redraw whatever is broken.
Click to expand...

No wonder I hated freecad after learning solidworks in highschool and then using nothing for years. :laughing:

If I had a windows laptop I'd pirate solidworks no questions.
 
arse_sidewards said:
No wonder I hated freecad after learning solidworks in highschool and then using nothing for years. :laughing:

If I had a windows laptop I'd pirate solidworks no questions.
Click to expand...

Pirating now days is dangerous. Had a coworker and friend get caught but they were nice about the issue provided he bought a license
 
Duc said:
Pirating now days is dangerous. Had a coworker and friend get caught but they were nice about the issue provided he bought a license
Click to expand...
Let me guess, he was running it on a personal computer with unfettered internet access?
 
arse_sidewards said:
Let me guess, he was running it on a personal computer with unfettered internet access?
Click to expand...
Not sure but I also wonder if trading files back and forth caused the issue since I have a legitimate license for solidworks at home. Might run a check on files but maybe I'm too paranoid. It's what I would do to check for pirate copies
 
A coworker has a paid version of Nanocad and likes it for layouts and wiring diagrams.
I have used the free version a little, seems to do what it should.


Aaron Z
 
Duc said:
Not sure but I also wonder if trading files back and forth caused the issue since I have a legitimate license for solidworks at home. Might run a check on files but maybe I'm too paranoid. It's what I would do to check for pirate copies
Click to expand...
Using step files avoids problems.
 
For work I’ve been using SolidWorks for years. I used to have a few personal projects on my laptop at my old job. I started a new job and the laptop they gave me has pretty much everything on lockdown / serveillance so I’m thinking of buying my own laptop and getting my own license. I’m looking at SolidWorks for Makers but the info they have online is vague, anyone here have it? Are there certain features not available (like surface modeling or sheet-metal)? Can it work offline? Can I export 3D files to step / parasolid to bypass watermark issues? (obviously that would get rid of the feature tree but I’m fine with that)

Also anyone have laptop recommendations? I’m thinking of getting a refurbished HP Zbook Power/Fury G7/G8/G9
 
Team_Jake said:
For work I’ve been using SolidWorks for years. I used to have a few personal projects on my laptop at my old job. I started a new job and the laptop they gave me has pretty much everything on lockdown / serveillance so I’m thinking of buying my own laptop and getting my own license. I’m looking at SolidWorks for Makers but the info they have online is vague, anyone here have it? Are there certain features not available (like surface modeling or sheet-metal)? Can it work offline? Can I export 3D files to step / parasolid to bypass watermark issues? (obviously that would get rid of the feature tree but I’m fine with that)

Also anyone have laptop recommendations? I’m thinking of getting a refurbished HP Zbook Power/Fury G7/G8/G9
Click to expand...
Funny, I was going to ask a similar question regarding laptops. I use a thinkpad P16, Gen 1 w/32gb ram, windows 7, blah bah blah for my current job (read all that shit off the bottom of it). Work provided.

Want to buy my own (as you said, everything's locked down). I literally dont even want to spend $500...Used to use ThinkPad's for another job I had and have been watching P53's, with I7 and 32-64gb ram. Just curious if someone can learn me about ram, memory, processors and graphics cards? aka what s important when spec'ing a laptop?
 
Burns

SolidWorks has a list of system requirements on their website. 16gb ram, 64-bit Intel or AMD processor, a dedicated GPU, and an SSD are basically the bare minimum.

From my limited research, having 32gb+ ram, high speed (3.3gHz+) 6+ core processor, and 4gb+ GPU memory will get you a pretty good working system for most SolidWorks tasks. For large assemblies, renders, and sims, having a faster processor, more processor cores, and GPU memory are recommended.

Edit: I just ordered a refurbished HP Zbook Fury G8 with an Intel Core i7-11850H Processor, NVIDIA RTX A3000 GPU, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD for $899. There are many eBay deals around the $500 that met the minimum specs.
 
Last edited:
Team_Jake said:
For work I’ve been using SolidWorks for years. I used to have a few personal projects on my laptop at my old job. I started a new job and the laptop they gave me has pretty much everything on lockdown / serveillance so I’m thinking of buying my own laptop and getting my own license. I’m looking at SolidWorks for Makers but the info they have online is vague, anyone here have it? Are there certain features not available (like surface modeling or sheet-metal)? Can it work offline? Can I export 3D files to step / parasolid to bypass watermark issues? (obviously that would get rid of the feature tree but I’m fine with that)

Also anyone have laptop recommendations? I’m thinking of getting a refurbished HP Zbook Power/Fury G7/G8/G9
Click to expand...

Sheet metal is there and works fine. If you have logged in and opened it offline is fine. Honestly it's a lot closer to full SW than I was expecting.

You can export to step files.
 
I don't think it caused my trouble before I just wasn't smart enough to use it.
I'll give it another shot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh