abby
Statesman
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Post by abby on Oct 28, 2014 10:29:04 GMT
I found a need for 3D CAD a few years ago ,to get rapid prototype patterns of my loco parts I needed 3D drawings. Most of the software was far too expensive , or PC only , I use a MAC. After much searching I found 2D/3D ViaCAD , It is ideal for a hobby user , can be downloaded for free trial , a license costs less than 100 USD. It cannot animate assemblies of parts , but do you really need that ? Much of the cost and complexity of "professional" packages is their ability to be used in integrated drawing offices where a change of component can be communicated to everyone working on the project from shopfloor to stock control , again do we need this ? I have found ViaCAD exceptionally easy to learn , 10 minutes of watching a tutorial and anyone of average intelligence will grasp the concept , from then on it gets easier as you learn that there are other tools than lines and circles. What I have found very useful is to machine the part on the computer before going into the workshop. Starting with some stock material I can plan ahead the order of cuts , any chucking or special holding requirements etc , this has saved me a lot of time and scrap . I would recommend ViaCAD to any hobby engineer. Dan.
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baldric
E-xcellent poster
Posts: 208
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Post by baldric on Oct 28, 2014 10:40:12 GMT
Joan,
I guess that he paid what I would consider a large sum that will put it out of my price range for hobby use, if I was in business and used the software every day I could justify a large sum.
Baldric.
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Post by joanlluch on Oct 28, 2014 11:34:39 GMT
Hi Baldric. Yes I think so. I was lucky to have access to the software at no cost for me.
Joan
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Post by joanlluch on Oct 28, 2014 12:02:17 GMT
Dan, I am a Mac user too. I hate Windows to tell you the truth, but unfortunately there is nothing compelling for CAD running natively on a Mac. What I did is this: I have more than a Mac at home. I installed Boot Camp in one of them with a basic Windows 7 setup. On top of that I installed the Solid Edge CAD. On the Windows partition I do not use Mail, Internet or anything except Solid Edge. I haven't even configured an internet connection, and I did not install an antivirus software either. So Windows really flies with this setup on the Mac Hardware. It starts almost as fast as the mac to tell you. Then I have a shared folder on Windows that allows me to access files over the local network from a second Mac. This is my setup: On the left the mac with Boot Camp, Windows 7, and Solid Edge ST6. On the right my "regular" mac for everything else with an attached "Samsung" screen. Hope this helps. Joan
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Post by Roger on Oct 28, 2014 15:57:59 GMT
There's no compelling reason to be able to animate assemblies but you get that as a natural consequence of being able to constrain one part with another if your CAD system supports it. Geomagic design won't animate the parts for you, you have to move them yourself but that's not a big deal. It's very useful for things like valve gear design such as I'm doing while fleshing out Don Ashton's line drawing of the motion. It's highlighted clashes and clearance issues that I would never have spotted so it can be useful.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 16:27:04 GMT
Roger as a matter of interest, how much is the geomagic package?
Cheers Ben
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jasonb
Elder Statesman
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Post by jasonb on Oct 28, 2014 16:46:16 GMT
The full blown Geomagic Design starts around £1000 but the Cubify design which does most of what we are liekly to need is £129 see earlier link for Cubify www.mintronics.co.uk/alibre/products
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 16:50:11 GMT
Sod that then!
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Post by Roger on Oct 28, 2014 16:55:47 GMT
I upgraded to the latest version last year and that set me back £724 and I paid the maintenance of £250 for this year so it's not cheap. It used to be a lot cheaper, with starter prices about half that but I think they've tried to move up market and made it integrate with other packages too to justify the cost. I use if for the business so it pays for itself. It may be worth contacting them and seeing if they do an entry level version. Once you've bought it, you probably wouldn't need the maintenance which I always think is a rip off and tell them so. Sometime I leave it for years and they have a 'maintenance amnesty where you can upgrade cheaper. I'm sure you can do deals with them, you just have to be tough.
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jasonb
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Post by jasonb on Oct 28, 2014 18:43:56 GMT
The old Alibre PE was the entry level version of Alibre design (now Geomagic design) and was the same programme with some of the feature disabled such as bill of materials, sheet metal work and slightly less file formats that can be imported/exported.
Those drawings I put up on the first page were dome with Alibre PE and that is whats now sold as Cubify Design for £129 You can still click on the end of the crankshaft with your mouse and make it rotate and do all the other things Roger mentioned in his earlier post. Try the demo in my earlier link and see what you think.
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Post by Roger on Oct 28, 2014 19:57:03 GMT
If that's as you say, then it's a very good option indeed. To be honest, I don't think a bill of materials is of any value to a modeller and the sheet metal implementation is rubbish in my opinion. It all looks very nice but it doesn't integrate with CAM on my system so you can't output any useful tool paths and that's most of the point of me having CAD.
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Post by steambuff2 on Oct 28, 2014 20:41:18 GMT
Jason,
A quick question on Cubify Design. Will it save in DXF format?
I need to design and check motion parts for a loco. (Which I know it can do) but then I need to produce a DXF file for the Laser Cutter. (Obviously these need to be 2D, X and Y only)
If not, how would you go about producing a DXF file?
Dave
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Post by andyhigham on Oct 28, 2014 20:43:05 GMT
Quick answer is NO
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jasonb
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Post by jasonb on Oct 28, 2014 20:48:22 GMT
Don't know where you get that from Andy but I have produced DXF files and sent them for water jet cutting several times. You produce an Alibre drawing file and that can be saved as a DXF. I'm almost certain the Cubify will do the same. EDIT The blur says it will export STL. but when you go into the FAQ it says it will also export DXF cubify.com/en/Info/FAQDesignI'll check in the morning with someone I know who has Cubify Attachments:
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Post by Roger on Oct 28, 2014 21:11:40 GMT
I can't believe it won't export DXF files, doesn't every package? It's the primary way to exchange drawings.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 28, 2014 21:26:03 GMT
You can export to DWG and DXF (and jpeg, bitmap etc.) from Cubify Design once you've converted the part or assembly to a drawing. You can also export a part as an stl for 3D printing. I paid £154 recently for the latest version and was a bit annoyed when I found I could have got it for £129! It's an excellent package for the price and I wouldn't be without it.
One thing you have to be careful of when exporting a stl for use in a 3D printer is make sure you set the export dimensions to millimetres even if the part is drawn in inches. This caught me out recently when the wheel patterns I drew up imported into the slicing software as 3mm diameter instead of 3 inches! Took me much searching on tinternet to find out why. This probably applies to all packages though?
John
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Post by Roger on Oct 28, 2014 21:56:12 GMT
Another good reason to model everything in Metric, after all, the country did change over 40 years ago
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Post by Rob on Oct 28, 2014 22:00:44 GMT
Thought I'd have a play with Cubify Design tonight, so I knocked up my interpretation of a set of 15xx captive buffers and stocks, though the retainer and spring aren't yet drawn. I'm impressed, think it's likely to be the one I'll buy, can't really argue with 129 quid considering the prices of the other packages around. Cheers, Rob
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Post by vulcanbomber on Oct 28, 2014 22:21:15 GMT
Another good reason to model everything in Metric, after all, the country did change over 40 years ago and yet the speed limit is 70 Miles an hour......
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Post by steambuff2 on Oct 28, 2014 22:21:50 GMT
Roger,
The Uk metric .... You must be joking.
Road signs still in yards/miles and miles per hour, fuel consumption miles per gallon...
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1/2 inches ... Or in our scales gauge 3.5 inches, 5 inches etc, scales of 1 inch to the foot, 2 inch to the foot etc, then of course the mixed ones 16mm/ft, 7mm/ft etc.
I still buy food in pounds/ounces and pints ...... And I'm sure we still order a pint of beer!
Dave
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