Author Topic: Free 3D CAD  (Read 6247 times)

Offline stovebolt

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Free 3D CAD
« on: September 18, 2013, 05:03:12 PM »
 Saw this on Hack a day, thought I'd pass it  along, not an area I know much about. 


http://www.designspark.com/page/mechanical 

Cheers,

Jim   

Offline 75Plus

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Re: Free 3D CAD
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2013, 09:41:54 AM »
In order to use the software you must set up an account which requires more personal info than I care to supply since I would only use it as a hobbyist. You don't discover that requirement until AFTER you have downloaded and installed the program.

Joe

Offline philf

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Re: Free 3D CAD
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2013, 02:01:30 PM »
Saw this on Hack a day, thought I'd pass it  along, not an area I know much about. 

http://www.designspark.com/page/mechanical

Cheers,

Jim

I downloaded and registered the package.

I've just spent a few hours playing with it and, although it has some nice features, there are too many features missing to make it any use for me.

I tried to model a loco wheel (see photo) but gave up trying to radius the corners of the spokes as some refused point blank to accept a rad and getting the rads the same was troublesome!



There is no function for doing either linear or polar arrays (that I could find) so doing the cutouts to make the spokes was much more difficult than it should have been.

I'll uninstall and wait for a more sophisticated version.

I notice there's also free PCB design software.

Phil.
« Last Edit: July 13, 2017, 02:03:49 PM by philf »
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline DaveH

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Re: Free 3D CAD
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2013, 06:10:16 PM »
Phil,
Have you tried or looked at FreeCAD 
http://www.freecadweb.org/
 :beer:
DaveH
(Ex Leicester, Thurmaston, Ashby De La Zouch.)

Offline philf

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Re: Free 3D CAD
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2013, 05:08:42 AM »
Phil,
Have you tried or looked at FreeCAD 
http://www.freecadweb.org/
 :beer:
DaveH

Dave,

I'm just looking at it - First impressions are that it's not very intuitive. I always try to draw without reading any tutorials or help files and with this package it's not easy.

I do already have a paid for 3d CAD package which is OK but not perfect.

 :beer:

Phil.
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire

Offline DaveH

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Re: Free 3D CAD
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2013, 08:39:40 AM »
Phil,
I have to say I didn't seem to find any 3d package very intuitive - but that of course is just me.  :bang:

I did settle on Alibre  - mainly because of the training videos (they made it look easy  :lol:) and at the end of the day the cost.

What 3d do you use ?
 :beer:
DaveH
(Ex Leicester, Thurmaston, Ashby De La Zouch.)

Offline philf

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Re: Free 3D CAD
« Reply #6 on: September 20, 2013, 09:30:25 AM »
Phil,
I have to say I didn't seem to find any 3d package very intuitive - but that of course is just me.  :bang:

I did settle on Alibre  - mainly because of the training videos (they made it look easy  :lol:) and at the end of the day the cost.

What 3d do you use ?
 :beer:
DaveH

Hi Dave,

I use ViaCad 2d/3d which I bought last year. Before I retired I had Inventor and years before that I used Medusa.

All of the drawings I do now are for me to make things for myself and the vast majority I do in 2d. I use Autocad 2005 for 2d because I've used it for donkeys years and can rattle drawings off very quickly. 3d is really only a novelty for me nowadays.

 :beer:

Phil.
Phil Fern
Location: Marple, Cheshire