Any suggestions for Cad program for newbie?

I have an idea for the X & Y Carriages which can be a variable length and the X & Y can be identical which would save a bit in production. I have used pcb layout and schematic programs (Protel) in the past, but I have never used a Cad program.

Can you recommend a free Cad program that is fairly easy to use for a beginner? I know there are a few but I don't know which one to start with.

TIA

I use HeeksCAD, and OpensCAD, both of which are open source and free.

If you don't know how to code HeeksCAD is wonderful, if you do OpensCAD is wonderful.

If you can, and cannot code, then you are a paradox, and must go away.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/08/2010 06:45PM by spacexula.

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repraplogphase.blogspot.com

I have been programming for 40 yrs and presume that is what you mean by coding, so I will try OpensCad. Thanks for your info.

Rhino


www.rhino3d.com

I wish that HeeksCAD had provision to produce more sophisticated surfacing. Recent HeeksCAD has provision to offset/extrude surfaces into functional solids, which is useful, but its own lofting is restricted to ruled surfaces. This surface was parametrised in PolyCAD, imported into Heeks as IGES, then extruded.

i use blender (also free) blender.org and there is also art of illusion which is free.

I have recently switched to Alibre as well as Rhino3D as mentioned above. you did not mention how much you were willing to spend, but both are relatively cheap.

I use ViaCad 2D/3D or Shark FX. Both from punchcad.com

CoCreate PE would be my choice

Hi,

The free CAD software offerings can be a minefield from what I have seen.

I've been trained with commercial packages such as AutoCAD, Pro-Engineer etc and I find it pretty easy to pickup most CAD packages. However, I find the free ones can be a bit heavy going, partly because they aren't always that intuitive.

For anyone that is new to CAD altogether this could be even more frustrating. Part of the problem is the self teaching with the resources that are provided with the software. Generally there are plenty of resources to support the software packages but they can vary in quality.

I would suggest that you try a few packages, especially the ones people are recommending. I've spoken with newbies about CAD before and some have taken to Google SketchUp like duck to water (personally I can't stand it!). The best one I have come across so far, that has adequate features and is intuitive is FreeCAD.

Good luck!
Matt

For the record, I have been using HeeksCad.

It is certainly not intuitive, bordering on difficult. Make sure to backup you drawings regularly (use save as and append a numeric number - I use 3 digits). Often, the undo just does not work correctly, requiring me to revert to an older saved version. Having said all that, I am able to make it work and have done some drawings (no usable parts yet). You can see my thread here Cluso's Micro Mendel variant...

In the end its personal preference.
Mine is Blender, after trying lots of other programs

I would argue that Blender is missing a lot of stuff to be a good CAD package. (I love it as a modelling package, and for animation work etc). But from a cad point of view it is lacking features out of the box, and I have been using it as a CAD/Modelling package, but as you say, each to their own.