All things CAD!

[OaklandStrom]

When I started messing around with 3D CAD, I had to decide if I was going to pirate SolidWorks, or get some sort of shitty open source, almost good enough solution. Another option was SketchUp, which really doesn't cut it for the parts I want to make.

Then I found out about a getting a legal copy of Inventor. No brainer. If I ever need to pick up SW, it'll be a whole lot faster, now that I know Inventor. If I was 20, I'd probably pirate SW, unless I could get it for super cheap at school.

Autodesk (maker of Inventor, AutoCAD, and many, many more packages) can't become the industry leader overnight. However, they are going after the student and DIY market with a vengance. Their marketshare will grow.

None of the CNC tools I use care where the Gcode comes from.

Originally Posted by garandman

They'll give it away to almost anyone - for good reason.

I was talking to my son's school about their pre-engineering program and the subject of Inventor came up (because it was free). I suggested they go to Monster.com and look at the number of jobs in New England for which they were asking for Inventor skills compared to SolidWorks or Pro/E, for example.

SolidWorks - over 100 jobs. Pro/E, 25+. Inventor - two, and one of those was AutoDesk themselves.

You can buy Alibre' personal for $199 and there are a number of other other low-cost products to do 3D modeling.

[crazydrummerdude]

Originally Posted by OaklandStrom

Then I found out about a getting a legal copy of Inventor. No brainer. If I ever need to pick up SW, it'll be a whole lot faster, now that I know Inventor. If I was 20, I'd probably pirate SW, unless I could get it for super cheap at school.

Last place I interviewed at before landing my current job said they'd hire me on the spot if I had UG/NX experience, but I only had Catia experience, so it was a "don't call us, we'll call you" situation. Gee, thanks..

It all depends on who you interview with, whether you can sell your experience on one platform as comparable to the other.

[Donkey Hotey]

Originally Posted by crazydrummerdude

Last place I interviewed at before landing my current job said they'd hire me on the spot if I had UG/NX experience, but I only had Catia experience, so it was a "don't call us, we'll call you" situation. Gee, thanks..

And that person was an idiot. I love these people who think that two solid modelers are so much different. Booger pickin' morons for choosing UGghh in the first place.

[Hedge36]

Originally Posted by PoundSand

google sketchup isn't really going to cut your teeth on cad...

something like turbocad would be way better for that, and dirt cheap (like $100 or something); you can also buy an older version on amazon for like $20.

I started in software developing TurboCAD 3... it's still one of the best values out there.

[SnowMule]

Got a copy of turbocad - for the money, yeah, it's an excellent deal. More like AutoCAD than Solidworks in my extremely limited experience thus far.

[Hedge36]

Originally Posted by SnowMule

Got a copy of turbocad - for the money, yeah, it's an excellent deal. More like AutoCAD than Solidworks in my extremely limited experience thus far.

IMSI was just down the road from Autodesk for a number of years, and our staff went back and forth many times

[jdiaz]

Originally Posted by crazydrummerdude

Last place I interviewed at before landing my current job said they'd hire me on the spot if I had UG/NX experience, but I only had Catia experience, so it was a "don't call us, we'll call you" situation. Gee, thanks..

Boeing will not even accept your application and resume if you they ask for CATIA experience and you don't have it. They have decided to ignore ProE and SW folks completely.

Like others have said, once you learn one of them, its not hard to come up to speed on another.

[Donkey Hotey]

Originally Posted by jdiaz

Boeing will not even accept your application and resume if you they ask for CATIA experience and you don't have it. They have decided to ignore ProE and SW folks completely.

Having been directly involved in the interviewing and hiring of two employees, let me say that the recruiters in large companies are actually detrimental to the health of the organization they supposedly work for. I actually wanted to reach through the phone and choke the fuck out of the person who kept asking me, "How many hours of Catia experience are you looking for, 'cause I can filter on that basis!"

Look, you fucktard, I don't care if they've NEVER heard of Catia, just send me the fucking resumes and let me screen them! That wasn't exactly how I said it. I may have said, "PLEASE send me the fucking resumes.".

(the guy who got the job HADN'T heard of Catia and learned it just fine.)

[clocklaw]

I started with AutoCAD r9 in college. Been though the gamut with AutoCAD and Microstation (thru V8) with both inroads and Geopak in the real world (since 1997). I am presently using Carlson Civil with AutoCAD 2007. I dread upgrading from it, it's actually quite simple yet beautiful in its own way.

I'm a Civil Engineer in all states, licensed in 6 of them.

mobile Clocklaw

[jachard]

I use NX 7.5 and SolidWorks 2011. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I also am admin for both and our PLM Admin at my company.

Cheers, James

[396]

I'm an old fucker stuck in my ways running 14, designing automation machinery. For the most part, prints to the shop are my bottom line, and 14 gets it done quickly. My employer is footing the bill to get me Solidworks training. I've done the tutorials, and find it awkward and cumbersome. Any tips for making the 2d/3d transition less painless?

[PunkinHead]

Originally Posted by 396

I'm an old fucker stuck in my ways running 14, designing automation machinery. For the most part, prints to the shop are my bottom line, and 14 gets it done quickly. My employer is footing the bill to get me Solidworks training. I've done the tutorials, and find it awkward and cumbersome. Any tips for making the 2d/3d transition less painless?

I design automation equipment with Solidworks. It's a painful learning curve, but worth it. Today I was designing an adhesive dispense system for a SCARA robot. For all of the purchased parts (dispense valve, cartridge retainer, all the fittings, tool changer, capacitive sensor, etc) I was able to download 3D models off the vendors' websites and plop them right into the assembly. I was able to check clearances and swing the robot through its full range of motion to check for interference with guarding, etc. It can be very fast.

As far as tips to make it easier, I'm not sure what to say other than keep plugging away. Google is your friend. Any time I get stuck I google the word solidworks + whatever it is I'm trying to accomplish and a solution/tutorial/video always pops up. The Solidworks forum usually has the answer.

For designing parts I like to think in terms of the steps to actually manufacture it. Start with a big block or rod and start carving like you'd do on a mill or lathe. I don't like adding - I like taking away material just like the machinist will. For assemblies I mate features to constrain parts in the same way and same order as I picture myself assembling them.

[garandman]

Originally Posted by 396

I'm an old fucker stuck in my ways running 14, designing automation machinery. For the most part, prints to the shop are my bottom line, and 14 gets it done quickly. My employer is footing the bill to get me Solidworks training. I've done the tutorials, and find it awkward and cumbersome. Any tips for making the 2d/3d transition less painless?

Have you been to training yet? Most intro courses are 4 days and you'll be on your way. We usually suggest modeling some of your 2D parts and project first as you know all the numbers and can focus on the process.

I highly recommend you also take the Advanced Assembly class. It's usually two days and will make you a great deal more productive.

Originally Posted by PunkinHead

/For designing parts I like to think in terms of the steps to actually manufacture it. Start with a big block or rod and start carving like you'd do on a mill or lathe. I don't like adding - I like taking away material just like the machinist will. For assemblies I mate features to constrain parts in the same way and same order as I picture myself assembling them.

Sounds like an effective approach. The design history is intended to preserve design intent so manufacturing will make it the way you designed it.

[crazydrummerdude]

Originally Posted by jdiaz

Boeing will not even accept your application and resume if you they ask for CATIA experience and you don't have it. They have decided to ignore ProE and SW folks completely.

Like others have said, once you learn one of them, its not hard to come up to speed on another.

The frustrating thing about Boeing is their online application process. It is good practice to tailor your resume to each job you're applying to, but Boeing not only doesn't allow your own resume to be uploaded in lieu of their form, but once you create one via their Proper Form, you can only have 3 variants. So, if I want to apply for 4 jobs, I'm automatically out of the running for one of them.

Originally Posted by Donkey Hotey

(the guy who got the job HADN'T heard of Catia and learned it just fine.)

I remember at an internship a couple years back, I had to ask my mentor how you even pronounce Catia (having never heard of it, let alone ever used CAD before). Yeah, I did architectural drafting in high school, and had some slight manual machine tool/blueprint experience, but.. I was able to get up and running fairly easily, and made the rest of my college that much more successful by jumping over to SolidWorks. The main trick to switching software was finding where they hid the buttons.

Since I know how frustrating it is to talk with "talent acquisition" people (HR, not engineers) looking for specific CAD experience similar to, but not exactly what I had, I will jump at the opportunity to be a part of the hiring process for new blood. I've already put myself on a volunteer list to visit my alma mater on recruiting events.

Originally Posted by PunkinHead

For designing parts I like to think in terms of the steps to actually manufacture it. Start with a big block or rod and start carving like you'd do on a mill or lathe. I don't like adding - I like taking away material just like the machinist will.

I've heard people describe that thought process as the difference between the last couple releases of Catia. I've only used V5, so I can't confirm.

[396]

Good one:
For designing parts I like to think in terms of the steps to actually manufacture it. Start with a big block or rod and start carving like you'd do on a mill or lathe. I don't like adding - I like taking away material just like the machinist will. For assemblies I mate features to constrain parts in the same way and same order as I picture myself assembling them.[/QUOTE]
I'll be doing the 4 day intro, followed a few weeks later by the 4 day advanced.
I'm confident I can model the parts. I've done the packaged tutorials. I'm concerned about putting together assemblies however.
Probably my main concern is the change to the creative process. My thought process will be changed by the constraints of the new software. I can't really describe how I create my designs, but Autocad is an integral part of it.
Cad is a tool. A means of communicating your ideas. You can be a great cad operator, but a shitty designer. You can make beautiful models of things that won't work or can't be made.