CAD programs

[Tad Wicks]

I am looking for input as to a 3D CAD program (best bang for the buck), I have used my old 2D Quikcad for years, might be about time to enter the 20th century ;D, Thanks Tad

 

[Lew_Merrick_PE]

I am looking for input as to a 3D CAD program (best bang for the buck), I have used my old 2D Quikcad for years, might be about time to enter the 20th century ;D, Thanks Tad

Tad, Alibre (http://www.Alibre.com) is probably the best "bang for the buck" on the market today. $100 (or close thereabouts) gets you a fully featured ACIS modeling and drafting system. Expect them to ding you another $100/year for updates and maintenance. The Alibre Forum (http://www.alibre.com/forum/ucp.php?mode=login) is all you get for "technical support" -- but it is quite good.

The downside is that Alibre is not "rapidly responsive" when it comes to system improvements. It fails on several highly technical levels -- but you are unlikely to trip over them. (I regularly work with precision non-canonical surfaces, so I am sensitive to such things.) For $1200 (or close thereto) you can get their full CAD/CAE/CAM system. As a comparison, you can expect to shell out $4000 for the basic SolidWorks system (+ $1200/year for maintenance upgrades and support). Just about everything else costs a lot more than that.

I have been "doing CAD" since 1971. I do not like either ACIS or ParaSolids, so you can temper my statements with that personal bias. However, when the dust settles, Alibre is the overall best "bang for the buck" around.

 

[kf2qd]

What are you wanting to do with 3D CAD? I have use ProgrCAD which is an AutoCAD workalike and have been playing with the 3D part of it. There is a free version that leaves out the renderring, but the full blown program goes for around $400. I would like to play with Alibre to see what it offers, but that will have to wait until the fall when the house is paid for and some other financial expdiencies get cleared up...

 

[ironman]

I don't know about "Bang for the Buck" but I have used TurboCAD Pro ver 12.5 for years and now TurboCAD Deluxe ver 16.2 for a while and I like it. They also have a CAM add on but I don't use it.
ironman

 

[deere_x475guy]

Hi Tad, I have had Alibre Standard for a little over a year now. With all of the tutorials availalbe I was able to get a pretty good grasp on it. I am getting ready to do a post on a small high speed spindle I am building and I have used Alibre to model it and check for interference fits and such. I will be starting a post later this evening on it. Here is an assembly I have started with few of the parts. I have less than 30 minutes in to this assembly. I deleted the photo that went with this so here are the updated ones

 

[Tad Wicks]

Hi guys, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the input, I should have mentioned that I am not a pro at this, I am looking for something at an entry level, I do not have CNC yet but I do have DRO on my mill, that is why the 2D program has worked so well for me all this time. I thought that I might learn the 3D just because, although the 2D works great for what I do. Thanks for the example deere_x475 guy, cool stuff, waiting for your post. Thanks again;Tad

 

[deere_x475guy]

Tad, life got in the way in the evening. Perhaps I can get something start after work today.

Edited to correctly call the OP by his correct name...sorry Tad...

 

[ianjkirby]

Hi gang,
I have used ViaCAD 2D/3D for a year or so now, and I am very happy with it for model engineering level applications. For $100US, I believe it is a great (minus a few un-needed bells and whistles, imho!) package. It is not perfect, but the developers read and respond to the user's group forum, which is a plus. By all means, try everything else, but at least give this a look (good videos on their website!); you will not be disappointed!!
http://www.punchcad.com/products/viacad2d3d.htm
Regards, Ian.

 

[tup48]

Hi Ian;
Just would like to thank you for your advice on ViaCad. I have been using TurboCAD for about 5 years now or should I say fighting with it.
I downloaded the ViaCAD 2D/3D v6.0 and ViaCAD 2D/3D v6.0 Pro 14 day free trial, played with standard ViaCAD for about a week and then had a look at ViaCAD Pro.
By the end of the first day I was doing things with it that I never could do in TC. The tutorials are easy to use.
I decided on the ViaCAD Pro, Found it at Amazon.Com for $194.00 US ordered Sunday, came today.

Thanks,
Richard

 

[vascon2196]

Finally some CAD talk....I am a CAD guy an have been since 1992. I first learned 2D Autocad Version-10, then Pro-E, then SolidWorks, then Autodesk Inventor, and finally Alibre. SolidWorks in my opinion would be the "best" but not for your "buck". Alibre is not that great but for your "buck" it does everything a 3D CAD program should do.

I never used Alibre but did a contract job for someone who only used Alibre and I picked it up just fine.....within a day or two.

On the other hand you should be able to pick up SolidWorks educational version for $100.00. I teach SolidWorks at a local college and they use the educational version and it doesn't miss a beat.

Hope this helps.