Low cost 3D professional CAD software

[dave-in-england]

Hi All,

There is a new 2013 version of Allycad recently released.


I had used the original 2D version of this software back in the 1990's when it was called Choice-cad.

I found it really easy to use, and much easier to use than Auto-cad.


Go over to their website and download the software for a try - out.

http://www.allycad.com/

The home version of Allycad has exactly the same functions as the heavyweight professional version,

except only that it is limited to producing drawing not above 300 Kb file size on each plot.

However, you will need a seriously dense and complicated drawing to need 300 kb file size.


For less than £ 50 for a fully featured 3D professional cad program, it must be hard to beat.

There are several You-tube Allycad instructional videos to look at.


Forget about Draftsight, although it is a free program, it is only 2D, and seems to me to be a

direct vanilla flavour clone of earlier versions of Autocad programs.

Personally, I find Autocad bloody hard going and hard work.


dave

 

[RichD]

Will it run on Linux Ubuntu?

 

[dave-in-england]

You see ........ That's the problem with people who buy and run obscure and esoteric operating systems !

They then expect to run Windows programs on their machines. .

You could go over to their web site and download the program to try it and see if it works....or you can go here where it tells you that it does not run on Linux.....Ha Ha.

http://www.knowbase.co.za/forum/search.php?keywords=linux&sid=de9c455841e41d0e4ac5ce64c9a67a01



.

 

[RichD]

OK Dave,
I won't post anymore questions to you.
Sorry,
RichD

 

[dave-in-england]

OK Dave,
I won't post anymore questions to you.
Sorry,
RichD

Sorry RichD ....... I couldn't resist the temptation .....:hDe: Ha Ha..

 

[ddmckee54]

Dave:

How difficult do you think it will it be to learn Allycad? I want to try 3D, but I don't want to spend a bundle of cash on a program that I'll wind up hating. I've been using AutoCad for the last 20 years, 2D only, so I'll probably have to un-learn a few things.

Personally I like Draftsight, but then I also like Autocad. I guess it's all a matter of what you are used to.

Don

 

[Dave Sohlstrom]

It appears that they do not have a try before you buy download. Also look to be very heavy in 2D and light in 3D.

I'm a Alibre/ Geomagic user and would not switch based on price. If you can not build an assembly of your parts and constrain them to one another it would not work for me.

Here is an example of an engine I am modeling.

Dave

 

[dave-in-england]

Dave:

How difficult do you think it will it be to learn Allycad? I want to try 3D, but I don't want to spend a bundle of cash on a program that I'll wind up hating. I've been using AutoCad for the last 20 years, 2D only, so I'll probably have to un-learn a few things.

Personally I like Draftsight, but then I also like Autocad. I guess it's all a matter of what you are used to.

Don

Hello Don,

To be honest, I have found over the years that the difficulty of learning ANY cad program is directly proportional to the amount of effort that you are prepared to put into learning how to use it.
( Just like any other computer program )

Being forced or driven to learn how to use the program in depth, Eg. At work, is very useful, it pushes you into learning all of the extra functions.


Every program has it's own particular quirks, some of them eventually turn into damn annoying quirks, but you don't realize that they are quirks until you have been using the program for a year or so.

Back in about 1997, I had Autocad 14 at work, but then I bought the newly released Choice-cad ( early Allycad ) for home.
I found the Choicecad much easier to use than Autocad, and gave similar results, especially with plotting and printing the drawings.

The are now many 2D cad programs to choose from, and some of the good ones are free as is Draftsight.

But they are all still 2D.

The problem with 2D is that you have to visualise how the part interacts with the other parts in your model.

The only ( relatively inexpensive ) 2D program that I have found who have reached into

full 3D capabilities is this new Allycad program.

The program has been developed over a long time, it is a professional cad system,
it is ideal for modelmakers and for £ 45 you can't really go wrong !

Go over to their website and have a look around !

http://www.allycad.com/features.asp

 

[dave-in-england]

It appears that they do not have a try before you buy download. Also look to be very heavy in 2D and light in 3D.

I'm a Alibre/ Geomagic user and would not switch based on price. If you can not build an assembly of your parts and constrain them to one another it would not work for me.

Here is an example of an engine I am modeling.

Dave

Hello Dave,

Also look to be very heavy in 2D and light in 3D.


The Allycad program is 2D, but also has fully 3D function if you need to use it.
See the program features in http://www.allycad.com/features.asp


But yes, you are right, it does not build up assemblies and make working animations of models like Solidworks and Autodesk Inventor, Catia...Etc.

The Allycad program is a good low cost link between 2D and 3D programs, for someone like a model engineer / maker it seems to be a good starting

program for learning 3D design.


~~~~~~~~

That looks like an interesting engine there, is it your own design ?

Can this Alibre program make animations of your models ?


regards Dave

 

[Dave Sohlstrom]

Dave

There are 2 ways to do animations with Alibre. You can constrain the part and then rotate the crank shaft and see pistons move in the cylinders. If you are working with 1 to 1 gearing you can get your cam to work. It will not do gear ratios like the 2 to 1 you need for a cam though.
There is also an animation add on, for more money of course that you can do full animations with.
I am working on a steam engine for a stern wheeler that I have the parts for in an assembly so I can check and adjust the valve timing and reverse gear on before I make metal parts.

The engine is not my design. I am making changes to a Holt 75 to make marine engines for a RC model Tow Boat I would like to build.

Dave