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standardrockets

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I've seen some people post that they were looking for cad software and such. Here is a quick list I'd like to share.

For the winderz users:
Autocad Inventor 2009 LT - free for a few more months
emachineshop.com - free and pretty easy to use simple cad program

Adobe offers 30 day demos of most of their products. Illustrator is an example of one that rocketeers can use.

For the mac and PC:
Shark FX is available in a demo I think runs for 15 days.


If you use something or know of a good demo of an engineering program please post to the thread.
 
You can add to the list the one I use, TurboCAD Deluxe (current version 15), or its bigger brother TurboCAD Pro.
 
In the Linux enviroment....

Among the many free CAD apps I have both
SagCAD
ScreenShot_000.png


and QCad installed
screen011t.png


there is a trial version for Windows of QCad
 
Alibre.com
30 day trials. 3D parametric solid modeling CAD at a resonable price.
 
I use Rhino-3d

www.rhino3d.com They have a free trial version, plus a student discount that is very good.

This is a real full function modeling program, more than a drafting program like some of the packages. It can also be used to calculate center of mass, inertia, areas volumes etc. A neat feature is the ability to create flat patters for develop-able surfaces. This comes in handy for making fin bonding templates or drill templates.

It reads and writes in many formats, including Autocad and the full function programs such as Catia - design works - pro-e - Unigraphics, plus Master Cam.
 
What version of linux are you using? Also any links to the cad software?

I'm using Ubuntu. You can find both in the Synaptics package manager in Ubuntu so it's an easy install. Other wise they both have websites that can be googled.
 
Viacad 3-d works good and a fair price i think i paid $70.00
 
There is also a free edition of TurboCAD called TurboCADLE (learning edition)
You can it and other CAD downloads at https://www.al-ki.com/tcad/download.php
Great if I was running Windows 98, but I'm not. The website says:

"TurboCAD LE runs best on early versions of Windows. You will find it to run unreliably on Windows XP, and it will NOT run properly, if at all, on Vista."

Oh, well, it was too good to be true. :(

Mark \\.
 
My school uses AutoCAD and ProDesktop.

Both seem to work nicely.
 
Great if I was running Windows 98, but I'm not. The website says:

"TurboCAD LE runs best on early versions of Windows. You will find it to run unreliably on Windows XP, and it will NOT run properly, if at all, on Vista."

Oh, well, it was too good to be true. :(

Mark \\.

I have it on xp and have never had a single glitch ,ofcourse results may vary.

I use Solidworks but thats going to be way...way.. out of most persons price range unless you can get it thru the workplace like I managed somehow.
 
I use and love solidworks, but I have an educational license right now - it is WAY out of most people's price range if you can't get something like that.
 
I'm a SolidWorks user, have been for many years. I am currently a Certified SolidWorks Associate (CSWA), slowly working towards becoming a Professional, CSWP. I also work with Inventor and Autocad with minors in Illustrator and photoshop...

I prefer SolidWorks over Inventor, but both a very comfortable to work with once you get used to their personalities...and yes, @ 4 grand for the software, plus $1200 for the subscription, the 3D modeling programs rack up a hefty bill every year for the company...I am lucky that I get to have a home licence, so cost is nil for me (SolidWorks only).
 
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Great if I was running Windows 98, but I'm not. The website says:

"TurboCAD LE runs best on early versions of Windows. You will find it to run unreliably on Windows XP, and it will NOT run properly, if at all, on Vista."

Oh, well, it was too good to be true. :(

Mark \\.

I use it on XP pro with no problems, so I don't know what they are talking about. Vista on the other hand may be another matter.

Dan
 
I don't know; I'm a drafting board, T-square, lead holder kind of designer, myself... :rolleyes:

I'd like to update, but it's kind of hard to hold a protractor up to the screen. :p :D

Mark \\.
 
I use Rhino-3d

www.rhino3d.com They have a free trial version, plus a student discount that is very good.

This is a real full function modeling program, more than a drafting program like some of the packages. It can also be used to calculate center of mass, inertia, areas volumes etc. A neat feature is the ability to create flat patters for develop-able surfaces. This comes in handy for making fin bonding templates or drill templates.

It reads and writes in many formats, including Autocad and the full function programs such as Catia - design works - pro-e - Unigraphics, plus Master Cam.

I am going to use the evaluation period and for $200 I might ask for it for my Bday since it seems to be great. Plus I can prove I am a student alot easier than some other places.

I tried to get CAD one time through school and they needed a copy of my mom or dads license and social #, that stopped right there for my dad.

Ben
 
For anyone who has any interest in SolidWorks, or if you are a devout SolidWorks user, check out this website:

https://www.rickyjordan.com/

I used to work with Ricky Jordan in another dept of my company, and I can tell you he is the schizzle when it comes to all things SolidWorks. His site is quite informative, and he can answer most any question about the program.
 
well, I downloaded the free rhino trial and made myself a 6" O motor with nozzle carrier and bulkhead. Next up is a liner and some propellant grains :D Can't wait till I can hold these parts in my hand!!!

Ben

nozzlecarrier.jpg

6inch case.jpg
 
I use Autocad or Inventor. I think Google has a free cad you can use online as well. I've never tried it though.

Anyways, if you get a chance to learn a cad system, your rocket designs will totally benefit.

Cheers!
 
I use CADKey 19 I won in a CAD contest at school when I was taking my classes. CADKey is a true 3D modeling software, takes a little more learning that mechanical desktop, but well worth it in the end. Here's a couple of examples:

BIGDADDY3.gif

s2.gif
 
I use CADKey 19 I won in a CAD contest at school when I was taking my classes. ...
Unfortunately for me, I was in school before CAD (for desktop computers, at least) was invented. (Even before desktop computers themselves were invented!) :rolleyes:

MarkII
 
Yeah, i started with a pencil & paper & draftig board..

I was at a place that used CADkey. Hated it (both CADkey & the palce).. And what really got me, was the way they used CADkey. They drew some nice dwgs, mainly 2D Isometrics. But as soon as you started to rotate the dwg, you realised it was a bunch of lines just floating in space. None matched up / mated. Some were miles from each other. They only lined up from a speicifc view point. And once rotated, you couldn't realy get it back to where it was.. Destpite '3D modelling' none were 3 d models!

I gues you can say the same for any CAD package - 3D space enviroment. I just hated the way CADkey seemed to work..
 
Yeah, i started with a pencil & paper & draftig board..

I was at a place that used CADkey. Hated it (both CADkey & the palce).. And what really got me, was the way they used CADkey. They drew some nice dwgs, mainly 2D Isometrics. But as soon as you started to rotate the dwg, you realised it was a bunch of lines just floating in space. None matched up / mated. Some were miles from each other. They only lined up from a speicifc view point. And once rotated, you couldn't realy get it back to where it was.. Destpite '3D modelling' none were 3 d models!

I gues you can say the same for any CAD package - 3D space enviroment. I just hated the way CADkey seemed to work..


They weren't drawing in solids then. If you draw in 2D, you have to start by keying in at the 0,0,0 point or the lines will fall on the default planes. They obviously knew nothing about how CADKey works. It sounds to me that they were trying to use it like AutoCad, and while that's possible, it's not taking CADKey anywhere near the limits of it's fuctionality. I was way faster with CADKey than I was with Autocad, and I learned both in school. Once you learn how to use CADKey the right way, it's pretty easy.
 
Unfortunately for me, I was in school before CAD (for desktop computers, at least) was invented. (Even before desktop computers themselves were invented!) :rolleyes:

MarkII

Me too. I graduated HS in 1978. :D I took mechanical drawing then, we weren't even drawing on vellum at the time, just that crappy off white paper that was imposible to erase on. I actually went back to school when I was 40 and got my CAD operator and CAD-CAM operator certs, and was one class away form my CNC cert when they changed the program and screwed me out of the last class. I loved drawing by hand, but the computer makes it a lot quicker, and you can draw in 3D and in colors! Too bad there's no jobs around here in that line of work, I'm stuck in a dental lab for the duration I guess.......
 
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