CAD Software What CAD software to you use?

[NTP2]

I was wondering what’s popular, it seems like openS CAD is popular from just looking around which is surprising to me.


Ps I’m not looking for a new CAD program I’m pretty happy with 360

 

[Futuretech]

Alibre is good

 

[Hammster]

I've been using Sketchup. But, my CAD skills and needs are pretty minimal at this point.

 

[NTP2]

I've been using Sketchup. But, my CAD skills and needs are pretty minimal at this point.

I'v used it, definitely made for architecture not engineering. you will what to switch when you get better.

 

[boatgeek]

I use Rhino since that’s what I use for 3D modeling at work. It’s a nice program, though it has a shorter learning curve/makes more sense if you’re coming from AutoCAD.

 

[NTP2]

I use Rhino since that’s what I use for 3D modeling at work. It’s a nice program, though it has a shorter learning curve/makes more sense if you’re coming from AutoCAD.

looking at the website a few things stand out,

1 they have a fishing boat as an example, I wonder if that why your boss's got it...

2 its a one time cost for a far price! you never see that any more!!!

3 a dark mode, I had to finagle inventor to get that and 360 does not have it at all!

 

[2-0turbo]

Solidworks for me. I haven’t used other packages except Autocad 3D 20+ years ago.

I’m very happy with SolidWorks, but it’s a bit pricey if you’re on your own.

 

[kramer714]

looking at the website a few things stand out,

1 they have a fishing boat as an example, I wonder if that why your boss's got it...

2 its a one time cost for a far price! you never see that any more!!!

3 a dark mode, I had to finagle inventor to get that and 360 does not have it at all!

For creating lofted 3D shapes, easily, Rhino is great. I have Solidworks and Rhino, Rhino can create and manipulate shapes better and faster.

Plus as you said, pay once yours forever.

making simple shapes is easy in cad program, it is adding the fillets and blends where Rhino really excels

 

[Rschub]

Solidworks, the Maker version was $95 last year, but I believe that it has been lowered to $55

https://www.solidworks.com/solution/solidworks-makers/3dexperience-solidworks-makers

 

[dvdsnyd]

I've been using Fusion 360 since 2016 or so.
I spent a month trialing FreeCAD a couple years ago. Didn't like it. So clunky. I am going to give FreeCAD another try soon I think. I would really like to have all my CAD files natively on my computer and not in the cloud. Although, I don't know if FreeCAD is a whole lot better now that V1.0 has been released. Although I told myself I would try it.

Fusion really is almost perfect...and I hate it for it.
It's too good to be free, and that's part of my fear. They've nerfed it in the past pretty hard, and I can see it happening again.
Granted I understand why they did what they did.
Dave

 

[boatgeek]

looking at the website a few things stand out,

1 they have a fishing boat as an example, I wonder if that why your boss's got it...

They have supported the maritime industry really well, including having some plugins for hydrostatics and automatic-ish hull shape generation. The example shown in the shrinkwrap demo isn't technically a fishing boat, though there are a few old (like 100+ years) halibut fishing boats that look a lot like that. Boats were a lot prettier when high horsepower engines weren't available yet.

2 its a one time cost for a far price! you never see that any more!!!

If you want to buy it before you leave school, they have an educational license for $195. Unlike some CAD programs we could name (ahem, AutoCAD), the educational license is exactly the same as the full license except cheaper. Again a buy once, use forever kind of scenario.

3 a dark mode, I had to finagle inventor to get that and 360 does not have it at all!

Can you do a manual dark mode by adjusting background and foreground colors in 360?

 

[NTP2]

They have supported the maritime industry really well, including having some plugins for hydrostatics and automatic-ish hull shape generation. The example shown in the shrinkwrap demo isn't technically a fishing boat, though there are a few old (like 100+ years) halibut fishing boats that look a lot like that. Boats were a lot prettier when high horsepower engines weren't available yet.

I figured that out after clicking "RINO in maritime"...

PS what is it if it's not a fishing boat, isn't that what the arms are for?

If you want to buy it before you leave school, they have an educational license for $195. Unlike some CAD programs we could name (ahem, AutoCAD), the educational license is exactly the same as the full license except cheaper. Again a buy once, use forever kind of scenario.

I'm tempted, but I have not liked my time with AutoCAD, if it was more like 360 or inventor I'd definitely go for it.

Can you do a manual dark mode by adjusting background and foreground colors in 360?

that's how I did it in inventor, but that's not possible in the free ver of 360 as far as I know.

 

[boatgeek]

I figured that out after clicking "RINO in maritime"...

PS what is it if it's not a fishing boat, isn't that what the arms are for?

Davits for lifting dinghies and other stuff on to the larger boat.

I'm tempted, but I have not liked my time with AutoCAD, if it was more like 360 or inventor I'd definitely go for it.

I think they also have a 30-day trial version for free.

that's how I did it in inventor, but that's not possible in the free ver of 360 as far as I know.

 

[0011001100]

3 a dark mode, I had to finagle inventor to get that and 360 does not have it at all!

You can do a dark mode. You may need to customize some colors to your liking, but you can. I run it on the midnight color scheme with a couple of the line colors changed for higher contrast between fully defined vs not.

I use Inventor for work and SolidWorks at home. I hate SolidWorks though and have crashed it more times this year than I have using Inventor since 2014. But I finished school and can no longer get Inventor for free

 

[NTP2]

You can do a dark mode. You may need to customize some colors to your liking, but you can. I run it on the midnight color scheme with a couple of the line colors changed for higher contrast between fully defined vs not.

I use Inventor for work and SolidWorks at home. I hate SolidWorks though and have crashed it more times this year than I have using Inventor since 2014. But I finished school and can no longer get Inventor for free

I’d kill to have a hobby version of inventor…

 

[StreuB1]

Oh lordy....

Work 3D mechanical: SW Professional + ePDM
Work 2D mechanical: CadKey and Autocad LT
Work Electrical: Solidworks Electrical +ePDM and Autocad LT

Home 3D mechanical: SW Professional (design) Fusion 360 (CAM)
Home 2D mechanical: CadKey and Autocad LT
Home Electrical: Autocad LT and KiCAD

 

[frogglicker]

I started with TinkerCAD - It's simple with a low entry barrier, but you can do some pretty amazing things with it. I still use it for quick modeling.
Then I switched to OnShape and did a few designs with that and it works pretty much like Fusion.
Finally, landed on Fusion360. I'm pretty happy with it for almost everything. It has its quirks, but I'm comfortable with it.

 

[manixFan]

I only use OpenSCAD. It fits the way I work and think about designing things, and I've done coding my entire life so it feels natural to me. I make everything parametric with lots of comments and self-explanatory variable names. I also use Illustrator a lot to generate outlines that I can extrude or loft (called hull). But I do miss how easy it is to chamfer or bevel edges in a 'normal' CAD program compared to OpenSCAD. But so far that hasn't really been much of an issue.

It plays both Country and Western, and is free open source software, which is a huge bonus.


Tony

 

[OzHybrid]

I like OpenSCAD. You can create modules of useful components and reuse them. For example a nosecone shoulder where the basic form stays the same, only the dimensions change.
I've built up a few over the years and have shared some here.
It suits the way I think.

 

[rocket_troy]

Oh lordy....

Work 3D mechanical: SW Professional + ePDM
Work 2D mechanical: CadKey and Autocad LT
Work Electrical: Solidworks Electrical +ePDM and Autocad LT

Home 3D mechanical: SW Professional (design) Fusion 360 (CAM)
Home 2D mechanical: CadKey and Autocad LT
Home Electrical: Autocad LT and KiCAD

...and there I was thinking I was the only one still using Cadkey for 2D mech.

TP

 

[thzero]

OnShape, KiCad

 

[Jon Fox]

I like OpenSCAD. You can create modules of useful components and reuse them. For example a nosecone shoulder where the basic form stays the same, only the dimensions change.
I've built up a few over the years and have shared some here.
It suits the way I think.

Show me yours? I'll show you mine...

Project Arsenal OpenSCAD rocket generator:
https://makerworld.com/en/models/518481

I'd love feedback on this. I'm always adding new parts and features when I find something I'm not yet generating

 

[dhurstell]

I was wondering what’s popular, it seems like openS CAD is popular from just looking around which is surprising to me.


Ps I’m not looking for a new CAD program I’m pretty happy with 360

Onshape

 

[RCBrust]

OnShape

 

[dr wogz]

Creo 9 by PTC..

high learning curve, very not cheap, dated look & feel (old UNIX code), manual / you program / customize EVERYTHING!, layers & rules, FEA, piping, design optimizing, and most important for me: Sheet-metal design module!!

extremely powerful, on par with Catia.. but a pain pain pain to use every day!

grew up with Acad (started with Acad 9) then onto mechanical Desktop, then Inventor..

I actually started my drafting (draughting?) career with pencil & paper.. I studied as a drafter, unlike a lot of engineers i now work with; fresh out of school, barely a drafting course or understanding of "drafting" principles..

 

[DaHabes]

I've been using Fusion 360 since 2016 or so.
I spent a month trialing FreeCAD a couple years ago. Didn't like it. So clunky. I am going to give FreeCAD another try soon I think. I would really like to have all my CAD files natively on my computer and not in the cloud. Although, I don't know if FreeCAD is a whole lot better now that V1.0 has been released. Although I told myself I would try it.

Fusion really is almost perfect...and I hate it for it.
It's too good to be free, and that's part of my fear. They've nerfed it in the past pretty hard, and I can see it happening again.
Granted I understand why they did what they did.
Dave

FreeCAD has a Rocket Workbench add-on (you add it from GitHub from the add-on manager) which is really quite good. It covers just about all of the major parts on a rocket. I've used both FreeCAD and OpenSCAD (plenty of modules available on TRF for Open SCAD) for different 3D printed parts.

 

[Hammster]

FreeCAD has a Rocket Workbench add-on (you add it from GitHub from the add-on manager) which is really quite good. It covers just about all of the major parts on a rocket. I've used both FreeCAD and OpenSCAD (plenty of modules available on TRF for Open SCAD) for different 3D printed parts.

Note that you can also 3D print parts you create in Open Rocket.

 

[DaHabes]

Note that you can also 3D print parts you create in Open Rocket.

...and Rocksim, which I use.

I export the fins designs and centering rings out of Rocksim and cut them at the makerspace at my local library. They have an Epilog Fusion Edge 64 (awesome). The also have a Prusa MK4, but only for PLA. I need to convince them to let me use PETG.

 

[crossbound]

I'm a FreeCAD kind of guy. Started using it at the beginning of this year. Used and liked Fusion360 but didn't want to be locked into their ecosystem. Been working on this motor mount with fin alignment taps tonight. Still a work in progress.

 

[cwbullet]

I'm a FreeCAD kind of guy. Started using it at the beginning of this year. Used and liked Fusion360 but didn't want to be locked into their ecosystem. Been working on this motor mount with fin alignment taps tonight. Still a work in progress.

I plan to try Freecad this week. Thanks for the motivation.