NOT O/T ...Autocad software????

wondering what some of you boys and girls use for Autocad software. i'm looking for something fairly user friendly and hopefully not too expensive. i have a friend with a CNC plasma cutter and i have a billion ideas for brackets and other hot rod related pieces i would like to cut out with it but in order to save him from spending butt-loads of time designing all my pieces on his computer i'm concidering getting some type of software so that i can do it myself and then just give the files to him to input into his system and VIOLA! i've got parts!... or something like that anyways. LOL

just lookin for some input since i realy don't know what is out there. thanks

 

Send me your drawings, and I'll draw them up for you "on the cheap" and export the correct files. I have lots of CNC experience, and know how to draw the parts so that the controller doesn't wreck.
If you don't use AutoCAD, and try to get the product with some 'one-off' CAD software, there's no guarantee of what you're gonna get.

 

The best bang for your buck is Autocad Lite from Autodesk. It is a really great program for anything 2D. It does not have 3D capability, but that shouldn't matter to you. The drawings can be saved as .dwg format or as .dxf format for cnc programming. While full blown Autocad with 3D capabilities can cost a few thousand dollars, the Autocad Lite can be purchased for less than a thousand bucks, and is a great program.

 

Yeah, $100 less than $1K. Full AutoCAD 2008 retails for $3,995 these days.

 

D/L the cracked version. Save $$$ and break the law at the same time.

 

I wouldn't want you to do anything illegal-- --but if you can find an old copy of Acad 14 floating around, it was just about the best version of acad ever made.---and it doesn't require a killer size 'puter to run it.

 

On topic question, can you import an Adobe illustrator file into Auto Cad?

 

Don't know. I know you can not import a .pdf, because its like a photograph.

 

Brian,
Are you aware if the "student" version of any recent editions of Autocad are available? I've been messing w/Solidworks and Unigraphics in the past couple of years. The student ones were a deal at the time. Still, your Lite mention is a good one.
Hotrod1940: try this one: http://www.google.com/search?q=impo...-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

 

Can't you import a .pdf and trace over it to get a .dwg?

 

i use autocad 14 on all my drawings.it was easy to pick and run with,even with no professional training.the biggest problem with it is that it wont work with vista.when i needed a new computer i had to find one that still had windows xp.

-danny

 

Your best bet is to go to www.autodesk.com and ask them. They will know a seller in your area and be able to give you info. on any "promotional deals" that are currently running. I have been a Solidworks user for 7 years now, and no longer use autocad. Plus---When you buy Solidworks, you get a free .dwg program with it that will do anything that Autocad will do, and will also open any 2D autocad files.---If you go to the Solidworks website www.solidworks.com, you can download their free "Gateway" software that will enable anybody with an older version of Autocad to open any version of autocad ever made!!

 

Maybe---I've never tried. I design automation and prototype machinery professionally, and never really had a reason to try tracing over a .pdf----Brian
www.rupnowdesign.com

 

Student versions require student verification in some form of a letter from a professor or something of the sort.

 

But can you check part/path continuity and export to a dxf with it?
I'll do your part drawings for $10 each if you send me something fully dimensioned, and the requirements of the CNC controller. Does it set it's own in/out paths and points, Is the kerf taken into consideration, etc.

 

Go to this address and download the free30 day trial version of autocad----Just be warned---Once you have done this, their sales guys will bug the royal shit out of you to buy the real thing.---Brian
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/mform?siteID=123112&id=9106363

 

We use AutoCAD 08, Revit MEP and AutoCAD Light. If you are going to purchase a license then the LT will be the cheapest and do what you need for the CNC. Just an FYI, don't use arcs! Draw circles and trim!

I use AutoCad 2002 and '06 at home for all my CNC stuf.

 

Well Actually---Yes. I can take any profile in a Solidworks drawing, save it as a 1:1 .dwg file and convert the profile to a polyline. Once I have converted it to a polyline I can check line continuity by clicking on the polyline to see if the entire line "lights up" to confirm line continuity. The kerf is not taken into consideration, because that is a function of the tooling being used, so is generally always left to the machine shop using the info to input any kerf offsets. a lot of my shops have 3 axis machining capability, and they want me to save 3D models as .iges files for them to do 3D milling.---Brian

 

not quite true.. if the pdf is created in illustrator you can often times open it in illustrator.. it remains a vector file. I import illustrator and pdf files into my 3d modeling program all the time.

 

I don't have illustrator, and have no experience with this. I do know that different people have sent me drawings that were saved as .pdf files, and I was not able to do anything with them.

 

I use AutoCad '07, and then 'TurboNest' for nesting plasma parts. Works great.
www.mtc-software.com

 

Wasn't asking about the kerf on your machines. I was talking about this guy's CNC burny table. They don't all work the same, or take cut widths and tapers into consideration. Milling and turning based on a 3-axis machine and burning plate on a 2-axis table is a little different. With the more inexpensive tables, you have to setup the "torch path" and not draw the actual part, thus in turn you have to know the cut taper and apply that to the thickness of the material that you're using in order to establish the torch path. Also, not all machines apply the lead in/lead out for each part and you wind up blowing out your part at a corner if you don't lead into it.

 

yeah, it's common for people to save a photo as a pdf, all I'm saying is that people often save their vector art as pdfs.. it keeps the file size low if you do it right and people without illustrator can view it. It's a great way to transfer files and you can edit it and take lines and segments and import them into solid modeling programs.

 

Thats what I use, works great for the CNC shops.

 

I too am a Turbonest user. We just got our V2 version working and it has a few bugs but they are getting ironed out.

As for design software I use Alibre' www.alibre.com and you can get a FREE version that really works! It has a few functions reduced or eliminated but you can save your work and build small assemblies and it's FREE!

http://www.alibre.com/products/xpress/xpress_for_all.asp

I have the full program and I can tell you it is very similar to Solidworks but for half the price. The tech support kicks ass and the people really know their product.

Tell them I sent you

 

I use Turocad for my furniture business 2d is great but the 3D part could be better.

 

I have an older copy of AutoCAD, but I don't know how to copy it to another disk. I would suggest buying a how-to book for under $100, some come with a "Student Version" which works fine but if you print your Dwgs, it will say "Studnet Copy" on the edge of the page.

 

Me either Brian.

I have heard that it can be done - but I guess i have never seen it happen. (Myth?).


And I would check out the field to see what will suite your needs.

Go to http://www.cadalyst.com/ and see if there is any freeware.

There might be some pretty terrific freebies - if not they do unbiased reviews and will point you to the cheap stuff....


There are other free/cheap programs out there that do a great job. Just try to be sure and get something that will save to some of the filetypes listed above. Most machine shops can work in those worlds.

 

Broman---Thanks for the tip. It is very unusual for me to receive information in pdf format.---And if I do, I just phone up the sender and tell them its not acceptable to me. If its important enough to them, they will figure out a way to send it to me in a format I can use. ---Brian

 

Tracing a pdf file is double work when you already have vectors in Illustrator.
Illustrator wil export the vectors in DWG, and DXF format and if Auto Cad accepts Illustrator files you should be ok for 2D purpose. The purpose of importing from Illustrator for me is the control over vectors is much more precise and familiar to use.
I have thousands of vectors in illustrator that I would like to convert to Auto Cad and some to 3D. I can't see buying AutoCad if the vectors files can be imported and the CNC machine then process.