Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Related to all sorts of CAD and CAM tools. Users should post questions, comments, and recommendations with respect to their favorite CAD and CAM tools.

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Patio
Posts: 1369
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: Centralia Wa

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by Patio »

I think Solidworks was the easiest to use, starting from, not knowing much. I thought it to be pretty intuitive, in operation, and easy to set clearances and locate interferences.
I use Fusion 360 now. I think it is real close to SW, in operations and the price is better for hobbyist (free).
It now has a sheet metal section, (Draw it in 3D, then fold it flat). It does Animation, (Stress tests). It does CAM, (generates G-code).
It can make drawings from the 3D part, where you place only the dimensions you want seen. For me, this is the best part, being I have manual machines, and I can take the drawings to my shop.
I do not know how to set clearances with it yet. (Guess I need to go figure that one out! :) ).
It also allows one to collaborate with others, within the software, as a guest.
Either way, I find it easy to use, extremely powerful and very useful.
Just another opinion.
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Prepare for tomorrow!
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JohnR
Posts: 59
Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2003 8:08 pm
Location: Northern Ohio USA

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by JohnR »

Anybody taken a look at cad software called " freecad ". pretty powerful.
A lot of people are using it in the 3d printing community.
John Hasler
Posts: 1852
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by John Hasler »

I've used it. Powerful but complex and somewhat buggy. Don't select "US Customary Units" from the "Units" menu ro you will forced to dimension in inches, feet, and yards (they are European and I think they did that intentionally to thumb their noses at us). Select "Imperial". Freecad also has lots of libraries and add-ons.

I'm currently checking out Solvespace (http://solvespace.com/index.pl). Seems simpler to use and more solid than Freecad but more limited. For example, You *will* have three decimal place in Imperial and two in metric.
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ChipsAhoy
Posts: 319
Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:23 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by ChipsAhoy »

I've spent the better part of the last three months trying to wrap my head around this computer 3D drawing stuff. It is a very tall learning curve for me. BUT, all is not lost....
I tried, FreeCad, Onshape, Tinker Cad, Fusion and Solidworks.
Hands down the easiest for me to learn was Solidworks. Not just running the program, but getting a handle on the concepts. I have a long ways to go, but things seem to be moving along faster now. I highly recommend it over the few I've tried. Now comes interfacing with the 3D printer, it takes another software cutter, Cura seems to be OK. I don't think that I'm going to start trying a bunch of others. BTW, all my targets are to create filetypes *.stl to go to the Ender printer.
RMinMN
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Jan 02, 2018 8:50 am

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by RMinMN »

I started CAD just a few weeks ago with Fusion 360 and slice for 3-D printer with Cura. Both have steep learning curves but both have a lot of power too. Fortunately the filament is cheap and I'm not under any deadline so when I make a mistake and the printed object comes out wrong it isn't a major cost. I have spent a lot more time on Fusion 360 than on Cura but I'm learning to make the two programs work to my advantage.
John Hasler
Posts: 1852
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:05 pm
Location: Elmwood, Wisconsin

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by John Hasler »

John Hasler wrote: Sun Aug 26, 2018 5:55 pm [In Solvespace] you *will* have three decimal place in Imperial and two in metric.
I've since learned that this is incorrect. The documentation implies this but you can have as many decimal places as you wish.
earlgo
Posts: 1794
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:38 am
Location: NE Ohio

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by earlgo »

I am bummed out. I have been using SolidWorks since 2000 in the jobs I worked. The last place allowed us to have a home user license and this year on Feb 28 the SW 2008 timed out. I am at a big loss as I am not a veteran and am not likely to be a student again, so I don't qualify for the student version.
Guess I'll go shed tears in my beer. :(
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
earlgo
Posts: 1794
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:38 am
Location: NE Ohio

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by earlgo »

Ran out of tears for the beer, so I logged into ONSHAPE, the cloud version,(sorta') of Solid Works and have been working my way through the lessons while doing models relevant to the lessons. It still isn't SW but it may be after I get a leg or two up.
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
FKreider
Posts: 338
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 8:44 pm
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by FKreider »

I really enjoy using Fusion 360 and I picked it up fairly quickly without any prior 3D CAD experience, just learned by drawing things and watching Youtube tutorials. Its free for hobbyist and small business that make less that $100k annually.
-Frank K.
Patio
Posts: 1369
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: Centralia Wa

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by Patio »

I just joined the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) which has the benefit of a free for hobby use agreement with Solid works. If you use if for making money, they want their cut.
https://www.eaa.org/eaa/eaa-membership/ ... -benefits/
Solidworks-resource-center

So now I am learning how to use it too. :)
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
earlgo
Posts: 1794
Joined: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:38 am
Location: NE Ohio

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by earlgo »

Question for Patio: When you use fusion on the web, do you find an annoying lag between your mouse movements and the curser movement? In OnShape, it occurs, especially when making drawings, and adjusting Bill of Materials. Not so annoying with the models and assemblies though. I am using a local DSL and not a cable internet service, and I expect that is part of the problem.
Any thoughts?
--earlgo
Before you do anything, you must do something else first. - Washington's principle.
Patio
Posts: 1369
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 3:14 pm
Location: Centralia Wa

Re: Free and easy to learn 3D CAD

Post by Patio »

I'm on vacation so I'm doing this via my phone.
Earglo I'm on cable so I do not have any slowdowns, most of my leg is created by my lack of a proper video card. I may be wrong but if I understand it right both systems run on your computer and just upload to the web. If you're getting lag in May because of your processor or video card isn't powerful enough. That's just a bit of a guess until I can get home and do some more research.
Live for the moment!
Prepare for tomorrow!
Forgive the past!
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