3d cad program for visualizing my ideas!

[kkrafs]

Im looking for a cad program that can do 3d knobs and panels,
boxes, jacks, etc "extreamly easy".

Extreamly easy means what it says, the program has to have an
very low learning curve too, i want to visualise complete
units, box with knobs, jacks, etc.

Oh, and it would be grate if it is shareware or "very low cost"!
It dosent have to have zillion functions endless menues,
it has only to be able to create a neat 3d picture.

Some thing similare a PCB cad program, library with components,
i select component, place on location, apply a panel, do some cutouts,
apply some jacks and then i klick the 3D rendering function, viola,
finnished picture!

That would be very nice!

Recommend something folks!!

kkrafs

 

[pucho812]

check out solid works. :thumb:

www.solidworks.com

 

[alk509]

Depending on what you want to do, emachineshop's CAD program may work for you. It's free and super-easy to use.

Go to http://www.emachineshop.com/

Love your signature, BTW. :wink:

Peace,
Al.

 

[ToobieSnack]

uhhh mac or pc?
i'm on mac
any 3d mac proggies?
later
ts

 

[alk509]

Toobie,

I run emachineshop on Windows 98SE under VirtualPC. In fact, the lack of free CAD/CAM applications for OS X was one of the reasons I got VPC in the first place. I highly recommend it.

Peace,
Al.

 

[pucho812]

I was running VPC for a while but the fact that one can build a PC for cheap ore buy a referbished dell for even cheaper caused me to get one. It's made my cad,PCB,design work,etc,etc easier. I would recomend doing that. VPC is a nice fix but mine kept giving me problems all the time it was frustrating. :evil:

 

[alk509]

Pucho, I hear ya... but my VPC works flawlessly. I run TubeCAD, Front Panel Designer, emachineshop, circuitmaker, LTSpice, Filter Designer, Duncan's applications......... I think it all depends on the VPC and Windows versions you're running

Peace,
Al.

 

[ToobieSnack]

thnx all
al ...i got panther on my g4 titanium laptop runnig at 867 mhz ..
which should be alll good so..
what version of windows do you reccomend ..and..
so i have to have a version of windows actually installed on my mac?
later
ts

 

[12afael]

I use rhinoceros . I can simulate boxes, components, the distribution, etc.
more easy than solidwork I think.

I have experience with ligthwave and bryce too.

 

[alk509]

[quote author="ToobieSnack"]what version of windows do you reccomend ..and..
so i have to have a version of windows actually installed on my mac?[/quote]

Toobie,

I run the last version of VPC before MS took over it on my Dual 533MHz G4 (desktop) at home. I forget exactly what version that is, but I'll check it out for you when I get home.

After you install VPC, you need to install Windows in order for Windows applications to work, of course. For my needs Windows 98 second edition is enough and has been extremely stable. I've seen a lot of complaints on the web from people trying to run 2000 or XP, though...

Hope it helps.

Peace,
Al.

 

[kkrafs]

[quote author="alk509"]Depending on what you want to do, emachineshop's CAD program may work for you. It's free and super-easy to use.

Go to http://www.emachineshop.com/

Love your signature, BTW. :wink:

Peace,
Al.[/quote]

Love yours too, :wink:

Actually i was super serious when i wrote it, but after
i have read it over a couple of times , i started to realize
its inbuilt humor, a bit of "falwty towers" over it!

(fawlty, faulty towers, a english TV comedy series by John Clease).

Reg
kkrafs

 

[ToobieSnack]

i re-read your initial question and it sounds like you are talking about a 3d draw program rather than a cad program ..
like strata 3d or cinnemotion 4d or bodypaint.

scaling and measurements may be a problem but yo can definitely create a 3d unit in cyberspace .. of course yo might have to build each part from scratch ... :wink:
later
ts

 

[Joechris]

Rhinoceros..even I managed to make this...

 

[12afael]

Joechris do you have more parts? I have some maybe we can exchange some models .

 

[Marik]

Since we are on the topic...
I've got an AutoCAD 2000. Anybody knows where could I find some kind of manual, or tutorial. I tried for 4 hours to figure out 3d drawing, with no success. The help menu sucks--just explains the bottons functions. All I need is a couple trial 3d drawings, with explanation. :sad:

 

[fmed]

Hi All,

@Marik: Autocad is huge. You can spend an entire lifetime trying to learn it. I recommend something much smaller. Third party books (eg Autocad for Dummies, etc.) are a better starting point than the product manuals.

I use Maya on a regular basis (I work in videogames)....however, I haven't found anything as easy to use as Sketchup:

http://www.sketchup.com/

Sketchup is excellent for quick prototypes.

(Check out some drawings done in Sketchup by complete novices over at John Sayer's Acoustic design forums).

-f

 

[ToobieSnack]

fmed

TOTALLY FREAKIN AWESOME TIP!!!! THNX

that has got to be THE coolest 3d proggy .. AND mac AND windoze!!!!!
cross platform ... realtability among users AWESOME..

Babylonia is back!

this is the proggy i'll be using THEY EVEN HAVE A FORUM and peeps make 3d objects and share ..
i put up a request for sime vintagve electronics objects ... mebbe we will get a bite ... and some sketchup freak will build them for us :grin:

later
ts

 

[EZ81]

Marik,
This one is ok for learning 3D in Autocad, if you are a bit familiar with 2D drawing: www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/Learning/autocad/R2000/3D-Tute.pdf
Sadly i don't have access to Autocad anymore, it was fun (.....sometimes :wink: ).

EDIT: These things take forever do draw in Autocad for unexperienced people, a buddy spent a few months during an internship doing a lot of Autocad 3D drawings and at the end reached decent drawing speed.

HTH
;Mattthias

 

[Marik]

[quote author="EZ81"]Marik,
This one is ok for learning 3D in Autocad, if you are a bit familiar with 2D drawing: www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/Learning/autocad/R2000/3D-Tute.pdf
Sadly i don't have access to Autocad anymore, it was fun (.....sometimes :wink: ).

EDIT: These things take forever do draw in Autocad for unexperienced people, a buddy spent a few months during an internship doing a lot of Autocad 3D drawings and at the end reached decent drawing speed.

HTH
;Mattthias[/quote]

Thanks a lot for the link. It is very helpful. I think I start getting the concept, although still have a lot of questions. It is a lot of fun...

 

[kvintus]

I use IronCAD 7 almost daily. It's easier to use than autocad. You draw everything in 3d, you don't render 2D drawings as in many other cad programs. I think it rocks. Quite expensive though.

/Anders