12-01-2003 00:45									#1
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Do you work with those programs?

I have just installed ArchiCAD for my brother (he needs it for his studies) and this program is impresive... there is huge amount of stuff it can do for you.

I also have some old version of AutoCAD, but it is much more complex so I didnt figure out what it can do.

but still, CAD programs are excellent!

When you draw a house in 2d and he renders it in 3d. Awsome

I have also seen on my university, they use CATIA on higher years, but I have no expirience with it.



My question is, do you work with CAD programs (doesn't matter in which area), what are your expiriences with them, which are the best .. etc


Oh, and are there any free ones I could download and try out? (though I dont need them professionaly, I would like to play with it some)

These programs cost a fortune btw

	12-01-2003 02:05									#2
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quote: they use CATIA on higher years, but I have no expirience with it.

I earn a living programming CATIA .
Indeed, it is very expensive...
The programs are very varied. Those you would use are probably mostly 2D with 3D possibilites, because otherwise it starts costing a lot.
There is a good CAD e_zine, called upfrontezine, you can look for it (I only have a link at work, not here, so I can't give the url). You can probably find out a lot about CAD programs there, mostly 2D and architecture based.

I can't really recommend programs, though, because I am professionnally biased.
Autocad, Solidworks, are good software, though.

	12-01-2003 05:19									#3
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CADs not a program, you get programs that are involved in CAD, i use them all the time at school, make complez models without touching a chizzle! So sweet!

	12-01-2003 09:44									#4
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I use DataCAD on occasion which is very good for architectural drawings.

	12-01-2003 17:46									#5
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I have both SolidWorks 2000 and AutoCAD 2000 here at home, but I have more experience with SolidWorks.

I think SW2000 is better, because of its great "ease" (it's still not extremely easy, but for 3D-modeling it's easier than AutoCAD) and functionality (3D-rendering, animations, universal export format).

	12-01-2003 18:45									#6
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LdiCesare, thanks I ll look up that e-zine.


Zopperoni, what do you use SolidWorks for? Is it engeneering sotware or something else?

	12-01-2003 19:13									#7
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quote: Originally posted by VetLegion Zopperoni, what do you use SolidWorks for? Is it engeneering sotware or something else?

It's technically oriented yes, but I use it for all sorts of things, also for designing bottles, simple abstract stuff et cetera.

Here's the official SW-site: http://www.solidworks.com/

	13-01-2003 15:46									#8
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My wife does CAD for Liz Claiborne. She uses Eu4ria (euphoria?). If you have any questions I will ask her for you.

	13-01-2003 20:33									#9
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Even more impressive are the combo programs that are used for design, since they usually include:
- an object design tool (CAD)
- a manufacturing process planning tool (CAM/CAPP)
- a static/dynamic/thermal/acoustic simulation tool (FEM)
- optimisation tools
- many other stuff

See I-Deas and ProEngineer f.e.

The amazing thing about them is the level of integration of so many complicated stuff and the ease and speed with which an engineer can work with them. And of course for their steep learning curve.

Btw, their libraries are enormous. Libraries are everything in design tools.

	15-01-2003 01:46									#10
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Caligastia, thanks I m just generally browsing

Yeah I guess finite element analysis and other stuff are extremely valuable.

Too bad these programs have a steep learning curve, I thought of getting one and playing with it, but I dont have the patience to learn how it works for 6 months prior. I want something quick and easy

Me and a friend got interested in silencing our PC's for example. Cooling is the problem.. quite interesting problem but computational flow dynamics tools are quite expensive

	15-01-2003 04:19									#11
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quote: Originally posted by axi Even more impressive are the combo programs that are used for design, since they usually include: - an object design tool (CAD) - a manufacturing process planning tool (CAM/CAPP) - a static/dynamic/thermal/acoustic simulation tool (FEM) - optimisation tools - many other stuff See I-Deas and ProEngineer f.e. The amazing thing about them is the level of integration of so many complicated stuff and the ease and speed with which an engineer can work with them. And of course for their steep learning curve. Btw, their libraries are enormous. Libraries are everything in design tools.

I-Deas and Pro-E!
CATIA is also such a suite. The biggest portfolio of applications, actually. Even more if you count not only those made by Dassault Systemes but also those made by partners. I cannot help it, but you have products inside the CAD suite like:
product and assembly design, electrical design (wire routing, electrical harness design...), manufacturing tools (including numeric command), drawing (both generated from 3D and interactive), solid modelling, shape modelling, sheetmetal design (with variants again), mold design, rule-based and optimization programs...
Then you can add a layer of product management on top (revisions of products, management of rights to change products, versionning, configuration management...).

And you end up having HUGE programs. I dare not count the number of lines of code we have in CATIA.

	15-01-2003 04:28									#12
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How many hundrends of thousands of Euros does this program cost?

	15-01-2003 05:15									#13
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I do architectural drafting with Autocad. Have used it from version 12-2002. It is an excellent program, that only gets better.

	15-01-2003 12:45									#14
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NA,

Have you used DataCAD? It is far superior to AutoCAD when it comes to architectural drawings.

	16-01-2003 04:35									#15
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nope, I was taught on AutoCadd at school, and every office I've worked in uses AutoCadd. I'll be the first to admit it is difficult to make the initial switch to another program if you have a fair bit of experience with one.

Who make DataCad? In which ways is it superior?

	17-01-2003 02:02									#16
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quote: How many hundrends of thousands of Euros does this program cost?

It is modular. The base price is a huge thing maybe 10 000 euros, and then you pu add-ons, products which will add a few thousand euros each. IF a customer wanted ALL the products (but they can't all be used by the same user so it would be quite silly), then it might very well cost them a hundred thousand. I have no idea. I think the prices are a bit higher than ProE, but the product is better (am I biased?)

	17-01-2003 02:10									#17
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I've used AutoCAD12 and a little bit of Microstation Integraph in the early 90's. I just used them as drafting programs. Basically allows drawing straight lines. There are some advantages over hand drafting. Lettering, revisions much easier. I didn't really use any fancy features (not sure if they are in there), like 2d -> 3D or what-have you. It is kind of a cool tool though.

	17-01-2003 04:25									#18
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Try to get you hands on version 14, this is when AutoCadd really starts to shine as it goes into a more windows based environment, so you don't need a tablet to use it.

	17-01-2003 04:31									#19
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quote: Originally posted by November Adam Try to get you hands on version 14, this is when AutoCadd really starts to shine as it goes into a more windows based environment, so you don't need a tablet to use it.

I didn't really use the tablet. It already had drop downs and shortcut keys. I did hear from drafters that it was faster with the tablet if you used it alot. I would be worried about losing the tablet to be honest...like losing the little keyboard template for Wordperfect.

	17-01-2003 04:57									#20
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I use AutoCad 2000 for architectural work, although i never do design work on the computer, i just transcribe whatever i came up with by hand for working drawings.
I'll probably move over to 2002 soon, although i haven't checked which improvements they may have made.

Learned Design Cad years and years ago, and used Architrion briefly. I couldn't tell you which program is better or not. I use AutoCad because everyone else I interact with uses it.

	18-01-2003 10:19									#21
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quote: Originally posted by November Adam nope, I was taught on AutoCadd at school, and every office I've worked in uses AutoCadd. I'll be the first to admit it is difficult to make the initial switch to another program if you have a fair bit of experience with one. Who make DataCad? In which ways is it superior?

I think Cadkey makes it, but it has its own website. It is superior because it is designed specifically for architectural and construction work, unlike AutoCAD, which is designed to be a generic CAD program. A lot of work have been automated, for example, there are macros to draw windows and stairs. You can put "voids" in walls. You can put in all the 3D details the first time around to have the program do the renderings later.

There's a feature chart on the website.