What's a good CAD program to do general design RC?
12-09-2009, 06:52 AM
#46
Tech Master
I have worked with a lot of CAD programs and autocad is not able to compete with the other programs.
UGS, Pro-E and Catia are still the top 3 followed by solid works.
Solid works is great for designing a car from scratch.
It works easy and fast.
I have used all the programs on this pc and Solid works runs also better on a home pc.
I run it now.
I have the complete drive train and suspension of the hot bodies in Solid works.
Now I'm working on the Photon to set it in 3D with all the parts.
Just for the fun ad the moment.
UGS, Pro-E and Catia are still the top 3 followed by solid works.
Solid works is great for designing a car from scratch.
It works easy and fast.
I have used all the programs on this pc and Solid works runs also better on a home pc.
I run it now.
I have the complete drive train and suspension of the hot bodies in Solid works.
Now I'm working on the Photon to set it in 3D with all the parts.
Just for the fun ad the moment.
12-09-2009, 08:06 AM
#47
maybe it's best I play with 2d applications first, work on a model and later work on a 3d model of it. What version of Inventor is worth buying that's in the $100+ range? I saw a version of it in Staples for $100.00. If I'm able to catch on to this then maybe later I'll spend more on a program.
Autodesk used to offer a 30 day demo (delivered by mail) you might wanna check that out. But as I said before, you might want to start out with a 2d drawing app with .dxf capability and go from there.
12-09-2009, 08:26 AM
#48
Not accurate enough for serious cnc parts production, especially of anything that requires a true ellipse, but good enough to familiarize a person with working in a 3d environment and get them started in 3d modeling. Add to that, the free factor, and ease of use and it's a start in that direction.
There is actually solids (OBJ) and nurbs support via plugins, but I wouldn't really bother with that, as the app handles nurbs in a relatively unpredictable/uncontrollable fashion, and as monkeyfist said, gmax/3d studio max is not cad software, that's why I recommended it as just something to experiment with. There is, however, a plugin called.........................let's see..............................................C NC TOOLKIT! (brain fart moment), for gmax/3dstudiomax, that can be used to generate simple 3 axis g-code from splines IIRC, but it's very crude and very inefficient code-wise. You can wind up with 10,000 lines of code to do something that really only requires 10 lines. Polylines being part of the problem. It can be fun to mess around with, though it seems very unlikely anyone here would make use of it.
here's an example of how inaccurate it would be to produce a part using a model produced in gmax. I just did these 2 models of a steering link for a rc18 I've got sitting here. Each took about the same amount of time, most of it was spent measuring (~under 10 minutes each). Can you see the difference (yeah, yeah, besides the diameter of the ball link holes
)?
gmax
not gmax
There is actually solids (OBJ) and nurbs support via plugins, but I wouldn't really bother with that, as the app handles nurbs in a relatively unpredictable/uncontrollable fashion, and as monkeyfist said, gmax/3d studio max is not cad software, that's why I recommended it as just something to experiment with. There is, however, a plugin called.........................let's see..............................................C NC TOOLKIT! (brain fart moment), for gmax/3dstudiomax, that can be used to generate simple 3 axis g-code from splines IIRC, but it's very crude and very inefficient code-wise. You can wind up with 10,000 lines of code to do something that really only requires 10 lines. Polylines being part of the problem. It can be fun to mess around with, though it seems very unlikely anyone here would make use of it.
here's an example of how inaccurate it would be to produce a part using a model produced in gmax. I just did these 2 models of a steering link for a rc18 I've got sitting here. Each took about the same amount of time, most of it was spent measuring (~under 10 minutes each). Can you see the difference (yeah, yeah, besides the diameter of the ball link holes
)?gmax
not gmax
12-09-2009, 10:06 AM
#49
I'm using Inventor. Designed my Pro10 with it.
I'm using inventor also for my work so no troubles using it.
the latest 2010 version is in my opinion an outstanding tool, but the 'ribbon' user interface might need some getting used to. but you can switch to the "classic" style interface.
In general all the "pro" CAD programs are of great quality. And I think that is the way to go is you're planning on using a machine shop to do the fabrication of the parts.
Here's some of my renderd images to show off
I'm using inventor also for my work so no troubles using it.
the latest 2010 version is in my opinion an outstanding tool, but the 'ribbon' user interface might need some getting used to. but you can switch to the "classic" style interface.
In general all the "pro" CAD programs are of great quality. And I think that is the way to go is you're planning on using a machine shop to do the fabrication of the parts.
Here's some of my renderd images to show off
12-09-2009, 11:01 AM
#50
Well...I knew it would be interesting.
I downloaded free trial version of Inventor 2010. It's going to take me 6 months just to learn how to do anything with it. lol I have a new found respect for you guys. I've got the imagination, and I can very easy put things together in my mind. The one thing I very much lack is the mathematics, and geometry know how it takes to do this kind of work. 
I've had great ideas for years, but never had the tools to make it reality. I guess if you really want to do something special you got to put the work into it. Wish me luck, I'll need it. 
Carbonator that's great stuff, man I can't wait until I'm able to do images like that, amazing.
I've had great ideas for years, but never had the tools to make it reality. I guess if you really want to do something special you got to put the work into it. Wish me luck, I'll need it. Carbonator that's great stuff, man I can't wait until I'm able to do images like that, amazing.
12-09-2009, 11:22 AM
#51
I'm using Inventor. Designed my Pro10 with it.
I'm using inventor also for my work so no troubles using it.
the latest 2010 version is in my opinion an outstanding tool, but the 'ribbon' user interface might need some getting used to. but you can switch to the "classic" style interface.
In general all the "pro" CAD programs are of great quality. And I think that is the way to go is you're planning on using a machine shop to do the fabrication of the parts.
I'm using inventor also for my work so no troubles using it.
the latest 2010 version is in my opinion an outstanding tool, but the 'ribbon' user interface might need some getting used to. but you can switch to the "classic" style interface.
In general all the "pro" CAD programs are of great quality. And I think that is the way to go is you're planning on using a machine shop to do the fabrication of the parts.
12-09-2009, 11:50 AM
#53
I'm using Inventor. Designed my Pro10 with it.
I'm using inventor also for my work so no troubles using it.
the latest 2010 version is in my opinion an outstanding tool, but the 'ribbon' user interface might need some getting used to. but you can switch to the "classic" style interface.
In general all the "pro" CAD programs are of great quality. And I think that is the way to go is you're planning on using a machine shop to do the fabrication of the parts.
I'm using inventor also for my work so no troubles using it.
the latest 2010 version is in my opinion an outstanding tool, but the 'ribbon' user interface might need some getting used to. but you can switch to the "classic" style interface.
In general all the "pro" CAD programs are of great quality. And I think that is the way to go is you're planning on using a machine shop to do the fabrication of the parts.
Ik heb je een PM gestuurd over iets wat mij niet lukt in Inventor: het maken van passende ballcups.
12-09-2009, 12:15 PM
#54
There is a bracket on the "real" car, attached to the alu posts holding the topdeck.
Just didn't care to model them in the assembly.
Regards,
RA
Last edited by Carbonator; 12-09-2009 at 12:53 PM.
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