CAD Software

[gribbli]

I've created this thread for anyone who uses any CAD software either as a hobby or as part of their job.

All screenshots \ video welcome, and if it is part of your job by all means feel free to go into detail about how using aids in the work you do.

Me myself as per discussion in another thread, I am learning Blender 3D as a hobby.

My current muse is a Veyron, screenshot below is of the '2nd phase' complete, which was just a general tidy up of obvious surface errors. I'm not looking to attempt a verbatim model as this is just to play around and learn the software (in any event I havent the eye or patience for such detail ). I've moved this up to level 2 smoothing so the poly count has increased quite a bit now.

Next screenshot I hope to show will be a finished 3rd phase, which will be another wireframe render except with all the extra details, wheels, side mirrors, front grill, lights etc etc

 

[Grizzly]

Nice work Gribbli.

I use architectural packages for work and play with other CAD systems for my own projects, but all of this is based off something that can be measured and defined.

Working with surfaces is something that i have no idea about, but would love to learn when i can give it the time.

This is the current WIP for one of my project cars... Before work can begin on the heads, CCs and ports, i need a basic knowledge of working with surfaces.. something for the new year maybe the heads do not come into this years (loosest sense of the word) 'plan' thankfully..

 

[gribbli]

Hey Griz,

That looks really cool and shames my bubble car

Do you simulate mechanics with that software as well?

EDIT: And by mechanics I mean the engine itself... not simulating a man on a constant tea break who has large intakes of breathe every time you ask for a quote

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Solidworks is great for designing components, my old work unfortunately didn't have the machining ability to match my designs.

I used to do small scale assemblies to see how things fit together but I never had a powerful enough machine to see how far I could push the program so I didn't anything as complex as an engine.

 

[Grizzly]

Hey Griz,

That looks really cool and shames my bubble car

Do you simulate mechanics with that software as well?

EDIT: And by mechanics I mean the engine itself... not simulating a man on a constant tea break who has large intakes of breathe every time you ask for a quote

It can, it does, but I can't properly I've had no formal training of SolidWorks or Cosmos Express (the simulation software with SW). What you see though is a working/rotating model that i can use to develop parts for the car and have other people develop parts and hopefully save some time and money in the long run. Great learning process, but I get very frustrating at times!

Solidworks is great for designing components, my old work unfortunately didn't have the machining ability to match my designs.

I used to do small scale assemblies to see how things fit together but I never had a powerful enough machine to see how far I could push the program so I didn't anything as complex as an engine.

I haven't stopped at the engine, I've already done the suspension, brakes, exhaust, trans, transfer case etc. Its the other way about for me, I have great access to machining, just not to the budgets to get things done

One of the first parts i want made in Chromoly, a super strong transfer case that will not explode..... again.

 

[MajorDanby]

Looks beautiful Grib

 

[gribbli]

Cheers MD,

I've found some very interesting quirks with Blender that do make it quite different in the way you are able to manipulate smoothed faces and the concept of smoothing groups (or as is the case with Blender - the lack thereof) - some handy work arounds I have found that might be of interest when i show my next version of the model, as adding details requires a few cheats on my part

Overall i'm really taken with the software, If you have had any similar CAD experience then I would say you will feel like you have been using it forever within a few days of pottering about.

There is the lack of the odd feature here and there that i'm used to having around but as I say i'm figuring out work arounds as I go, but as free software goes its brill.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

What spec machine are you using? I'm assuming its a PC

 

[gribbli]

What spec machine are you using? I'm assuming its a PC

If this is directed at me, i'm using a quad core intel 6600 (oveclocked to 3ghz per core), 4 gigs of DDR2 1066hz ram and an NVidia 8800 GTS. Ubuntu 10 for my OS.

It has a few years under its belt now but is purring along nicely and would still give an i7 920 a run for its money speed wise.

p.s. unless its Brogan's i7 which I think is overclocked to infinity

p.p.s something else worth pointing out on the subject, I was doing quite a process heavy render at one point so I decided to have a look at the load balancing and found that Blender does indeed multithread the rendering.

In the main desktop applications dont really fit multi-core machines so its nice to see a process perfect for multiple threading making the most of your hardware.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

That puts my little dual core 667hz Toshiba Laptop to shame. It can barely run AutoCAD LT.

I've been wanting to get a new dedicated machine for a while but I know as soon as I get something with a serious amount of power I won't get any work done at all due to my addiction to gaming.

My work PC isn't too bad but unfortunately the IT department have locked it down so I can't install additional software.

 

[F1Yorkshire]

I've been on my usual never ending search for free stuff and I've come across this website:

http://www.caligari.com/

They are offering a free download of trueSpace 7.6

I'm not sure how it compares to blender and other 3D Modelling software but I shall be having a play with it later and I'll see what its capable of.

 

[gribbli]

By all means create a review thread if you get into it, i might due a tutorial or two for Blender if there is any interest.

 

[Grizzly]

There is interest especially if it envolves surfaces...

 

[Grizzly]

Pretty much finished the billet version now. This case has to hold the power shafts that turn all the power to the back wheels through 90deg. This should be a lot stronger than the original a few posts back, whether built cheap (er) with steel or all out with chromoly.

 

[Enja]

By all means create a review thread if you get into it, i might due a tutorial or two for Blender if there is any interest.

I would love a bit of help with Blender. I've tried it before just for fun and not really gotten anywhere.

 

[Grizzly]

Anyone been playing with CAD recently?