What Do You Use To Draw/design Projects?

I have a question, of all the CAD programs you are using which is the most common and compatible with your CNC machines. Thank you,
 
Don't know for sure but probably any system that outputs in .dxf format. (Autocad)
The choice of CAD system should not have direct bearing on machine compatibility. I think it's the CAM system in the middle that needs to work well with both.
 
I have a question, of all the CAD programs you are using which is the most common and compatible with your CNC machines. Thank you,

Pretty much any CAD program that will output a .DXF, .STL. or .3DS file will work with most CAM programs. I like AutoCAD, but only because I have been using it for years. I am transitioning to Fusion 360 which is nice because it has integrated CAM. As long as you can edit the post processor in the CAM program to be compatible with your CNC software then life is good. Most CAM programs have posts for all of the common CNC systems.
 
I still use AutoCAD LT98 that I bought when I took an AutoCAD class though mainly for electrical & electronic schematics. For mechanical work I just make sketches showing all the pieces & dimensions & work from them. If I ever need to permanently document any mechanical projects I'll draw them up on LT98 also although that's not likely since I only use it as a hobby. Because of the age of my CAD software I'm not sure if it'll work with the newer versions of Windows plus I only use Linux [Mint v17.2] on my internet-capable computers so I run A'CAD on an old Win XP computer that runs totally offline & serves me well as a glorified typewriter.
 
Usually I just have a vision and build it as I go. I've always done it that way.
 
CorelDraw v9. Orthographic only, but it can save files as DXF, AutoCAD, and a lot of other formats if I ever decided to CNC. Not likely, because I seldom make more than one of anything.

Tom
 
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