# All new to me !!



## BRIAN (Dec 1, 2012)

I am trying to learn basic CAD using A9CAD But the only tutorials I can find are in spanish???:nuts:

Are there any in english?   Or is there another Free Simple program that is better served on u tube.

Brian


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## Ray C (Dec 1, 2012)

Brian,

Good for you for taking-on CAD.  I finally bit the bullet a few months ago and don't regret it.

I'm particularly fond of Alibre and found it very easy to learn because they have several online tutorials to get you going.  Also, the inline help pages have several levels of step-by-step instruction which are quite good.  Finally, the help topics are pretty clear.  There is a free 30 day trial program and the personal version is $200 (USC).  The personal version is good enough for all practical purposes and is otherwise full-featured except it won't do motion analysis, sheet metal, create BOMs (Bill-of-Materials), include the part library or import other design file formats.  I ended-up getting the pro version because a couple people wanted me to make parts and I had to import files from AutoCad.

FWIW, I tried learning some of the big name programs by using their demo version and doing some tutorials and it didn't go well.  I think Alibre's training quality made the difference for me.  The upshot is that after doing a couple hours of watching the tutorials, I started making parts and a week later, I was becoming conversant with the topic with some of the mechanical engineers and designers at work.

Downloading the demo is worth a shot.

Ray


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## Bill Gruby (Dec 1, 2012)

Brian;

 Usually hidden somewhere on the opening page of tutorials there is a link to translate into another language. They are sometimes hard to find, but they are there.

 "Billy G" )


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## twstoerzinger (Dec 1, 2012)

Hello Brian,
When I was working, my employer had furnished me a notebook computer with AutoCad installed.
I ran ACad for some 15 years as a sketch-up and drawing reading tool.
When I was looking at retirement, I realized I would loose access to ACad.
I then realized how much I had used ACad for work at home: everything from parts design, to furniture layout to landscape designing, etc.

Even a basic AutoCad LT license is well over $1000. I could not justify that much for use at home.

I tried several demo versions of other CAD programs and settled on ProgeCad.
One of the benefits to me was that the ProgeCad user interface can be configured to work a lot like AutoCad.
ProgeCad has a demo version - like most Cads. They have a pretty good collection of on-line videos for training.
You can buy their pCAD Standard for $300. It is similar to AutoCad LT.
pCAD standard is mostly a 2-D program. It will do 3-D work, but it takes more to learn the 3-D.
I guess I am from the era where everything was on 2-D. I use sections and alternate views for 3-D work.

Anyways, if you want to look at another CAD program, here's a link:

http://www.progecad.us/shop/index.php?cPath=21_56
and
http://www.progesoft.com/en/list

You have probably found that most CAD programs run totally different than the average Microsoft product. 
You need some help to learn to think the way the CAD programs think. But, once it clicks, it all becomes very intuitive.
Something you will probably find is that just about all CAD programs kind of work the same.
Once you have learned to make one CAD program work, it's usually fairly easy to learn a competitor.

I often take on even simple design tasks with CAD.
CAD keeps you honest. With a pad and pencil, it is easy to make the part look like you wish it would, rather than what it has to be.
The CAD process is only slightly slower than drawing with pencil and paper, and it forces you to use real-life dimensions.
The real power for me is the ease of making multiple copies of a part and then being able to quickly compare modifications or alternate designs for the part.
Plus, a CAD program makes short work of designs which would require a lot of trig or high powered math if you were doing it the old way.

Regards,
Terry S


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## L98fiero (Dec 2, 2012)

I'm with Ray C on this, I found Acad clumsy to use when I tried version 6 or 7 many years ago and got TurboCad on my Atari ST instead. I don`t think I opened the manual for 6 months as it was so easy to use but I never did like their 3D system. When I finally had to use 3D, I tried Alibre and found it just as easy and though I`ve had to get into the manual sooner it`s because I`m doing much more complex parts. I have the pro version at about $1500 with a $500 annual maintenance fee and for my use that`s OK and for hobby use you may not need the maintenance. The maintenance fee gets you the newest version as soon as it comes out. I had a choice of Alibre and Solidworks, they are very similar in the way they feel but Solidworks is much more powerful, it will do surfacing, and there are many add-ons that will alow you to do much more than the basic package. The base price was $4500 plus $1500 annual maintenance, plus, plus, plus,....... I didn`t need that so Alibre was my choice, I don`t need surfacing, I`d like the weldments add-on, it`s quick and easy to learn and will do 99% of the CAD I require at a price I can afford.
Try Alibre, I think you`ll like it.


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## Ray C (Dec 2, 2012)

I think if you need to learn an industry-standard CAD program, AutoCad and SolidWorks are the best looking on a resume.  Someone else pointed-out that Proge CAD is available as a less expensive alternative to AutoCad and I agree very much with that statement.

This issue is a personal choice related to what your goals are.  I feel though that once you learn any one program, it's probably easier to learn others.  In my case, the Alibre software did the trick and it has a price/feature ratio I can live with.  It's pro-grade software that's been around since 1997 and I found it easy to use.

BTW:  I'm surprised that TurboCad gave me grief.  I figured it would be very user-friendly because of it's popularity but that's not how it rubbed me personally.

The good news is that there are so many choices and all of the companies have user-group websites to get help.  Don't be bashful to dig-into that valuable resource.

Do watch out for that price/performance ratio.  Some of these packages are very expensive and are tiered to extract money out of you to use the features you'll eventually want to utilize.

Ray

EDIT:  There's no right or wrong in this domain and I'm not trying to steer you into any particular program -even though I plugged Alibre.  Just trying to pass on the idea that there's more to it than what meets the eye.


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## BRIAN (Dec 3, 2012)

I think I have found the one I need  Double cad XT its 2d and FREE it has lots of vidio tutorials
and good back up 
 The company is hopeing you will upgrade to 3d well we will see it has 30 days free 3d to tempt you.

thanks for all the input it is noted for future referance.  Brian.


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## L98fiero (Dec 4, 2012)

DoubleCad is good, it's 'not' a copy of AutoCad LT according to them. I like it because, if you get the pro version, it's almost the same and has many of the features of TurboCad, they are both made by IMSI. I tried it and did like it but I already have TurboCad 16.2 Platinum so DoubleCad still wouldn't have been an upgrade.


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## brucer (Dec 7, 2012)

Check out Draftsight from Dassault systems (maker of solidworks)


Siemens also has a nice free 2d cad system called Solid Edge.

  theyre both free.


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## OakRidgeGuy (Dec 7, 2012)

Just be aware that DraftSight don't work so well with Windows 7.


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