How did you learn CAD?

[mitch_04]

There is a large amount of people who are very talented with CAD on here. Astro pops up immediately since his entire build is designed before it's built, but I've seen it quite often on other builds as well.

My re-enlistment comes due in the coming May, and as long as it's available, I might as well take the college money while it's offered. College credits will help me towards my promotion as well. I figured that I can do CAD online and it'll be something that will be beneficial to me with my other hobbies. Might even make a few extra nickels on the side to buy some parts with.



So I'm curious, how and where did those of you who know CAD learn it?

[68vert]

My work sent me to training. PM me if you need tips etc

[GaRys69]

If you think the same as being the fabricator such as machining, cutting, welding and even forming the learning will come easy.
Most of the 3D programs that I have used have training built into them, but sometimes it is easier with someone there to bail you out.

Not sure how they teach CAD online unless it is just 2D and not 3D.
For most 3D programs your investment could be steep (unless they pay for that also).
For a computer that would not take forever to process and maybe the cost of a license.
Of course that depends on how detailed and how large the files become that you plan on doing.

Good luck and Thank you for serving.

[minendrews68]

I started out on a drawing board many, many years ago. I then progressed into CAD. As said before some CAD programs are quite expensive. there are however some that are reasonable. one program I use to use to do product development some 15 years ago was over $27k per seat!! It was Unigraphics (which back in the '70s was called McAuto. Very nice 2d/3d program, it would do just about anything. I play around with AutoCAD now. Even it runs in the $4k to $5k range.

[mmosley]

It was one of the classes I took while getting my Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering... I highly recommend that route, not only can you learn CAD, and get someone to pay to send you to further training, you can also have a shot at a career where you can actually afford this hobby. As a Mechanical Engineering student I also took hands on classes in machining, machine elements, casting processes, materials selection, and a few other useful classes for hot rodding.

When I was a design engineer I was sent to a few classes in Autodesk Inventor, Solid Works, Cosmos Motion, and a few others. I did some projects in FEA both as an undergraduate, and later as a grad student and used it as a research engineer later. As a grad student I also took classes in vehicle system dynamics which included projects like designing an anti-lock brake controller. My employer at the time paid for me to take coursework at the local community college in TIG welding also. The reasoning was that a designer that could weld also would be a better designer for assemblies that needed to be welded.

[mitch_04]

Mike, that's the exact route I would take if I ever decide to change my "life plans". I love living in a small town (1300) and would have considered going to school for mechanical engineering if there would have been a way to stay in my small town with that degree. Alas, there is no needs for engineers around here, mostly farming and farming related business! I have always said that if I am deployed when I come back I will 1. Buy a sport bike (I had one and miss it, love the speed!) 2. Pay off my home loan (3 years left) 3. Go to school for engineering purely for my own use. You get a decent amount more to go to college after being deployed and I would have already left my job for a year, so it wouldn't be like upping and quitting. Also, the extra money from the deployment would keep us going with part time jobs, even with a family.

Anywho, I do have AutoCAD. They give the student version to military for free. It's not allowed for profit, just personal usage, which is all I want. I also have Sketchup and have tinkered with designing a few houses and garages on there.

[mmosley]

Anywho, I do have AutoCAD. They give the student version to military for free. It's not allowed for profit, just personal usage, which is all I want.

Can you get Autodesk Inventor? It is made by the same folks but it is native 3D. Take a look.

[pist0lpete]

I am curious if you are interested in cad as a career or a hobby? If it's for hobby the biggest hurdle will be the cost of the software. As far as training goes, I use solidworks at work but not often enought to be as fast as our drafters. When I do need to model something and hit a block I have found a plethora of videos on YouTube. Also GoEngineer(our solidworks vendor) has weekly tutorials you can check out for free if you are a customer. If you are considering drafting as a career i would strongly advise you to consider engineering. In my experience the drafters have been limited in their advancement opportunities.

[mmosley]

If you are considering drafting as a career i would strongly advise you to consider engineering. In my experience the drafters have been limited in their advancement opportunities.

Some companies will take a talented drafter, give him the title of Mechanical Designer, use it as an excuse not to hire the engineer they need and pay him hourly something less than what an engineer would make. Nobody wins. Even if the designer has the skills, experience, and knowledge.

Anyway, yes, given the opportunity, the engineering degree is a worthwhile pursuit. If you do not want to leave your area look into opportunities in ME&P, these are needed everywhere and regional opportunities should always exist. Tailor your education and your job pursuits accordingly if that is your interest. Make sure you get on with a company that offers a path to be a Professional Engineer, this is a field where that is a requirement for advancement. You may very well be able to find a job without relocating. It is also a field that with a PE license and some experience it is not too difficult to strike out on your own.

[Samckitt]

I studied Autocad in college, and my first few years of work were doing design work using Unigraphics. I currently work for Siemens that produces the NX (formerly Unigraphics) software, have been with them for 15 years. My job is software product consultant, I have experience in modeling, assemblies & for the past 5 years my specialty is NX Routing (piping, HVAC, etc)

[minendrews68]

Another Unuigraphics user.......... I had a lot of training in Unigraphics in St. Louis. Scott, did you ever go there for training?

I studied Autocad in college, and my first few years of work were doing design work using Unigraphics. I currently work for Siemens that produces the NX (formerly Unigraphics) software, have been with them for 15 years. My job is software product consultant, I have experience in modeling, assemblies & for the past 5 years my specialty is NX Routing (piping, HVAC, etc)

[Samckitt]

Another Unuigraphics user.......... I had a lot of training in Unigraphics in St. Louis. Scott, did you ever go there for training?

I have been there for training, but has been a while. The past 5 or so training classes I have been to has been Siemens only training classes, other than Routing Beta testing. Last "public" training class I went to there was probably Sheet Metal training.

[mitch_04]

It would be for a hobby mostly.

[rockytopper]

It would be for a hobby mostly.

You might try google sketch up they have a free version. YouTube has info about it.
Rocky

[CampbellshotrodsAZ]

I learned my CAD by racking up 5 figure debt... through my engineering degree. But if one were to pay over $4k for the software, the built in tutorials are enough to get anyone to learn, especially with Solidworks which is very user friendly. You can also become friends with computer geeks... know enough of them and one is bound to have a version you might be able to use....

[chickn]

Try creo direct modeling express, its free

http://www.ptc.com/product/creo/elem...deling/express

[mitch_04]

68 Vert and I have been discussing this a little through PMs. It sounds like Sketchup will work for me to get started with and to design pieces that I will not need machined. I am going to see if I can get AutoCAD Inventor through military use as well.

For designing frames and suspension components, Sketchup should work as I'm using them to layout everything to see what will fit. However, I do have a friend with access to a CNC machine and may want to build a part or 2 down the road. I'll have to get somewhat useful with a CAD program that can export the correct file for that.

[rrelco]

Solidworks all the way! i am a mechanical designer been that for over 20 years. tried them all Pro-E (creo) is not user friendly in my option! Inventor (Autodesk) is fun but i would prefer SW by far.

[captainofiron]

I learned Solid works and ProE in college, most of my experience is just tinkering around with the program.

In my last job they sent me to PTC classes, really showed me cool uses and shortcuts

[ho428]

I started sketching parts in the shop, then took some drafting courses and moved into engineering and onto the drafting board, been using Autocad and ACAD Mechanical for almost 30 years doing machine design, now learning Inventor. Inventor 3D modeling is a royal PITA to learn, even if you've been doing 2D cad your whole career, nothing translates over. Autocad is pretty easy to learn though, but no 3D in it.
Supposedly Solids works is more intuitive to learn, but I'm stuck with what work provides.
Solid works has a Student design kit. Cheap enough to try for 12 months, not sure how it progresses into a permanent seat though. If starting from scratch, learn some basic drafting first, then go 3D all the way.