Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Autocad anyone?

[Lee1980]

Anyone use autcad at work? I use it daily but only draw in 2D at the mo anyone know much about 3D drawing is it much more difficult?

Thanks in advance

[rockhopper]

Are we talking architectural drawing? Thats what i do every day. 3D is not hard if you are good at AutoCAD, you just need to learn a few new commands like extrude, subtract etc. First thing to do is work out the view you want. You don't model the whole building, just the bit you want to see. It takes far too long otherwise. You need to extrude all the walls to give them a height then subtract the window and door openings, then model the window frames etc. There are other ways of doing it, for example constructing a wire frame and applying 3d faces. Then you need to render it which involves selecting materials and getting your lighting sorted out.

I enjoy 3d drawing but it does take a while to get it to look right.

[Edited on 9-10-2005 by rockhopper]

[Lee1980]

I do structural drawings. Work in the same office as architects which is good for sorting out problems

So be mainly for showing complex connection details in 3D so they are easier to understand have done details before in 3d but drawn it 2d if u get me but takes for ever

We use 2005 now at work and I just got a copy of 2006 and it has some new features to have looked at online tutorials for 3d drawing to autodesk site is quite good just a case of having time

[PB]

It would be much more time efficient to model in a dedicated 3D software package wihich will have a much more intuitive interface for modelling. As Rockhopper says, AutoCAD is a 2D package that then does its best to provide a 3D element - but it is time consuming and not that easy to get a convincing result.

As an architect, I have for some time been using ArchiCAD, which models directly in 3D and then allows for the easy generation of 2D drawings. I understand that there are similar engineering packages available, or their 3D alternatives at much less cost.

Hope this helps a little - I'd normally be able to remember some of the software titles that might help, but I'm too tired on this Sunday evening.......

[rockhopper]

The problem will be that if your practice uses package A then they will not let you change to package B! We have 30 plus licences for AutoCAD LT2004, ADT 2005 and 2006 so there is no way they would change to something like Archicad, it would be too expensive in licences and lost productivity while the guys learn the new package.

We have some superb rendered images done in AutoCAD and rendered in Acurender.

I would agree that there are perhaps easier to use packages out there but we don't have the option of using them!

[Lee1980]

Be the same for us Paul we have to use Autocad at work, we are looking at getting some sort of add on software to do 3d steel frames more easily its a case of u draw it once in 3d then can use each of the sides for plans, elevations etc.

Will have a go at some of the tuturorials when i can, anyone know of any good courses to go on to do 3d autocad?

[Steve M]

Autodesk Inventor is far superior to Autocad 3D, is easier to use and allows you do things such as Finite element analisis with the model produced. And as both are produce by Autodesk they are similar in the way the work.

[yeti]

3D blows 2D packages away. Don't let anyone tell you differently. Trouble is if you have licences for Acad etc.

I use a package called Solid Edge here at work, most of our stuff is fairly complex engineering, and it's absolutely brilliant at that, especially when you have to show things to people to help them visualise the "real" thing.

One avenue you might explore is getting a demo package. I'm fairly certain if you speak to people such as Solid Edge or Solid Works, they will give you a demo copy in the hope that you might migrate all your stuff over to them.

However, you WILL need training. Drawing in 2D is fairly intuitive, 3D initially takes a while to get your head round.

If I can help you more, or you would like to see some 3D files, drop me a U2U.

Hope this helps

[rockhopper]

A mate of my raved about Solid Edge but that was ten years ago now so it should be even better.

At the end of the day AutoCAD does what we want and for us, its the industry standard so we have no trouble sharing drawings with other practices.

[Lee1980]

Thanks guys Solid edge looks great, we wont need quite that much detail. Be mainly looking at steel/cladding details and ReBar in 3d would bo good to help visualise certain details still mostly be in 2d.