CAD...where to start?

[Il_napoletano]

Hi guys and gals

 

I looking to get into CAD...but I don't know where to start.

 

Could you recommend any tutorials, websites, programs etc.?

 

thanks in advance

[BluePanda]

Depends -- are you using CAD for school or are you using it for personal use...and what types of things are you attempting to model?

[EuroFight]

Here's my 5

[l1il]

There is always FreeCAD, which is a fully-featured 2D-3D modeler. There seems to be solid privitives with some freeform modeling.

 

This one really is a solid modeler, so the UI will look cluttered for a new user.

 

They have a good user base, complete documentation , and even, yes ... Youtube Videos!!!

 

I would had liked it when I started Cadding at your age (lol 12 years ago)

 

This is a free AutoCAD alternative also, meaning that the User Interface WILL behave similar to AutoCAD, which is the industry standard.

 

Though, if you are going to be studying in a mechanical field, they will provide you with the according software required. No need to learn 2-3 softwares at once

 

I've been using some AutoCAD but I started with TurboCAD ($$$), I stopped upgrading because of pricing and the lack of 64 bit compatibility. They just added it
one or two years ago

[ir_cow]

I don't know anything really about CAD. All I can say is benchmarks shows that a pro card is needed to really do work.

[DanTheGamer11]

I don't know anything really about CAD. All I can say is benchmarks shows that a pro card is needed to really do work.

For the super complex models that consists of fully detailed building then yes, it needs a decent card

 

Should really buy a book to learn all the basics, or just use the AutoCAD help centre if ya have it the program

[Il_napoletano]

Depends -- are you using CAD for school or are you using it for personal use...and what types of things are you attempting to model?

I would be using it for personal use for now...then if I like it, I may continue and go professional

 

and at the moment..anything maybe a car or car rim or something like that

[ir_cow]

 

I don't know anything really about CAD. All I can say is benchmarks shows that a pro card is needed to really do work.

For the super complex models that consists of fully detailed building then yes, it needs a decent card

 

Should really buy a book to learn all the basics, or just use the AutoCAD help centre if ya have it the program

I lied , I've used cad before and did a small amount of CNC work . not enough to say I know what I'm talking about . I don't lol . not with CAD anyways

[Master Binky]

This is just my opinion but if you're going without a book, here is what I suggest based on the car/car rim example that was thrown out.

 

Start with tutorials for simple 2D parts. Do them from different sites/places/writers even if it's over the same basic objects you can skim through them eventually to see if there's anything new to learn. I say this because there's a few ways to do the same simple things so getting exposed to them and figuring out what your preferences are is important, as well as knowing the alternatives(or that they even exist).

 

I personally think 3D isn't so bad if you know what your representing with 2D drawings, so it's easy to step up from that with some basic 3D tutorials, and the profeciency with the program you get learning the 2D stuff still carries over.

 

Keep in mind I started with Autocad 8 and so I am still more keyboard oriented for almost all of my commands in CAD so my concept of a good start may be a bit outdated, although I still think people digging through icons and menus are slow when I watch it

[Il_napoletano]

This is just my opinion but if you're going without a book, here is what I suggest based on the car/car rim example that was thrown out.

 

Start with tutorials for simple 2D parts. Do them from different sites/places/writers even if it's over the same basic objects you can skim through them eventually to see if there's anything new to learn. I say this because there's a few ways to do the same simple things so getting exposed to them and figuring out what your preferences are is important, as well as knowing the alternatives(or that they even exist).

 

I personally think 3D isn't so bad if you know what your representing with 2D drawings, so it's easy to step up from that with some basic 3D tutorials, and the profeciency with the program you get learning the 2D stuff still carries over.

 

Keep in mind I started with Autocad 8 and so I am still more keyboard oriented for almost all of my commands in CAD so my concept of a good start may be a bit outdated, although I still think people digging through icons and menus are slow when I watch it

Ok...this is more or less the info I was looking for. Do you know any good tutorial sites? or should I just look on google?

 

And what program should I use?

What's maya like?

 

and yeah..it sounds similar to me on PS...90% keyboard shortcuts

Edited May 20, 2013 by Il_napoletano

[Master Binky]

I've usually just used google when I don't have a physical reference book. The important part is doing tutorials that keep your interest and hopefully accomplish similar things in different ways. Don't worry too much about it, it isn't like learning guitar or programming where you will be paying for not doing things the a correct way from the start. 

 

Try to go through the commands in a program's help, whether online or in program. You don't have to learn them all, but seeing it once or twice and getting an idea of how they structure their commands and the typical verbage they use helps alot when you get stuck and need a keyword to feed google.

[Master Binky]

Oh, and I don't have good suggestions for programs since I learned autocad in school and am stuck with it at work as well so I never ventured from it much.