Roll Call Calling all CAD and Graphics people.

[Yevgeniy]

Thank you for this valuable suggestion I will look for Inventor.

[rtwpsom2]

I have found that Inventor has severe limitations compared to SW. It can't do configurations and doesn't have the surfacing tools SW has. However it is more stable and is cheaper if you wait for a sale.

[bigtodd]

I would have to agree, stay away from inventor it will be very disappointing.

SolidWorks can get you up and running very quickly. I have been using it since 1997 (mold and machine design), and can model just about anything in it. My company also used Pro engineer and Catia, I almost always go with SolidWorks when I get a project, I actually get product and drawings out quicker. I have even done a 1/350 scale Graf Zepplin in it and have printed it in a 3d printer.


Todd

[Yevgeniy]

Graf Zeppelin 1:350 printed on 3d printer... This is eXACTLY what I dream to achieve.

If it is possible I would be anxious to see the picture pleeeease of Graf Zeppelin (or any ready ship model printed on 3d printer this way)

I would also be very interested to know whether you have done some manual operations with the model after printing it on 3d printer - models like GZ in 1:350 are quite 'long' so I understand you had to print it in 'portions' and then glue. Is it advisable to do some manual upfit like railings and rigging or THE PRINTER does all the job.

Thank you very much for your information!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yevgeniy

[rtwpsom2]

3D Printers don't have a very high resolution, i.e. dot's per inch. It's not like regular printing where you can print lines with very high quality. After the 3D "print" there is a lot of cleanup. It's good for getting the basic shape and size down, but details have to be done manually. That has been my experience, they might have some super-duper high res version out now that does everything for you, but they didn't when Tim and I were drooling over them.

[Yevgeniy]

Yes, I know about resolution problem - that is why I am even more interested to see how lucky guys print now on 3d printers (especially ships being complex structures with many details). So far I have seen only 3d printer advertisement short movie...you know you can not believe advertisements

Whatever the case now I believe 3d printers will change the ways we do modeling in some 10 years when they found economic ways of making them and cut down the price to a normal paper printer . I believe by that time they will also achieve much higher resolution.

But I am still drooloing to see Graf Zeppelin in 1:350 printed on 3d printer

[rtwpsom2]

Yeah, it would still be pretty cool.

[Lagavoulin]

I use both Solid Edge and Solid Works myself, been using each for ~9 years now.

Barrel Backed Chris Craft
Austin Healey type shell

the above were done in Solid Edge, I am looking to digitize a USS Missouri and model that next .

[CaryChleborad]

OK how many drafters do we have here? I use AutoCAD on a regular basis and have even done a ship or two. How about you all?

Cad drafter / designer / mad scientist for 20 years. Started with AutoCad V 9.0. Drafted for Proctor and Gamble & Pirelli Cable for years. Used BobCad for CNC stuff years ago and now do lots of solid modeling and CNC machining with Solidworks fro my own business.

A friend of mine bought BaD Ship models last year and I have been bringing all of the kit parts into 21st century production using AutoCad and Solidworks. I've been reverse engineering the original wooden patterns and creating laser cutting files for the parts.

My latest bit of fun has been bring all the Charles F Adams parts into Solidworks and assemble the ship... still have a ways to go though.

Lots of fun!

[admiralbb62]

I'm a Mechanical Engineer (may be Moniacal Engineer) and I use Autocad to make 2D and 3D drawings and Bobcad to turn the Autocad drawings into G code for my CNC router.

[mcg]

Rhino3D 4.0. I am also trying to learn tsplines, which is a Rhino plug-in. Michael

[kourtney]

What can i expect financially with a CAD degree? I am going to school to earn an associates cad degree. Computer art drafting. I plan to draw architectual plans maybe other things. What can i expect to earn financially starting out then future outlook?

[Tracy White]

I would imagine a lot of it depends on the industry and experience, even coming out of school. In the US, for example, what with the decrease in building projects, there's less need for traditional architectural CAD until people start planning and building new office spaces, etc. But people are still designing airplanes, ships, etc.

[Cadman]

It really depends on where you live. Here in the Midwest it's 25 to 45k. But there is not a lot of hiring going on.

[tombrashear]

Newbee, here . I Just recently retired from from a naval engineering activity and I am trying to get back into model building (1/700 scale ship & 1/72 scale ac). Last time I built a model ship was in the late 60's.

I am fairly proficient in AutoCAD, ship installation drawings, incl 3D work. However, I have yet to try may hand at virtual model building. I hope to get up to speed on it later this year, once I get CAD / CAM set up for this. In the meantime, I am in the process of tooling up.

By the way, where is a good place for newcomer to start on this website?
Looking for directions.
-Tom B.

[HMAS]

Newbee, here . By the way, where is a good place for newcomer to start on this website?
Looking for directions.-Tom B.

Tom
This is as good as any place to start, welcome
Directions? bugs always sed "I should've turned left at al-bee-kirk-ee"
Tony

[tombrashear]

Thnx Tony.

...Hey, wasn't that the wrong turn that landed bugs in Tazmania?

Anyway, looks like there is a lot offered on this website. I esp like the photogallery. Some really amazing craftmanship... ...I wonder if they post 3D renditions too.


-Tom B.

[Tracy White]

Tom: as far as I know it hasn't been done before, but I'd like to see it. Try contacting CADman (he might be a little biased in your favor as you can guess ) or Sean Hert.

[Cadman]

There are a few virtual ships in our gallery. So if you want to submit photos of your CAD work, they will be treated the same. Post some of your in progress shots here and we can offer some tips.

[tombrashear]

OK, thnx.

As previously indicated, I am currently in the processes of tooling up, so I won't get my first stab
at virtural model building until later this year.

Also, I take it that jpg conversions would be preferred over the rendered objects themselves.
As I recall, the rendered files tend to be memory hogs.

-Tom B.