- Joined
- Dec 30, 2000
- Location
- New Jersey
preferably free
-
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what programs are good for 3d waterblock drawings?
- Thread starter JML
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2002
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
i asked somebody this and they said pro engineer. i havnt yet tryed it though.
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
- Location
- Groton, CT
I use AutoCAD 2002, and I should be getting 3D studio max and lightwave from a teacher at school.
OP
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2000
- Location
- New Jersey
- Thread Starter
- #5
thanks all, I'm gonna see if any of these have a trial version
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2002
For water blocks any 3D program, including the $9.99 jewel case specials should be fine. There are several free programs that would work too.
Expensive programs are meant for industrial use and have extended rendering capabilities and far more complexity than you need (they all have a steep initial learning curve).
Free Programs include POV-Ray, Blender, 3Dmate (?), trueSpace1.0
A few consumer priced programs include trueSpace3.1, and a few others on the tip of my tongue
If you want to go into a hobby, eventually you'll want to check out Rhino, Hash Animation Master, or trueSpace5.2. All of them have demos.
Pros use Lightwave, 3D Max, Maya, and others.
There are tons of programs out there, and a few really good ones I simply can't remember the names of offhand. Cinema 4D is supposed to be good but I don't know much about it. Personally I don't like trueSpace but I'm trapped in the upgrade path...
But a waterblock... anything will do that.
Expensive programs are meant for industrial use and have extended rendering capabilities and far more complexity than you need (they all have a steep initial learning curve).
Free Programs include POV-Ray, Blender, 3Dmate (?), trueSpace1.0
A few consumer priced programs include trueSpace3.1, and a few others on the tip of my tongue
If you want to go into a hobby, eventually you'll want to check out Rhino, Hash Animation Master, or trueSpace5.2. All of them have demos.
Pros use Lightwave, 3D Max, Maya, and others.
There are tons of programs out there, and a few really good ones I simply can't remember the names of offhand. Cinema 4D is supposed to be good but I don't know much about it. Personally I don't like trueSpace but I'm trapped in the upgrade path...
But a waterblock... anything will do that.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2001
- Location
- Milton Keynes, UK
maya has now been released free for personal use, it is called personal edition and can be downloaded from their web site at www.aliaswavefront.com/freemaya
i use that now, but before i used truspace 3,
i use that now, but before i used truspace 3,
OP
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2000
- Location
- New Jersey
- Thread Starter
- #8
baggage and overclocker- thanks for the links and info . I'm gonna dl the maya thing when I get home today
. I'm gonna dl the maya thing when I get home today
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2002
If you are just trying to draw them, any of the commercial or free 3d drawing programs should work; some are just much nicer and easier to use. If you are trying to model them or produce drawings that can be used to machine them, then 3d CAD is really the only option. My favorites in order are:
SolidWorks--simply the best. Easy to learn, every ability you could want.
ProEngineer--very nice program, extremely hefty price. I don't like it as much as SolidWorks, but it's a great program.
AutoCAD/Mechanical Desktop--the old hag on the block with lots of plastic surgery thrown in to make it look better. I forget the name of Autodesk's new version of 3d modeling, but it looks promising.
IronCAD--good program that's showing some industry penetration, but not as well known.
Those are just my preferences of some packages that are currently available and that I've worked with. There are many others, and this is just my opinion.
SolidWorks--simply the best. Easy to learn, every ability you could want.
ProEngineer--very nice program, extremely hefty price. I don't like it as much as SolidWorks, but it's a great program.
AutoCAD/Mechanical Desktop--the old hag on the block with lots of plastic surgery thrown in to make it look better. I forget the name of Autodesk's new version of 3d modeling, but it looks promising.
IronCAD--good program that's showing some industry penetration, but not as well known.
Those are just my preferences of some packages that are currently available and that I've worked with. There are many others, and this is just my opinion.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2001
- Location
- Milton Keynes, UK
only download maya if you have a high speed internet connection or lots of free time, it is 139MB, i got it on a CD instead - some 3D magasins (3D World in my case) provide it on CD, all you have to do it register online.
oh if you havn't used MAYA or ANY 3D program before please do the tutorials, they help, alot.
oh if you havn't used MAYA or ANY 3D program before please do the tutorials, they help, alot.
OP
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2000
- Location
- New Jersey
- Thread Starter
- #11
just got home-
139MB?! nooooooooo I have 56k! It won't even be done downloading by Monday! =(
I'm gonna see if I can find any of the free one's Ugmore Baggage mentioned
*Update* I downloaded POV-Ray- very cool! I've only down the tutorial so far, but I hope to work on it more when I have free time
Thanks Ugmore!
139MB?! nooooooooo I have 56k! It won't even be done downloading by Monday! =(
I'm gonna see if I can find any of the free one's Ugmore Baggage mentioned
*Update* I downloaded POV-Ray- very cool! I've only down the tutorial so far, but I hope to work on it more when I have free time
Thanks Ugmore!
Last edited:
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2002
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
what programs will you be able to feed into a cnc mill and get a finished product?
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2002
- Location
- Groton, CT
ed8150 said:
I have been looking at may machineshop websites and many of the say they use AutoCAD.
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2002
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
autocad it is then. i actually think i have a copy lying around somewhere. are there different flavors of autocad or is there just autocad which is a program and other cads?
I will say that in my opinion, Unigraphics cam package is a great way to go. But it isn't a very easy find to use. For simplicity, I would go with CadKey.
Just to give some background, I am degreed in Mechanical and Manufacturing engineering, and I am now a Tool and Die maker. I have worked with a wide variety of 3d-2d-CAM packages.
I think SmartCAM is obtainable if you wish to load into CNC machine. You can draw 3D in software and output G-codes for machining. Easy package to use. I have never been fond of Autocad myself. Great 2d package, but lacking in 3D applications. Pro engineering is a great package, but also carries a hefty price tag on the software, also as far as I know it doesn't have a demo package. Also it is a very elaborate program to use. If you aren't familiar with it you will be LOST!
For simplicity and cheap-maybe even a free version, I would try Cadkey and/or smartCAM!
My 2 cents!
Just to give some background, I am degreed in Mechanical and Manufacturing engineering, and I am now a Tool and Die maker. I have worked with a wide variety of 3d-2d-CAM packages.
I think SmartCAM is obtainable if you wish to load into CNC machine. You can draw 3D in software and output G-codes for machining. Easy package to use. I have never been fond of Autocad myself. Great 2d package, but lacking in 3D applications. Pro engineering is a great package, but also carries a hefty price tag on the software, also as far as I know it doesn't have a demo package. Also it is a very elaborate program to use. If you aren't familiar with it you will be LOST!
For simplicity and cheap-maybe even a free version, I would try Cadkey and/or smartCAM!
My 2 cents!
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2002
- Location
- Baltimore, MD
i need cnc compatibility and ease of use. money is no object. what is g code?
G codes are what all NC machines use. It is the language so to speak for programming an NC machine. Before CAD-CAM packages, we used to enter in the codes by hand to operate an NC machine. With the invention of CAm packages, it is all done for us automatically now.
If you generate code from an CAM package, it will generate a file. If you were to open that file in notepad, you will see many lines of codes, Most of them starting with a G... They are simply commands that the machine reads to know where to go. This is why they are called G-codes.
If you generate code from an CAM package, it will generate a file. If you were to open that file in notepad, you will see many lines of codes, Most of them starting with a G... They are simply commands that the machine reads to know where to go. This is why they are called G-codes.
