Full Machine Design/Display

Hi
I’ve been thru various programs looking at them all; they have only been the demo programs.

What I would like to know is what programs you use to design in?

I don’t want a program that I can use to design 2d parts as I’m happy with cut 2d for now from vectric in the UK.

What I would like to do is “put” all the parts I have designed together as one machine in the software like I’ve seen you guys doing.

This is what I would like to do:

http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/photop...t_204-5-09.jpg

Could you be so kind as to point me in the right direction please?

Thanks,
Lee

Solidworks is one of the best albeit at an horrendous price (be a pirate or pretend to be a student ? ).

That picture looks like it sketch-up, probably the pro/paid-for version (The free version of sketch-up is too limited - in my view).

Solid works is what to use.
I also have a few tutorial dvds as well, if you need a copy ;)

Hi Gary, sorry but I simply can’t afford soildworks.

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Originally Posted by BillTodd

Solidworks is one of the best albeit at an horrendous price (be a pirate or pretend to be a student ? ).

That picture looks like it sketch-up, probably the pro/paid-for version (The free version of sketch-up is too limited - in my view).

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I wrote a free plugin that gives you DXF and STL output from the free version of Sketchup,
http://www.guitar-list.com/download-...les-dxf-or-stl

Nathan

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What I would like to know is what programs you use to design in?

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Lee, very flattered that you picked the image of my router!

I use the free version of Google Sketchup. Sketchup is a great! It's not engineering software, but you can change the default accuracy from 1mm to 0.01mm which helps. It's amazing for free! :-)

"Components" are the best. Every copy of a component in the model will change when you edit just one of them. Want to add a chamfer to a bearing that appears 50 times in your model? 60seconds of work! :-)

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I wrote a free plugin that gives you DXF and STL output from the free version of Sketchup,

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Nathan - THANKYOU so much for the sketchup plugin. I was about to start learning to use the emachineshop CAD program to generate dxf files, but no need now! I'll install it and have a play at the weekend...

Cheers!

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I use the free version of Google Sketchup

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Congratulations :)

When I last played with the freeby version of sketch-up I couldn't find a way to directly enter dimensions (so soon got fed up trying to make the object a known size). Has the latest version some means of entering sizes directly?

Yep,

Draw a line (clicking on the end point as well as the start), then type the length you want, hit return and the line will re-size itself. Same works with a rectangle, but use a comma between the axes.

I usually make the initial line / rectangle obviously wrong so that I can see that the dimensions have definitely moved.

Thanks Tom i will go and download these as soon as i'v got done here, 40 new posts in half a day. The sites coming along great !

Alibre do a free 3D modeller called Express.
It's a cut down version of their paid version with some features missing.
Main limitation is you can only assemble a limited amount of components,
Hint save three or 4 components to a new file and it's then treated as one.

Not bad for free.

John S.

Thanks John will check it out!

Lee, you've not been around much the last week or so... How are your designs coming on?

Hi Tom,

I have been here just not been posting much, i havnt downloaded the programs as of yet but i will !

I'v been designing parts for machine 2, ballnut holder, axis plates and so on. I will be starting a buld log for the new machine soon, i'm just getting a few things done first so i have got stuff to show when i do start the build log as it will be an on going project over an unsaid amount of time. Money and attention to detail being the 2 big resons why it will take awhile. ;)