Cad software recommendation

nathane

Active member
Hi Folks, I'm getting my thoughts together about a box build for a unimog based camper and want to do some design work on a cad package that will do a "3d" visual render.

Does anyone have any suggestions of a good package - ideally not too expensive.

Thanks in advance

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DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
How much detail are you talking here?

Sketchup or FreeCAD are two ways to go for 3D and Draftsight does 90% of what AutoCAD does in 2D. Nothing free is going to be the true equal of AutoCAD 3D/Mechanical/Revit/Inventor or Solidworks.
 

nathane

Active member
Ideally something that will allow me to model the box, interior layout, wiring loom and plumbing schematic. I'll check these out, thanks for the suggestions.
 

tcfengineering

New member
I use Fusion360 which is available for free. Its really fantastic software written by the same people as Autocad and Inventer. I would recommend this every time over the other free ones available, its very user friendly.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Fusion 360 is only free for students and teachers for 3 years at a time. It's $40/month or $300/year for everyone else after the 30 day trial elapses.

It also requires you to buy cloud credits at $1 each in 100 credit blocks to do renderings or simulations and I believe there's a limitation to the number you can apply to a job at a hobbyist subscription level (albeit 16, which is sufficient for basic things).
 

Pawlicker

New member
CAD software

Check out Sketch up Pro. You can often buy a copy from EBay for less than $40. It's a $700 program that it intuitive with an easy learning curve.
The Pro version allows you to export the files.. Free does not.
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
Same Problem

I've been going through similar consideration lately. I learned on Autocad, Solidworks, and a package called IDEAS. I find Sketchup to be annoying and not very precise. I wasn't excited about the subscription based systems for some of the other packages, especially being that my use will be intense for a few weeks then almost nothing for months...

I finally ended up with DesignCAD 3D. There is quite a learning curve if you are coming from AutoCAD or similar, but... The price is only $99 and that is complete software, not monthly. After I downloaded the free trial, they called me in about 2 weeks offering 20% off. I took the offer, even though I hadn't used the trial much at all.

You get what you pay for, but I am investing the time to learn, and it is working out. I haven't determined just how good the solids part is yet, as I keep trying to learn how the different 2D commands differ from Autocad, but I'm getting to it slowly. It is feeling like the 3D rendering and actual modeling is going to be the weak sauce in the recipe. I just haven't found anyone to match the functionality of Solidworks or Inventor without the $4k annual price tag.

For reference, with great focus on working the program and learning, I'm only able to dedicate about 3 hours weekly. with more time or intuitive skills, you might do better.

however, for $79 I don't feel like I've lost anything, and there is strong support for DesignCAD on YouTube.
 
I use TurboCad v21 Pro. You could probably use 2017 Deluxe for $150. It doesn't have all the 3D features, but probably enough for what you want to do. You can download their free trial software. Warning: It's full blown cad, and there will be a learning curve.
 

S2DM

Adventurer
I use solidworks, fusion and sketchup quite a bit. While its true you can do a lot in sketchup, particularly in pro, sketchup is not a parametric modeler, I.E. the underlying architecture of how it organizes and relates items in sketches makes it really non ideal for things like designing a camper. What you'll find is that as your design comes together, you'll need to shave an inch off of something here, move an inch there, change an angle. Infinitely easier in solidworks to do those kinds of manipulations than in sketchup.

That said, if all you are trying to do is a quick rendering, and maybe a guide to use when you are building, I.E. not generate drawings for a CNC etc, sketchup is probably fine. They also have Mogs in their 3D warehouse so you have something to start off of (I used to have a Mog, saw the light. You can call me an anti-mog evangelist :)

I'm not nearly as good at fusion, so I can't comment on how easy it is to use, but its also quite a bit cheaper. And even with my limited experience, I'd say much better for camper design than sketchup. Solidworks ends up being ~3k. I bought it for mine because the design hours I'd have into someone else doing it would have exceeded that cost, but its hard to justify it for a one off.

There are other programs out there, Rhino etc to consider as well.

The other thing to keep in mind that others have mentioned, the learning curve...I had only sketchup experience when I started solidworks. It took me a solid two months of tutorials to get decent at it. Just another thing to factor into your considerations. My first month or two with SW were filled with a lot of critical mistakes in how I organized my model that resulted in doing alot of things over again.
 
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nathane

Active member
I use solidworks, fusion and sketchup quite a bit. While its true you can do a lot in sketchup, particularly in pro, sketchup is not a parametric modeler, I.E. the underlying architecture of how it organizes and relates items in sketches makes it really non ideal for things like designing a camper. What you'll find is that as your design comes together, you'll need to shave an inch off of something here, move an inch there, change an angle. Infinitely easier in solidworks to do those kinds of manipulations than in sketchup.

That said, if all you are trying to do is a quick rendering, and maybe a guide to use when you are building, I.E. not generate drawings for a CNC etc, sketchup is probably fine. They also have Mogs in their 3D warehouse so you have something to start off of (I used to have a Mog, saw the light. You can call me an anti-mog evangelist :)

I'm not nearly as good at fusion, so I can't comment on how easy it is to use, but its also quite a bit cheaper. And even with my limited experience, I'd say much better for camper design than sketchup. Solidworks ends up being ~3k. I bought it for mine because the design hours I'd have into someone else doing it would have exceeded that cost, but its hard to justify it for a one off.

There are other programs out there, Rhino etc to consider as well.

The other thing to keep in mind that others have mentioned, the learning curve...I had only sketchup experience when I started solidworks. It took me a solid two months of tutorials to get decent at it. Just another thing to factor into your considerations. My first month or two with SW were filled with a lot of critical mistakes in how I organized my model that resulted in doing alot of things over again.
Thanks again folks lots more helpful input. Lots to look at over the weekend.

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Airmapper

Inactive Member
Some people I work with have praised ViaCAD for being a inexpensive program yet full featured enough for their needs.

Personally I never paid it much mind as I had Creo on my workstation, which is an experience all it's own both good and bad, but regardless I am comfortable with it so if I need a model I use it. I might look into ViaCAD for home projects if the need arises, but I can't recommend it personally. I know a Toolmaker that will swear by it, but he plays with all kinds of programs and I can't say he would be the best judge for someone with no CAD experience.

Keep in mind there are 2 types of 3D modelling and both are getting tossed around in here. Solid and Surface. I'm trained and experienced in Solid modelling, you throw Surface modelling at me and I utterly hate it. One is not as good as the other for any particular project, and they have very different user interfaces and modelling approaches.

Solid modelling is more like thinking of a block of material, and you likely start by creating a large chunk you then add and/or remove features to make your object, the interior of which would be filled, thus "solid." They also depend heavily on dimensional input, precise numbers like 1.25", exactly. These would be programs like Solidworks, Inventor, Creo, ViaCAD, etc...

Surface modelling you are more concerned with the skin of the item, like making something out of tin foil, it is hollow inside. Programs like SketchUp and Blender are much more surface based. I think SketchUp tries to be more solid, but all I ever got out of it were models with glitches in them.

Of course it's not that cut and dry, there are applications that overlap and some surface models can be really precise and some solids can be like play-dough. For the OP's situation, I'm not sure which would be better, but in my mind for anything you intend to construct out of normal materials, I'd stick with solid models. That base concept of working with a real object tends to be more logical for the fabricator mentality.

Surface modelling applies more to CNC applications where you are modifying an object, thus only care about one side of it, or more concerned with the material removed than kept. It also is heavily used in animation and rendering of objects with a less precision and more artistic model.

Hope you find something. I keep thinking one day I'll go down this road should I ever switch jobs or loose access to the software at work.
 

nathane

Active member
So I've started playing with fusion 360. Steep learning curve? Overhanging I think. Polished limestone!

I couldn't even draw a line. Then I found this Danish fella called Lars on YouTube and he made it easy! I'm loving it now.

Licence is free for hobbyists and start ups with revenues under 100k which I am (hobbyist).

I'm really liking it so far and after 45 minutes of YouTube and 45 minutes of messing round I'm beginning to get some workable results.

Thanks for all the advice everyone
 

NatersXJ6

Explorer
This has been an interesting thread. I didn't know about the TurboCAD vs DesignCAD differences. I need to download the free trial of Turbocad Pro Platinum next time I get a long weekend away from the kids.

I also didn't know enough about the solid / surface modeling differences. That explains a lot of the frustrations I'm running into going from "real" cad programs to the bargain brands without fully understanding what I'm getting into.
 

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