CAD Program

[Hephaestus]

Autodesk has recently tightened the rules for using Fusion 360

Yeah and some day all the eaa members will find out their privileges are revoked.

They recently changed it yes - but the people most affected were the ones who should be paying. Few hobbiest will have 5dof CNC - still works for hobbiest grade.

OK, I'm an input snob.

Hah my 199(?4/5/6?) Vintage microsoft ergo keyboard died this year.

Want a bad rabbit hole to go down? Ergonomic diy mechanical keyboards and absolutely nobody can use it but me with not a single marking on any key

Weirdly I still run a super basic intellimouse in the right hand. Haven't been able to get used to the fancy ones.

 

[Hot Wings]

If you don't feel like this while working on CAD:


You need a better interface setup.
Maybe someday................?

 

[Hephaestus]

If you don't feel like this while working on CAD:
View attachment 105338

You need a better interface setup.
Maybe someday................?

I want ironmans VR cad system

 

[rotax618]

This is the general arrangement of my CNC. I chose a fixed gantry for rigidity, wanting to mill alloy and steel.

 

[Dana]

I've more or less resigned myself to the fact that when I retire in a few years I'm gonna have to fork out $3K for a permanent copy of my preferred software... as it is I'm using the free (but expiring yearly) home use license that comes with each paid copy at work. Maybe I should start lobbying the software company now to institute a policy of gifting retiring engineers a free copy...

I've been been toying with the idea of building a 3D router... could be long and narrow, I'm primarily interested in making wood propellers.

 

[Hephaestus]

This is the general arrangement of my CNC. I chose a fixed gantry for rigidity, wanting to mill alloy and steel.

That's just standard 3 axis. You'd be able to create your code from fusion without any other steps.

99% came from the world of seperate cam software anyway... so loosing some cam functionality wasn't a big deal.

 

[rotax618]

Worth watching, answers the question.

 

[Vigilant1]

Worth watching, answers the question.

"Buy Alibre CAD once and own it forever." Definitely sounds like a more secure situation than hoping EAA maintains their agreement with SW or that a currently free CAD package doesn't change their policy.
But, today, nothing is "forever." If the company goes bust or just drops the product, it might not even run, or run properly, after the next Windows version is forced on the world. Sure, possible to limp along with an unsupported version of Windows for quite awhile, but at that point you'd best be looking for a new CAD program.
Alibre CAD might be a great option, I'm just pointing out that "owning it forever" isn't the same as being able to use it forever.

 

[Hot Wings]

Kind of embarrassed to admit I forgot about Alibre. It is what i recommended to my brother a few years ago.
Those fluent in SolidWorks should find the transition very easy............and it is a LOT cheaper.

Alibre Workshop is something new since I last looked at this company and looks like it might be a good all in one CAD/CAM software the the homebuilder? $399

 

[rotax618]

The only problem with the affordable version of Alebrecad is that CAM is extra and it is very basic subset whereas Freecad has all features of a professional Cad package for Zilch, zero, free.

 

[addicted2climbing]

This is the general arrangement of my CNC. I chose a fixed gantry for rigidity, wanting to mill alloy and steel.

Looks good Rotax618, but you don't need the second ballscrew on the Y axis. In fact if it gets out of sync it could become a problem.

Here is one I designed 10 years or so ago but never had a chance to build. Designed around the cheap ballscrews on Ebay, Large Hiwin Rails and 8020 material. Only reason I have a dual leadscrew Y axis is my long X axis and I wanted to keep it in tram. On your design the Y axis plate not all that wide and you can put the leadscrew down the center or keep it side drive and omit the other.

Here is the simplified Y axis. To make a L or R just the orange plate and blue upright would be flipped.

 

[rotax618]

You are correct, I could have used a single Y axis ballscrew but after studying many other similar designs on youtube I settled on that design, I have never had a problem with sync, the steppers each have a TB6600 controller but the two Y axis controllers are connected to the same Arduino pin.
My original intention was to build a simple CNC out of plywood, but the further I got into the design the lack of rigidity pushed me to a metal frame, alloy extrusions are a lot more expensive and not that rigid and have to be bolted, steel is cheap and can be easily mig welded - the remaining components were the cheapest you can buy from Ebay.

 

[Jay Kempf]

My large router is has two independent Y axis drives with ball screws. They are only joined in the computer (MACH3). I check them occasionally and after any crash event but they have been pretty reliable thus far. I do not have dual home switches but could. It's on the list of upgrades. Was chunking through 1/2" of 6061 T6 today trying to figure out bits, speeds, feeds, etc.... Nice to be able to do it. Makes a huge amount of chips.

 

[Jay Kempf]

I've been been toying with the idea of building a 3D router... could be long and narrow, I'm primarily interested in making wood propellers.

I'm setting up to make propellers as well. Just started learning and experimenting with a fixturing method called window machining which is perfectly suited to doing prop work on a 3D router. Perfectly suited to doing a lot of things. I learned it from some electric guitar people. You have to have both the 3D CAD skills and the 3D tool path skills plus G code and some fixturing knowledge to pull it off but the concept is pretty straight forward.

 

[rotax618]

This is a screen shot of my CNC in the Freecad enviroment.

 

[Aerowerx]

What concerns me more is when I talk about something with my phone nearby (not on a cal or anything) then ads pop up later on my PC related to that conversation. But all a bit OT...

Turn off tracking cookies.

Or better yet, switch to Firefox and duckduckgo.

It is all part of the Google/Chrome conspiracy to control your life.

 

[Voidhawk9]

It is all part of the Google/Chrome conspiracy to control your life.

It's not paranoia when you know for a fact they are out to get you, right? ;-)

Yes I have various security-related add-ons these days, including what you mentioned.

 

[rotax618]

If you are not so interested in CAM (making stuff from your drawings) there is another Cad package called Moment of Inspiration, or MOI, it produces beautiful 3d models from 2d drawings and seems reasonably priced at $295US for the full licence.

 

[Speedboat100]

I was able to run my Autocad using external display.

 

[wktaylor]

I love Draftsight by Dassault Systemes 2D 3D CAD Software Download | DRAFTSIGHT™ - Dassault Systèmes®

Major benefits. Dassault Systemes has [3] major CAD programs...

Top-end SW is the mind-blowing [3D+] CATIA... 100% professional use, universally versatile do-all CAD... after a couple of years of training and OJT [tech computers required and massive storage vault... and very big $$$].

The Middle/95%-utility SW is the highly useful/intuitive [2D, 3D] Solidworks… used by medium sized companies and individuals for virtually all high-end work… including CAM... available for relatively low/no cost thru organizations.

The [2D, light 3D] Draftsight is the low end version of Solidworks... and a great stepping-stone to all CAD systems [DS intended this to be a transition SW...NOT expensive at all]. There are GREAT tutorials and helpful references and manuals on-line for coming-up-to-speed and working all aspects of quality 2D drafting and simple 3D parts. Wow... This was my go-to for years. Believe me good quality [well written/presented] TRAINING, TUTORIALS and MANUALS are essential to learning/using CAD.