Learn me: AutoCAD.

Hello everyone! I'm interested in 3D printing but I need to learn AutoCAD and G-Code. What good books are out there to read? Programs? Thanks and Happy New Year.

Maybe you could find a night class at a local community college?

If you can find a way to avoid autocad and jump straight into a 3D parametric solid modeler, do so. Autocad is an archaic old program that only still exists because the licensing is cheap, pretty sucky otherwise, unless you're after an 80s looking computerized drafting board (that's all it is) and have a penchant for operating a graphical program with a command line.

In reply to chada75:

Dude this is a very loaded question. 3D printing is a new industry that I hope you researched enough to FIRST confirm that you want to learn AutoCAD. I would lean towards SolidWORKS myself.

If you want to learn AutoCAD I would suggest that you scour the AutoDESK website for training opportunities. Getting the basics quickly in a classroom would probably help a lot. ALL computer aided design and engineering software is the same these days as we have enough computing power do handle very complex engineering calculations that in the early versions we had to find work arounds for productivity. So basically the only difference in paid for CAD software is the graphical interface. So one system may use the word LINE for a line another my use a symbol / and another may bury it under a POINT command. Best to learn from the creators if you have ZERO CAD knowledge to date.

6-7 years ago I did remember finding a rather nice set of YouTube videos that someone put together for AutoCAD 2004. Funny that back then the videos were like 30 seconds long max! LOL Maybe there are youtube videos for AutoCAD 2014.

Second it is possible to get through G-code programming with just the cheat sheet and time. Over time you will learn what code is what; and how that effects the deposition of solid material in the 3D printer.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: If you can find a way to avoid autocad and jump straight into a 3D parametric solid modeler, do so. Autocad is an archaic old program that only still exists because the licensing is cheap, pretty sucky otherwise, unless you're after an 80s looking computerized drafting board (that's all it is) and have a penchant for operating a graphical program with a command line.

I agree that they should jump onto 3D parametric solid model systems.

However, AutoCAD does have a place in the world. They have gone through a bit of a buying spree to gain more capability. Especially in the facilities and industrial facility design arena. One of the software packages we were looking into using for facilities support was acquired by AutoDESK last year. One of the advantages I have seen with AutoCAD is that it seems to have more support for translation to other data formats. Not saying it is easier from a pure data translation but just more commercially available support.

Solidworks is what you want to learn. Do a nightschool course to get up to speed. Buy student versions of the software for home use. Your Soliddoddle printer wont care about the watermark (I hope?)

The biggest issue with Solidworks is that it is stupid expensive and has huge annual maintenance fees (24% of purchase cost).

The only thing I will disagree with above is that AutoCAD licensing is cheap. It's still ridiculously expensive. But Solidworks is where it's at.

In reply to Advan046:

I'm not denying it has it's applications in industry, just that it has those applications predominately because it's been around forever and handles legacy work well. Which does not apply to the OP.

I love solidworks but it is way out of my budget for personal use.

I have started learning Fusion 360, while certainly inferior it may be worth a look for you

I've been learning 2D CAD, Solidworks is indeed the best thing to learn these days for career purposes or in practical terms, but it's balls-slapping crazy expensive so, IMO, they can take that software and stick it where the sun don't shine.

DraftSight is a free 2D CAD program produced by SolidWorks. I have been using it for about a year. There are a lot of good video's on it.

Link

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

I just got a AutoCAD ultimate 2015 stand alone license and it was more than $8,000. If that is cheap what do you consider to be expensive?

Ohya and 2015 is a huge jump from previous versions. I went from 2002 to 2015. It is very intuitive compared to older versions and the 3d part is vastly improved. There is a reason why it is the standard. It really is a fantastic program.

Thanks for the Advice. I'll go with learning the SolidWorks program and take a AutoCAD class since it's only $125 at the local college. The G-code seems a lot easier to learn than C++ too.

Spitsix wrote: DraftSight is a free 2D CAD program produced by SolidWorks. I have been using it for about a year. There are a lot of good video's on it. Link

We use DraftSight here at DIYAutoTune.com for most of our 2D work - trigger wheels and the like. It's very similar to AutoCad - rumor has it that Solidworks cooked it up as an act of revenge after Autodesk did something to a file format that broke the ability to import it into Solidworks.

dean1484 wrote: In reply to Kenny_McCormic: I just got a AutoCAD ultimate 2015 stand alone license and it was more than $8,000. If that is cheap what do you consider to be expensive?

Price out an Inventor license, or a Solidworks license, or even better, a CATIA license.

Solid Edge has a free 2D package as well that's also fully parametric.

~$1000 will get you into Rhino which can do everything autoCAD can do, as well as 3D stuff, including very complex surfacing (and whole lot of other things as well). It is not parametric though.

A SE or SW license is under $8k, even with FEA goodies.

NX or Catia will make a corporate wallet cry.

/hugs his baller laptop with company-provided Solidworks.

Seriously - learn Solidworks.

Don't forget about Sketch-up. Probably the easiest 3d design software to learn and is pretty limitless in pro form.

...And free to download right now and start messing around and watching how to videos on youtube...

Do you really need G-Code for 3D printing. My experience with professional grade 3D printers (I used to operate a university rapid prototyping lab) is that you use software to do it all for you. 3D printing works by building a part from cross section slices stacked one on top of the other. These slices are created using a variety of different software, the machines I operated mainly had their own proprietary software, that convert a .stl file into the slice file. I don't know too much about the home, small bore type 3D printer technologies though. But I don't think you need G-code, thats for machining typically.

Decent modeling software can also automatically create g-code but you can also do it by hand. but I would imagine that there is free or cheaply available g-code generator software.

Are you looking to buy your own 3D printer, make your own, or use someone else's 3d printer?

For the first two options, depending on what exactly you get there should be software included to handle converting the 3D CAD part into a printable file. Then the question is just what CAD program you want to use, which will also depend on what type of things you are wanting to print/design.

I am a 15-year SolidWorks user (12 professionally) and know my E36 M3 with it. I can help people with SolidWorks questions if I am messaged.

Go here: http://students.autodesk.com (you are a student of mine, right? nudge-nudge-wink-wink)

Try out AutoCAD

Try out Inventor (AutoDesk's Solidworks equivalent)

(high school drafting teacher here)