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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: jolly22 on December 05, 2010, 08:54:18 AM

Title: AutoCAD
Post by: jolly22 on December 05, 2010, 08:54:18 AM
Anyone know of an online autoCAD program for FREE?

I just started doing AutoCAD in school and i absolutley love it. So i just need some help finding a decent one.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 09:01:01 AM
not that I've found

You love it? Fantastic!!! I've got a desk full of stuff you can practice on  :devil  A part of my job that I truly hate. 
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: ToeTag on December 05, 2010, 09:28:52 AM
I got architectural desktop 2000.  I can try and send it your way.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: lengro on December 05, 2010, 09:42:22 AM
Anyone know of an online autoCAD program for FREE?

I just started doing AutoCAD in school and i absolutley love it. So i just need some help finding a decent one.

Not free, but Autodesk used to have a student license program, where schools could get licenses at much reduced price.
Sometimes they also have time limited trial versions.

For 3D modelling they used to have GMAX, but i don't think thats available anymore.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: uptown on December 05, 2010, 11:37:55 AM
If you're taking AutoCad and the instructors are using what to teach it....etcho-sketch? I'm not trying to sound like an arse here, but I don't understand what you need it for, when you should already have a program for it in order to complete labs and assignments.

Anyway, i'd stay away from the free versions anyhow. I'd just wait until your student loans come around again, and buy a good copy with those funds. The courses I took this term that needed a computer program came with the disk included when I bought my books.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 12:01:27 PM
Anyone know of an online autoCAD program for FREE?

I just started doing AutoCAD in school and i absolutley love it. So i just need some help finding a decent one.

Go to autodesk and sign up for a student account.  I know for certain you can at least get a 30 day free trial with 2011 but maybe more.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 12:02:56 PM
If you're taking AutoCad and the instructors are using what to teach it....etcho-sketch? I'm not trying to sound like an arse here, but I don't understand what you need it for, when you should already have a program for it in order to complete labs and assignments.

Anyway, i'd stay away from the free versions anyhow. I'd just wait until your student loans come around again, and buy a good copy with those funds. The courses I took this term that needed a computer program came with the disk included when I bought my books.

Uptown, autocad 2011 costs $800-1000 dollars retail.  No student should have to pay that.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 12:03:59 PM
Maybe he likes it so much he wants to goof with it on his own time? I've got a design program at work that I'd LOVE to have here at the house.  In fact designing the structures we build is my favorite part of my job.  Just learned how to do wind turbine poles last week and, to be honest, if I had the program here I probably wouldn't have spent much time here posting my usual drivel. ;)

Scary thought huh? As you drive down the highway, go to a high school or minor league game, and now with the growing popularity of wind turbines, you MIGHT lighted by or be very close to one I designed.  

Just a thought to keep you up nights  :devil
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 12:29:04 PM
Maybe he likes it so much he wants to goof with it on his own time? I've got a design program at work that I'd LOVE to have here at the house.  In fact designing the structures we build is my favorite part of my job.  Just learned how to do wind turbine poles last week and, to be honest, if I had the program here I probably wouldn't have spent much time here posting my usual drivel. ;)

Scary thought huh? As you drive down the highway, go to a high school or minor league game, and now with the growing popularity of wind turbines, you MIGHT lighted by or be very close to one I designed.  

Just a thought to keep you up nights  :devil

I read that the break even point of wind turbines is the same as its design life.   :lol
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: mipoikel on December 05, 2010, 12:41:37 PM
http://sketchup.google.com/
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: 68ZooM on December 05, 2010, 01:57:15 PM
Anyone know of an online autoCAD program for FREE?

I just started doing AutoCAD in school and i absolutley love it. So i just need some help finding a decent one.

What kind of Cad work will you be doing?   there are some free trial Cad programs out there , but there going to be limited usage, i have several Cad programs ( i design custom homes and custom landscapes ) and as Grizz stated there pricey, mine all start at around 1200 dollars there non transferable sense they all use a printer hardlock key to operate the program, the program itself is free, its the hardlock key that costs the bucks, after you Post what kind of Cad you plan on doing i might be able to steer you in the right direction  :aok
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Jebus on December 05, 2010, 02:34:57 PM
http://sketchup.google.com/

Yep Mipoikel is right.

I used AutoCad in high school and some in College.  After being out of it for 12 year I was lost when I tried using it recently.  About 2 months ago I read about Sketchup in a Firehouse magazine to do preplanes and some 3d training.  I downloaded it to my laptop and after watching a couple instruction videos and playing around (30 mins).  It was like I was taught this instead of autocad.  It is easy and FREE!

Here is a quick house drawing someone did, but I have seen people do robots and cars as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJcMe1OFBRQ

Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 03:02:25 PM
I read that the break even point of wind turbines is the same as its design life.   :lol

Well I typically design well short of the design life.  Costs some sales but I sleep better at night ;)

Something that disturbs me but I've never been able to wrap my mind around is harmonics.  Granted it's almost impossible to design something to harmonics that haven't been studied or determined so you always have to lean towards the conservative side and use a higher wind speed than is called for in EIA / TIA 222G or the isotech wind map.  But, as stated above, I might be over killing a project. 

What code do you use?  I'm not a fan of IBC, UBC, or any other code than AASHTO for light pole and traffic systems.  Even when the request calls for commercial I make sure it conforms to AASHTO 1994.

 According to the PE I consulted with Friday EIA / TIA 222G is the current governing code for wind turbines. 
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 05:06:11 PM
Well I typically design well short of the design life.  Costs some sales but I sleep better at night ;)

Something that disturbs me but I've never been able to wrap my mind around is harmonics.  Granted it's almost impossible to design something to harmonics that haven't been studied or determined so you always have to lean towards the conservative side and use a higher wind speed than is called for in EIA / TIA 222G or the isotech wind map.  But, as stated above, I might be over killing a project.  

What code do you use?  I'm not a fan of IBC, UBC, or any other code than AASHTO for light pole and traffic systems.  Even when the request calls for commercial I make sure it conforms to AASHTO 1994.

 According to the PE I consulted with Friday EIA / TIA 222G is the current governing code for wind turbines.  

Well, I do buildings, but we use IBC and ASCE to design.

As far as harmonics are concerned, I assume you mean excitation of the super structure?  I actually just took Structural Dynamics this semester which was a very good class.  You'd probably have to set up a finite element model for your wind turbine, or do it by hand.  The tricky part is that the stiffness varies through the entire structure.  In a nutshell, you just have to design the structure so its natural frequency (sqrt(k/m)) is greater(with FS) than the forcing frequency that the design wind speed creates.  I would guess that the forcing frequency of wind can be idealized by a po*sin(wt) function.  I have all of my class notes (very organized and informative) in pdf form if you are interested.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 05:19:31 PM
of course I'm interested.  I have a ton of programs and such on aerodynamic engineering that I'd be happy to share.  Probably not much use in our fields but interesting nonetheless. 

I'm just now getting into the turbine stuff and I have a lot of concerns about the short meeting I took with the program designer.  I'm much more familiar with static loads at the top or top and down the pole. 

Harmonics is funky in this field because it's impossible to predict.  I designed a spread of poles for an AFB a couple of years ago.  Critical stress ratio was 87% and they were in a line not too far apart.  ONE of them started doing the hula due to the harmonics and we wound up putting vibration dampeners on all of them. 

I have to say I'm pretty happy with the fact that when all of those light poles were falling a couple of years ago none of them were mine :D

I'll shoot you a pm with my email addy <S>
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 05:24:33 PM
of course I'm interested.  I have a ton of programs and such on aerodynamic engineering that I'd be happy to share.  Probably not much use in our fields but interesting nonetheless. 

I'm just now getting into the turbine stuff and I have a lot of concerns about the short meeting I took with the program designer.  I'm much more familiar with static loads at the top or top and down the pole. 

Harmonics is funky in this field because it's impossible to predict.  I designed a spread of poles for an AFB a couple of years ago.  Critical stress ratio was 87% and they were in a line not too far apart.  ONE of them started doing the hula due to the harmonics and we wound up putting vibration dampeners on all of them. 

I have to say I'm pretty happy with the fact that when all of those light poles were falling a couple of years ago none of them were mine :D

I'll shoot you a pm with my email addy <S>


Nono it is not impossible to predict.  You have to be able to estimate your structure's natural frequency, its soil damping, and its material damping, that's all.  Yeah the forcing frequency becomes a probabilistic/cost problem but I'm sure there is an industry standard?
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: BrownBaron on December 05, 2010, 05:27:49 PM
I'd recomend Google Sketch-Up, but that program is a complete joke.

Taking the whole Project Lead the Way I.E.D. thing, eh?
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 05:38:13 PM
Sadly no Grizz

Again I can put a line of poles up a highway and one in 20 might display vortex shearing due to the harmonics. 

The end user is not going to go to the expense of doing any studies other than requesting the lightest codes that 'might' govern and many of my competitors allow this based on the 'let the buyer beware' philosophy.  In order to offset this I use the most constraining code I can (AASHTO 1994 which uses a base wind speed plus a 3 second gust to 1.3 times the wind speed) to ensure that I'm covered and then run it in the code they requested to ensure that every parameter is met and exceeded.

As I said before I probably lose some business doing it this way but it beats worrying about being retired and finding out one of my poles fell on a bunch of kids.


 

Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 05:51:39 PM
Sadly no Grizz

Again I can put a line of poles up a highway and one in 20 might display vortex shearing due to the harmonics.  

The end user is not going to go to the expense of doing any studies other than requesting the lightest codes that 'might' govern and many of my competitors allow this based on the 'let the buyer beware' philosophy.  In order to offset this I use the most constraining code I can (AASHTO 1994 which uses a base wind speed plus a 3 second gust to 1.3 times the wind speed) to ensure that I'm covered and then run it in the code they requested to ensure that every parameter is met and exceeded.

As I said before I probably lose some business doing it this way but it beats worrying about being retired and finding out one of my poles fell on a bunch of kids.

You also have to remember though, increasing the mass actually works against you with dynamics.  Your natural frequency goes down the heavier you get, more likely creeping you into the resonance range.  Going stockier typically only helps when dealing with the idealized static forces.  More damping, and increased base stiffness would be my best guess for a more efficient system based on what I know.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 06:08:43 PM
interesting thought... I'll need to ponder that.  Instead of going with a heavier design utilizing stiffeners or a collar at the base and gussets on the top plate might alleviate that phenomenon. 

Fortunately, most of the time, a vibration dampener will stop the problem in the field.  $85 fix instead of replacing a 15k pole. 

In high mast that's a bit more of a quandary as you have to change the airflow around the pole.

And then there's seismic forces to deal with.  Fortunately usually the governing code makes the pole substantially more sound than even the most stringent seismic requirements... But I think we've digressed from the original point of the thread. :D
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 06:16:41 PM
interesting thought... I'll need to ponder that.  Instead of going with a heavier design utilizing stiffeners or a collar at the base and gussets on the top plate might alleviate that phenomenon. 

Fortunately, most of the time, a vibration dampener will stop the problem in the field.  $85 fix instead of replacing a 15k pole. 

In high mast that's a bit more of a quandary as you have to change the airflow around the pole.

And then there's seismic forces to deal with.  Fortunately usually the governing code makes the pole substantially more sound than even the most stringent seismic requirements... But I think we've digressed from the original point of the thread. :D

Well, increasing stiffness is fine, just so as long as the ratio of stiffness increase is larger than the ratio of increase of mass, otherwise you are gaining nothing.  I'm not an expert by any means, just what I have learned about the phenomenon. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LV_UuzEznHs
Interesting test to shed light on the problem.  The shortest frame has the highest natural frequency since its k is higher.  To excite it, the forcing vibration must be very high and vice versa for the taller frame.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 06:24:38 PM
I'll check it out in the morning but I've acted like I have a brain enough for one day.   :salute

OP

Sorry for the hijack but talking engineering is really fun for me especially with someone who knows what they're talking about.

<S> Grizz and thanks for the intellectual stimulation
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: grizz441 on December 05, 2010, 06:25:55 PM
I'll check it out in the morning but I've acted like I have a brain enough for one day.   :salute

OP

Sorry for the hijack but talking engineering is really fun for me especially with someone who knows what they're talking about.

<S> Grizz and thanks for the intellectual stimulation

<S>
Check your email too.  :aok
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Dichotomy on December 05, 2010, 06:27:51 PM
Done and thanks  :aok
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: smoe on December 05, 2010, 09:28:10 PM
May want to take a peak on ebay. Check out any AutoCAD LT versions. The LT versions will surely be cheaper. I think if you get a R14 version or later you will be good to go. R13 will probably work for Win95/98/2000, questionable on XP. I've never used R12, but that may be a DOS version only, who knows, it may work on XP.

If you want to learn ACAD AutoLISP try a R14 manual. These are good enough and cheap on ebay ($15). I've never played around with VBA for AutoCAD, but that seems to be very popular today.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Stoney on December 08, 2010, 02:28:49 PM
I use both SolidEdge 2D (free) and Google Sketchup, depending on the application.  Solidedge is a conventional 2D CAD program, but very easy to use, and has almost all the features you need for design work. 
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Babalonian on December 08, 2010, 05:40:18 PM
Anyone know of an online autoCAD program for FREE?

I just started doing AutoCAD in school and i absolutley love it. So i just need some help finding a decent one.

A)  Sorry if this was already said, kinda got here late and skipping from OP to the end.
B)  You did not hear this from me.  :noid

Find an AutoCAD 2000i release posted somewhere on the intardnets (i - means it's a 2000-instructor/student version).  It's the last plug-n-play, full-version install without any online registration/registry crud, version.  Missing a lot of bells and whistles newer CAD releases have, but if you're trying to learn how to do CAD in your free time at home, this will do.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: jolly22 on December 08, 2010, 05:43:29 PM
Thanks everyone......I use autodesk at school and tried to download it and i barely have neough memory on this comp. to sustain it and it took 9 hours to download............. So im trying to find something similar to that where i can draw my 2D arch. house designs and go into a 3d view so i can see it.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: 68ZooM on December 08, 2010, 06:21:57 PM
Thanks everyone......I use autodesk at school and tried to download it and i barely have neough memory on this comp. to sustain it and it took 9 hours to download............. So im trying to find something similar to that where i can draw my 2D arch. house designs and go into a 3d view so i can see it.

Try PunchPro, it renders 2d and 3d, just make sure you check that it will meet with your systems spec's, you can find it at bestbuy, i use it to rough out the design and show the customers a walk thru of there house and what it looks like with furniture, appliances, HVAC , bathroom layouts, before i go into the time consuming Cad work into blueprint form
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: VonMessa on December 08, 2010, 07:03:16 PM
SolidWorks worked nicely for designing my brewery  :)

 :aok
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Shuffler on December 08, 2010, 09:06:38 PM
Anyone know of an online autoCAD program for FREE?

I just started doing AutoCAD in school and i absolutley love it. So i just need some help finding a decent one.

Student version.... full version just way cheaper.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: jolly22 on December 09, 2010, 03:24:11 PM
Student version.... full version just way cheaper.

Like i said, i tried to download it and it took over 9 hours to download, so i didn't download it.   Thanks though
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: MiloMorai on December 09, 2010, 05:38:09 PM
Are you looking for a pirate Autocad?
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: jolly22 on December 09, 2010, 06:26:25 PM
Are you looking for a pirate Autocad?

pirate autocad?
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Belial on December 09, 2010, 06:30:54 PM
Autocad?  You should be able to learn that in a few days hardest part of autocad is knowing when to left click and when to right click lol.

I just got Mastercam 2 months ago for programming my CNC lathe 16,000$ ...Try programming a Higbee blunt start on the front of a thread sometime :neener:

Autocad has a alot of features but you won't need to learn them for whatever your doing in class because I know your not in college yet.

Look for a old copy on ebay.

I think were still using autocad 2000 the software doesnt change that much IMO...but none of its cheap
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: jolly22 on December 09, 2010, 06:40:11 PM
Autocad?  You should be able to learn that in a few days hardest part of autocad is knowing when to left click and when to right click lol.

I just got Mastercam 2 months ago for programming my CNC lathe 16,000$ ...Try programming a Higbee blunt start on the front of a thread sometime :neener:

Autocad has a alot of features but you won't need to learn them for whatever your doing in class because I know your not in college yet.

Look for a old copy on ebay.

I think were still using autocad 2000 the software doesnt change that much IMO...but none of its cheap


In high school im taking basic technical drawing, mechanical architecture, and architecture design, all using the same autoCAD program but with different features.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Belial on December 09, 2010, 06:47:32 PM
If you really like it tell your teachers...I'm sure they'll write you passes to come down and use it during any free periods during the day.

Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: jolly22 on December 09, 2010, 07:23:29 PM
If you really like it tell your teachers...I'm sure they'll write you passes to come down and use it during any free periods during the day.



Ive asked, but he teaches 2 different classes in 2 different classrooms.. :rolleyes:
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Motherland on December 09, 2010, 07:37:32 PM
SolidWorks worked nicely for designing my brewery  :)

 :aok
We learned to use AutoCADD and SolidWorks in Technical Drawing at my school, they're... very different to say the least. SolidWorks requires a whole different way of thinking, you almost do things backward.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: mensa180 on December 09, 2010, 08:36:57 PM
We learned to use AutoCADD and SolidWorks in Technical Drawing at my school, they're... very different to say the least. SolidWorks requires a whole different way of thinking, you almost do things backward.

+ billions.  I used 3dsMax for awhile, then switched to SolidWorks to try a new perspective and be more mechanically inclined...Talk about a whole new world.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Shuffler on December 10, 2010, 08:55:03 AM
Like i said, i tried to download it and it took over 9 hours to download, so i didn't download it.   Thanks though
If your in school they have copies.

My Daughter is at A&M and they have a huge list of operating systems and software.

She bought Windows 7 Ultimate for $15.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Strip on December 10, 2010, 09:40:09 AM
Autocad?  You should be able to learn that in a few days hardest part of autocad is knowing when to left click and when to right click lol.

I just got Mastercam 2 months ago for programming my CNC lathe 16,000$ ...Try programming a Higbee blunt start on the front of a thread sometime :neener:

Autocad has a alot of features but you won't need to learn them for whatever your doing in class because I know your not in college yet.

Look for a old copy on ebay.

I think were still using autocad 2000 the software doesnt change that much IMO...but none of its cheap


I loved Master Cam 9, 10 and X2 were okay but neither worked well with our video card and chipset.

They must not like AMD or NVidia!

Strip
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Babalonian on December 10, 2010, 04:52:00 PM
Thanks everyone......I use autodesk at school and tried to download it and i barely have neough memory on this comp. to sustain it and it took 9 hours to download............. So im trying to find something similar to that where i can draw my 2D arch. house designs and go into a 3d view so i can see it.

2000i sounds really good for you then since it will take less resources, but really all CAD versions are memory hogs and you can turn down some of the display settings to help you out (ie: your displayed arc smoothness doesnt need to be that good, and will be a lot more gentile for your older machine to process), 2000i was one of the first with full 3d modeling available too.  You can find an architectural desktop version to plug into version 2000 as well, it's what I learned on in technical school many years ago =P.
Title: Re: AutoCAD
Post by: Babalonian on December 10, 2010, 04:57:34 PM
Student version.... full version just way cheaper.

Go back long enough though, you can download versions that students didnt need to register online and pay for a license like that though =P

AUTODesk makes enough money off the corporation distribution licenses in my town alone to sponsor the students nationaly.  Smaller scale professions can also afford it every year, but even my office trys to limit to upgrading to newer versions and buying new licenses once every 4-5 years for budget reasons (no real need to upgrade to newer versions any faster than that either).