Which program

[mag]

Hi all, which program do you all use to draw the plans for your engines?

[Mike Everman]

I use solidworks. It's pretty expensive, but if you can get a student to buy it for you, it's a lot less. Still probably more expensive than most would like. I had to pay $5k, and $1200 per year to keep it up!

[larry cottrill]

I use MS Paint, always and forever - it is available at no cost ready-to-run on every PC I use. With me, simplicity counts. Of course, my needs are very simple.

I have made patent drawings with it that a patent attorney declared as completely acceptable - actually better than some that you see published in the patent digests. Most of my drawings today are much cruder, simpler and quicker than that, of course.

L Cottrill

[WebPilot]

Hi all, which program do you all use to draw the plans for your engines?

If money is no object, then buy the "high end" stuff.

But if it is, then look into the free stuff. There are a lot of good,
free drawing programs available from the 'Net that will fill the bill.

[Irvine.J]

Two of my favourite programs... I have autocad 2007, but i think its all a bit of hype really.

WINGS 3D!!!!!!!!

And CONE DESIGNER!!!!!!!

A note about cone designer ...
I've found that I get proper print outs when the measurements are in Millimeters. Though if your working in inches, just fill in the boxes, then go to prefrences and select MM...it will automatically change the values. I just finished doing my whole new jet design with these 2 programs.
I've made one cone to test to see if it printed exact dimensions, they are SPOT ON. My Inlet rolled PERFECTLY, i'm very impressed.
http://www.pulse-jets.com/phpbb2/files/ ... er_903.zip
get it from there.

A note about WINGS 3D...
ITS FREE!!
Now dont get me wrong, I have Autocad 2007, yet I would still prefer to use wings 3d as its MUCH faster to load, easier to use, and has practically all the same features, texturing, lightmaps etc etc etc... and would take you about 1 hour to start getting the major hang of it. Autocad is cool, but wings is just everything you could want for free. (google: Wings 3D)

I got a new piece of 1.6mm mild steel (a bit too thick, but my "Nibbler" seems to be handling it.) A nibbler is a sheet cutter that you attach to the end of your power drill... just have to oil it like its going out of fashion. But it will blitz through 1 foot of mild steel in about 10/20 seconds. 1.6mm is really to thick to roll properly, its very hard work.

[Dang911]

I use the rival to Solidworks, Inventor. In reality I also use Solidworks, as I tend to have to switch between the two frequently. I prefer Inventor though, again pricey, but these 3D programs just do so damn much.... I am on the inventor BETA team, and have just started testing Inventor 2008, they are loosing the version numbers i.e., 9, 10, 11. I can't disclose any information, but it appears that this new version of inventor should have Solidworks users sweating..... Overall I feel inventor is much more professional. If your an engineer, looking at both Solidworks and Inventor, the engineer will choose Inventor due to its heightened technical ability.

[marksteamnz]

Solid Edge V15. a three D parametric modeler with blue surf that provides surfacing tools.
Once you've used a good parametric modeler such as Solid Edge, Solid Works, ProE, IronCAD, Alibre etc you won't want to go back. AutoCAD 3D is does the job, OK if you grew up with AutoCAD 2D, but considered compromised by hard core CAD people.
The great thing about parameteric modller programs is there is lots of add ons like stress analysis density volume calc etc.
Industry file transfer standard for 3D stuff is .iges or .stl

[jthompso]

I use Unigraphics NX3 and the program is just outstanding--you can do absolutely anything in from design to manufacture and analysis, it's a really strong program and it's fun to see a model coming to life in it.

[mag]

Thanks for the answers! I will look up the free stuff and will see what I can do with it.

[kd2]

Plane N Sheet has a free demo that will provide a good cone layout.
but now when i got the cone designer ( thanx Irvine.J ) I will use that because its much simpler ( PNS isn't complex but that one is smaller and simple ).

My problem now is growing above A4 pages.
is cone dsigner can handle that in good accuracy?

In my method of forming cones it dosent realy metter how thick ( until about 2 mm, and maybe even above )the metal is.

thank you for your help!

[WebPilot]

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PS

Ford Sohc Forever!!!

Yeah, buddy... friends don't let friends drive Chevies!
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[kd2]

my problem is more about drawings that exceed 1 standart A4 home printer page.

I draw my cones in the computer and measure my straight parts by hand and usually there is a small missmatch.

I will make some experiments...

friends don't let friends drive Chevies!

:lol:

[WebPilot]

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my problem is more about drawings that exceed 1 standard A4 home printer page.

There are some things to try:
1. I use 8½ x 13 inch paper if I just need a little more size than letter, or
2. draw my drawings so that when I print it out, ½ of the drawing is
printed on one sheet and ½ on another or
3. get a big plotter (not cheap and neither is the ink and paper)

Happy Holidays!

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