# found a free CAD program! \[CAD Discussion\]
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011
**Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic
**Created:** [December 7, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011 "2009-12-07T22:50:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 10:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/21 "2009-12-08T10:03:38Z")
Some people can’t be bothered to learn new software.
It’s probably;y not a big deal because the time it would take for
the engineers to learn new software would cost less than the license.
Also, its just R&D work. If we build anything that gets to production, engineering would
tie up the documentation. Also, you can import/export between most programs.
My gripe is that my version of inventor is older than some files I would have liked to modify and I do not have Viseo, so I need people to export to AutoCAD for me.
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### Author:  [@97FormulaWS-6](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/97FormulaWS-6)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 10:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/22 "2009-12-08T10:06:15Z")
When I was at RIT it was Solidworks and Pro/E. They had a UG class as well, but it was only an elective.
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### Author:  [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 10:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/23 "2009-12-08T10:11:35Z")
> [@travisn](#):
>
> How does the company justify purchasing licenses for all those products? Do you have any continuity issues because of different programs being used?
Companies have to buy “seats” meaning it is only good for one computer, unless they buy a floating version.
While it is nice to streamline and use all one program, some places let you choose.
> [@travisn](#):
>
> so what you are saying is that autoCAD is out?
Not at all. Most places still use CAD. Most production lazers and cutters will run off DXF or CAD files. Plus all archived files will still probably be in CAD so in order to modify them cheaply, easily and quickly you need to know CAD.
It is also a good thing to know CAD for production and visualization. It is easy to draw something in 3D that won’t be able to be produced. CAD helps you to be able to develop your ISO/hidden/side/elevation/whatever views more in depth rather then just generating it for you.
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### Author:  [@Hass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Hass)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/24 "2009-12-08T14:28:58Z")
> [@d3x](#):
>
> Actually Autodesk Inventor is just as much a standard in the ME environment as Solidworks or Pro/E.
^^ my preferred.
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### Author:  [@Jim1234664](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jim1234664)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/25 "2009-12-08T14:52:09Z")
I would say Its good to know 2d fundamentals for a lot of reasons, pretty much all of which are covered already
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### Author:  [@vt1992s10](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/vt1992s10)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/26 "2009-12-08T15:00:43Z")
> [@97FormulaWS-6](#):
>
> When I was at RIT it was Solidworks and Pro/E. They had a UG class as well, but it was only an elective.
+1 Solidworks and Pro/E mainly at RIT
I used AutoCad Inventor when I was Co-oping at SPX lightnin Mixers, all of the SPX Brands use Inventor and 2D AutoCad
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### Author:  [@Penfold](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Penfold)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/27 "2009-12-08T22:03:29Z")
When I use to draft and go to school for CAD, I always preferred autoCAD programs because I was much faster in them. Though I did initially learn on autocad and was able to transfer those skills to other programs with relative ease.
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/28 "2009-12-08T22:07:30Z")
my first drawing with cad! how cute!
the only problem I had is that when i drew the lampshade part I drew it as a ‘profile’ I guess you could call it, then I did a revolve extrusion. for some reason it didnt recognize it as a solid, when the flyout box specifically said it "creates a 3d solid or surface by swinging it around an axis.
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/29 "2009-12-08T22:15:01Z")
Drawing in autocad 3d fucking sucks.
Get inventor. Or s/w or something
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/30 "2009-12-08T23:08:47Z")
working on it!
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 6:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/31 "2009-12-09T06:24:13Z")
What do they need to verify you are a student?
School email address?
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 7:01am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/32 "2009-12-09T07:01:36Z")
My first attempt took 1:30
My second took 1:10…
I probably could get it under a minute if I kept going, lol.
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### Author:  [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/33 "2009-12-09T07:34:17Z")
I use AutoCAD 2009, Inventor 2009, and Autodesk Viz currently. When I did aerospace we used Solidworks 2006 and 2007.
If you learn Solidworks you are 90% of the way of learning Inventor, or vise versa. If you work (or wish to work) in architecture, I’d go Inventor as it has similar commands and icons to ACAD. Otherwise I prefer Solidworks, better mating and sketching setup IMO.
Personally, I would skip over the 2D stuff altogether and hop right on board with the 3D.
$0.02
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### Author:  [@travisn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/travisn)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 8:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/34 "2009-12-09T08:07:21Z")
[quote=“drvnkd,post:31,topic:77011"”]
What do they need to verify you are a student?
School email address?
[/quote]
yes, school email
[quote=“newman,post:32,topic:77011"”]
My first attempt took 1:30
My second took 1:10…
I probably could get it under a minute if I kept going, lol.
[/quote]
fggt.
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### Author:  [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 8:30am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/35 "2009-12-09T08:30:20Z")
lol
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### Author:  [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 9:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/36 "2009-12-09T09:45:24Z")
start with 2d and work from there… also there is no such thing as a good opensource cad software
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### Author:  [@Penfold](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Penfold)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/37 "2009-12-09T14:00:43Z")
I dont see how you could skip over 2D. So many jobs require 2d prints.
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### Author:  [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/38 "2009-12-09T14:32:29Z")
> [@Penfold](#):
>
> I dont see how you could skip over 2D. So many jobs require 2d prints.
You can get any print to 2D from a 3D model, that is not the important factor. It would be just learning the basics and short cuts. I can send you some drawings to practice with that I don’t have time to do (they are 3D too)… 
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### Author:  [@Penfold](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Penfold)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/39 "2009-12-09T14:57:48Z")
doh, I didn’t even think of that. I haven’t touched a cad program in a few years and I have been replacing that information in my brain with more relevant things. hahaha
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### Author:  [@drvnkd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drvnkd)
#### Post date: [December 10, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/found-a-free-cad-program-cad-discussion/77011/40 "2009-12-10T06:50:29Z")
You should still have some 2D editing experience.
3D models can make for some quick 2D prints, but as stated before, legacy stuff would be in 2D. Not just drawings, but all sorts of documents can use dxf’s.
Where I used to work, I was constantly making and updating work instructions in Word.
I’m not sure how well word works with 3d packages…??
You do not need to be an expert in 2D, or have all the tips and tricks, but you need the basics.
So, That said…
Make sure you can get your drawings into word docs too 😛
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