Getting Your Own CAD Software

It is not a secret that CAD software license is expensive. I say expensive by means that unless you own a business that would benefit and earn profit by having CAD software, buying one for your own toy is not affordable.

For a quick glance, I listed few famous CAD software license price (price in USD).

 - SolidWorks: $12,000

 - Autodesk Inventor: $8,000

 - AutoCAD: $4,000

 - Unigraphics: $30,000

 - Pro/E Wildfire: $9,000

 - CATIA: $15,000

Note that the above price is just for approximate. In fact most of the time, CAD software does not come as fixed price, instead you need to ask for quotation form the company. They will ask what kind of package you require and they will give quote you their price. Typically it is enough to burn a hole on your pocket.

Getting Your Own Free CAD Software

Now here's the thing. What if you want to have your own CAD software without burning your wallet? Well, there is few steps that you can do.

1. Download a freeware

As more people get their access to computer, more and more freeware has been developed. CAD software is also part of it. Currently, there are quite a number of CAD software is available online for you to download. For free. Just to name a few, CadStd, Draft It, and Google Sketchup is probably the most free CAD software you can find online.

Typically the freeware do not have the ability to perform 3D modelling. Draft It for example, has interface very similar to those of AutoCAD, but only allow for 2D drafting.

Few points to note, though it is available for free, definitely the premium product would offer you more features, flexibility, and more robust model. Good software will come with a price. And to top all of that, the freeware typically does not support Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). So while some of it is able to do 3D modelling, it is just a model for your own viewing!

2. Autodesk student license

If you are still a student, good news! Because Autodesk is offering a student licensed software to students for free. You can download almost all software that Autodesk is offering using your student license. All you need to do is just register an account, verify your education institution, and you are all set. The only drawbacks  you have are (1) Your license will expire once you graduate, and (2) all the drawing you created will be watermarked "PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT".

3. Download from Chinese website. Nah, just kidding. We do not recommend you to do that.

SolidWorks 2015

Few weeks back, SolidWorks announce its latest version, the SolidWorks 2015. The tagline they put for the new version, "Improve your Every Day Productivity", gave me the impression that the new version could do 3D modelling easier and faster compared to their previous version.

I personally have not tried this new version yet, but looking at their promotional video, it seems that they have improved pretty much on the sketch mode. One drawback I realize for the previous version of SolidWorks is difficulties on creating 2D sketch, especially for the first feature. I would typically start of with creating dummy scale to approximate how big my sketch is. Other competitor, such as Autodesk Inventor, in their latest version of Inventor 2014 has come out with auto-scale feature which I think is a very useful function.

Another feature they mention on their promotional video is the ability to use table for pattern, which gives flexibility to customize your pattern. Even this is a great feature, I wouldn't call this a revolutionary things as other software such as Pro/E (which is called Creo now) already has this feature from quite some times ago, though it is not that easy to use!

On a personal view, I believe that the 2015 version will improve overall user experience without losing their main ace, the user friendliness. Contrary to earlier version, this version will also give option to more advance user to create their 3D model using more complex feature. If you are interested to participate to get the trial version, visit their main website and just express your interest!

SolidWorks - Radius/Diameter Dimension on Revolve

This time I will share a simple tricks that can be useful when  using Smart Dimension in SolidWorks for Revolve function.

Sometimes, we wanted to specify the diameter of a certain part, while on other occasion, we want to specify the radius. Even radius can be easily obtained from diameter, by dividing by 2, on certain dimension it can't be easily achieved. Using calculator might waste a little bit of your time.

The tricks below will show you how to convert diameter to radius without even doing a calculation.

1. To start off, you need to have a center line as a center of revolution.
2. Draw a profile that you want to revolve.
3. Using Smart Dimension, place a dimension between the center line and the sketch you want to give the dimension. Placing the dimension on the same side of the sketch would give you a radius (on the image below is on the right side of the center line).
4. To convert it to diameter, simply drag your mouse to the other side of the center line before you place the dimension.
5. That simple tricks would save you a little bit of time!

Giving radius or diameter on SolidWorks. Place dimension on the same side of the sketch to give radius, place it on the other side to give diameter.

SolidWorks - Customizing Your Own Keyboard Shortcut

One good thing about SolidWorks is that it is very customizable. Users are able to assign or customize their own keyboard shortcut. With that, users can assign certain hot keys on their keyboard to their mostly used features. By default, SolidWorks have assigned certain hotkeys, for example "E" for extrude, "Enter" for last used commands, "Ctrl + N" for New File, etc.

Customizing your own keyboard shortcut can be done following these steps:
1. Launch SolidWorks and click New > Part. Search for the Options button on top, click the arrow besides the icon, and select Customize.
Note: The Customize would not appear immediately when you launch SolidWorks. You need to create part/assembly/drawing in order to access this function.

Accessing Customize Function

2. On the Customize window, go to Keyboard tab. To change any hot keys, just click on the Shortcut(s) column, and press your own hotkeys. Note that you can input combinations of hotkeys, e.g. Ctrl + s, Alt + N, etc.

Customizing Keyboard Shortcut

3. Click OK to confirm.

SolidWorks Tutorial - Pen Cover

This time round, the tutorial I made would be to model one part of a pen, which is its cover. The complete set of assembly however, can be downloaded from here.

I chose to make the tutorial only for one part as you can learn how to use several features in this tutorial.

Skill learned: 

Revolved Boss/Base, Revolved Cut, Fillet, Sketch Relationship

Final Product:

Tutorial:

1. Open up SolidWorks > New > Parts.
2. On the Model Tree, right click on the Front Panel, and select Sketch.
   
3. Select the arrow besides line, and select Centerline. Draw a vertical line passing through the origin. 
   
4. Select line, and draw a shape of object that looks like shown below. 
   
5. Select Smart Dimension, and give the dimensions as shown below. Note that all dimensions against the Centerline are all for diameter, instead of radius. Read here for a note of how to give diameter instead of radius on revolve. 
   
   
   
   
6. Click Insert > Boss/Base > Revolve. Or alternatively, click on the Features Ribbon, and select Revolved Boss/Base. You should see a preview as shown below. Click the green thick button (OK) to confirm.
   
7. Right click on Front Plane, and select Sketch.
8. Repeat step 3, draw a vertical Centerline passing through the origin. Draw 6 rectangular box as shown below.
   
9. Hold down Ctrl button, and select all 6 inner edge of the rectangle. On the left dialog box, select Colinear and Equal.
   
10. Give the dimension of the rectangular box as shown below. Note that the spacing of the box (1.5 mm) is the same for all. 
    
11. Click Insert > Cut > Revolve. Or alternatively, click on the Features Ribbon and select Revolved Cut. A preview should appear. Select the green thick button (OK) to confirm. 
    
12. On the Features Ribbon, select Fillet. On the left dialog box, adjust the radius to 1 mm, and select the edge shown below. 
    
13. Add fillet on the edges of the revolved rectangle, adjust the radius to 0.1 mm and select all the edges as shown below. Note that you can select the surface (highlighted on the rightmost selection) instead of selecting the edges one by one. Read here for explanation of the selection.
    
14. Congratulation! You have completed your model!

SolidWorks - Zebra Stripes

Zebra Stripes. Some of you might have come across to this function and was wondering what the purpose of this function is. For those who haven't seen it yet, you can access this function from Evaluate ribbon > Zebra Stripes.

The function of zebra stripes is to simulate the light inspection. This inspection is typically used to inspect the surface of a car. Light inspection is done by shining parallel lights unto the inspected surface. The reflection of the lights would form a contour on the surface, making any imperfections easily detected.

The Famous Light Inspection Photography on Aston Martin Bodywork
Source: Christopher Furlong, Getty Image

When the zebra stripes function is activated, a contour profile is shown on all surfaces of your model. Even this function might not be particularly useful for solid modelling, it is a very useful function to make good surface model.

Below is an example of using the zebra stripes function to identify your surface model.

Bad Model. Notice discontinuities of the stripes between top and bottom door panel.
Spiral or circular pattern indicate that the surface has dent/bulge

Good model. Notice how the stripe flow smoothly between the front and rear door panel.

Gallery - Nissan Fairlady 350Z in SolidWorks

All right, this is the first car model that I created in SolidWorks using surface modelling. Wasn't really the best car to choose for the first time. Pretty complex shape and lots of curvature. I haven't really learnt how to create smooth surface modelling back then, so there's pretty much disconnected surface in this model. But overall, it was pretty satisfying after completing my first model :)

Enjoy!

Isometric view. See how much features is needed!

Front Bumper, head light and Tyre

Side View

Fornt View