CAD program NLC

[c.d.s.]

Hello Bob,

Glad you found some of the information useable.
It's great to look at a program like Turbocad and see what is capable now for such a low price.

One great point seems to be that Turbocad uses the same ACIS engine as Autocad, which is nice when you are importing files
or blocks from the obviously dominant dxf/dwg file world. It will also be easier if you wish to expand from your designs and move onto manufacturing or fabrication via CAM (which turbocad has as a plug in for) or just your 2d printouts.

I looked at bend tech online also, great stuff, pity about the PC only platform. I would explore the ability for the program to work with CNC benders, as they don't seem to reveal if they have a proven workflow with a CAM system. This is where you can not just produce a drawing, but then the drawing can be used to output G-code to tell a machine how to make the bends in actual production.

In starting out drawing, do what is comfortable for you to begin with, moving from 2d to 3d is not so difficult, I find it hard to go from 3d back to a 2d drawings, but that's just the way I lay things out in a drawing.

In CAD design I think the complexity of drawing depends on what you want to see/show, and also at what level you want to produce a product. If your making a one off frame, your fabricating, so the fabricator would probably in the end finalize cut lists and sort out the mitering of the tubing according to your final dimensions.


best regards



Carl

[rdssdi]

This is my third attempt at posting a reply. The first two disappeared when I moved the computer mouse. The text simply vanished.

Thanks for all your great information.

My original chassis was in terrible condition. PO repairs were ghastly. It appeared these repairs were accomplished with a stick welder and no fabricating knowledge or experience.

I purchased a replacement chassis on e-bay. A lucky find. A local racing fabricating company had repaired it and used it as a template to produce a new chassis using chrome moly steel. This new, slightly modified, chassis was for a TVR Vixen race car being made for a customer. They did a great job on the new chassis.

I have always had an interest in CAD. I thought it would be an interesting challenge to create "CAM ready" drawings to replicate of produce repair components for the TVR Vixen chassis.

[Bettycarson]

Visio Training using Visimation, a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner that provides training for end-users architectural drawings for application developers.
http://visiotoolbox.com/Trainings/

[gerrym]

Bob, have a look at Peter Eland's website dedicated to free/cheap CAD (2D and 3D upgrades) including MAC specific or at least compatible programmes.

Regards

Gerry

http://www.eland.org.uk/pages/Misc/cadnotes.html