Hi just wondereing which program is the best to use and which one you people use???
Jono
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Hi just wondereing which program is the best to use and which one you people use???
Jono
We use AutoCad. Well actually my brother uses it I just stand over him and tell him that wont work :)
LOL!!!!!
Mr Stu
Yea same, I like my autocad 200i But its probably not the best package for 3D work, the more expensive vershions are very good for making mock-ups of a robot on screen, check out http://www.teamhurtz.comwww.teamhurtz.com .
Dave moulds
Team Turbine
I like QCad, available from http://www.ribbonsoft.com/qcad.html>http://www.ribbonsoft.com/qcad.html. The 1.x versions are free and it works on DXF files which are the AutoCAD standard. It has Windows & Linux versions which is a big plus for me. Its 2D only and I expect a professional draughtsman would find it a bit lacking, but it does everything I need.
Im a professional Draftsman, but I havnt seen that progam. Actually I find AutoCAD limiting for designing robots even though I use it a work. For designing my robots I use SolidWorks 2000, but I cant seem to get it to work since I upgraded to Windows XP, but I havnt really tried either. Also at work at the moment I playing around with AutoDesk Inventor. From a drafting point of veiw SolidWorks and Inventor are pathetic compared to AutoCAD, but from a designing point of veiw they are ****ing brillant.
I have designed Hellbringer, The Aggressor and Adversary on SolidWorks and not only did the parts for robots go to together smoothly, but I knew the exact weight of the robot before I even started cutting.
Oh, and Jim, a standard AutoCAD drawing file is a DWG file, not a DXF. But AutoCAD does save and read DXF files.
i use rhin3d with the flamingo addon i got from http://www.rhino3d.comwww.rhino3d.com
all 4 of my robots have been done in Rhino, and all of them have gone together smoothly. altough using CAD is the reason why my robots are always so damn small lol.
one thing i have found is you cant calculate weight with rhino (or am i missing something?)
btw does anyone know where i can get a free download of AutoCAD or solidworks? id like to have a go at using those.
Autodesk Inventor all the way !
Lots of good packages suggested. I use quite a lot as all my CAM and CNC software seems to have different prefernces on what it wants to import.
The parametric software is probably best for robot designing due to inherent advantages (rhino being NURBS which is slightly differnet- better for free-form modeling, but really down to your preference) 4 common CAD packages that spring to mind are Pro/Desktop, Pro/Engineer (pro desktops bigger brother), Autodesk and Solidworks. Pro/Desktop and Autodesk are very very good lower end CAD packages, and should handle most things you would want to use in a robot. Neither of them hold a candle to Pro/Engineer and Solidworks, but as to which of those to is better, it depends who you ask. CAD types can get quite emotional about it :) The problem with these packages is that, if youre starting out (as is infered from your post) then they might appear very complex and quite arcane. Much better to start of with autodesk inventor or Pro/Desktop, which, once youve learnt the basics, are very easy to get skilled at quickly. I normally use Pro/Desktop for most things as it can handle most things- included on my profile is a pic of some jet engine parts I built on Pro/Desktop to see how far it can go. Pro/Engineer is lightyears better but complex, as I said, and leaning much more towards the CAM side of things. I rarely use it for robot stuff, in no small part due to the fact that my computer creeks and groans trying to model stuff on it- its a bit of a beast of a program (its installation is spread over 3 CDs :S )
So, In conclusion, Pro/Desktop or autodesk- very good pacakges and they should handle most things you throw at them. As PTC seems to be giving up with supporting Pro/Desktop, and with there being more support for Autodesk, Id go with autodesk.
Glen, Solidworks seem to change their site around on a monthly basis, and downloading anything from their site is a bit of a pain as you practically have to sign your life away in forms before getting anywhere. They do offer a student version for much less, but it terminates after 2 years (whats up with that?) so your best bet is to find some nice person who doesnt mind accidently lending you the CDs and codes. Thats what I did ;-) As for calculating weight, any of the parametric software should do it, but I cant think where Id start looking on Rhino. Thingyma-bob from Ceros seems to know his rhino- hed be the man to ask.
***one thing i have found is you cant calculate weight with rhino (or am i missing something?)***
Your missing something :D Next time your online, I´ll show you how.
I downloaded Rhino 3d and all i tried i couldnt get the hang of it!
Jono, you dont need cad mate.
Just get a load of bits, and bodge something together for your first time. You will learn alot by it. Then at a later date you can re design and improve on your current ideas etc.
Mr Stu
Yer ok,
At the mo im using Word to do my 3d drawings in ( sad )
Stu hopefully feather on the way !
Jono
Nice one.
Mr Stu
Totally agree with Stu- CAD for the sake of it is pointless and just causes stress. A 2D system, of which there are many for very little money (and some are free), is a boon for designing something, printing it out in 1:1 scale, sticking it on the material to be cut and cut it out. Then your robot will assemble like a piece of flat pack furniture, which is always nice :-) Dont bother with 3D stuff for the time being.
Yeah fair point.
I for one use AutoCad (proberly not all of its features) and the results look like its been done in paint but it gives me a to scale drawing where to put things. So i know if things fit and how big to make my chassis and all sorts.
It can be and has been done without using Cad, only reason i use Cad to do those things is to pass time while im collecting bits :proud: hehe.
Mr Stu
LOL!!! Id always been in denial about that, but its completely true :-)
At the risk of subverting another topic...
Since Im from a (software) graphical background rather than an engineering one, Ive never really played with anything which calls itself a CAD package - but on the other hand Im reasonably fluent in 3DS Max, Maya and SoftImage (not at home, btw; if I had the bank balance to own that lot Id have a robot by now).
Ive not tried designing a robot in any of those, but can I ask what features people use which could be considered CAD, rather than modelling, specific?
I guess its easier to rip out the components in a format suitable for driving machining hardware in a CAD package (Ive not seen that facility in the modelling packages, although it probably wouldnt be hard to pull out a trim curve if you restricted yourself to simple surface types). Ive also not seen weight calculation facilities, but again there may be a way to get a volume calculation. Ive spent all my time getting the surfaces looking right (I know exactly how to get a nice brushed metal effect, but that doesnt help much), so this isnt the kind of thing Ive ever tried to do.
Most of my proto-designs are half in my head, half on the back of an envelope, but Id be interested in knowing what people find useful. Id be inclined to model as a final stage before trying to build, if only as a rough attempt and to ensure that nothing obvious is going to go wrong (centre of gravity behind the rear wheels, ram fouls on the batteries, that kind of thing) which I wouldnt be able to tell by placing all the components on a suitable bit of gardboard/MDF. The lay it all out principle only really works if what youre building is flattish, and Id prefer not to restrict myself.
Just wondering what benefits can be got from extending my repertoire!
--
Fluppet
Youve already answered a large part of it- outputing to CAM software/NC machines, and creating patterns and technical drawings for yourself. If my memory surves me correctly 3DS MAX will work with IGES files, which 99% of CAD programs can read (tho it is not a prefered format, by any means) so you conceivably CNC yourself some of your creations on 3DS max.
Fundamentally, it biols down to what the software packages are design to do. CAD packages are designed to make parts, and integrate, as much as possible, with other realted CAM and NC software. The options are more Enginerring specific, and the layout is set out with that in mind. I can lend you pro/Desktop at the next social (whenever it may be) so you can have a play yourself. I think Rhino is much more like 3DS MAX- much more inclined towards free-fprm modelling, curves, wire frams, and the like. Youll find the more parametric aspect of Pro/Desktop (or Autodesk, for that matter) lends itself more to the kind of stuff involved in robot builing. If you would like me to bring the CD along, gimme a shout.
We need to start charging you web space on this forum Andrew :proud:
Mr Stu
talking of CAD, i use autoCAD LT 2004, this really bugs me:
when i draw a rectangle and then try and draw a smaller rectangle undeneath it it automaticly takes the lines to the same width as the first one. anyone know a soloution.
Eddy: Thank you (and that was my impression of Rhino too). I may end up getting hold of a spaceball and a Dimentor Inspector and rolling my own (best way to ensure that the interface doesnt annoy me, and both input devices together are cheaper than the decent modelling software!) - but its nice to know whats out there.
Stu: I hope not. I cant afford a robot as it is... Its not as though Ive even got an image on my description!
--
Fluppet
I use robot wars arena of destruction on the ps2/
:)
lol
sad thing is, for at least 3 robots this is true
LOL @ James B
Yeah That is sooo true for alot of roboteers im sure. Either Robot Wars Arena or even Robot Arena 2.
I think Ed H did with Storm 2 .....
http://www.janissaries.org/ja/Darkrat/storm2.jpghttp://www.janissaries.org/ja/Darkrat/storm2.jpg
hehehe.
Mr Stu
Danny (I hate being called that ;-) ) I can think of 2 reasons straight off why your rectangles are over lapping. The first might be you have snap and grid on. I always turn this 2 features off as Im a more hardcore drafter (not really, Im just talking big). If you got those damn annoying dots everywhere and the cross hairs jumping from one to another when you move the mouse then the snap feature is on. Too select the next point for your smaller rectangle either type in the coorrdinates for the second point of the rectangle (x,y from the 0,0 point, or @x,y for the first point of the rectangle or if you want to be tricky, @lengthangle for polar coorrdinates), or you could just turn the snap function off by hitting F9 or the Snap button down the bottom of the screen. You can also change the size of the grid for the little dots and for the Snap by right clicking on the Snap button and going to Drafting settings or use the drop down menus at the top of the screen and find Drafting Settings in there.
Or maybe you have youve got your osnaps (Object Snap) set up so it selects end points. Usually AtuoCAD is a pain with Osnaps on and is always selecting the wrong point of the screen. If a purple square appears of the corner of the already drawn rectangle it means AutoCAD wants to put the corner of the rectangle your drawing there. If that happens you can turn Osnaps off by hitting F3 or the OSNAPS button down the bottom of the screen, but remember to turning it back on after. Or you can use the Osnap tool bar like I do and select the no snap button. You can change all your Osnap settings in the Drafting Settings box too.
I still dont compare AutoCAD to SolidWorks or Inventor. They are completely different.
hi thanx for that, it was the os snap. i can draw plans now.
cheers again danny.... lol
I find paint does the job perfectly:)
Solidworks is about the best ive seen, i have solidworks Pro, its great, you can work out strengths and weights of your robot! You can build the whole thing before you actually make it, and know it will defintaly work!
Grant-PloughBot
you have solidworks, AND U USE PAINT!!!!!
whats wrong with paint? All of ours were designed on paint!
You can find strengths? Does that mean you have the fianite element analysis add-on? I wouldnt mind giving that go as Ive only seen it.
there is nothing wrong with paint, its just if you have solidworks, that is an awsome program.
nothing ment.