Software Lust

[den]

Solidworks

Comments

[jim-lane.livejournal.com]

Any idea how much it COSTS---?

The Website is very careful to refer you to a SALESPERSON...

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

Basic version starts at AU$12,000

It's a bit pricey.

[jim-lane.livejournal.com]

A "bit" too pricey for MY blood--- (Ouch!)

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you can get it cheaper over there. 8)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

I think you could send these to a rapid prototyping service to get a 3D "print" in polymers. Which would be cool, but better if they could do it in full colour.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[kamau-d-lyon.livejournal.com]

Nice bit of software to be sure. Just wish I could justify getting such a program. I don't do enough design work any more for that big an outlay.

[jim-lane.livejournal.com]

No doubt $19.95 USD at OfficeMax, with a $20.00 mail-in rebate...

(Just KIDDING!!!!!) };-)

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

The version I saw demo'd had an Australian Standards plug-in that would spit out a list of material relevant to the company you were buying from: RHS, pipe diametres, plate sizes, mesh sizes, rods etc It was very impressive. The part I liked was that you draw in 3D, so you can effectively prototype it as you go, then it would spit out 2D plan views like AutoCAD does, which you could print to give to the fabricator. Also, you could take a standard AutoCAD .dwg drawing and build a 3D model, as long as you had two sides and the top view, ie.x, y, and z views. PLUS it can create exploded views of assemblies. It can animate them as AVI or in a proprietary format that you need the reader for, which is free from their website like Adobe Reader for PDFs. PLUS it could do photo-realistic renders. This was the standard version. There are extra modules for additional animation, graphics and so on.

Requires p4 2GHz, 1GB RAM, and a decent graphics card. I'd love to get my hands on this program. Software lust.

[dewhitton.livejournal.com]

There is supposed to be a mob online that will cast parts for you if you send the plans in. I've never found their website.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[kamau-d-lyon.livejournal.com]

Software Lust.
Yup, that about what I feel as well.

[kamau-d-lyon.livejournal.com]

In talking to a friend who is more directly connected to this type of work there are some metal parts being made that way. If I recall correctly it involves a electron gun laying down the metal at a near atomic level. It is still very limited but a start at making more then prototypes and models.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]