Author Topic: Drawing software for simple engine builds.  (Read 6697 times)

Offline pgp001

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #15 on: May 28, 2018, 09:22:54 PM »
Reading this makes me realise just how lucky I am to have the use of Solidworks 3D CAD

Phil

Offline Art K

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2018, 02:33:31 AM »
G-M
I took some tech school classes with Master Cam then tried to apply that to Alibre. That was the software that came with my Tormach mill. They have moved on to Iron cad and I not wanting to learn a new software have stuck with the different iterations of Alibre. I have heard good things about Fusion 360. Stick with it, ask ?'s they probably have a forum of some sort where you can post questions to help figure out things. It might be helpful to work on a part that you are familiar with just to learn the ropes. I found that doing carburetors with all the different intersecting holes ect. was more useful in cad because I could visualize the holes and all the alignment I couldn't see in the blue prints.
Art
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Online Jasonb

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #17 on: May 29, 2018, 06:40:49 PM »
I also stuck with Alibre but was close to going over to F360, luckily they are now supporting it once again so I decided to carry on with the latest Alibre as I had a lot of drawings done with it and had got used to using it.

Did play with F360 a bit earlier and it should be fine for drawing up steam engines, these two almost came out better  finished than my actual metal ones!


Offline bent

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #18 on: May 29, 2018, 06:45:53 PM »
"I found that doing carburetors with all the different intersecting holes ect. was more useful in cad because I could visualize the holes and all the alignment I couldn't see in the blue prints."

I learnt to draw manually, with a pair of triangles and some lead holders (and an eraser shield, which got a lot of use :) back in Jr. College.  Years later I had the "pleasure", as a fresh grad, of working with designers of rocket engines, one of whom had me check his work - all done as manual drawings.  I had to do several projected views (using a sketched onionskin overlay from his print) to figure out a complex multi-hole intersection and verify some of his numbers...  When reviewing it with him, I asked how he'd constructed the views to get his numbers, and showed him my work, and he replied that he'd done it in his head.   :embarassed:  Felt quite wooly (sheepish in fact).  Took me a day and a half to get to something he just "knew" - probably from years of experience.  Humbling, that.

Years later I was wowing the young IronCad "drafters" at another company with my constructed views for some fairly complex parts that I'd done in AutoCad.  Seems they don't teach the old way no more :).

Sorry, none of that helps in picking a software package.  I've used IronCad, Solidworks, Acad and Autodesk Inventor (the last one is fairly similar to Fusion from what I've seen and read).  They all work, and they can all create standard 2D drawings.  In my business, 2D drawings still rule, as you can point to the dimensions, tolerances, and drawing notes to argue with a vendor who has attempted to sell you a non-conforming part.  Tougher to do that with a model, even one with dimensioning and tolerancing applied per latest ANSI/ISO MBD standards (these have come a long way, but still fall short IMO).  I'd lean towards any program from a name-brand company, with a downloadable file that didn't have a restrictive user license, for fear that the terms will change and I'll lose the work I had done to that point.  I've looked at and rejected a lot of freeware, because the user support was limited, and the learning curve too steep for my taste (alibre was one of those).  D'no what I'll do if/when I retire, as I've not found a fully satisfying home cad program, yet.  But I've still got those triangles, somewhere...

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #19 on: May 29, 2018, 07:02:54 PM »
I've only tried F360 for 24hrs so I'm hardly an expert but my initial thoughts are it would allow hobbyists like myself to design relatively simple engines without too much effort. - I managed to draw a cylinder / valve chest assembly with ports etc in a few hours of watching tutorial videos.

My only concern is I'm still not sure it can draft building plans from a 3d design.


Online Jasonb

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #20 on: May 29, 2018, 07:12:12 PM »
First time I've tried it but should do all you want, from the box top left that starts off "sculpt" select drawing at the bottom of the dropdown.
« Last Edit: May 29, 2018, 07:18:47 PM by Jasonb »

Offline Gas_mantle

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #21 on: May 29, 2018, 07:26:41 PM »
Thanks Jason,

That's pretty much what I'm after  :)  I kinda thought it should be able to produce a blueprint but wasn't sure.

Now I know I can draft a plan it is much more interesting.

I've mentioned a few times in the forum that I'd like to design and build a fairly simple steam engine of a decent size (I already have most of the materials) but it is no good me building just from an idea in my head then expecting a biggun to look and perform ok, I need to draw and plan it properly  ;)

Online Roger B

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #22 on: May 29, 2018, 07:44:51 PM »
This is quite interesting. I use Draftsight to produce 2D drawings for my engines but I don't generally use/need 3D to see how things fit together. I have just finished reading Temple Grandin's book 'Thinking in Pictures' (look it up) and being Aspergers myself I can easily see how everything fits together just like she can (Nikoli Tessla was apparently the same). What do others think/feel?
Best regards

Roger

Offline Jo

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #23 on: May 29, 2018, 08:15:02 PM »
... and being Aspergers myself I can easily see how everything fits together just like she can (Nikoli Tessla was apparently the same). What do others think/feel?

Snap  :embarassed: I can visualise a lot of engineering problems including the individual parts I am making my head but I do find the ability to do an assembly useful.

For example: on our ABC Scorpion design the dimensions to get the correct positioning of the cam faces was derived from a lot of different items and their dimensions... Once they were assembled it was easy to measure the position where the two cam faces were going to sit and all the other dimensions  :wine1:

Jo
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #24 on: May 29, 2018, 08:37:31 PM »
I don't usually have a problem seeing a drawn part in 3D.
But being able to see it in 3D will sometimes point out a mistake in dimension.
Most helpful to me is when I assemble parts and can see how it works, look for interferences, or see opportunities for decorative features.

I don't know Fusion360 (yet) but I expect it does the same thing as my software (CubifyDesign)...

When assembling parts I sometimes see a part that needs adjustment or tweaking.
So I redraw the part and see the change in the assembly.
However, I have to close the assembly and reopen it for the drawing to take effect.
Sometimes a mating surface or alignment gets lost.

I draw in 3D and then create drawings. Same thing there. If I change the 3D then I have to close and reopen the drawing to see the change.

I enjoy animating the assembly. By which I mean, being able to select some surface or feature and, by moving the mouse, I can move parts about their pivot points.
I'm not sure how easy that is to do in Fusion360. I like the mouse action in my software and found it difficult to do in 360. But that may be more about getting used to the tool.
BTW CubifyDesign (not free) I believe was derived from Alibre. Both packages work very similar to SolidWorks.

One feature I would like to have is to create a cam and follower assembly, then turn the cam and see the follower do its thing.
In my software, the follower just sits at one radius of the cam. It doesn't follow.

It would also be helpful to have 2D animation to create linkages and have it automatically sketch some point of the linkage so you can see the path the point takes.
I've been playing with a program called "Linkage' that does that.

Something I'd really like to have is to draw an output path and have a program create the linkage for me.

Learning a CAD package is well worth the effort. It can be fun in itself to draw ideas or use it for other things.
I used it to plan out our home renovation, my shop, and various things T wanted for her garden.
It's a whole lot easier than ruining scads of paper with erasures.  ;D
Carl (aka Zee) Will sometimes respond to 'hey' but never 'hey you'.
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Offline Jo

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #25 on: May 29, 2018, 09:08:04 PM »
The joy of unsupported software  :killcomputer: I have just discovered that Alibre software is in compatiable with the latest version of Windows and for some reason the text tool no longer works in 2D mode  :ShakeHead:

Time to dust off that old Windows 7 machine :facepalm:

Jo
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Offline Tennessee Whiskey

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #26 on: May 29, 2018, 09:15:16 PM »
Ha, that’s my problem: I’m still using hand tools  :lolb:

Cletus

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #27 on: May 29, 2018, 09:45:06 PM »
The joy of unsupported software  :killcomputer: I have just discovered that Alibre software is in compatiable with the latest version of Windows and for some reason the text tool no longer works in 2D mode  :ShakeHead:

Time to dust off that old Windows 7 machine :facepalm:

Jo

"Alibre Development has produced a fix for the Tables issue with Win10 1803 update. Support will be checking outstanding tickets and getting back to users with details of how to apply the fix to build 19033.

If you are suffering the problem with editing Tables in 2D drawings after updating to Win10 1803 - you'll need to raise a support ticket to get access to the fix."
https://www.alibreforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/broken-text-boxes.20330/

The software is supported, but if you are not current on maintenance maybe not: you could check with them. 3D Systems let the software flounder for a few years then finally sold it back to some of the original Alibre team. They are actively working on updates and bug fixes. They are also working on a hobby version that will be in the $200 range.

I have used the software for many years and have been happy with it, I have kept up on maintenance and have the latest version released last month.  Using multiple CAD programs at work and Alibre at home I wasn't looking forward to learning yet another one. So I was pretty happy when the Alibe guys were able to take it back from 3D Systems.
Fusion is an impressive product and in some ways probably more capable than Alibre, but I have to wonder how long AutoDesk is going to just give it away.

Dave

Offline dvbydt

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #28 on: May 29, 2018, 10:28:45 PM »
Just a shout out for DesignCAD. I have used it for 2D drawings for a long time so can remember all the shortcut keystrokes! The 3D Max has just too many dropdown menus for me to remember them all (Need a younger uncluttered mind) but it will do lettering on a double curved surface, not perfectly but good enough. Also the latest version (2018) supports .STL files for 3D printing.

Ian

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Drawing software for simple engine builds.
« Reply #29 on: May 29, 2018, 10:38:34 PM »
Carl---were you able to open that .step file I sent you?

 

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