CAD program recommendation?

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Cushing H.

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Jun 3, 2019
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can anyone recommend a basic, relatively easy to learn (hopefully free) CAD program suitable for generating basic 2D drawings for knife outlines (ie not 3d volumes). The one i used to generate my DXF file to JT was really buggy ... im not even sure if he ended up using it or the pdf scan i sent him.. i need a solution for this next outline i need to send him.
 
Problem with Draftsight (which program I really like) is it will be no longer free after 2019. Starting in 2020 it will be for purchase only, and the older 2019 version will no longer work.
 
Thanks folks. I tried LibreCAD and it was buggy in generating a 2D output. I will try this with Fusion 360 (it IS free, and supported by Autodesk - so hopefully is relatively bug free and well documented). Now gotta learn how to generate that 2D output from it....
 
I dont know folks ... I am still struggling with this. I can get my cad drawing (3D) correct in Fusion 360, and can output a DXF file of same ... BUT this is a 3D file ... not sure if JT can use that?? If I generate a drawing, I can only ouptut at dwg file or pdf. Am I missing something ... or can JT use that native 3D file for his work?
 
Ok ... I THINK I have it figured out. If you generate a 3D object in Fusion the DXF file output is ... funky ... includes construction lines, and also is not clear what perspective to generate the dxf from. Looks like you need to ignore the 3D capabilities, and just generate a bunch of connected lines (straight, spline, curve, etc) ... remove any reference lines used for construction, then output. Hopefully the result is workable for JT....
 
Another good, free 2D CAD program is NanoCAD. It's very similar to AutoCAD.

Getting a good DXF out of Fusion from a 3d model should be possible, but there are some caveats. A simple File >> Save As/Export will export a 3d DWG, which is not desirable. You can use the "Output view to DWG" tool in a drawing, however. The key thing, of course, is to model your knife parallel to one of the main plains/axes. Another option is to model in 3d, then "Project" into a new 2d sketch which you export.

I still like having a 2d CAD application for checking & cleaning exports from a 3d model, however.
 
I was about to ask the same question...

I'd like to find a 2D drawing program to design folders. Mostly to make sure everything fits together correctly and work on designs. I don't need 3D, or to output a file for waterjet, etc.

Just looking for something free and easy to learn.
 
This is my kind of thread lol woke up asking myself the same questions today. Thanks for the advice everyone and to the OP for starting this!
 
Cushing H. said:
Ok ... I THINK I have it figured out. If you generate a 3D object in Fusion the DXF file output is ... funky ... includes construction lines, and also is not clear what perspective to generate the dxf from. Looks like you need to ignore the 3D capabilities, and just generate a bunch of connected lines (straight, spline, curve, etc) ... remove any reference lines used for construction, then output. Hopefully the result is workable for JT....
Click to expand...

My oldest son uses SketchUP in a high school manufacturing class; he says it's pretty intuitive & works for what they need, although I have zero experience with that program. I'm lucky enough to have access to AutoCAD and SolidWorks through my workplace.

However, I do have a lot of experience generating DXF files and converting them to G-code to cut parts with plasma & waterjet. Since spline's are not made from simply definable arcs & lines (they're more of an algorithmic function), it sometimes wreaks havoc when exporting a DXF, or trying to import that file into whatever cut software the operator is using. When I have to deal with a spline, I explode it into small polyline segments (each around 0.005'' in length). Then a toolpath can be generated, but the code file gets crazy long really fast.

Shoot me a PM if you want me to look over any of the DXF files you created & see if I can identify what's wrong.
 
I went with Inkscape and ti was very easy to pick up with a little google foo. I have a friend with a plasma table and he uses Inkscape, figured I could get him to do some cutting for me in addition to the blanks Jarod did for me.
 
Fusion 360 is really slick, thy have incorporated a easy way to export a dxf straight from the sketch. Let me snap a few sketches or maybe a short vid real quick.
 
Here you go, sorry it was early and I was not thinking correct.
 
FYI the R12 edition DXF format doesn't include splines, so saving down to R12 will convert splines to plines, and it works pretty well.

However, any reasonably decent cut software should be able to handle spline import, then convert to linear and arc moves within a certain tolerance, which should be the most efficient option.

Nonetheless, in general industry, the vendors that purchasing departments select are never able to handle splines o_O
 
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