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Author: Subject: PC software to draw 3D chassis model?
gasket999

posted on 13/3/11 at 02:53 AM Reply With Quote
PC software to draw 3D chassis model?

Hi there - I hope that I'm right in putting this querey in this section...

I'm starting to plan a new project and am struggling to visualise the chassis design. I'd like a computer program for my PC that will allow me to draw a 3D of the chassis rails. It only needs to be a very basic program - I've never used anything like this before and there's no way I could use a complex product like full Autocad.

The only specific needs I have is for me to be able to control the lengths of each piece of chassis rail by altering the real-world measurements - eg if i start by drawing the chassis and estimating a particular chassis leg to be 20" long and I later find out that it would be better at 25", I'd like to be able to have the software alter the picture if I alter the perameters.

Can anyone recomend such a program - either free or to buy?

Many thanks indeed folks.

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McLannahan

posted on 13/3/11 at 07:15 AM Reply With Quote
Google Sketchup?






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balidey

posted on 13/3/11 at 08:19 AM Reply With Quote
not on PC, but how about balsa wood.





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MakeEverything

posted on 13/3/11 at 09:16 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by balidey
not on PC, but how about balsa wood.


Good call. Balsa Wood and a glue gun.





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MikeR

posted on 13/3/11 at 10:04 AM Reply With Quote
I use kitchen wooden skewers with hot glue. Available from all supermarkets for very little. The advantage of hot glue is you can use the nozzle of the glue gun to heat up the joint and undo the joint.
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gasket999

posted on 13/3/11 at 11:24 AM Reply With Quote
McLannahan, Google Sketchup is exactly what i was looking for - perfect! I had never heard of that bpiece of kit before - thanks.

I really like the idea of making a mock-up out of wood splints and a glue gun too - many thanks for the tips folks.

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kb58

posted on 13/3/11 at 06:01 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by McLannahan
Google Sketchup?

I went this route, even bought the "pro" version. In short, it's terrible for doing serious CAD work such as a car. Houses, perhaps, but it's clunky and worse, very buggy when used for real CAD. It's well worth what you pay for the free version - zero - but the pro version has too many bugs to be a real tool. The bugs are mainly in the format conversions, which is absolutely needed if you're planning to use figures in a book, which is why I bought it. If you sense a bit of contempt in my post, yeah wel, they deserve it, I wish I could get my money back

[Edited on 3/13/11 by kb58]





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McLannahan

posted on 13/3/11 at 06:34 PM Reply With Quote
As a free tool it's excellent but obviously it's no match for a decent CAD package. I used to use ProEngineer and ProDesktop and they're both superb but far from free. I'm not a current CAD user now really so I'm not sure what the current "must-have" product is? Solidworks perhaps?

Gasket....you're welcome. Good luck with it!






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RichardK

posted on 13/3/11 at 07:41 PM Reply With Quote
I'm sure there is also a sketchup of a 7 chassis already already available, may save you a bit of time.

Just checked and yeh there are 3 decent ones, just google sketchup locost

Cheers

Rich

[Edited on 13/3/11 by RichardK]





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Doctor Derek Doctors

posted on 16/3/11 at 10:50 AM Reply With Quote
Getting hold of proper CAD for free or very cheap is fairly easy.

If I was you I'd try and get hold of a copy of Solidworks 2009 or 2010, CATIA may be a little tech heavy for a new user but will run better though. Perhaps NX 7.5 would be good to try, it visualises 3D models really nicely and and is fairly straighforward but is less comonly used then Solidworks or CATIA.

Don't bother with AutoCAD, its like the retarded brother of design software.

Also if you get some proper CAD if you design something you can then do a proper drawing from it quickly and simply and have it made.

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richardlee237

posted on 16/3/11 at 11:30 AM Reply With Quote
The other good point about a balsa wood model is that you can twist and bend it to check rigidity, then see if you can improve it by adding or subtracting elements.

It may not be Formula 1, but it is a simple and very cheap way of seeing if it is designed somewhere near right.





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Tralfaz

posted on 21/3/11 at 12:49 AM Reply With Quote
Keep in Mind that by there own description Sketchup is..

A 3D sketching software for the conceptual phases of design.

So...use it for that and you wont be disappointed.




[Edited on 21/3/11 by Tralfaz]

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wormscoffer

posted on 21/3/11 at 09:11 AM Reply With Quote
I can't recall where but I'm sure I've read somewhere that Chris used Sketchup for the illustrations in the book.

I wonder if he's shared it as I'm struggling to find a complete Sketchup model in the warehouse.

Andrew

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Alan B

posted on 21/3/11 at 10:12 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Doctor Derek Doctors
Getting hold of proper CAD for free or very cheap is fairly easy.

If I was you I'd try and get hold of a copy of Solidworks 2009 or 2010, ..............


Hmmm....I paid around 7k (dollars) for my Solidworks 2008 premium....did I miss out on some cut price bargains?

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Doctor Derek Doctors

posted on 22/3/11 at 01:40 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Alan B
quote:
Originally posted by Doctor Derek Doctors
Getting hold of proper CAD for free or very cheap is fairly easy.

If I was you I'd try and get hold of a copy of Solidworks 2009 or 2010, ..............


Hmmm....I paid around 7k (dollars) for my Solidworks 2008 premium....did I miss out on some cut price bargains?


Yes, anyone who works anywhere in the industry should be able to get you a copy for the price of a couple of blank CD's

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