Mechanics software

that inventor 11 needs XP proffesional, i'll do with the XP home edition codename whistler, mechanical desktop did install from same CD but dont like it, i'm whistling off to the boat, aaah

 

Try Alibre, even works on Vista

 

This is what you are looking for?

http://www.cadjunky.com/index.php/main/video/show?id=2723914

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKzIBDNXchk

Gmax or Blender (this two are free) maybe one has collision detection, so you can rig an animation and find out if you have any interference, but 3D Max should be able to do it.

other way if you think you can analyze your model as 2D as pointed out before Graficalc and Cinderella can help and 3D almost any MCAD application can do such solidworks, solidedge, inventor etc....Alibre don't have collision detection yet, but there are ways to find this ones.

and rhino don't have plug ins or add ons yet to detect collisions. (dynamic collisions, it can find interferences)

 

Cool videos.

Interference and collision detection:
Alibre Motion provides automated interference detection in a moving assembly allowing one to determine
that position in an assembly's motion in which parts collide. Once a collision is determined the user can
then zoom in on the area of concern and refine the design to remove the interference.

Clip from http://www.alibre.com/products/addons/alibre-motion.asp

 

cool video's indeed, got alibre down, dont think i'll master it in 30 minutes as advertised as first try's to get a dxf in took a minute.
inventor, from what i've seen, has finite element analyses too and have to try gmax, thanks guy's!

 

Alibre has Algor (FEM, but one part only).
DXF/DWG in Alibre opens up as a drawing, then you can copy/paste to a sketch in a part.

 

Try the Autodesk Inventor, I've seen the demo and its good for mechanical design

 

Quite funny description from veteran cad writer Ralph Grabowski, "Trying out Inventor", day 1,2,3,4... (start at the bottom)
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/

 

Inventor is similar to SolidEdge. Both are horrifically expensive in commercial-licence form.

 

Yo there Phil,
This reply is a little late getting out the starting gate, but anywhoo...

I don't know what's out there for Rhino insofar as a kinematics applications go, but for ACAD possibly, it'll set you back all of $29 + shipping. IntelliCAD in the mix another $250 or so.

You can get it here. The price seems right. I'll proly get it myself.

http://www.cadopolis.com/autocad_addons/Right-ToolBox_Easy-Kinematics.shtml

Best regards,
BobG

 

Solidworks would be the way to go to animate mechanisms and part assemblies. It is very expensive but maybe you can find a student edition somewhere, it would have everything you need. If i can help in any way i am fully trained and certified in solidworks.

 

A low cost alternative to Solid Works etc is Alibre Design.
I use it and I sell it, so I like it

 

^
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There you go!