2d design

Hello everybody !

I'm using maxsurf student for the moment and rhino for rendering. (I just begin with rhino so I have still to learn how to use it).

My question is : Which software can I use to make my 2D plans ? (plans to give to the constructor for example).

For mechanical design, I use solidworks, but exporting IGES or STEP into solidworks from Rhino doesn't works for 2D plans...

Thank you for your answers !

GHD
Switzerland

 

2D drawings are usually exchanged between various software via DXF format, which is supported by nearly every 2D drafting software. I use AutoCAD for 2D work, for example.
AutoCAD is a pretty pricey software, but comes with a very good phone and on-line support. However, there are several (realtively) low-cost alternatives to AutoCAD, like (two examples known to me):

• Intellicad, for exampe, is a consortium which produces CAD software engine used by many third-party CAD softwarehouses. You can find a complete list of these houses here: https://members.intellicad.org/members/index.php and choose which one you prefer. The advantage of Intellicad is that it's GUI is a replica of AutoCAD's, so if you are an AutoCAD user, the learning curve for any Intellicad-based drafting software becomes flat.
  
• TurboCAD is a rapidly growing low-cost CAD package ( http://www.turbocad.com/ ) , very well made but with a GUI and drafting logic different from AutoCAD's, so there'll be a certain learning curve.

Hope that helps. Cheers!

 

Thank you daiquiri for your answer !

And before autocad, do you also use Rhino 3D ?

 

Yes. I have used UGS NX back in the firm where I was working. Now that I'm a freelance engineer/designer, I've started using Rhino for cost reasons. And it's not looking bad at all.

 

And you export from Rhino to Autocad in DXF ?

Because I've just downloaded Autocad to try but it doesn't give a good result. For example, I can't put the width dimension. Lengh is ok. Did you change some parameters ?
And what do you draw on rhino ? The whole boat with all fittings ?

Thank you for your help !

 

What are the likely problems of exporting 2D drawings from Rhino as DXF files? I need to do so in the next several days.

 

As Autocad is an expensive one, you can do the 2d drafting in Rhino too, it is of-course a good tool for 2d work when you do not have autocad, and I think there is no problem in exporting to dxf, dwg or etc,

 

I'm not sure what you're doing there to cause the problem. It you shouldn't have any issues in AutoCAD dimensioning in any direction - especially in 2D.

Have you correctly flattened (to 2D) and aligned your lines before you've exported them from Rhino?

If not, look for the project to cplane command in Rhino, it's likely the easiest way for you to flatten things. Then rotate plan, body, profile onto the xy plane if you want to work fully in 2D.

 

Sounds like you would be eligible for the - free - AutoCAD student edition. Or you could buy the aforementioned TurboCAD or ViaCAD that are both very affordable. Then there is DraftSight provided by free by Dassault Systems that is very decent.

 

I've just downloaded and tried DraftSight out of curiosity. It looks really well and neatly done and easy to use. The commands are AutoCAD-like so no learning curve for ACAD users. A true light-weight tool perfect for 2-D drafting. Thanks for the tip!

 

Draftsight is excellent especially as it costs nothing, it's easily a match for AutoCAD LT with day-to-day daughting. It makes you wonder how much of it's just 3DS cocking a thumb to Autodesk.