CAD Packages

[xanderjones]

Hi,

Just hoping to get some opinions on CAD packages available. Looking for something relatively simple, probably 2D, using to design a kitchen, bathroom, etc. Any help appreciated. Cheers.

[Focus2.0Zetec]

Hi

I use AutoCad and AutoDesk Mechanical Desktop for 2D work, Autodesk Inventor for 3D design (Machine Design), i'd recommend you get AutoCad LT, although a legitimate copy won't be cheap.This is a scaled down version of AutoCad and is ideal for the sort of stuff you're doing, have a look on the autodesk Website. Is this for business or personnel use, if its personnel this may be a bit on the excessive side.

Regards

Chris

[TheExcession]

For 2D work Visio has some room designer templates, maybe you can get hold of a copy of that?

[ccharlie6]

i use both solidworks and catia V5R16, both would very easily do the job you require although i think they may be a bit too high level as they are full 3D modellers etc.

[egomeister]

ccharlie6 said:

catia ..... a bit too high level

Understatment of the milennium there

Surely a simple bit of house design software will suit (more drag and drop than full on cad) - You can normally pick stuff like this up in PC World and the like although I don't know if any products are particularly good/bad.

[Zad]

How about an old version of CorelDraw? It's more a vector drawing package than CAD, but as such it is easier to learn.

[xiphias]

ccharlie6 said:

i use both solidworks and catia V5R16, both would very easily do the job you require although i think they may be a bit too high level as they are full 3D modellers etc.

According the to the other half who uses it, Solid works is about £8k

[egomeister]

xiphias said:

According the to the other half who uses it, Solid works is about £8k

Which makes it a bargain compared to Catia!

[xanderjones]

Cheers for all the replies. I've had a quick search of the net and I think smartdraw is the kinda of thing I'm looking for. I used Autocad at college many years ago, and I've just tried using it again at a mates house and realised I can't remember a damn thing about it!

[randlemarcus]

Or try www.gliffy.com/ Freeware over the web, so cant hurt can it?

[thebluemonkey]

Google have recently bought a 3D package called Sketchup 3D which will do all the CAd you'll probably need. It was originally designed for architects wanting to do simple visualisations but it won't do detailed 2D drawings. It is free however so it might be worth a look.

[bez_uk]

Pro Desktop is fairly simple.