Any CAD Designers doing freelance work?
Discussion
I currently contract to a large company based in London, and also do freelance stuff for a company in Portsmouth (I do this stuff from home, evenings and weekends)
Just wondered if anyone else does similar, and if so, how do you go about getting your work, as I would like to get more clients?
Cheers
Hoppy
Just wondered if anyone else does similar, and if so, how do you go about getting your work, as I would like to get more clients?
Cheers
Hoppy
Steamer said:
What area of CAD do you specialise in? or like working in best?...
...tech eng. type stuff (products etc) or building and construction?
I do M&E, Fire, Civils, Structural & construction for the London based company, mainly 2D, using Microstation and AutoCAD....tech eng. type stuff (products etc) or building and construction?
And its Precision Engineering for the other stuff. I use 3D for this one, a system called SDRC IDEAS, or NX12. This is for an Aerospace company, mainly Flexible fuel tanks for fighting vehicles. Also do the metal insert fittings for the tanks.
Cheers
Hoppy
The reason I asked was because I freelance too... although I design and visualise for construction.
I also have to provide CAD plans too (but only what you would class as very basic) just for costing and sales pitches.
Back last summer when things went quiet I just started calling companies that were similar to the one I was working for, I think I called about 5 and just said I'd send a sample of my work anyway.... one called me in and now keeps me quite busy
However - all the companies I work for seem to out source their CAD to freelancers too, ones that just specialise in producing plans for construction.
I also have to provide CAD plans too (but only what you would class as very basic) just for costing and sales pitches.
Back last summer when things went quiet I just started calling companies that were similar to the one I was working for, I think I called about 5 and just said I'd send a sample of my work anyway.... one called me in and now keeps me quite busy
However - all the companies I work for seem to out source their CAD to freelancers too, ones that just specialise in producing plans for construction.
Steamer said:
The reason I asked was because I freelance too... although I design and visualise for construction.
I also have to provide CAD plans too (but only what you would class as very basic) just for costing and sales pitches.
Back last summer when things went quiet I just started calling companies that were similar to the one I was working for, I think I called about 5 and just said I'd send a sample of my work anyway.... one called me in and now keeps me quite busy
However - all the companies I work for seem to out source their CAD to freelancers too, ones that just specialise in producing plans for construction.
Well, if you ever have too much on your plate, or if you feel like sending me names of the other compaines, there's a beer or 2 in it for you!I also have to provide CAD plans too (but only what you would class as very basic) just for costing and sales pitches.
Back last summer when things went quiet I just started calling companies that were similar to the one I was working for, I think I called about 5 and just said I'd send a sample of my work anyway.... one called me in and now keeps me quite busy
However - all the companies I work for seem to out source their CAD to freelancers too, ones that just specialise in producing plans for construction.
. I even used to work for SDRC (when they were SDRC). More involved in the TeamCenter side of things now.I am still collecting a list of potential CAD designers for some work I will need doing soon. A few people have replied to a thread I posted before Christmas (I will get back to you all soon!) but I would welcome anyone else to PM me with their details and some examples of their work.
The stuff I want doing will mostly be small, aluminium CNC milled specialised electronics enclosures and mechanical components. There will be some design work involved, some changes to existing products and some collaborative work where I need someone to help me take a concept and make it practical and cost-effective to manufacture.
Hope to hear from a few of you.
Cheers
FF
The stuff I want doing will mostly be small, aluminium CNC milled specialised electronics enclosures and mechanical components. There will be some design work involved, some changes to existing products and some collaborative work where I need someone to help me take a concept and make it practical and cost-effective to manufacture.
Hope to hear from a few of you.
Cheers
FF
The only freelance work I tend to do is small building drawings for friends and family when looking for planning permision on extensions.
Other than that im a staff man working mainly in 3d visualisation:
AutoCAD (building layout and mech/proc design 2d-3d)
Bentley Autoplant
Bentley P&ID
I'd love to do more freelance, anything to add to the CV and the extra £££'s
Other than that im a staff man working mainly in 3d visualisation:
AutoCAD (building layout and mech/proc design 2d-3d)
Bentley Autoplant
Bentley P&ID
I'd love to do more freelance, anything to add to the CV and the extra £££'s
MorrisCRX said:
spikeyplanet said:
I'm thinking about going totally freelance with my architectural visuals - just a slight concern with the market at the moment.
If you've got a staff job I'd keep hold of it.The amount of Architectural type CV's I've received since Xmas is unreal.
Wish they were more general mechanical related . . . .
Would like to go freelance but it appears to be very cliquey up here. A few guys in the office do freelance work on a laptop as the FE is crunching away, but they pretend otherwise and won't discuss it.
I do a lot of 3D work in Solidworks and use MicroStation for 2D, though I am proficient in AutoCAD as well. I find i can use any CAD program after half a day learning commands, though I wouldn't mind a copy of CATIA to learn on.
Has anyone here broken out of one area into another? I'm in such a niche here [PM if interested] and we use bespoke software and FEA programs developed for us by ABAQUS. I think it may be difficult to translate this into other areas. I have half an eye on moving to London and there is simply no work for me there in my current industry, whereas [until recently at least] construction, M&E etc. appear in high demand.
Any help in that respect would be highly appreciated.
I do a lot of 3D work in Solidworks and use MicroStation for 2D, though I am proficient in AutoCAD as well. I find i can use any CAD program after half a day learning commands, though I wouldn't mind a copy of CATIA to learn on.
Has anyone here broken out of one area into another? I'm in such a niche here [PM if interested] and we use bespoke software and FEA programs developed for us by ABAQUS. I think it may be difficult to translate this into other areas. I have half an eye on moving to London and there is simply no work for me there in my current industry, whereas [until recently at least] construction, M&E etc. appear in high demand.
Any help in that respect would be highly appreciated.
fastfreddy said:
I am still collecting a list of potential CAD designers for some work I will need doing soon. A few people have replied to a thread I posted before Christmas (I will get back to you all soon!) but I would welcome anyone else to PM me with their details and some examples of their work.
The stuff I want doing will mostly be small, aluminium CNC milled specialised electronics enclosures and mechanical components. There will be some design work involved, some changes to existing products and some collaborative work where I need someone to help me take a concept and make it practical and cost-effective to manufacture.
Hope to hear from a few of you.
Cheers
FF
Freddy YHMThe stuff I want doing will mostly be small, aluminium CNC milled specialised electronics enclosures and mechanical components. There will be some design work involved, some changes to existing products and some collaborative work where I need someone to help me take a concept and make it practical and cost-effective to manufacture.
Hope to hear from a few of you.
Cheers
FF
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