Would anyone like to volunteer to write a review of a new free 2D CAD program called Draftsight? It looks intriguing but I don’t have time to write one myself. I’m also not a very experienced CAD user and I would like to hear the opinion of someone who is.
I did take a quick peek at it and here’s why I think it deserves a closer look:
- It’s free and based on an “open” business model.
- It’s from the maker of Solidworks, the popular 3D CAD program.
- It’s quick and easy to download, install and register.
- The user guide (PDF) looks like it’s very well written and includes a couple of tutorials for new or inexperienced CAD users.
- There’s a free “community” forum where you can find help if you need it.
- It runs on Windows and later this year it will be available for the Mac OS and Linux.
I’ve heard its user interface is similar to AutoCad’s and I’d really like to know if that’s true. I’m going to be taking an AutoCAD class in August and I won’t be able to afford a copy of it when the class ends. So I’d like to know how easily I’ll be able to apply what I learn to Draftsight.
You don’t have to write a long review. Just give it a try and tell us what you think. Also tell us how much experience you have with CAD programs and if you think Draftsight would be a good choice for new or inexperienced CAD users.
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Looks interesting, but not as interesting as HeeksCAD. http://code.google.com/p/heekscad/
Here are two reviews:
http://www.rickyjordan.com/2010/06/draftsight-free-2d-for-all.html
http://robrodriguez.com/wordpress/?p=1041
Hi
DraftSight has massive potential. Currently it’s got a few bugs and it’s quite jerky on 64bit Windows, but it’s only in Beta and the full release won’t be out until October. I hadn’t heard anything about Mac or Linux support, and I’ve spoken to a fair few people, so that’s something to double check, but it would be great to have it on Linux.
The UI is almost indistinguishable from legacy AutoCAD LT, but it’s visually more pleasing.
I learned from this press release that it’s going to be available for Mac and Linux.
Hi Rob – Are you still looking for a review? I’m happy to match you up with a few folks who have already reviewed.
I’m always willing to publish a well-written review. But what I would really like to see, and haven’t yet, is one written from viewpoint of someone who is a new or inexperienced CAD user and a machinist.
Draftsight is now available for the Mac OS. You can download it here:
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/download-draftsight/
Hi Rob!
I am in precisely the situation you describe. I’m currently a student at County College of Morris, which is the birthplace of the “Jingle Bell” engine you recently featured. At the moment, I am taking an Autocad class -and- a mechanical prototyping (read: machining) class (where the Jingle Bell was first built). Just figured I’d put in a plug for that, because it really is an exceptional program with great instructors, including Prof. McCabe.
I digress, though they give us a student version of Autocad to use for the class, I’m trying to use DraftSight as much as possible to design my own engine, because I don’t want to be tied to Autocad. I’d be happy to write a review for you once the classes are over (end of December) and I feel I have some expertise. By this time I suspect DraftSight will be out of beta and in the full release. Please email me if you’re interested.
all the best,
John
I’d love to publish your review if you’d like to write one. An email is on the way.
Here is a review I did on the Draftsight 2D CAD program.
I like the program, and the interface is very good.
Not quite where AutoCAD is with 2D, but very close.
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=11004.0
Pat J
Hi Pat,
I found your review of Draftsight to be very useful and insightful. I also enjoyed your web site, Jorgensen Steam. It’s a great site for those who are interested in steam engines. I’d like to help you promote but it might be awhile before I can find time to write something about it. Would you be interested in being a guest blogger on MachinistBlog and writing a short (500 words or so) article about yourself, Bob Jorgensen, and your web site? I think our riders will enjoy it and it’ll help your web site improve its search engine ranking.
Rob
There a new beta version for Windows available.
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/download-draftsight/
I’m an old engineer but an inexperienced CAD user. I find drafting is OK but printing with DraftSight very awkward. Would like to use the Sheet view to help with this and can’t get it to orientate from landscape to portrait. (I notice that all of the examples provided are in landscape and the drawing on the model and sheet are identical!) How do you adjust the sheet size and orientation? Getting started guide does not cover the use of Sheets adequately.The concept of Viewports is also inadequately explained. It is simply not intuitive enough for explanations of these concepts not to have been provided in much greater detail. I keep looking for the break through information to get me going on this but so far no luck. I suspect that there are bugs also.
Very promising but not there yet.
Just tried to download and install the Mac version from the Dassault web site. Immediately crashed when I tried to open it. Interestingly enough, the Windows version is labeled as “Beta” while the Mac version has no modifiers.
Draftsight has a YouTube channel with quite a few short videos show how to use it. You can find it at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DraftSight
Hey Rob, sure I can blog with the best of them.
My story is that I am a professional engineer and run my own consulting firm in the Southeast USA. My Dad (Bob Jorgensen) did most of the maintenance at his family lumber mill until he retired. Since the lumber mill was orginally powered by two large steam engines and associated boilers, Bob was intimately familiar with steam engines and such. Being of a creative mind, Bob started making simple small toy oscillating steam engine models when he retired, and progressed to the point 12 years later where he had created from scratch (34)model steam engines, (3) hot air engines, (2) steam-powered bicycles, and a Stanley Locombile type steam automobile.
What Bob did not leave was a description of how he designed and machined all those engines and things, so my task since Bob’s death in 2006 has been to reverse engineer some of the engines that Bob built, and publish that information along with Bob Jorgensen’s original photographs and hand-drawn vellum sketches.
This process got me curious about steam engine design in general, so I began researching steam engines, and have a collection of about 1,000 old steam engine engravings on Bob’s website.
I also have gotten into steam engine animations, and can bring the engines of old back to life, like watching the actual engine run. I am currently designing a twin-cylinder steam launch engine, and hope to built that some day.
So what started out as building a simple website to share some of Bob’s photos has turned into quite a learning experience, and I continue to be surprised every day at the variety and complexity of the steam engines designed mostly in the 1,800′s, and the sophistication of the Engineers who did this work.
Luckily, there are a large number of public domain steam engine design books that can now be downloaded online in the US for free, and I have posted a list of about 100 of these titles on Bob’s website. It is a fabulous story of technology from the past that changed and moderized our world in a huge way.
I wrote a review of it if you would like to check it out: http://jcopro.net/2010/12/29/draftsight-review-like-autocad-but-free/