Shareware Cad Editing Software

[KBearden]

Does anyone know of a shareware or free cad editing software that you can create a coordinate system in, and then export in an .igs format? If so, this would be very useful for all CMM programmers using PCDMIS Cad++. Please Post.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Have you looked here? Lots of good stuff, I have never looked for CAD since I already have what I need.

http://www.download.com/

[KBearden]

Thanks Matt.. I too have the cad software available to me, but not all programmers do. I was hoping someone may know of a great little program that would serve us all in the event we did not have access to cad ware. I am currently using ProE to do all my cad editing.

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

I have Cadkey (much prefered), but I also have Surfcam (2nd choice) which is a NC programming software and I have UG (we HATE'S it, My precious!). They also have a couple more CAD/CAM softwares in the 'other' department, but I don't have them on my Pc.

[Farmer]

I have Cadkey (much prefered), but I also have Surfcam (2nd choice) which is a NC programming software and I have UG (we HATE'S it, My precious!). They also have a couple more CAD/CAM softwares in the 'other' department, but I don't have them on my Pc.

Im a cadkey devotee too. I used to design using it. We now have Key Creator, which isnt much different to cadkey 99 as far as I can tell.
In answer to the original problem - there will be countless packages on Download.com.

[KBearden]

I have used Cadkey98. One of the first cad softwares that I learned . But after learning ProEngineer (since 01'), I have grown to like it more than Cadkey. I have modeled several fixtures with ProE, and had our model shop make for me to use.

[T Miller]

Isn't the proe now wildfire?

[KBearden]

Yep, but this plant has chosen to continue using 2001i??? But I have heard that we have continued to pay the SMA for upgrades and tech support... Doesn't make since to me, but that one is not my call.

[T Miller]

Our cad guy hates the new version of wildfire.I think cause he used the other for so long

[Matthew D. Hoedeman]

Gee, sounds a lot like Pcdmis and upgrades to me.

[jon_dav_uk]

Wildfire is superb, a massive upgrade from Pro2001 but it is quite different.

Definitley worth taking the time to learn it though as you soon realise you can do stuff so much faster

[hoist bouncer]

check out Rhinoceros

http://www.rhino3d.com/

[dccfreak]

I have searched all over the internet, and to date, I haven't found anything that will handle iges format that is free. There are lots of nice free cad programs out there, but, because of open source licensing limitations they cannot offer iges or any other industry standard conversion.

That said, I do have a copy of stripped version of something that does not require licensing that I got from my old boss a few years ago, and it will convert to various formats and allows you to change coordinate systems as well as units. I have it on a cd and all you have to do is install it. I think it is something that was handed out as a freebie when you bought so many copies of the full version. This is not a pirate or illegal copy.

PM if interested.

[hoist bouncer]

rhino3d will read and output igs and several other formats. they allow something like 25 outputs before the software will reload and allow you more outputs.