I'm interested in learning CAD and 3d modeling. Any suggestions as to how to go about it?

 

There's a ton of books out there on the subject - just search on Amazon or B&N.com and you'll find them. De Anza also has several classes on CAD/CAM and 3D modelling, so you might want to check into that as well. I'm sure the other local community colleges (West Valley, Evergreen, Mission) also have courses in this subject as well.

-Bis

 

wow, De Anza even has classes on SolidWorks (which is what I'd really like to learn). Looks like CDI 50 is where I'll need to start (in addition to burning up my sketchbook building up what little drawing skills i have).

 

i learned autocad in hich school and college, pro-e in college. while those classes will teach you a lot of things, they cannot teach you technique. if you can draft on paper and mentally visualize a part in 3d, you will be able to learn any drafting / solids modeling package pretty easily.

 

As Russ said, if you can draw by hand now, CAD will be easy to pick up. The different programs out there have gotten a lot more sophisticated and user friendly, so if you are computer literate, you'll be fine. I learned on AutoCAD R.9 way back in college and then re-taught myself on R.12 using a book that came with a floppy full of examples and exercises a couple of years later. But, I learned 10x more during the first couple of months I actually used CAD at work. That's when you pick up all of the shortcuts and tricks.

 

Heck Neil, get it running on a machine and I'll come over and teach you solid works in exchange for beer.

 

get AutoCAD for dummies

 

Autocad's 3d isn't too hard to pick up.... u can learn alot by just messing around with it

 

they don't teach you too much in school. you learn some of the basics but even still, its not enough to go straight into the workforce and do well.


What kind of stuff do you want to do? There are some big differences between 3D modeling and CAD/CAM/CAE

Once you figure out what you want to do, figure out what the best software out there is for it (probably best off learning what is used in the industry most often)

Then I would suggest taking some sort of training for it. companies like CVIS offer some great training/jump schools for AutoCAD, Land Desktop Deveolpment and Civl 3D

Also, the best way to learn is to get a job doing it. Using it everyday for hours at a time makes you learn 20 times faster amd more than any class can give you

 

specifically, what I'm wanting to do is create models of cars (and wings, splitters, etc) and feed those into Fluent (or something similar) for aero work.

 

So you are going to want to stay away from any Autdesk/AutoCAD application as none of them are well suited for that type of thing.

You are looking more into CFD and FEA stuff to analyze aerodynamic forces and effects on something.

Not sure the extents of Pro-E and if that program does any decent CFD/FEA stuff

 

I'd suggest the books published by New Riders. You can find them at Borders or (larger) Fry's.

 

you don't need CAD. you need a good mesh generation program....and those are $XX,XXX software that need key servers or hardware dongle. 'cause if you use some crappy model to input into any CFD code, all you'll get is crappy results. the oldest axiom in FEA/CFD: garbage in-garbage out. do a google search for some old "freeware" PATRAN...perhaps a version before MSC bought them out. Or check out Hyperworks by www.altair.com ... they'll give you a demo license if you ask really nicely

p.s. I'm trying to get IDEAS running on my machine this weekend. It has a pretty decent mesher (though nowhere near as friendly as nodal based ones like Hyperworks)...Fluent can import IDEAS .unv. PM me after the weekend...

 

Not to thread crap but Good luck! lol!

 

take a class or jus DL the software and start playing with it

I used solidworks for all of college...now transitioning to inventor and UG