New CAD Software--and its FREE

[coupebuilder]

I have tried quite a few CAD software packages over the years and finally settled on Solidworks for its extensive 3d modeling capabilities and ease of creating BOM's and 2d drawings. HOWEVER its quite expensive and way more then ever needed for a plasma cutting setup. The creators of Solidworks, Dassault Systemes, has released a free 2d drawing software that is very similiar to Auto-Cad and once again is free. I suggest anyone interested try it out, and let us know what you think. The link is http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/ ... -software/
I have Auto-Cad, Solidworks 2011, Turbocad, Corel, AI etc and this is a great software package for anyone who needs 2D Drawings and .dxf files. I do recommend that you save files to early Autocad versions to eliminate splines if you are having problems. Again, please post if you get a chance to try it and let others know what you think.

[plasma_burn]

I have installed and played with this software a little and like it. Feels allot like AutoCAD.

[srp]

Downloaded and played around a little. Can't do much with text. I haven't tried the tutorials. Might be a good one for new people to get their teeth into. - John

[Possumplasma]

I've actually been using it for some time....maybe not long after it was released.
I used to use Turbo Cad....not any more.

[coupebuilder]

None of the true CAD programs seem to like text, the easiest way seems to be to create whatever you can in CAD format and then use a Corel type program for text. If you look at how many nodes are in a typical CAD font and compare them to a font in Corel its about 1/10th or less the number of nodes when viewed in Corel. Probably because Corel and similiar programs have the "artisitic text" selection which really makes the "text" an object and not a true font if that makes sense.

[SignTorch Vector Art]

CAD fonts are composed of true arcs and line segments, and designed to be efficient and look good when printed with pen plotters.

Desktop fonts (and vector graphics) are composed of bezier curves (which are not exact).

Bezier curves (in desktop fonts) cannot be translated into arcs and lines (or g-code) easily or without error allowance, and that's why CAD/CAM programs don't like them....

[Loyd]

DeltaCad.....not free but quite inexpensive is a very nice, easy and quick to learn program. Give it a try you will probably like it.
Loyd

[Kentuckyfarmer]

I am with Loyd, Delta cad has worked good for me, this is from a guy who had never used any type of cad until a few weeks ago. Well worth the $ 40.00 price.
Sheetcan on the other hand is going to drive me to drinking or worse
Mike

[DHPmike]

Solidworks DWG editor is pretty simple to use starting out. Plus it helps you find lines and uses entity snaps. Its great for anyone. I literally taught myself on it from watching another guy here at work.

[dswan75]

www.emachineshop.com has a good "cutable" text ... d/l the program, (use it like I did for simple parts) and go into the program files for it and grab the emachineshop lazer text. i use it every day. cuts good.