CAD/CAM/CAE Reviews and Tutorials

This site is prepared for CAD/CAM/CAE Softwares reviews and tutorials.

Autocad Video tutorials

Introduction and Beginning Video AutoCAD Tutorials

1. Introduction to AutoCAD Tutorials - Download Now
This is an introduction to our AutoCAD Tutorials. All beginners should start here to learn about the AutoCAD software and where to find the basic things that you will need to get started. It discusses menus, coordinates, toolbars, and some other miscellaneous topics.


Introductory Printout Download
2. Create New Drawing - Download Now
This tutorial demonstrates how to use the AutoCAD Create New Drawing dialog box to create an empty drawing. The quick setup method sets up units and drawing area size and the advanced setup sets up the units, precision, and angles with their measurements, direction, and orientation.
3. Units of Measurement - Download Now
The AutoCAD Drawing Units dialog box shows how to set up length and angle units for your drawing. The type of length units may be architectural, decimal, engineering, fractional, or scientific. You may also specify the scaling units for a drawing that is dragged and dropped onto the drawing. Angle units may be decimal degrees, degrees/minutes/seconds, grads, radians, or surveyor's units.
4. AutoCAD Coordinate System - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial teaches about the User Coordinate System which AutoCAD® uses to place points and objects when drawing. The tutorial teaches how to place points from the origin, from the last point, or using a specified angle. One cannot learn AutoCAD® without understanding these coordinates.
5. Object Snap - Download Now
The AutoCAD object snap tutorial teaches how to use the snapping options while drawing in order to make sure that lines and objects line up. It shows snapping to endpoints, midpoints, center points, quadrants, and other points. It also shows how to make AutoCAD® automatically choose the nearest point during the drawing process. This lesson is a must for anyone learning AutoCAD®.
6. Selection Methods - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial covers how to select objects by clicking on them, selection multiple objects, and deselecting objects in a group.
7. Quick Select - Download Now
Learn how to select AutoCAD objects by type, layer, color, etc. Selects in groups so that you do not have to select each one individually.
8. AutoCAD Templates - Choosing Default Settings - Download Now
Using AutoCAD templates, you can choose the default settings that you want AutoCAD to use. Use the templates to automatically set up your layers, linetypes, lineweights. Use them to set up default fonts and measurements. Use multiple templates and choose different settings for different types of drawings that you may make. Templates are truly a powerful Auto


Video AutoCAD Tutorials for
Drawing Construction Commands

1. Drawing a Line - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial covers how to draw several lines and then connect them.
2. Drawing a Circle - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial describes how to draw a circle by either a specified radius or a specified diameter. The lesson then goes on to explain how to modify the circle and change its size by specifying an area or a circumference. The tutorial teaches a little about the command line and is the perfect way to get started drawing objects of exact sizes and specifications using AutoCAD®.
3. Drawing a Polygon from a Radius - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial covers how to draw a polygon by specifying the number of sides, then specifying the radius from the center to a corner or to a flat part of the polygon.
4. Drawing an Ellipse - Download Now
This AutoCAD ellipse tutorial teaches several methods of creating and modifying ellipses. First it describes what an ellipse is besides just an oval. It demonstrates how AutoCAD® can create an ellipse based on either a radius or diameter. The tutorial goes on to show how to create a partial ellipse based on an angle. It also teaches how to modify an ellipse by the properties box or by clicking on it to move/resize it.
5. Drawing a Rectangle - Download Now
The AutoCAD rectangle tutorial shows how to draw a rectangle anywhere on the screen and make the base and height of the rectanlge a specified dimension. The tutorial then shows how to label these sides with their lengths.
6. Hatch with Patterns and Gradients - Download Now
The AutoCAD hatch command can hatch patterns or gradients inside of an object. This tutorial also teaches how to associate the hatch with the object so that it will adjust with the size of the object during a stretch command.

Video AutoCAD Tutorials for Modify Commands

1. Trim Objects - Download Now
The Trim AutoCAD Tutorial shows how to remove parts of an object based on lines that intersect it. You may remove one part at a time or use a "fence" which removes a group of parts.
2. Colors, Linetypes, Lineweights - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial teaches about the different styles that can be assigned to lines and objects. It demonstrates choosing a color, a the thickness of a line, and the style of a line such as dashed or continuous.
3. Extend - Download Now
The Extend AutoCAD Tutorial is for extending objects either out to the next intersecting line, or to a line that you choose.
4. Move Command - Download Now
The AutoCAD Move Tutorial teaches how to move an object using a reference point on another object to another reference point on an object. This would easily allow you to move an object from one end of a line to another, to a midpoint, to quadrants on a circle, etc., etc.
5. Copy Command - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial teaches copying objects. It shows how to copy a line multiple times by specifying a reference point. It also shows how to copy a line in AutoCAD® relative to another line's endpoints and midpoint.
6. Offset and Through - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial teaches the offset/through commands. The offset command shows how to make a copy of an object, but makes it as an outline around the existing object at the offset you specify. The through command does the same except that it uses reference points to determine the offset.
7. Scale Object - Download Now
Scale AutoCAD objects by a factor or to a specific dimension.
8. Mirror Command - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial shows several examples of a mirror command. It shows how to copy and flip objects based on multiple reference points. It also shows how to place a linear dimension on these flipped objects to show that they are flipped to the proper spacing. It also shows how to make a fully symmetrical object after having only drawn half of the object. The last thing this tutorial teaches is how to simply flip an object without making a copy of that object.
9. Array (Rows & Columns or Polar) Command - Download Now
The AutoCAD array command takes a single object and copies it multiple times in a pattern. The pattern can be either rows and columns or it could be a rotation around a point (like if you wanted to create teeth on a gear). The rows and columns are based on points and offsets. The polar array is based on a specified center point, the degrees that the rotation should cover (for example 180 for a half circle and 360 for a whole circle) and the number of objects that you would like to be copied.
10. Dimension Objects - Download Now

The dimension AutoCAD tutorial teaches how to show measurements of objects that you have created using AutoCAD®. The lesson covers the different dimension types as well as how to add text, change formatting, and modify the dimension. The Quick Dimension shows how to instantly add dimensions to multiple objects with a single click, the Quick Leader shows how to add a custom dimension, then use the Dimension Edit and Dimension Text Edit to modify aspects about created dimensions.

The AutoCAD Tutorial shows many types of dimensions. The linear dimension is either a vertical or horizontal dimension from two points or the length of a single object. The aligned dimension shows the distance between two points, but at the angle of the line created by those two points instead of horizontal or vertical. An ordinate dimension shows the position of a point relative to the origin. The radius dimension shows the radius of an object and the diameter dimension shows the diameter of an object. The angular dimension shows the angle between two given lines. Each of these are discussed in the Dimension AutoCAD Tutorial, but it goes on into detail about more advanced options for the dimensions and a few tips on using general AutoCAD commands.

11. Layers - Download Now
AutoCAD layers are a way to group objects so that the groups can have common formatting. For example, you may want your objects to show up in one color and your dimensions to show in another. Create a separate layer for each, then you can change all the dimensions or all the objects at the same time. You may show or hide layers, change the color, lineweight, or linetype. AutoCAD layers are utilized often to make drawings easier to read.
12. Divide & Measure - Download Now
Divide lines into equal parts and locate objects on these segments. Measure out specific distances on a line and locate objects at these points. This lesson also demonstrates some architectural uses of AutoCAD®.


Divide & Measure Print Download
13. Chamfer Lines and Polylines - Download Now
The chamfer command will chamfer (basically cut off at the corner) two lines or each intersection of a polyline.
14. Stretch and Move / Realign Objects - Download Now
The stretch command is often used to realign objects. For example, a window in a wall can be moved with the stretch command so that any line trimming or extending is eliminated. This tutorial uses th

Video AutoCAD Exercises

1. Location Absolute - Download Now
Draw a part from the given print using absolute coordinates for each point.


Location Absolute Print Download
2. Location Relative - Download Now
Draw the given part using coordinates which are all relative to the last coordinate used.


Location Relative Print Download
3. Location Polar - Download Now
Draw the given part using polar coordinates, a method of giving a length and angle of a line (for direction).


Location Polar Print Download
4. Draw the Mouse Ear - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial creates the mouse ear print using circles, tangent lines, a circle from two tangents, and the polar coordinate system. This is a great introduction to drawing real parts from prints or to create prints.


Mouse Ear Print Download
5. Draw the Locating Jig - Download Now
Draw this Jig from circles with radiuses and diameters, use the mirror command, and extend the use of mirror lines to aid in drawing.


Locating Jig Print Download
6. Draw a Gasket - Download Now
Draw this Gasket using circles, the polar array, the copy command, and a radiused fillet.


Gasket Print Download
7. Draw a C-Clip - Download Now
Draw this C-Clip using AutoCAD commands that you have learned.


C-Clip Print Download
8. 3D Shell Cap - Download Now
This tutorial creates and joins 3D objects. It then subtracts a 3D hole, fillets the edges, and creates a shell out of the finished product.
Download the Shell Cap Print
9. Layout Introduction - Download Now
Introduces layouts and papersp



Advanced Video AutoCAD Tutorials

1. Extrude from a Path - Download Now
The extrude from a path AutoCAD tutorial teaches how to create a 3D object from multiple connected lines. The lesson creates several connected lines, fillets (curves) the corners of the intersections, then extrudes a pipe along the path created. The lesson shows how to join the lines and how to extract a section from the 3D object once it has been created.
2. Solid Model from User-Defined Profile - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial shows how to create a custom profile (2D drawing) and then extrude that into a 3D object. It covers editing a polyline to join objects and then to extrude the joined object into a 3D solid model.
3. Solview, Soldraw, Massprop - Download Now
This AutoCAD tutorial shows how to get mass properties from a solid. More importantly, it shows how to create a basic print of a 3D solid model that could be used to manufacture a part. The lesson goes over massprop, section, modelspace/paperspace, soldraw, solview, dimensions, and various other commands.

CAD/CAM Guide

CAD/CAM Software:


Product
( Company)
Comment
Adem CAD/CAM (Adem Gmbh)
ArchiCAD (Graphisoft)
Architech (SoftCAD International)
AutoCAD (Autodesk) The standard in 2D .....
AutoKitchen (MicroCAD) Kitchen Design Software
Autometrix CAD Software CAD software for the sewn products industry and Sail industry
ANVIL 5000 (MCS)
CADKEY (Baystate)
Cadmatic CAD software for plant design, ship design
& engineering and maintenance work
CADMAX 3D modeling product based on Parasolid
CADDS (Parametric Technology Corporation)
CATIA (Dassault Système)
Colorado Textile software CAD for textile industry
DesignWorkshop (Artifice Inc) 3D Modeling for Windows and Mac
dSpace (3rd Angle) Feature-based design and drafting for the PC desktop
DynaCADD (Ditek)
Eureka Gold (Think3, ex CadLab) New name , New strategy !!!!!!
FastCAD, EasyCAD (Evolution Computing)
GMPcad (ENS Cachan)
HELIX (Microcadam Inc)
ICEM (Parametric Technology Corporation)
IntelliCAD (Visio Corp.) AutoCAD+ !
IronCAD (Visionary Design Systems) Merged with 3D/EYE developer of Trispectives
Mechanical Desktop (Autodesk) The next generation AutoCAD ?
Microstation (Bentley)
MiniCAD Vector Works (Diehl Graphsoft)
Primavision (Cadtex) CAD for textile industry
Pro/Desktop (Parametric Technology Corporation) Receive a Free evaluation copy
Pro/ENGINEER (Parametric Technology Corporation)
QCAD Free CAD Software for Linux (Opensource)
Robosolid (Robo Systems)
Rhino 3D (Robert McNeel & Associates ) NURBS Modeling for windows (download demo version)
ROAD/SITE Designer (Advanced Software Design) PC-based program for designing roadways
SolidEdge (Unigraphics)
Solidbuilder (eagle point software) Architectural, Engineering and Construction
Software Solutions
SolidDesigner (CoCreate) By the Mechanical software division of HP.
ME10 for 2D Drafting
solidThinking NURBS-based modeling tool ( Download demo version )
solidWorks
tubeCAD (Advanced tubular Technologies) Rapid tube layout creation
TOPsolid (ASTech)
TurboCAD (IMSI)
Unigraphics
Viacad (Viable Systems, Inc.) CAD/CAM systems for the design of Jacquard
Vdraft (SoftSource) AutoCAD drawing based CAD system
Vellum 3D (Ashlar Inc.) ACIS Based
VX Vision (Varimetrix) Good combination with NCL CAM



CAM Software:

Mold Machining : Surface Milling, roughing, rest milling, finishing, drilling, 2D profiling, pocketing and wire EDM, NC Simulation, Tool path optimization (feed/speed, air cut), NC post-processing and NC simulation (gauge checking)

Production Milling : 2 1/2 D Milling, Rotary axis in positioning, macro capability, tool path editing, NC Post-processing and NC simulation
Production Turning : 2 and 4 axis turning (synchronized or not), Mill/Turn (C and/or Y axis), sub-spindle, macro capability, tool path editing, NC Post-processing and NC simulation
Multi-Axis Milling : Continuous 5 axis milling, tool axis control, collinear axes (Z/W), tool path editing, NC Post-processing and NC simulation
Sheet metal manufacturing : Punch press (with tool indexing), flame cutter, laser cutter, waterject, part nesting, tool path optimization (by tool, by part, ..) , automatization, NC post-processing
Specialized Mfg : Wire EDM, engraving, wood router, ...


Based on my own experience, I have rated the different software products using the following notation from Recommended to Not Recommended
Product
( Company)
Comment
ABC-Cam (Virtual System)
ACU-CARV (Olsmetd Eng)
alphaCAD-II (Nissan)
AlphaCAM (Licom)
CAP AutoCAM (SEOOK Korea)
ANVIL (MCS)
ArtCAM (Spline)
AS3000 (CAMSOFT)
AusCAD-CAM (QARM Pty Ltd)
AutoCNC (SplineWare Graphics System Ltd.)
AUTO-CODE (Kramer Consulting)
Run inside AutoCAD/ Mechanical Desktop
AUTON CAM (Auton)
AutoPRO/CIMpro (INTERCIM)
BioSculptor
bmpCNC (Deltamation)
BobCADCAM
BravoNCG (Applicon )
Building Block
Cadcode (CCSI)
CADLINK (CAMATION)
CADRA (ADRA System)
CAMAND (SDRC)
CAM Expert (RibbonSoft)
CamMODUL (MicroTech)
CAMtastic (Innovative CAD)
CAMTOOL C3 (Graphic Products )
Most popular CAM S/W in Japan
CAMTools (Lemoine)
CAMWorks (Teksoft)
Works insideSoliWorks
Develops by GSSL
CAMWrite
CimBlock
CAPSMill and Turn (Cadem)
CATIA-CADAM(Dassault/IBM)
CUBE/NC (Hitachi Zosen)
CUTPlanner (Pattern Systems International)
Cimatron
CNC Code Creator
CN-DRAFT (NUOVAMACUT)
CUT4AXES (CENIT)
DeskProto (Spline)
Dolphin CAM (Dolphin System)
DUCT (Delcam)
ArtCAM specialized software for engraving
EdgeCAM (Pathrace)
EMS (Intergraph)
ESPRIT (DP Technology) Very good wire EDM package (KBM).
A new look and a new product with Esprit 98
EUCLID/Quantum (Matra)
Next Generation of EUCLID, developed with CASCADE environment
Euklid (Straessle GmbH)
EXAPT
FeaturCAM (Engineering Geometry System) Feature based manufacturing
EZ-CAM (Bridgeport Machines) Feature based manufacturing
FastNURBS NC (Baystate)
FabCAD (Striker)
FabriWin (MetalSoft)
FlexCAM/Experdite (SoftwareMagic)
GeoPath (Solution Ware)
Gcode95t (Andrew Clayton)
G-Zero (Rapid Output)
GIBBS (Gibbs)
Goelan (CN Industrie)
Very good WireEDM package
GTWorks (GrayTech Software, Inc.)
Helix Manufacturing (CAM Etcetera)
HI-MILL (Fidia)
HyperMILL-HyperCAM (Open Mind)
ICEM
I-DEAS Master Series (SDRC)
INCAD (MTS)
JETCAM
Free DXF Viewer
LASERCUT (CENIT) Applications running inside CATIA
LATHE4AXES (CENIT) Applications running inside CATIA
Lathe Quick Code (Primary SOftware)
Logicut (Logica Systems)
Manufacturing Analyst (CIMPLEX)
MASTERCAM (CNC Software)
MAX-5 (NREC)
Metalman
ModelMill (Artistic Automation)
Minitech
NCAP (Western NC)
NCWorks (MechWorks)
NC-AXIS (Aikoku Alpha Eng.)
NCL (NCCS) Very specialized in 5 axes for Aerospace industry. OEM by Dassault.
NCTOOL (Cadtech)
NC TOOLS (CATIA PPB by CENIT)
NUFORM (A. S. Thomas, Inc.)
OptiPunch (Optimation)
PART (Tecnomatix)
PartMaker (IMCS)
PC APT (NCSI)
PEPSCUT (CAMTEK)
Personal APT (Digital Mfg System)
PowerMill (Delcam) Works only on imported data. No geometry creation/manipulation tool.
POWERSTATION (Microcimm)
Prelude (Matra)
ProCAM (Teksoft)
Pro/NC (Parametric Technology Corp.)
Pronto (Action CAD CAM)
Prospector (Softech) Ex Cimlink
Shop Floor Programming
Quick'n'Easy CAM (Servo)
QuickSurf CAD/CAM
Radpunch (Radan)
RouterCIM (CIMTECH)
SHOPCAM (Shop System)
Shop-Talk (CNC Solutions)
SmartCAM (SDRC) Discontinued by SDRC at the end of 98
SMP/IS (Merry Mechanization)
SolidCAM (Cadtech)
SpectraCAM (Light Machines)
SpeedPlus (Turbotek)
Sprut CAD/CAM (Sprut Technology) Russian CAD/CAM, very small hardware requirement !
Download english demo of SprutCAM
3D Surfer (Larken)
Surfcam (Surfware)
Sigmanest
Synergy (Weber)
SwissPrecision / Engineer
TCAM
Tebis (TEBIS)
Tensor CAD/CAM (Leijsen Technical Software)
Toolchest
Toolchips
ToolMaker (NC Graphics)
TopCam/TopMold (Missler)
TurboCAM (NGK Software House)
Type3 (Vision Numeric) Best engraving package on the market !
Unigraphics (Unigraphics Solutions)
USI-2000 (Softek)
Varimetrix
Visicad/Visicam (Vero)
VisionMILL (Toolsoft Design)
VisualMill (Mecsoft)
WorkNC (Sescoi)
XCAM (Xitron)



NC POST-PROCESSING:

Mold Machining : Milling 3 axes, wire EDM 4 axes, arc fitting, nurbs fitting, high speed machining
Production Milling : Milling 3 axes + rotary axis in positioning (auto CLAMP), sub-program, tool pre-selection, cycles
Production Turning : Turning 2 and 4 axes (synchronized), Mill/Turn (C and/or Y axis), sub-spindle
Multi-axis Milling : Continuous 5 axis milling, no-orthogonal rotary axis, LINTOL (LINear TOLerance), feed calculation (1/T feed), rotary turn-around
Customization - Macro : macro language for customization, debugger, case tool for macro development (Rapid Macro Development tool)
GUI - Ease of use : Graphic User Interface, mouse driven, expert system, default configuration for standard CNC controls

Based on my own experience, I have rated the different software products using the following notation from Recommended to Not Recommended

Product
( Company)
Comment
5Th Element (Closs CAD/CAM) 5 Axis post-processor utility for SurfCAM, MasterCAM and APT
CIMCO Post-processor 5 Axis post-processors and NC simulation for Mastercam
CATIA PPB (Dassault/CENIT) Weak in Multi-axis and customization. Build for CATIA CL file.
CodeWizard (PATHTRACE) Works only with EdgeCAM
GPM (Unigraphics) Works only with UGII (and not always !).
To be replaced by the New UG/POST ?
Intellipost (Software Magic) The grand father of all PP with a New UI in IntelliPost2000. OEM by PTC under the name CVGPII
IMS Post (IMS) The PP solution of Matra but works with all CAM. The best macro development tool (testing and debugging)
Gpost (Intercim) OEM by SurfCAM under the name Spost. Provided with an APT processor.
NCPOST + (CAD/CAM Resources, Inc). Java based. The cheapest solution available on the market.
PostWorks (NCCS) Works well with CATIA and NCL CL files. Powerfull in 5 axes.
POS-GEN (SpazioSystem)
ERA Post
VegaPost Specialized in post for BCL


NC-SIMULATION:

Mold Machining : Fast milling simulation, gauge checking, zoom
Production Milling : Milling 3 axis + positioning, Tooling definition, Fixture, multiple view
Production Turning : Turning 2 and 4 axis (synchronized or not), Tooling Definition
Multi-axis Milling : Milling 5 axis, linearization, collision checking
Kinematic Machine : Simulation of machine kinematics
NC Optimization : optimization of Speed, Feeds, air cutting, database (feed,speed,material)
GUI - Ease of use : input format (SLA, IGES, CAD), code simulated (CL file, NC codes), setup, user interface

Product
( Company)
Comment
AnySIM
CANVAS (Turbotek)
CNC Editor (Solas Data)
CNC Simulator (MTS)
MachineWorks/RapidCUT (LightWork) Library used by CAD/CAM developer to do NC simulation
New module with true solid
NC Sentry 98 (Qarm)
NC-Safer (Aikoku) run inside CATIA
NC Simul (Spring)
NC Verify (SIrius) New module True solid - Very fast for mold machining
NCView (SplineWare Graphics Systems Ltd)
NCV (Cimplex)
N-See (NC Microproducts)
Powercut (CIMCO) NC Simulation for Mastercam
REPLAY (CENIT) Run inside CATIA
Soft Machines (SILMA)
VERICUT (CGTECH) New GUI in Rev 4.0 !
Virtual NC (DENEB)

NC MACHINES:


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