CAD software

NozSpark · Sep 29, 2012

Guys,

Just a quick one before the end of the world

Someone I know has been co-opted into tidying up the wiring on a cross Atlantic type racing sailing yacht and he wants to be able to produce some diagrams of it so that whoever is on the boat will be able to diagnose and hopefully carry out repairs as they go!

So does anyone use any CAD software that can do this?

Preferably free if possible.

steptoe · Sep 29, 2012

loadsa free CAD stuff on Ubuntu,

if only I could get round to trying more of it out, :|

Im sure someone mentioned decent free CAD for windoze before though,

so, this 'friend' of yours, has he been self abusing for long? :|

OnOff · Sep 29, 2012

I can vouch for Draftsight. I come from an AutoCAD background and tbh the free 2D version is pretty much indistinguishable from AutoCAD and DEAD EASY to use. I swapped pm's/emails with Steve3948 on here when he was looking for similar to help him get into it and even did a quick "get started" guide as a PDF which I sent him. If anyone want's it pm me.

ProDave · Sep 30, 2012

There's also google sketchup which does 3d

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Other ones I have (you will have to google for them) are Eagle, SEE Electrical, ProfiCAD and A9CAD

I still much prefer Orcad, but that's not free.

Marvo · Sep 30, 2012

Google Sketchup can be used for the standard surface only drawings and can also be used for wireframe but the free version won't save the drawing as anything apart from the proprietary .skp file format.

We use Visio a lot for simple drawings and AutoCAD MEP for more complex stuff. Both packages have their strengths and weaknesses but you might be lucky and find you already have an M$ Office package that has Visio on it.