Welcome to TheCADMan, a comprehensive public repository for CAD users. This repository is designed to equip students, enthusiasts, and professionals with the essential tools, tips, and techniques to become excellent CAD users. Whether you are new to CAD or a seasoned pro, this repository has something for everyone.
The main objective of TheCADMan is to be a comprehensive learning hub for Computational Aided Design (CAD), covering industrial design theory, manufacturing design process, and international standards such as DIN and ISO. Another purpose of this repository is to provide a centralized FAQ platform for students, professionals, and enthusiasts to learn and share knowledge about CAD.
What You Will Find Here
In this repository, you will find:
TheCADMan docs/ is a folder that contains documents related to TheCADMan projects that offers tutorials and tips on CAD design using CAD software packages. The documents may include worksheets, scripts, graphs, and other files that are used or created along the way. It may also refer to the Google Docs service, which allows users to create and edit web-based documents online. TheCADMan may use Google Docs, Overleaf, or any other Collaboration Platforms to share the work with the collaborators.
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) is a technology that allows users to create, modify, analyze, and optimize designs using computers and software. CAD is widely used in engineering, architecture, manufacturing, and other fields that require precision and accuracy.
CAD literature is a collection of books and online resources that help users learn and master CAD skills and tools. CAD literature covers various topics such as CAD fundamentals, CAD software applications, CAD techniques and tips, CAD projects and exercises, CAD history and trends, and more. Here are some of the best CAD literature for learning CAD:
Top 43 CAD Books:
International standards are a set of guidelines or specifications that are agreed upon by a group of experts or organizations to ensure the quality, safety, compatibility, and interoperability of products, services, processes, or systems.
International standards can facilitate trade, communication, collaboration, and innovation across different countries and regions. International standards related to CAD design are those that define the best practices for creating, managing, exchanging, and using CAD data and documents.
The official organizations involved in developing and publishing international standards are:
Commonly used international standards for CAD design are:
There are two main industry standards for GD&T:
In term of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA), these are commonly found industry standards:
In addition to industry standards, there are also a number of best practices for DFM and DFA. These best practices can help us to design products that are easier and less expensive to manufacture and assemble.
Here are some examples of DFM and DFA best practices:
By following industry standards and best practices, you can design products that are easier and less expensive to manufacture and assemble. This can help you to improve your product quality, reduce your costs, and shorten your time to market.
The Tutorials folder contains various tutorials on different CAD software packages. These tutorials cover basic and advanced topics such as solid & generative shape modeling, part interference analysis, drawing, rendering, and animation. We welcome contributions from users who would like to create or share their tutorials with the community.
This folder contains tutorials on the basics of CATIA (applicable to both V5 and V6), covering Part Design, Generative Shape Design, Drafting, Rendering, DMU Space Analysis and etc.
Here is a list of all available modules for CATIA V5 and V6:
CATIA V5 & V6
In addition to these core modules, there are also a number of optional modules available for CATIA V5 and V6. These modules provide additional functionality for a variety of tasks, such as DMU analysis and CAD translation.
This folder contains the following modules from FreeCAD offering:
In addition to these core modules, there are also a number of third-party modules available for FreeCAD. These modules provide additional functionality for a variety of tasks, such as rendering, simulation, and CAD translation.
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This folder consists of the following Fusion 360 modules:
In addition to these core modules, there are also a number of third-party modules available for Fusion 360. These modules provide additional functionality for a variety of tasks, such as rendering, simulation, and CAM.
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The Templates folder contains various templates for different types of CAD projects, including architectural, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering projects, among others. These templates can save you time and effort by providing a starting point for your project. We welcome contributions from users who would like to create or share their templates with the community.
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The Libraries folder contains libraries of commonly used CAD objects such as nuts, bolts, gears, bearings, and other mechanical components. It also contains libraries of commonly used architectural objects such as furniture, appliances, and fixtures. These libraries can save you time and effort by providing pre-made objects for your project. We welcome contributions from users who would like to create or share their libraries with the community.
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Software | Functionality | Ease of use | Compatibility | Cost | Support and training | Industry-specific features | Compatibility with other software |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Autodesk Fusion 360 | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $495/year or $60/month | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as Revit and Inventor; supports file formats such as DWG |
Autodesk AutoCAD | 2D drafting, 3D modeling, visualization | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $1,690/year or $220/month | Free support for 30 days after purchase; online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), mechanical design, electrical design, plumbing design, and more | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as Revit and Inventor; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
BlocksCAD | 3D modeling and printing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | Free for personal use; paid plans available for commercial use | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Education, hobbyists, makerspaces, and more | Compatible with other 3D printing software such as Cura and Simplify3D; supports file formats such as STL |
BricsCAD | 2D drafting, 3D modeling, visualization | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $770/year or $70/month | Free support for 30 days after purchase; online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), mechanical design, electrical design, plumbing design, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD; supports file formats such as DWG |
CATIA | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Dassault Systèmes software such as SOLIDWORKS and ENOVIA; supports file formats such as CATIA V5 and V6 |
Creo | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other PTC software such as Windchill and Mathcad; supports file formats such as Creo Parametric |
FreeCAD | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems | Free and open-source software | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
Geomagic (Alibre) | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | $1,500 one-time purchase or $300/year subscription | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
Inventor | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
NX | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Siemens software such as Teamcenter and Tecnomatix; supports file formats such as JT |
OnShape | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems | $1,500/year or $150/month for professional plan; free for education plan | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
Rhino | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $995 one-time purchase for commercial license; $195 one-time purchase for educational license | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD; supports file formats such as DWG |
SketchUp | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $299/year for professional plan; free for education plan | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction, interior design, film and stage design, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
Solid Edge | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Siemens software such as Teamcenter and Tecnomatix; supports file formats such as JT |
Solidworks | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
SpaceClaim | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as ANSYS and Abaqus; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
Tinkercad | 3D modeling and printing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | Free for personal use; paid plans available for commercial use | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Education, hobbyists, makerspaces, and more | Compatible with other 3D printing software such as Cura and Simplify3D; supports file formats such as STL |
3DS Max | 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and compositing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Paid software; free trial available | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), product design | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as AutoCAD |
The Resources section contains links to external resources such as online courses, blogs, forums, and YouTube channels that offer CAD training and support. These resources can help you expand your knowledge and skills beyond what is available in this repository. We welcome suggestions for additional resources from the community.
Top 16 CAD Online References:
We welcome contributions from the community to improve and expand this repository. If you would like to contribute, please create a pull request with your changes. Before contributing, please review our Contributing.
We expect all contributors to follow our Code of Conduct to ensure that this repository remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone. Please review the code of conduct before contributing.
Thank you for visiting TheCADMan. We hope that this repository will help you become an excellent CAD user.
All CAD Projects utilizing multiple CAD tools in this repository are:
Generic designs with arbitrary dimensions not in liase to any industrial design standard.
Do not copy without any improvement/modification according to your working standards.
All dimensions and designs have been modified to avoid any patent infringements.