Acad2000 vs. Acad2005

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These days I am mostly asked for the 3D model if it is a machined part. The drawing which is automated in SW is just for annotation of tolerancing etc.
Times... they are a changin' :)

Good to see some live in th modern world.
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The
etc.

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Why would they? You're paying for it.
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redraw
The first person in the shop to get them is the guy that redraws them in 3D.
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these
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drawings
You don't understand modern manufacturing, obviously. The days of the file and the scraper are gone. I realize that, living in the UK, high tech methods are not nearly as common as some places but it would be in your best interest to educate yourself on the processes available.
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designer wrote:
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I am very interested in this thread, I draw shopfits where I work, and normally draw the existng building in 2D.
Cabinets and the like that go in the shop are all drawn in 3D, but this was primarily to give good perspective views for the client, who generally couldn't picture a box from the 2D drawings. This has enabled me in turn to produce working drawings for the lads on the shop floor from my oroiginal drawings, as I now draw them as built, including part drawings. This makes the specifier quite happy, as I involve him from the very beginning. If there are any amendments, then I find them not that hard to do, but then I may be the only person using Acad that finds the 3d environment quite fluid and easy to use. BTW, I also have a background in engineering, seven years spent programming CNC milling machines, as well as the manual side, milling, turning, setting autos, surface grinding, wleding arc & mig) site installations of structural steel, and digging holes. Lots of holes. I never really did any drawing back then, but it was here I used my first cad program. Easymill from bridgeport, and that put me on the road to learning Acad. I still go back every now and again to sort some littl eproblem thay have, and they are still using the same version of Easymill, on the same 286, with Windows 286 Plus. :)
Bigjobs

I have never used 2005 so couldn't comment on it but if it's 3D tools you want, switch to something other than AutoCAD. I once spend a few months were I had to use AutoCAD, doing 3D. This, after using serious modelers for years. I can't see why anyone would waste their time with it if 3D was a serious part of their work. Autodesk has serious modeling software available. Why would they bother developing modeling capabilities in AutoCAD? Of course, there are the people that will say they can model anything in AutoCAD. You can excavate a foundation with a tablespoon too but would you? The last version of AC that I did any modeling with was 2002. It was using ACIS 4 for it's modeling kernel. That was four or five version obsolete. I bet they are still using it.
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I have AutoCad 2000, ADT 3.3, 2005 and Vector Works.
I am LEAVING AutoCad. ADT 2005 is good, but the new lic. agreement is ruinous. Vectorworks is 30% the price and 100%+ in capabilities, and you don't have to buy whole seat for summer interns, which 2005 will require you to do. Vectorwork's 3D capabilites are superior to AutoCad by far. Vectorworks is alot closer to Revit. I think the new lic. agreement is going to push alot of people over the brink with their frustration with AutoCad, and rightfully so.
YOUR PAYING 3X FOR NO GOOD REASON IF YOUR USING AUTOCAD. Everything is transferable between it and other programs(granted not with intelligence in the blocks. But your Consultants don't use that stuff anyway) via dxf, and dwg interpretation software(+/- $30) . The legacy arguement is also falacious because you can export your current library into dxf. Actually with Vector works I can just open dwg files as is - interpreter built-in to the software.
SYONARA AUTODESK !
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