Re: Old Draftsman Retraining on Autocad 2004--Has Questions--

LOL - and I had to learn AutoCAD in a crash weekend course so I could get on a project that following Monday...

Glenn

FWIW , the hardest way to learn AutoCAD is with that huge book. start drawing, reference the book as needed. JMO Rob

Don't know.

I don't know of anyone who claims it is easy. Be patient, or if that's not possible, stubborn.

Short answer is no.

Nothing dumb about it. I don't think it's difficult. I never really have. If you understand coordinates, you're well on your way. IMO the biggest skill lacking in CAD technicians is drafting. No doubt you know how to draw, so it's just a matter of learning Acad's tool set to do it.

Keep this group handy and post any trouble you have. There's a good range of disciplines represented by the regulars here.

Hey BuZzY, I also work in the process piping industry. Well, industrial & commercial refrigeration. I think that learning Acad 2D is a fairly simple affair. But when it comes to learning the 3D aspect of Acad it becomes a little trickier. Like TomD said, learning and manipulating the coordinate system will take some time. We use Arch. Desktop 2004 with a piping software add-on called CADWorx PIPE 2004.

Its also a little time consuming to learn. But once learned it is a very useful tool. Good luck and have fun with it.

Chris

from a layout standpoint 3d is hands down easier than 2d. one drawing vs 3 or 4 (multiple views) plus you have the infinite perspective iso views.

I'd have to agree. I always draw my home projects (decks, etc.) in 3D before I start building. I generally don't use 3D at work, but it's easy enough to make it worth me doing quick models for things like that.

I appreciate the comments-! Besides the old paper & blade drafting, I have used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop since around '91. Illustration jobs are getting scarce, for some damned reason; frankly, I miss the old days of drawing and building package gas plants. I have made a decision to try and get back in (lots of natural gas projects for the forseeable future, methinks).

For one client, I installed an ap called "CADtools" by HotDoor that was supposed to mimic CAD functions in Illustrator. Worked okay for a greenhorn; I really had to dream up some wacky ways to insure that saved drawings would open in someone else's Autocad environment. For example: on a plan of several towers, vessels, platforms and welded piping, I discovered that Illustrator paths (Bezier) went crazy when opened in CAD. I had to make all circles polygons--that fixed it. Pretty good counterfeit.

Time for a beer.

Thanks, Buzzy

TomD wrote:

If you're looking to get back into process piping design, most firms (that I know of) now use the Rebis AutoPlant series. Some use Coade's Cadworx. Really high end companies use PDMS.

I -THINK- the only one that does for process design is PDMS, but I could be wrong on that.

One beer....I mean page at a time.

I know some older piping designers work as "checkers", looking over drafters work. They didn't learn the knew software, but have years of knowledge and experience which is much needed. This may be another option until you become proficient in the software.