good 3d cad package for mac?

[CH007]

Hello,

i am looking for a good native mac 3d cad package.

i was using auto ad 2011 but upgraded to lion and that's an end to that!

i am using draft sight 2d package at present which is free and very much the same user interface. I am not mega experienced with 3d but am very familiar with 2d and can also extrude, sweep etc and have done a few basic program's.

Any recommendations would be welcome.

cheers,

colin

[James Roettger]

It is my understanding that Rhino is soon to publish a CAD program for Mac.s. Also Matrix gem vision is a fantastic program also on the verge of a Mac version. Matrix has great rendering software built in too which is a great sales aid. Rhino is about $1250 with Flamingo rendering added. Matrix is $7000. I recently switched fro Mac to pc to do CAD as most programs are for pc only. It may be necessary and cheaper to have a good pc just for CAD.

[CH007]

It is my understanding that Rhino is soon to publish a CAD program for Mac.s. Also Matrix gem vision is a fantastic program also on the verge of a Mac version. Matrix has great rendering software built in too which is a great sales aid. Rhino is about $1250 with Flamingo rendering added. Matrix is $7000. I recently switched fro Mac to pc to do CAD as most programs are for pc only. It may be necessary and cheaper to have a good pc just for CAD.

Thanks James,

I am now trying out Rhino and it seems very powerful & best of all free at present!

Only problems I am having is finding out how to do things such as scallop out material and modify standard solids shapes such boxes and tubes. Thats probably me though and not the program. I now have a childs version of a 3d watch case :)

[workaholic_ro]

Run windows on mac.

[CH007]

Run windows on mac.

I already run windows on a virtual machine but only do this as my accounting package runs on windows. i want to move away from the need for windows full stop if poss. I was not for apple at all a while back but since using one then running one I would never choose to go back.

The Rhino package seems very good and have also downloaded auto cad 2012 for mac and it actually runs fine, just can't justify £3k spend for something I only use for fun (2d is part of my business but those packages are much cheaper)

Cheers,

Colin

[James Roettger]

Colin, There is a tutorial service called Lynda.com that for about $30 US per month can be used to learn Rhino. One could actually get through all the tutorials in about a month. Rhino may be very difficult to learn with guidance. There are also many tutorials on youtube but they are hit an miss as far as content. Rhino is a good "build from scratch" program without many shortcuts.
Here's a piece I did completely in Rhino.

[workaholic_ro]

I already run windows on a virtual machine but only do this as my accounting package runs on windows. i want to move away from the need for windows full stop if poss. I was not for apple at all a while back but since using one then running one I would never choose to go back.

The Rhino package seems very good and have also downloaded auto cad 2012 for mac and it actually runs fine, just can't justify £3k spend for something I only use for fun (2d is part of my business but those packages are much cheaper)

Cheers,

Colin

Not virtual machine, it will eat your resources. When I said windows I meant this:
Apple - Support - Boot Camp
You will not be satisfied with mac os in the 3d field, at least not yet.

[CH007]

Not virtual machine, it will eat your resources. When I said windows I meant this:
Apple - Support - Boot Camp
You will not be satisfied with mac os in the 3d field, at least not yet.

Thanks for your input. I really didn't want to use bootcamp and "infect" my mac with windows. I am going back to auto cad as I know the layout well for 2d and have some experience 3D with it.

Cheers

Colin

[BlakeShellman]

I tried RhinoCad quite a while ago. To me it was not as intuitive as Solidworks, or Soildedge or Unigraphics if you are used to designing usinda true mechanical cad software. I thought Rhino was developed to do 3d modeling for games instead of actual mechanical design.

[Wireless]

Hello Colin,

May be you will find it useful.

You can try Blender - blender.org - Home
This 3D software is free and available for Windows and Mac.

Best wishes!

// Wireless