possible careers with autocad

athlone M

I am thinkin of doing a part-time course in autocad and I was wondering if there is any possible jobs where an autocad course would be a benefit within the woodworking industry.

kadman

athlone M wrote: »

I am thinkin of doing a part-time course in autocad and I was wondering if there is any possible jobs where an autocad course would be a benefit within the woodworking industry.

Although autocad is widely used in the construction industry, in a timber related manufacturing environment, more specific software programmes are used that are orientated towards the industry in question.

For example specific timberframe programmes are used for the production of material lists, cut lengths, panel layouts ect. Normally designed by timberframe manufacturers that incorporate all the cnc data as well for the machine production of the frame components. Autocad do modules for this as well, but they would not be as widely used as other specific programmes, like Mitek,s and Sema software.

The shopfitting industry use Pythacad, that is more designed for cabinet production drawings, and retail outlet layouts, as well as full 3d animated facility for spacial designs.

But its still well worth having the skills of Autocad, as they are beneficial for any other 3d modelling programmes, of which there are many.


kadman
Hope this helps.:)

JoeB-

What's the best software for producing photo realistic renderings of AutoCAD produced 3D designs?

For example, I have 3D designs of kitchen islands, and I'd like these to be rendered, in a plain background, (or a background set with walls, floors and windows etc ), as photo realisitically as possible.

Does anyone know any renderers who would do this for a fee? I could provide all AutoCAD 3D drawings, and they'd have to make up a background, which could be re-used, and render each drawing in the background set.


I've written some simple extensions for AutoCAD which semi-automate the process of producing 3D drawings... i.e I can automatically draw the same cabinet many times with slightly different widths, in a program loop. I'd like each of these to be photo rendered, so that if a customer on a website, wants a cabinet of 900mm wide, then this rendering can be displayed on screen... if they change the width to 850 then the rendering changes to reflect the change. Each different size would need a different rendered image. This saves me having to make every item which I want to sell, if I have a very good photo realistic image of the proposed cabinets.

Any tips on how I'd find such a person? I was going to ask a guy called Lynx or a few others on UKworkshop.co.uk... some of the guys on the AutoCAD forum there produce stunning renderings!


Ideally someone could teach me how to produce the renderings myself, as I'd have hundreds to do, and I can't pay for them individually. But I can pay for a system to be set up, and then I produce my own renderings, using the standard settings and background which was set up for me.

Any free software for this? Is Google Sketchup good?

Cheers
Joe

PS I have a program called Photo Vision.. I got it for free, anyone heard of this? It was left in a workshop I recently moved into, and was used by a kitchen company previously.

kadman

JoeBallantine wrote: »

What's the best software for producing photo realistic renderings of AutoCAD produced 3D designs?

For example, I have 3D designs of kitchen islands, and I'd like these to be rendered, in a plain background, (or a background set with walls, floors and windows etc ), as photo realisitically as possible.

Does anyone know any renderers who would do this for a fee? I could provide all AutoCAD 3D drawings, and they'd have to make up a background, which could be re-used, and render each drawing in the background set.


I've written some simple extensions for AutoCAD which semi-automate the process of producing 3D drawings... i.e I can automatically draw the same cabinet many times with slightly different widths, in a program loop. I'd like each of these to be photo rendered, so that if a customer on a website, wants a cabinet of 900mm wide, then this rendering can be displayed on screen... if they change the width to 850 then the rendering changes to reflect the change. Each different size would need a different rendered image. This saves me having to make every item which I want to sell, if I have a very good photo realistic image of the proposed cabinets.

Any tips on how I'd find such a person? I was going to ask a guy called Lynx or a few others on UKworkshop.co.uk... some of the guys on the AutoCAD forum there produce stunning renderings!


Ideally someone could teach me how to produce the renderings myself, as I'd have hundreds to do, and I can't pay for them individually. But I can pay for a system to be set up, and then I produce my own renderings, using the standard settings and background which was set up for me.

Any free software for this? Is Google Sketchup good?

Cheers
Joe

PS I have a program called Photo Vision.. I got it for free, anyone heard of this? It was left in a workshop I recently moved into, and was used by a kitchen company previously.

If you are making a lot of cabinets, cabinetvision might be a better bet than Autocad, as it is a specific programme for cabinet design, construction drawings, bill of materials ect. All self generated form your cabinet rendered view.It gives a full set of specs, drawings, materials , parametrically.

You seem to be comfortable with Autocad, maybe a tutorial on rendering might be the way to go. Top of the range is Pythacad. Specifically designed for the shopfitting , retail manufacturing industry. If you can afford it of course, expensive.

kadman

JoeB-

I got an email from a guy offering rendering sevices. Not cheap enough though unfortunately.

Some samples here..
http://www.trance3d.com/portfolio.htm

These are absolutely amazing, and as good as I've seen. All I can say is look at them.. they're brilliant.

I've been practicing a little in AutoCAD, but I can't get lighting to work correctly... i.e I'm just rendering a Shaker style door, but there's no shadows, so it looks brutal. I'm going to have to do a little more experimenting.

galwaydude18

Jesus they are amazing! They look like photographs not renderings.class work.mo wonder the prices would be so high