Free cad download

alan86

Doing electrical engineering and looking for a free cad download to practice on

Dudda

Sorry is it the software you want to download to use or drawings to open and modify and look at to practice on?

alan86

Sorry I should have went into more detail. In September I will be going into the 2nd year of electrical angineering.as I am a qualified electrician I don't need to do the first year but by skipping first year I am missing on on a lot of the basics thought in first so what I want to do is get a free version for my laptop so I can just get a feel for the basics before September so I won't be miles behind.thanks

Dudda

Oh right. It's AutoCAD you'll probably need not any other alternative drawing program which could be cheaper. You can do this the legal or illegal way.

Legal way you can get a student version of AutoCAD pretty cheap. This will last you a few years while your in college. The full version is just a crazy price. The only problem is your not technically a student until September but if you talk to the college and explain your situation they'll send an email or write a letter for you if it's needed.

Illegally is how most students get AutoCAD and from what I can see the company doesn't mind too much as if they use the program as students they tend to purchase it or the company they work for purchase it when qualified. I can't direct you how to download or install it as it's against boards.ie rules but a quick google or search on some of the largest warez download sites will turn up versions for you with install instructions.

Once installed just start practicing and drawing and maybe watch a few youtube videos. AutoCAD is all practice and the more time you spend on it the better and faster you get.

Shy Ted

There's a second legal option .
Download Draftsight from Dassault Systemes (Solidworks & Catia). They brought out "Dwg editor" initially as a freebie to entice engineering companies to switch their 3D cad modelling software from Autodesk Inventor or Autodesk Mechanical Desktop. It failed miserably but they then brought out the revamped version called Draftsight. It's actually a very good competitor to AutoCAD and completely free. There's also a good forum & tutorials on their website which would help for training.

http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight/overview/

Dudda

The only problem with that is all the people in college around you will be using AutoCAD and the computers in the studios will have AutoCAD as well. You'd also get lots of AutoCAD support from your peers but if you use Draftsight and have eg trouble printing then you won't have the support around you like you'd have with AutoCAD.

ht9zni1gs28crp

Yes pirated copies of AutoCad float around Colleges worse than hangovers!

Otherwise a Student version is relatively cheap compared to full asking price.

BrianDug

As a student you can get nearly all the Autodesk software for free.

See autodesk student website, the drawings will have "created by a student version" on the side of your printouts, but other than that its the full legal version.

Turbulent Bill

Dudda wrote: »

The only problem with that is all the people in college around you will be using AutoCAD and the computers in the studios will have AutoCAD as well. You'd also get lots of AutoCAD support from your peers but if you use Draftsight and have eg trouble printing then you won't have the support around you like you'd have with AutoCAD.

Draftsight "borrowed" lots of AutoCAD's text commands, and the GUI is similar too. I wouldn't be that concerned about support issues.

Great program, especially for a freebie.

Tullogher

Use proge cad. Nearly as good as autocad. What are the names of the books you are studying. Looking to learn a bit of electrical engineering myself