CAD software

[pianoguru at cox.net]

---- Terence Miller <innuuuu at yahoo.com> wrote: 
>you do not own what you have just purchased. 

I sympathize with your rant about the cost of software that you don't really own, but CAD software takes it to another ridiculous extreme.  Not only do you pay thousands for the software, but they all but insist that you "buy" a subscription service, for about $1,500/year, EVERY year thereafter!  The subscription service entitles you to any new upgrade that come out in that year, technical support by phone or email, and CD based training, etc.  You don't have to "buy" the subscription service, but there is such a long learning curve, it would be advisable for the first year, or at least until you are comfortable that your ability with the software is at or above the level you will get from their technical support staff.

That said, CAD has advanced into a new generation of software.  It is no longer a tool for preparing 2-D mechanical drawings.  It is now three dimensional modeling software.  You can build pianos in cyber-space.  You can generate a bill of materials from the 3-D assembly model.  You can do stress analyses, motion analyses, thermo-dynamic testing in cyber-space.  You can do motion studies, that look like slow-motion photography.  The computer can tell you the total weight, center of gravity, and other mass properties of individual parts, subassemblies, or complete assemblies.  You can make an image of the item that looks like a photograph, or simple 2-D drawings of cross sections of complex parts.  Much of what used to be learned from building prototypes can now be discovered in cyber-space.

I have much experience with just about every professional-level CAD software available.  My "hands down" preference is SolidWorks.

Frank Emerson