Welcome to TheCADMan, a comprehensive public repository for CAD users. This repository is designed to equip students, enthusiasts, and professionals with the essential tools, tips, and techniques to become excellent CAD users. Whether you are new to CAD or a seasoned pro, this repository has something for everyone.
The main objective of TheCADMan is to be a comprehensive learning hub for Computational Aided Design (CAD), covering industrial design theory, manufacturing design process, and international standards such as DIN and ISO. Another purpose of this repository is to provide a centralized FAQ platform for students, professionals, and enthusiasts to learn and share knowledge about CAD.
What You Will Find Here
In this repository, you will find:
- A collection of CAD files of various industrial parts and assemblies that you can download, view, modify, and use for your own projects.
- A series of tutorials and guides on how to use different CAD software and tools.
- A comprehensive overview of the principles and concepts of industrial design theory, such as form, function, ergonomics, aesthetics, materials, etc.
- A detailed explanation of the steps and methods involved in the manufacturing design process, such as ideation, prototyping, testing, validation, etc.
- A summary of the main international standards and regulations that apply to CAD engineering, such as DIN (German Institute for Standardization), Ermeto Original DIN fittings, and ISO (International Organization for Standardization).
TheCADMan docs/ is a folder that contains documents related to TheCADMan projects that offers tutorials and tips on CAD design using CAD software packages. The documents may include worksheets, scripts, graphs, and other files that are used or created along the way. It may also refer to the Google Docs service, which allows users to create and edit web-based documents online. TheCADMan may use Google Docs, Overleaf, or any other Collaboration Platforms to share the work with the collaborators.
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) is a technology that allows users to create, modify, analyze, and optimize designs using computers and software. CAD is widely used in engineering, architecture, manufacturing, and other fields that require precision and accuracy.
CAD literature is a collection of books and online resources that help users learn and master CAD skills and tools. CAD literature covers various topics such as CAD fundamentals, CAD software applications, CAD techniques and tips, CAD projects and exercises, CAD history and trends, and more. Here are some of the best CAD literature for learning CAD:
Top 43 CAD Books:
- FreeCAD for Makers by Jo Hinchliffe
- FreeCAD for Architectural Drawing by Allan Brito
- FreeCAD for Inventors by Brad Collette
- FreeCAD How-to by Daniel Falck and Brad Collette
- Freecad 0.19 Learn By Doing by Tutorial Books
- FreeCAD 0.19 Basics Tutorial by Kishore
- FREECAD EXERCISES: 200 Practice Exercises For FreeCAD and Other Feature-Based 3D Modeling Software by Sachidanand Jha
- FreeCAD 0.20 Learn by doing: Sketcher, Part Design, Assemblies, Technical Drawings by T Kishore and Tutorial Books
- Autodesk Fusion 360: A Power Guide for Beginners and Intermediate Users by CADArtifex
- Autodesk Fusion 360 Basics Tutorial by Kishore
- Autodesk Fusion 360 Black Book by Gaurav Verma
- Autodesk Fusion 360: Introduction to Parametric Modeling by Ascent - Center for Technical Knowledge
- FUSION 360: Beginners & Intermediate Users’ Guide by SEYI O. SUNDAY
- FUSION 360 EXERCISES: 200 Practice Exercises For FUSION 360 and Other Feature-Based Modeling Software by Sachidanand Jha
- FUSION 360 for Makers: Design Your Own Digital Models for 3D Printing and CNC Fabrication by Lydia Sloan Cline
- Learn Autodesk Fusion 360 in 30 Days: For Complete Beginners (Day-by-Day) by Jayden Ky
- Practical Autodesk AutoCAD 2023 and AutoCAD LT 2023: A beginner's guide to 2D drafting and 3D modeling with Autodesk AutoCAD by Jaiprakash Pandey
- AutoCAD 2022 For Beginners by CADFolks
- Mastering AutoCAD 2021 and AutoCAD LT 2021 by George Omura and Brian C. Benton
- AutoCAD Exercises For Beginners: Designers WorkBook For Practice by Shameer S. A.
- Discovering AutoCAD 2020 by Mark Dix and Paul Riley
- AutoCAD 2022: A Power Guide for Beginners and Intermediate Users by CADArtifex
- Residential Design Using AutoCAD 2020 by Daniel John Stine
- Engineering Graphics Essentials with AutoCAD 2023 Instruction: Text and Video Instruction by Kirstie Plantenberg
- AutoCAD Electrical 2023 for Electrical Control Designers by Prof. Sham Tickoo Purdue Univ. and CADCIM Technologies
- Beginning AutoCAD 2021 Exercise Workbook by Cheryl R. Shrock and Steve Heather
- Autodesk Inventor 2022 Essentials Plus by Daniel T. Banach
- SOLIDWORKS 2022 Basic Tools by Paul Tran
- CATIA V5 Design Fundamentals: A Step by Step Guide by Jaecheol Koh
- CATIA V5 Workbook Release V5-6R2018 by Richard Cozzens
- CATIA V5-6R2018 for Designers by Prof. Sham Tickoo Purdue Univ. and CADCIM Technologies
- CATIA Core Tools: Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application by Michel Michaud
- CATIA V5 Tutorials Mechanism Design & Animation Release 20 by Nader Zamani
- Introduction to CATIA V5 Release 19 by Kirstie Plantenberg
- CATIA V5 FEA Tutorials Release 21 by Nader G. Zamani
- CATIA V5 Macro Programming with Visual Basic Script by Dieter R. Ziethen
- NX for Designers (NX 1926) by Prof. Sham Tickoo Purdue Univ. CADCIM Technologies
- Fusion 360 for Makers: Design Your Own Digital Models for 3D Printing and CNC Fabrication by Lydia Sloan Cline
- SketchUp - A Design Guide for Woodworkers: Complete Illustrated Reference by Joe Zeh
- Vectorworks for Entertainment Design: Using Vectorworks to Design and Document Scenery, Lighting, Rigging and Audio Visual Systems by Kevin Lee Allen
- Revit Architecture Basics: From Concept Through Construction Documentation by Elise Moss
- Rhino for Jewelry: A guide to basic jewelry design using Rhino6 Windows version by Dana Buscaglia
- Blender Master Class: A Hands-On Guide to Modeling, Sculpting, Materials, and Rendering (The Fanatic's Guide) by Ben Simonds
International standards are a set of guidelines or specifications that are agreed upon by a group of experts or organizations to ensure the quality, safety, compatibility, and interoperability of products, services, processes, or systems.
International standards can facilitate trade, communication, collaboration, and innovation across different countries and regions. International standards related to CAD design are those that define the best practices for creating, managing, exchanging, and using CAD data and documents.
The official organizations involved in developing and publishing international standards are:
- DIN: Deutsches Institut für Normung (German Institute for Standardization)
- ANSI: American National Standards Institute
- BSI: British Standards Institution
- ASME: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- JIS: Japanese Industrial Standards
Commonly used international standards for CAD design are:
- ISO 128: Technical drawings — General principles of presentation
- ISO 13567: Technical product documentation — Organization and naming of layers for CAD
- ISO 16792: Technical product documentation — Digital product definition data practices
- ISO 216: Writing paper and certain classes of printed matter — Trimmed sizes — A and B series
- ISO 3098: Technical product documentation — Lettering
- ISO 5455: Technical drawings — Scales
- ISO 5456: Technical drawings — Projection methods
- ISO 5457: Technical product documentation — Sizes and layout of drawing sheets
- ISO 6428: Technical drawings — Requirements for microcopying
- ISO 7200: Technical product documentation — Data fields in title blocks and document headers
There are two main industry standards for GD&T:
- ISO/TC 213 Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS)
- ASME Y14.5 Dimensioning and Tolerancing
In term of Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA), these are commonly found industry standards:
- ANSI/IPC-2221A: This standard provides guidelines and recommendations for the design of printed circuit boards (PCBs) for manufacturability and assembly.
- ASME Y14.5-2018: This standard provides geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) symbols and rules that are used to communicate the geometric characteristics of parts and assemblies.
- SAE International J2768: This standard provides guidelines and recommendations for the design of automotive parts for manufacturability and assembly.
- IEC 61174: This standard provides guidelines and recommendations for the design of electronic products for manufacturability and assembly.
- ISO/TS 16949: This standard provides technical requirements for automotive production quality management systems. It includes requirements for DFM and DFA.
In addition to industry standards, there are also a number of best practices for DFM and DFA. These best practices can help us to design products that are easier and less expensive to manufacture and assemble.
Here are some examples of DFM and DFA best practices:
- Design for standard processes and materials. This will help to reduce the need for custom tooling and reduce manufacturing costs.
- Design for modularity. This will make it easier to assemble and disassemble your products.
- Design for testability. This will help you to identify and fix defects early in the manufacturing process.
- Use design for manufacturing and assembly tools. There are a number of software tools available that can help you to identify and address potential DFM and DFA issues.
By following industry standards and best practices, you can design products that are easier and less expensive to manufacture and assemble. This can help you to improve your product quality, reduce your costs, and shorten your time to market.
The Tutorials folder contains various tutorials on different CAD software packages. These tutorials cover basic and advanced topics such as solid & generative shape modeling, part interference analysis, drawing, rendering, and animation. We welcome contributions from users who would like to create or share their tutorials with the community.
This folder contains tutorials on the basics of CATIA (applicable to both V5 and V6), covering Part Design, Generative Shape Design, Drafting, Rendering, DMU Space Analysis and etc.
Here is a list of all available modules for CATIA V5 and V6:
CATIA V5 & V6
- Part Design: This module is used to create and modify 3D parts.
- Assembly Design: This module is used to create and manage assemblies of 3D parts.
- Generative Shape Design: This module is used to create and modify 3D shapes using mathematical definitions.
- Drafting: This module is used to create 2D drawings of 3D parts and assemblies.
- Sheet Metal Design: This module is used to create and modify sheet metal parts.
- Surface Design: This module is used to create and modify 3D surfaces.
- Knowledgeware: This module is used to create and manage knowledge bases that can be used to automate design and manufacturing tasks.
- Process: This module is used to create and manage process plans for manufacturing 3D parts and assemblies.
- Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): This module is used to manage the product lifecycle, from concept to end-of-life.
- Analysis: This module provides a variety of tools for performing analysis on 3D parts and assemblies, such as stress analysis, thermal analysis, and fluid flow analysis.
In addition to these core modules, there are also a number of optional modules available for CATIA V5 and V6. These modules provide additional functionality for a variety of tasks, such as DMU analysis and CAD translation.
This folder contains the following modules from FreeCAD offering:
- Part: The Part module is the core module of FreeCAD and provides the basic functionality for creating and manipulating 3D objects.
- Draft: The Draft module provides a variety of tools for 2D drafting, including lines, arcs, circles, and polygons.
- Sketcher: The Sketcher module provides a powerful tool for creating 2D sketches of 3D objects.
- Arch: The Arch module provides a variety of tools for creating and manipulating architectural objects, such as walls, doors, and windows.
- Ship: The Ship module provides a variety of tools for creating and manipulating ship hulls and other marine structures.
- Spreadsheet: The Spreadsheet module provides a spreadsheet editor that can be used to create and edit tables of data.
- FEM: The FEM module provides a variety of tools for performing finite element analysis (FEA) on 3D objects.
- Path: The Path module provides a variety of tools for creating and editing toolpaths for CNC machines.
- Plot: The Plot module provides a variety of tools for plotting 2D and 3D objects.
- Mesh: The Mesh module provides a variety of tools for creating and manipulating 3D meshes.
- Surface: The Surface module provides a variety of tools for creating and manipulating 3D surfaces.
- PartDesign: The PartDesign module provides a variety of tools for creating and manipulating parameterized 3D objects.
- Assembly: The Assembly module provides a variety of tools for creating and managing assemblies of 3D objects.
- TechDraw: The TechDraw module provides a variety of tools for creating technical drawings of 3D objects.
- AddonManager: The AddonManager module provides a tool for managing FreeCAD add-ons.
In addition to these core modules, there are also a number of third-party modules available for FreeCAD. These modules provide additional functionality for a variety of tasks, such as rendering, simulation, and CAD translation.
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This folder consists of the following Fusion 360 modules:
- Design: This module is used to create and modify 3D parts and assemblies.
- Manufacturing: This module provides a variety of tools for manufacturing 3D parts, such as CNC machining, 3D printing, and sheet metal fabrication.
- Simulation: This module provides a variety of tools for simulating the behavior of 3D parts and assemblies, such as stress analysis, thermal analysis, and fluid flow analysis.
- Collaboration: This module provides tools for collaborating with other users on design and manufacturing projects.
- Data Management: This module provides tools for managing design data, such as version control and file sharing.
- 3D Printing: This module provides tools for preparing 3D models for 3D printing, such as slicing and generating supports.
- Generative Design: This module uses artificial intelligence to generate design options that meet your requirements.
- Mold Design: This module provides tools for designing molds for plastic injection molding.
- Nesting & Fabrication: This module provides tools for nesting and fabricating sheet metal parts.
- Product Design Extension: This module provides additional tools for product design, such as rendering and animations.
- Signal Integrity Extension: This module provides tools for analyzing signal integrity in electronic devices.
- Additive Build Extension: This module provides additional tools for additive manufacturing, such as lattice generation and support optimization.
- Manage Extension: This module provides additional tools for managing data and users.
In addition to these core modules, there are also a number of third-party modules available for Fusion 360. These modules provide additional functionality for a variety of tasks, such as rendering, simulation, and CAM.
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The Templates folder contains various templates for different types of CAD projects, including architectural, mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering projects, among others. These templates can save you time and effort by providing a starting point for your project. We welcome contributions from users who would like to create or share their templates with the community.
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The Libraries folder contains libraries of commonly used CAD objects such as nuts, bolts, gears, bearings, and other mechanical components. It also contains libraries of commonly used architectural objects such as furniture, appliances, and fixtures. These libraries can save you time and effort by providing pre-made objects for your project. We welcome contributions from users who would like to create or share their libraries with the community.
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| Software | Functionality | Ease of use | Compatibility | Cost | Support and training | Industry-specific features | Compatibility with other software |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autodesk Fusion 360 | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $495/year or $60/month | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as Revit and Inventor; supports file formats such as DWG |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | 2D drafting, 3D modeling, visualization | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $1,690/year or $220/month | Free support for 30 days after purchase; online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), mechanical design, electrical design, plumbing design, and more | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as Revit and Inventor; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
| BlocksCAD | 3D modeling and printing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | Free for personal use; paid plans available for commercial use | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Education, hobbyists, makerspaces, and more | Compatible with other 3D printing software such as Cura and Simplify3D; supports file formats such as STL |
| BricsCAD | 2D drafting, 3D modeling, visualization | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $770/year or $70/month | Free support for 30 days after purchase; online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), mechanical design, electrical design, plumbing design, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD; supports file formats such as DWG |
| CATIA | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Dassault Systèmes software such as SOLIDWORKS and ENOVIA; supports file formats such as CATIA V5 and V6 |
| Creo | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other PTC software such as Windchill and Mathcad; supports file formats such as Creo Parametric |
| FreeCAD | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems | Free and open-source software | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
| Geomagic (Alibre) | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | $1,500 one-time purchase or $300/year subscription | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
| Inventor | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
| NX | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Siemens software such as Teamcenter and Tecnomatix; supports file formats such as JT |
| OnShape | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux operating systems | $1,500/year or $150/month for professional plan; free for education plan | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as SOLIDWORKS and AutoCAD; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
| Rhino | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $995 one-time purchase for commercial license; $195 one-time purchase for educational license | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD; supports file formats such as DWG |
| SketchUp | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | $299/year for professional plan; free for education plan | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction, interior design, film and stage design, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
| Solid Edge | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other Siemens software such as Teamcenter and Tecnomatix; supports file formats such as JT |
| Solidworks | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as AutoCAD and Revit; supports file formats such as DWG and DXF |
| SpaceClaim | 3D modeling, simulation, analysis, and manufacturing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Contact vendor for pricing details | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Aerospace, automotive, industrial equipment, consumer goods, and more | Compatible with other CAD software such as ANSYS and Abaqus; supports file formats such as STEP and IGES |
| Tinkercad | 3D modeling and printing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows and Mac OS X operating systems | Free for personal use; paid plans available for commercial use | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Education, hobbyists, makerspaces, and more | Compatible with other 3D printing software such as Cura and Simplify3D; supports file formats such as STL |
| 3DS Max | 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and compositing | User-friendly and intuitive | Compatible with Windows operating system | Paid software; free trial available | Online help center; community forum; phone support available for an additional fee | Architecture, engineering, construction (AEC), product design | Compatible with other Autodesk software such as AutoCAD |
The Resources section contains links to external resources such as online courses, blogs, forums, and YouTube channels that offer CAD training and support. These resources can help you expand your knowledge and skills beyond what is available in this repository. We welcome suggestions for additional resources from the community.
Top 16 CAD Online References:
- FreeCAD Documentation: https://wiki.freecadweb.org/Documentation
- Udemy - Online Courses on FreeCAD: https://www.udemy.com/topic/freecad/
- All3DP - Articles on CAD Software with FreeCAD: https://all3dp.com/topic/freecad/
- Autodesk Knowledge Network: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/
- Coursera - Online Courses on CAD Topics with Autodesk Fusion 360: https://www.coursera.org/learn/3d-printing-software
- All3DP - Articles on CAD Software with Autodesk Fusion 360: https://all3dp.com/topic/fusion-360/
- CATIA Doc: http://catiadoc.free.fr/online/CATIA_P3_default.htm
- Catia V5 Master in Surfacing | Design Course | Online CATIA | ISOPARA |: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEarKhdVzYsURyxpkvIJo2xqDHRebnI3E
- Prepare your model for 3D printing with CATIA V5: https://www.sculpteo.com/en/tutorial/prepare-your-model-3d-printing-catia/
- Catia V5 Kinematik: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2hEqvQGoz6sMYUQaRB7TNnQFOCSyOT7l
- Scan2CAD - Blog Posts on CAD Software: https://www.scan2cad.com/blog/
- The SourceCAD - Blog Posts on AutoCAD Tips and Tricks: https://thesourcecad.com/blog/
- Cadalyst - Articles on CAD Software Reviews, Tips, News, etc.: https://www.cadalyst.com/
- SolidSmack - Articles on Product Design, Engineering, Technology News, etc.: https://www.solidsmack.com/
- GrabCAD Blog - Articles on Engineering Challenges, Tutorials, Tips & Tricks etc.: https://blog.grabcad.com/blog/
- Learn Engineering - Free PDF Books on CAD/CAM/CIM with FreeCAD: https://learnengineering.in/cadcamcimbooks/
We welcome contributions from the community to improve and expand this repository. If you would like to contribute, please create a pull request with your changes. Before contributing, please review our Contributing.
We expect all contributors to follow our Code of Conduct to ensure that this repository remains a safe and welcoming space for everyone. Please review the code of conduct before contributing.
Thank you for visiting TheCADMan. We hope that this repository will help you become an excellent CAD user.
All CAD Projects utilizing multiple CAD tools in this repository are:
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Generic designs with arbitrary dimensions not in liase to any industrial design standard.
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Do not copy without any improvement/modification according to your working standards.
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All dimensions and designs have been modified to avoid any patent infringements.
