Kcdw software price full#

I will agree with contributor B and recommend that you do not even look at 3D until you know the program very well. The answer to your question is no you do not draw the front and extrude it back, and it is little more complicated than that. It is industry standard and the most versatile software program. Build your skills but always play to your strengths. The bottom line is this, in this economy if you're not competitive you're doomed. I've worked for companies that bankrupted themselves trying to do everything in 3D. Please tell us what is so custom about the nature of your cabinetry that it cannot be handled with anything other than 3D CAD. Parametric modeling software is far different from 3D CAD. As you well know if you have experienced KCDw or any of the cabinet-specific packages, you are not really 'drawing in 3D' with software like that, but instead using the dialog boxes and features to define the parameters of construction. Packages like the moldmaking shops use to do the tooling for the molded dashboard assembly that covers the front of the passenger compartment in your van.įor cabinetry I use cab-specific software, the kind that spits out cut lists, interfaces with CNC, produces elevation drawings, and material lists for purchasing. I can use 3D CAD to draw anything I want to build, and if things get too wild, like things with compound curvatures, I can model it using ProEngineer or SolidEdge. This is a hard lesson for me to absorb particularly. Sometimes there is a much faster way of doing it. Just because you can do something in a program doesn't always mean you should. I think you should re-read contributor B's post to see how insightful it really is. Good cabinet-specific software such as KCDw and eCabinets can handle just about anything, and I mean anything, you can throw at it. To the original questioner: please describe what it is about your business's cabinet work that makes it 'so totally custom' that cabinet software won't work for you. If you are doing custom works, 2D drawing seems to be suitable for you. Of course, the layout of the drawing is also important. To produce readable and consistent drawings, you'll need to create a standard drawing template with some basic setups such as layer, drawing unit and precision, snap and print page, and etc. More importantly, how are your drafting skills? Have you done any isometrics? The drawing content is much more important than how it was created. Until you can draw in 3D at a competitive price, you're just not ready. Just because you can draw in 3D, doesn't mean you always should. I've been using various CAD systems to create both 3D and 2D drawings since the seventies. It allows you to custom design your project and get the info you need. It is cad based with a new rendering package that is awesome. If it's a combination of AutoCAD and KCDW, that's good to know. If someone is using AutoCAD please tell me how you're doing it. We're just not sure about the most efficient way to do it. My cad teacher at the college is helping me out to draft cabinets in 3D.

Kcdw software price full#

I agree with contributor B, I think you'll waste a huge amount of time doing the full 3D detail in AutoCAD if you're a beginner. I would suggest doing as we do and using AutoCAD to do front and side presentations so you can sell the detail while using KCDW to crank out the flat panel parts. I think AutoCAD is the only thing that's going to work for me, because I get into so much totally custom work. I've tried KCDW, and while it has a lot of power, I can't get the level of detail that I want. I think you'd be better off investing in cabinet software that produces the 3D and cutlists by creating the front elevations. While 3D gives you a lot of information, it can also eat time at an alarming rate. If you're a beginner then I'd suggest proceeding cautiously with 3D. The quickest way to build experience is by working closely with a more experienced user. The most efficient way depends on the skill and experience of the user. Do you draw a front view and extrude it to the back? I'm a one-man-shop with no interest in CNC right now. I want to get part sizes that I can export to a panel optimizer program I use. I am currently taking an intro AutoCAD class at a community college and want to know the most efficient way to use it to make detailed shop and presentation drawings.