Jap2Scrap

Are there any out there? Specifically self-employed. I'm thinking of working from home doing this, significantly part-time to top up my earnings.

Juat wondered if anyone knows of any pitfalls or things to watch out for. I'm more interested in doing 2D to 3D translations to produce CAM files or STL files. I also have no idea what the going rate is for doing this sorta thing as where I work now it's all part of the service (we do Selective Laser Sintering rapid prototyping). Also wondering if there are any CAD engineers on SN who may have an original copy of 'i-deas' software and verification code they no longer use and want to sell.

Any tips appreciated

Ray

(not expecting a huge response btw )

D6ale

iTrader: (1)

Im a CAD engineer, well used to be a draughtsman and have moved on to being a Project Engineer, However i still use CAD.

I have often thought about doing this, i have known people to do well out of it. I dont have the guts to step out on my own though.

Would be interesting to know if anyone on here has done it

pslewis

I play with CAD as part of my job:-

Mentor Graphics and PCAD for PCB Design/Electronics

AutoCad and the superb Unigraphics Solid Modelling for Mechanical stuff

Not ventured out on my own - wouldn't have the courage!

Oh, yes, we rapid prototype too ....... and have a dedicated CAD section of overpaid lads with their flash cars and fancy CAD Software/Hardware!!

Pete

Jap2Scrap

you'd love having me work for you then on the p!ss poor money i'm on

pslewis

Yes, ok, I was joking a little - they are only on about £55k, so not much down south!

Pete

Jap2Scrap

Hey, I just moved from Southampton to Leeds to take the job I'm doing now and I dropped an amazing 8p an hour!

OK I dropped a bit more moving to that last job but everyone knows that working in the Uni circuit pays crap. It's got nothing to do with location in this game. I'd love to earn 55k a year, especially as I'm bloody good at CAD work, but I do more than get by on what I get and I do like the atmosphere here..

I just feel that I could make better use of my free time, doing something I enjoy and earning some cash on the side.

LMRnav2

for working from home, I think you really need to know what you're doing AND know people to get the work off.

We use a bloke who works from home. We pay him £16 an hour to do site layouts (sewage treatment works) and site visits. For us, he only uses Autocad. But my boss used to work with him, thats how he gets all the work and he gets a load a work from the place he worked at before as staff.

Ray_li

55k for CAD. Holy ****.
Im on 18.5k for using Solidworks 2004 designing focking ***** and knockers
I'll learn electronics for 55k
Thats alot of software you using there Pete

Ray_li

I know there guys are looking all the time for temping work. http://www.nova-design.co.uk/
my mate did some work for these guys (agency) got paid £500 a week

pslewis

I also use other CAD packages for legacy stuff.

Worked on CAD since it started in 1981 - used just about every CAD package that ever made it to the top shelf ...... but I'm getting tired now and its getting pretty complex these days!!

Looking for my redundancy package!! Trouble is, we are trying to recruit!

Pete

Ray_li

I once considered buying a RP machine for £20k and working from home charging people £100 plus for models and casting patterns

Ray_li

How old are you?

pslewis

I thought EVERYONE knew!!!

I am ancient!! Really Ancient!

Pete

Ray_li

you must be double my age 24.

Jap2Scrap

That's cheap for any type of RP machine, I'm guessing it was a 3D printer or Stereolithography jobbie.. We're using a Selective Laser Sintering machine (£300,000 worth) and we rarely charge £100 for a small model (something the size of a mobile phone would cost around £35-£40) so that might be asking a lot nowadays when the technology isn't so hard to come by.

John Catlin

I remeber CAD in 64 !!!

Ray_li

Thats a real good price.
We us a pettern maker to make door ***** and window levers for us and he charges £120 for a brass pattern door ****.
With your prototypes can you go straight to casting and do you take solid works models?

Jap2Scrap

Well for one I didn't realise you were working in brass.. We sinter a bronze/stainless alloy but that is more expensive, probably closer to the prices you're paying. Most of our work is done in Nylon and/or Glass-filled nylon. We have produced injection moulds from the alloy so I'd say yes, you can cast from our models.

We take files as .stl files usually, for speed. I believe you can export from SW as .stl files anyway. Other formats we use are IGES files and of course I-DEAS files as that's the CAD software we run.

Ray_li

whats the largest model you can do?

Jap2Scrap

Depends on the material. Theoretically it's 300,290,450ish X,Y,Z but with metal models you have to allow for supports and the fact that the first phase part is very fragile and doesn't self support very well. The biggest part I've seen go thru was a pump part with a 200 x 100 footprint, standing about 100mm high. There are no such problems with Nylon parts and the only theoretical restriction is the chamber size, as above.

MJW

I used to use SDRC I-deas at uni, but now use mainly Autocad 2005. I've just ordered Solidworks for pattern development though which should be interesting. The demo seemed a lot better than i-deas, but then again its about 10 years since I used it !

Jap2Scrap

I used i-deas back at uni, say 6 or so years back.. the version i'm using now, 10 i believe, is a million miles apart from that.. I've got AutoCAD 2000 and that's rubbish by comparison, but then I suppose the same's true of five years of development for that.

MJW

To be honest AutoCAD 2005 isn't that much different from 2000 - it just has more web integration, oh and a few less bugs.

kevin stanton

i use autocad for mechanical and PCAD for pcb layouts. To be fair if i decided to work from home i'd never get anything done. Its bad enough having web access at work.

Ray_li

Solidworks is brill for 3D work but their 2D stuff is cr@p

Apple

We use AutoSketch 7 for 2D stuff and I'm getting grief because I've been set up on ProE for 3D - the rest of the department can't use it and have buried their heads in the sand

When one of the customers at the end of the project says "It looks just like the model" I must be getting something right

skoobidude

I have a lot of experience using AutoCAD - 14yrs. in the last few years I've moved onto Project Engineering/Project Management. Still use CAD though.
The point is, I'm just about to go into Self Employment to offer these services independently. I finish my current full time position next Wednesday. During the last few weeks I've been busy forming a Ltd Co. I made sure that before the commitment I had a long-term contract to go to 1st.

I think this is important for one to be comfortable with getting to know how the system works (keeping receipts, doing your own invoices etc). So a long-term contract is one to bag before you take the plunge.
I got this contract via an agency so they'll be taking a cut of my earnings. This is still more than what I earn now, and any future contracts I'll look for myself! I've worked at several engineering companies in the past so it helps to maintain contact with previous colleagues.
Also, being the only guy in the "Projects" dept and in control of capital budget for past 12 months I've met a lot of contractors and always made sure they get paid on time if the set objectives have been successfully delivered.

So what goes around comes around... Lots of these "friendly" contacts are now willing to throw anything my way that they feel may help me in my future. At which point I won't need an agent and can charge better rates!

Can't wait

Nick

D6ale

iTrader: (1)

I trained up on AutoCAD R14 six years ago and have progressed through various companies and now sit using AutoCAD 2002. I have only ever done 2D work, building layouts, basic component design. I would like to stretch my knowledge and learn new CAD programs, do 3D etc. Where would everyone say is best to go to, for learning this sort of stuff. When i was at college they only had some ancient version of CAD. Is there anywhere that trains people up specifically for CAD work?

Andy S.

I work on Pro Engineer every day designing 'Consumer Durables' and at weekends Design racecars for my spin off job http://www.djracecars.com Have been using Cad since 1985 started off on Esprit an American machining package then moved on to Catia in various gises designing and machining for Aerospace. Since the introduction 3D solids CAD CAM has come on a long way. I moved on to Pro engineer about 6 years ago we have he basic design package + mechanisms + Manufacturing and also Pro mechanica (FEA).

One of the scariest things is China on a cost point of view there are design houses sprouting up from everyware, since there are no copyright laws in China all the software is available Free!, we paid £30000 for our software and £8000 a year in maintenance!!

Most of the tools to make our plastic mouldings are made in China @ 30% of the cost of a european tool.

PS lewis have you any jobs going @£55k

Have lots of experience

beemerboy

PSLewis talks in old money, he cant help himself.

bb