Acad LT ?? 1

[RickRTA]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a circuit board designer but need a drafting package sometimes for simple 2d things. I have tried TurboCad Deluxe and must say I'm not all impressed as far as simplicity. I've used Acad LT about 6 years ago and wondered if the current version they have is worth the price difference of that and TurboCad?

Thanks for you input,
Rick DeMorrow

 

[taffcad]

Hi RickRTA

It all depends on what you have to draw. Have you had a look at Visio or Smardraw. They may suit your needs.

Regards

cadman

 

[RickRTA]

Thanks Cadman,

We do have Visio and it is great for some drawings I've made for others to build panels. I don't think it works well for bringing into Pads PCB layout software though. I will look at Smartdraw to see what it's like.

Thanks again,
Rick

 

[cfee]

Are you interested in taking advantage of all of the user-developed routines available to the ACAD community, for drawing PCB's? If so, ACAD-LT might be just the ticket, with LISP interpreter add-ons, also available lots of places in the ACAD community!

Alternatively, I've found full ACAD to be VERY ROBUST for the ENTIRE development cycle, right from the component level all the way up to 2D/3D design of the PCB thru to the Electro-Mechanical Packaging, and right on up to the Top Assembly level. With the ability to model and extract DETAILED production drawings right from the model, whether PCB Layer design (w/ registration...) all the way up to the Component Packaging and major/minor PCB components, all the way up to TOP PRODUCT Assembly, ACAD is a STRONG lower-to-mid range solution. It'll carry you a LONG way.

With your existing familiarity with higher-end programs more focused on issues specific to your need, and -LT's ability to communicate with those systems, if you are considering ACAD-LT, that might be a great starting point. -LT won't take you all the way there, (ACAD'll take you ALOT farther) but as I mentioned earlier, with add-on interpreters for -LT available from the ACAD community, you can make a great start. Then as you move to full ACAD (if you ever do...) your -LT investments move nearly seamlessly forward. We both know there are other great (stronger & better) solutions out there, but you asked about -LT, and this is my experience with that particular solution. I've used others with great success, but this one should get you of to a good start that should take you quite a ways...

Good luck !

C. Fee

 

[RickRTA]

Cfee,

Thanks for the post. I think I'll go with the -LT version. I downloaded their demor package and import some stuff into Pads PCB with no problems. I just had to figure out how to change the ucs origin so it imported the origin in layout at 0,0. I've been using TurboCad and with all the time I spent figuring it out I could have bought -Lt. There's something to be said about paying a little more for better products.

Thanks again,
Rick

 

[cfee]

RickRTA-

Truer words were never spoken !

Best wishes-

C. Fee