Desperately Need a Sketching Program!

[umrce]

I do structural engineering and we regularly use a program called Tedds (by Tekla) that lets you perform calculations in Microsoft Word. My biggest complaint is that it doesn't have the ability to do digital sketches to support the calculations and drawing in Word is exhausting. If I really need to I'll sketch something in AutoCAD but that gets time-consuming as well. What I'm looking for is a simple sketching program that will let me draw engineering type sketches (free body diagrams, loading patterns) that I can then copy and paste into Word.

 

[Celt83]

If using a Pen/Tablet:
Autodesk Sketchbook -

https://sketchbook.com/

Krita -

https://krita.org/en/

MyPaint -

http://mypaint.org/downloads/

If using Mouse and Keyboard:
Inkscape -

https://inkscape.org/

LibreOffice - Draw application from the suite -

https://www.libreoffice.org/

GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) -

https://www.gimp.org/

(All of the above are free)

My Personal Open Source Structural Applications:

https://github.com/buddyd16/Structural-Engineering

Open Source Structural GitHub Group:

https://github.com/open-struct-engineer

 

[sdz]

I use Draftsight. Yes you have to learn some CAD but it's worth it and it's reasonably priced.

 

[MintJulep]

Visio, if you already have access to it as part of Office.

Is scanning a pencil sketch on paper an option for you?

 

[skeletron]

Bluebeam and then screenshot or print as a PDF (or maybe you can do images as well). It has a snap function, relatively to scale, some easy pre-made shapes, hatching, colour coding, and good text control.

 

[Rob VE]

I have also used Draftsight up to beginning of this year when it was no longer free.
I now have switched to Nanocad. The basic version is free.
It works just like Autocad / Draftsight.

Regards,
Rob

 

[dik]

umrce:
Which one did you settle on?

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik