[Jewelry making - Article 00073] - [Orchid] CAD programs...

[Dreamgate9]

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    Fellow Orchidians... I am interested in hearing from the many of you
    who have been working with CAD programs. I have been interested in
    purchasing a program for over a year now, and have done a bit of
    research into several competing programs. Each seems to have its own
    benefits (and flaws). 

    Which program offers the most creative flexibility? I know that's a
    tough question, but all the programs I looked at would allow you to
    quickly model basic ring designs. How difficult would it be to
    create a brooch for a freeform opal? What about modeling a twig, an
    animal, or a face? What about textures? 

    What about plotting the tool path? 3-D rendering is nice, but how do
    you get the most accurate and detailed model? How do you minimize,
    or eliminate, the tool marks left from the milling operation? Do
    most of you send a CAD file out to have the model machined, or do
    you do it in-house? 

    My end use for this will be to create one-of-a-kind pieces, so the
    requirements may be different for a small volume user compared to a
    mass manufacturer. Or are they? 

    I've already talked to many of the program developers, and their
    sales agents. I'd really like to hear from those of us who have been
    using these programs long enough to explain the pros and cons. 

Thanks,
Doug Zaruba

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