# Can I learn CAD without taking an official course or 'buying' the software? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 30, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727 "2006-05-30T12:57:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/1 "2006-05-30T12:57:54Z")
Say I’d like to learn CAD (computer aided design) but don’t have the time to go to night school or the money to buy the software. What other options do I have as far as getting some hands on trainging in CAD? I know the library has books, likewise the bookstores, but to get proficient I would need the software - to get the hands on at-home training. Any suggestions? Are there any ‘free’ versions for guys like me to wet their feet? ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/2 "2006-05-30T14:25:50Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Say I’d like to learn CAD (computer aided design) but don’t have the time to go to night school or the money to buy the software. > What other options do I have as far as getting some hands on trainging in CAD? > I know the library has books, likewise the bookstores, but to get proficient I would need the software - to get the hands on at-home training. > Any suggestions? > > Are there any ‘free’ versions for guys like me to wet their feet? Look around for older versions. You can quite often pick up a copy thats a few years old for a small fraction of the purchase price for the most recent version. There will be features that are different but the fundamentals of how it works will still be the same in most cases. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/3 "2006-05-30T14:31:01Z")
> [@drachillix](#): > > Look around for older versions. You can quite often pick up a copy thats a few years old for a small fraction of the purchase price for the most recent version. There will be features that are different but the fundamentals of how it works will still be the same in most cases. Thanks, that’s a good idea. Is CAD copyrighted by a particular company and/or are there knock-offs available for lessor fees? I’m thinking like Gimp vs Photoshop or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/4 "2006-05-30T14:42:09Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Thanks, that’s a good idea. Is CAD copyrighted by a particular company and/or are there knock-offs available for lessor fees? > > I’m thinking like Gimp vs Photoshop or something like that. The best known is certainly [AutoCAD](http://www.autodesk.com/autocad), but I have also heard good things about [TurboCAD](http://www.turbocad.com/products.asp), which is significantly cheaper, and also offers a free trial. Looking for older versions is definitely a good idea, too. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/5 "2006-05-30T15:06:11Z")
Right. CAD is a generic term (computer aided design). As far as I know, there is no commercial software product called simply CAD. And as said, AutoCAD is probably the most widely used product. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/6 "2006-05-30T15:09:55Z")
And another thing. I don’t think it helps to know how to use CAD software without first understanding drafting. I’m not saying that you need to start by learning manual drafting, but you should understand the concepts and techniques. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/7 "2006-05-30T15:15:05Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > And another thing. I don’t think it helps to know how to use CAD software without first understanding drafting. I’m not saying that you need to start by learning manual drafting, but you should understand the concepts and techniques. What do you mean by drafting? I’m a cartographer and us MicroStation, yet know nothing of drafting anything but charts. Once I was asked to prepair a drawing and was able to do it. At least no one said it was bad. I would think you could learn some basic CAD no problem with just a book. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/8 "2006-05-30T15:17:25Z")
I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that he wanted to use CAD to draw mechanical parts. There are certain standard techniques for depicting and dimensioning stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/9 "2006-05-30T15:24:26Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > I assumed, perhaps incorrectly, that he wanted to use CAD to draw mechanical parts. There are certain standard techniques for depicting and dimensioning stuff. I’ve been reading blueprints for 20 years now, construction type with overlaying mechanical, electrical, HVAC and such. I would like to be able to recieve such prints on CD and then modify them. Mostly the electrical portions of the prints. I have no drafting experience outside working with the prints themselves. Looks like I can get a copy (actually an original) of Autocad LT 2004 for around $200 on Ebay. Is LT a 2D version? Whatever version I get it must be able to render electrical symbols and plot circuits and such. I would then get the tutorial material from the library. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/10 "2006-05-30T15:36:11Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Thanks, that’s a good idea. Is CAD copyrighted by a particular company and/or are there knock-offs available for lessor fees? > > I’m thinking like Gimp vs Photoshop or something like that. I don’t think there is any program called “CAD”. CAD simply stands for computer aided design, and is a class of programs. There are probably dozens of CAD programs in use in industry at any given time. AutoCAD, as previously mentioned, is a big one, solid edge, solid works, and cadkey are some other big ones. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/11 "2006-05-30T15:48:13Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > I’ve been reading blueprints for 20 years now, construction type with overlaying mechanical, electrical, HVAC and such. I would like to be able to recieve such prints on CD and then modify them. Mostly the electrical portions of the prints. > I have no drafting experience outside working with the prints themselves. > Looks like I can get a copy (actually an original) of Autocad LT 2004 for around $200 on Ebay. Is LT a 2D version? > Whatever version I get it must be able to render electrical symbols and plot circuits and such. I would then get the tutorial material from the library. Then what you need is something that will read/write the CAD fileformats… the standard ones I think are .dwg and .dxf files. You don’t need the bells and whistles of AutoCAD, and I think even $200 is too much to spend on something. There’s a CAD programme called [QCAD](http://www.ribbonsoft.com/qcad.html), which is only about €24 (that’s probably ~$30) to download (you can use a 100hour free trial before you purchase it though). It reads .dxf files so you should be okay for your purposes. I have to state that I haven’t used it, I just went on a google hunt for something that might be appropriate for you, and this program seems to have the electrical symbols that you need (they’re downloadable from the website). ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/12 "2006-05-30T15:58:00Z")
> [@treis](#): > > I don’t think there is any program called “CAD”. CAD simply stands for computer aided design, and is a class of programs. There are probably dozens of CAD programs in use in industry at any given time. AutoCAD, as previously mentioned, is a big one, solid edge, solid works, and cadkey are some other big ones. AutoCAD is probalby the biggest. Microstation is also used extensively, primarily by DOTs. It’d be worth the OP’s while to find out what the standard program used in his industry is and learn accordingly. If you were trying to get a job in the transportation industry but only knew AutoCAD, you’d be at a huge disadvantage. Similarly, if I were to try to get a job in the architectural side of things, I’d have problems since I only know Microstation. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-learn-cad-without-taking-an-official-course-or-buying-the-software/358727/13 "2006-05-30T16:44:06Z")
There’s an Autocad-clone called Intellicad. 2 years ago it was free, but now they sell it. But there is a totally free “Evaluation version” at: [http://www.autodsys.com/intellicadhome.html](http://www.autodsys.com/intellicadhome.html) It is very,very similar to Autocad–you could probably learn to use it from any basic book with a title like Autocad for dummies.