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Training for a person with no CAD experience?

bruce_williamsbruce_williams Member, Developers Posts: 842 PRO
I am searching for a way to train people that have NO CAD experience.  The newly refined 'Learning Center' is great - however, the material requires a basic understanding of CAD and parametric solid modeling.

What resources do you suggest?
www.accuratepattern.com

Best Answers

  • bradley_saulnbradley_sauln Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 373
    edited November 2017 Answer ✓
    @bruce_williams I would recommend starting them here first: https://www.onshape.com/learn/learn-cad to get an understanding of our basic set up and workflows. From there you can find exercise books or website to walk through increasingly complex geometry to start to develop the use of CAD features https://www.slideshare.net/doancokhi86/100-cad-exercises-62334495
    Engineer | Adventurer | Tinkerer
    Twitter: @bradleysauln


Answers

  • chris_winters404chris_winters404 Member Posts: 37 PRO
    Hello Bruce,
     When I started with Onshape I had very minimal exposure to CAD. It is a big cookie that takes a lifetime to digest. I started out with going through all the tutorial videos and that definitely gave me a starting point. Does the person(s) have any exposure to blueprint reading or manufacturing? Are you looking at 3-6 months for daily basic workflow ( design, dimension, review, and release)? It is highly dependent what field you are talking about as well.
    I can say that I routinely smack my noggin against the wall to try to figure out how to do some of the more advanced applications of Onshape (featurescript being my windmill for next quarter). That being said when ever I do have a problem I come here to the forums first to see and if I can't find a reference then I submit a ticket.

    Stay awesome and have a great week!
    Sincerely,
    Chris 
  • bradley_saulnbradley_sauln Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 373
    edited November 2017 Answer ✓
    @bruce_williams I would recommend starting them here first: https://www.onshape.com/learn/learn-cad to get an understanding of our basic set up and workflows. From there you can find exercise books or website to walk through increasingly complex geometry to start to develop the use of CAD features https://www.slideshare.net/doancokhi86/100-cad-exercises-62334495
    Engineer | Adventurer | Tinkerer
    Twitter: @bradleysauln


  • bruce_williamsbruce_williams Member, Developers Posts: 842 PRO
    what a great bunch of people on the forum.  Thanks for all the responses & thoughts.  I especially appreciate the 100-cad-exercises and Onshape Basics lessons.   @bradley_sauln @owen_sparks @3dcad @chris_winters404

    I started this and forgot to post - sorry for late reply!

    www.accuratepattern.com
  • owen_sparksowen_sparks Member, Developers Posts: 2,660 PRO
    what a great bunch of people on the forum.  Thanks for all the responses & thoughts.  I especially appreciate the 100-cad-exercises and Onshape Basics lessons.   @bradley_sauln @owen_sparks @3dcad @chris_winters404

    I started this and forgot to post - sorry for late reply!

    I quite agree, it's a very friendly environment, where anybody can ask just about anything and get a helpful response within a couple of hours or less.

    O.S. 
    Business Systems and Configuration Controller
    HWM-Water Ltd
  • 3dcad3dcad Member, OS Professional, Mentor Posts: 2,470 PRO
    Exceptional environment where not only beginners can ask questions but also professionals can get answers. I don't know any other forum where 'the host' has made it priority to get involved in conversation. Big :+1: to Onshape for that.
    //rami
  • michael3424michael3424 Member Posts: 674 ✭✭✭✭
    3dcad said:
    Exceptional environment where not only beginners can ask questions but also professionals can get answers. I don't know any other forum where 'the host' has made it priority to get involved in conversation. Big :+1: to Onshape for that.
    +1
  • bruce_williamsbruce_williams Member, Developers Posts: 842 PRO
    Follow up on the "100 CAD Exercises". 

    I have been test sketching these in OS.  The exercises are good training practice.  They are 'real world' in several ways - realistic shapes, the dimensions schemes make you think & use various tools, and there are errors & omissions (like real drawings).   ;) 

    Below is page 23.  At first, I was frustrated with this kind of dimensioning, but then realized it is good for training.  For ex. note how the octagons are located & sized.  I was impressed Onshape solved with just these 3 dimensions.

    Now I will see how the students take to the exercises...  :cold_sweat:

    www.accuratepattern.com
  • bruce_williamsbruce_williams Member, Developers Posts: 842 PRO
    @c_fields
    Nice work!
    www.accuratepattern.com
  • brian_jordanbrian_jordan Member, Developers Posts: 139 ✭✭✭
    @c_fields Thank you. This looks like a great resource - I shall be visiting it frequently.
  • peter_hallpeter_hall Member Posts: 196 ✭✭✭
    I was new to Cad. I started by watching training videos for solidworks through Lynda.com. It was after doing this I discovered Onshape as I was looking for a way of trying out Cad and Onshape fitted well with its free to use offer. I am still using Onshape  and looking forward to further developments as they come out. I may even become a Pro oneday. :)
  • doug_probstdoug_probst Member Posts: 5 ✭✭
    @c_fields
    I am that guy with no design background, I opened your document but have no idea what I am to do with it, are there instructions someplace for each slid or do I need to buy the book the came from?   
  • bruce_williamsbruce_williams Member, Developers Posts: 842 PRO
    @doug_probst

    In case you did not see it check the information & links in 'What is the simpliest tutorial?'
    www.accuratepattern.com
  • KatieHuffmanKatieHuffman Member, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 194
    @doug_probst please navigate to our Learning Center to learn Onshape fundamental skills. The first course in the Onshape Fundamental: CAD pathway, Navigation Onshape explains the concept of a Document. As you progress through the courses in the two fundamental pathways you will learn all of the basic skills needed to be efficient in Onshape. As mentioned in this forum post, these courses assume an understanding of parametric CAD, but have guided exercises, that can help assist a novice user as well.
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