Cad program

    Rhino is a great program but it is a 'traditional' CAD package
with the need for you to learn the 'CAD way of thinking'. It works
the same as most of the older CAD packages and you can get the feel
for this by downloading a copy of Intellicad 

Ian, can you please expand on this? In what ways do you see Rhino as
traditional? I have never used AutoCAD or Intellicad, but I have a
feeling from what I have observed that I can easily do some things
in Rhino that would be very difficult to do in either of these
traditional cad programs. One thing in particular is to directly
manipulate an object in 3d space by moving control points around, in
effect sculpting the object as if it were a piece of virtual clay.

I am posting this because I feel Rhino is a good starting point for
folks that want to learn 3d modeling. I dont want anyone to get
turned off by having them think that Rhino is some arcane old
fashioned CAD program. It is actually a powerful, intuitive tool that
is fairly easy to learn.

My advice for anyone looking to get started in 3d modeling is to
spend around $600 USD now for Rhino, learn how to model in this
powerful, modern program, and then when you feel that you need a
parametric solids modeler, spend the $5000 on SolidWorks (Or <
$1000 for Inovate by IronCAD).

-Tom Murray

I agree that Rhino is an excellent program, especially the new
Version 3 beta Rhino is way more intuitive than many of the older
CAD programs, offers many, many plug-ins related to jewelry modeling
and rendering, is inexpensive, especially if you are a student with a
student card, has many

import and export formats (very important for any CAD program)
Howeverit takes a long time to build a nice model in Rhino, as it
does in IronCad or SolidWorks Yes, SolidWorks is a parametric solid
modeler, but that is no longer the advantage that it once was Nurbs
programs like Rhino and Matrix have ta ken surface generation and
control to new levels, and the easily modifiable builder scripts in
Matrix obvitae the need for parametrics in most casesand run faster
Note that GIA has dropped the teaching of SolidWorks and is now
using GemVision’s Matrixand for good reason

Wayne

Wayne, I just received a class program schedule from GIA - they still
list and offer Solidworks as well as Matrix CAD program training in
addition to an advanced class.

And for all those interested in more CAD testimonials, check out the
November and December issues of AJM. There is an article written by
Ed Friedman, “Committed to CAD”.

Sara D. Grinnell
C&L Gems LLC
Mpls. MN