Monarch CAD software

Jewelry Discussion
21

I’m confused Povray is a rendering engine not a Cad program. It is
used to produce photo realistic images. Movray is a modeller that is
used to produce the “file” that Povray uses to render into an image.
Is that the one you mean? Movray can be used as an introduction to
3d modelling but I don’t know is you could output to a CAM file,
which is what you would need to use with a CAD/CAM machine.

I have taught CAD at the high school level and you cannot become
proficient with any decent program in a week, anyone who says that
hold suspect.

Traditionally CAD most CAD programs only worked on a PC, there was
only one or 2 for a MAC. These days lots are ported for either type
of machine, in fact TurboCad has a version for MAC for quite cheap
($179). There also is a few Free ones out there, whether they are
ported to MAC I don’t know.

CAD/CAM is another kettle of fish. You need a CAD program that can
output a CAM type file and then another program that can read it and
send the info along to the machine. Be aware of that if you want to
try CAM machining. There are programs that do both, Master CAM is
one such, but its quite expensive perhaps you could get a student
version. Again there are a few free CAM programs out there how good
they are and if they are ported to MAC I don’t know. To find out
google Freeware and check out some of the sites.

Good Luck
Chris

22

This is a new software package and mill we just purchased. Seems to
be pretty simple to learn and has good info on there website.

23 
in fact TurboCad has a version for MAC for quite cheap ($179).
There also is a few Free ones out there, whether they are

I have tried TurboCad. It does not work. I only tested CSG routines
and it is garbage. I did not bother with the rest.

You are correct that povray is a raytracing program, but the
scripting interface allows very intricate modeling. Moray replaces
scripting with mouse interface, but the most power lies in scripting.

About steep learning curve with CAD. If person have experience with
basic drafting, one week all one need to get handle on a well written
CAD interface. There is nothing one does in CAD that is different
from doing with ruler and compass. CAD should make it easier, not
more
difficult.

Leonid Surpin.

24

If I don’t want to do my own CAM, but take the file to somebody else
to have them make the prototype, would TurboCad be appropriate for
that?

Janet Kofoed
http://users.rcn.com/kkofoed

25 
If anyone knows of any decent free (probably a contradiction in
terms) CAD programme that will work on a modern Mac comuter please
let me know.

As Ian mentioned, there are emulators which will run windows
programs on Mac. According to a lot people the best one is Bootcamp,
but it works only on the newer Macs with the Intel processors.

As John mentioned, Z-Brush or Mudbox which are mesh modelers, have a
more sculptural type style of modeling. I’ve found they don’t have a
way to control precise dimensionality like a NURBS based modeler, so
what some people will do is create a basic model in a NURBS program,
export it as an.ojb file and then texture or detail it in a mesh
modeler. Silo, which isn’t expensive at all, is a mesh modeler that
does have measurement tools and there is a Mac version. Mesh
modelers are better for the organic bumpy cracked textural surfaces
you see on animated characters in video games and movies. While Maya
and 3dmax are cool programs, there is reason most CAD jewelers tend
to use easier to the learn and more efficient to use NURBS based
program such as Rhino with or without TechGems or Matrix.

ArtCAM Jewelsmith is in a class of it’s own because it has tools
required to accomplish the precise dimensionality needed for jewelry
design AND also do very organic artistic modeling with textural
surfacing in a very efficient manner.

There are some free older versions of CAD programs for the Mac.
Here’s a good place to do research- http://www.architosh.com/ I
believe an older version of Amapi is available for free and Carrara.
5 isn’t expensive, but they’re not as user-friendly or powerful as
the more popular windows based CAD programs.

Unless you have a personal opposition to using a windows PC, you
might consider it as option. Considering the cost of a Mac based CAD
program, if you’re primarily interested in 3d modeling and don’t
intend to do a lot of fancy rendering stuff, the option of using an
inexpensive windows computer and CAD program makes sense.

A new PC with enough processing power and memory to run MoI goes for
about $400. MoI isn’t very demanding graphically so any video card
made in the last 5 years would be sufficient, opening up the option
for a used PC at a very nominal cost. MoI will be priced at around
$200. It’s free right now until version 1 is released.

Another strong factor in favor of windows based CAD programs is that
there are really good communities (with open forums) of PC based CAD
jewelers online from which to get the help and support you’ll need to
be successful without tearing your hair out in the process. :slight_smile:

Regards,

Jesse
jdkjewelry3d.blogspot.com

26 
If I don't want to do my own CAM, but take the file to somebody else
to have them make the prototype, would TurboCad be appropriate for
that?

TurboCad for MAC by itself cannot talk to a CNC machine. There are
add ons and other programs that can convert its file to a usable CAM
file. Having said that I would believe that a jobber would have the
programs to convert your files.

They’re tons of CAD programs out there but (as others have said)
they’re mostly PC based. I would suggest that if you’re serious sign
up at your local college for a basic CAD course and maybe purchase a
student version of that CAD program.

27

The Question was if there was a CAD program for MAC, TurboCAd offers
one. It is a good basic CAD software, suitable for beginners to start
learning the basics on. And yes there are many better programs out
there but at 10 times the cost.

Yes scripting gives you incredible control but for a variety of
reasons it is beyond many of us to use. In my mind a decent
modelling program is the best way to be introduced 3D CAD.

I have taught CAD at the High School level and its not easy to pick
up. CAD programs are some of the most sophisticated software out
there, it does take some time to master. I have also taught drafting
and it to is difficult to become proficient in. And I can also say
that to do the same drawing in either CAD or by instruments requires
different procedures and methods.

Yes in about 40 hours a person should be able to do basic drawing in
cad, including setup, but to become productive will require a lot
more time and practise.

Chris

28 
While Maya and 3dmax are cool programs, there is reason most CAD
jewelers tend to use easier to the learn and more efficient to use
NURBS based program such as Rhino with or without TechGems or
Matrix.

There’s a few parallel threads going on here…Maya and 3dsMax have
been mentioned here lately a few times. Many people think they are
equal in power, but I’ve heard Maya people say that they used Max
until they ran up into it’s limitations, and went to Maya. Maya has
NURBS, polygon modeling and Poly sub-D modeling, which is pretty much
where modeling is at, these days (The latest Catia has mesh modeling,
but it’s solids - very cool). It’s all incredibly interesting. Maya
is about as fascinating a program as you’ll find, though it’s
difficult/complex to learn. The problem is also the interesting part

  • only 1/4 of Maya is modeling. The other 3/4 is animation and other
    things, which are of no use to a jeweler looking to make rings. You
    can make a ball, put a plane under it, make them both solid bodies,
    make the plane a collision object, insert a gravity field, and when
    you hit play the ball will drop onto the plane, all by itself. Cool,
    but I don’t know what that would have to do with jewelry. It also
    does hair, fur, clothing, water and all manner of particle systems,
    and it’s shader and render node system puts others to shame, plus it
    will take Renderman as a plugin - that’s head and shoulders above the
    pack in rendering (Pixar). And it has a built in scripting language
    that is all powerful. That’s not even getting into character rigging
    and keyframe animation, which it does exceedingly well. All of what
    I’ve said it can do it does in a very technical, very professional,
    and very learning-intensive way. It’s really, really complex. All
    this means that if you have an interest in 3d graphics in general,
    sure, check it out - it’s the Photoshop of the animation business
    (along with Photoshop itself and others), though it’s 1000 times
    deeper than photoshop. If you’re shopping for a solids modeling
    program to make jewelry with CAM, then no, it’s certainly not going
    to fill your needs.

3d graphics sites with GREAT forums and GREAT galleries:

http://www.highend3d.com

29 
The Question was if there was a CAD program for MAC, TurboCAd
offers one. It is a good basic CAD software, suitable for beginners
to start learning the basics on. And yes there are many better
programs out there but at 10 times the cost.

The issue with TurboCad is not whether there are better packages. The
issue is that it does not work.

Let me explain.

My technique of choice is to use CSG for my modeling. To just
beginners CSG means Constructive Solid Geometry.

If I have to model a complex shape, I derive the shape by adding or
subtracting primitives, or using other CSG operations. Few month ago
I downloaded trial version of their top configuration to try out.
When I did subtraction, there were remains of the primitive left on
the screen which should not been there. I tried several variation and
it failed every time. When I talked to sales reps about it on the
phone, I was amazed by their attitude. The reps did not even tried to
find out the description of the bug. I think they know of the
problem, but try to sell it anyway.

I do not deal with companies like that.

Leonid Surpin.

30

Hi Jesse,

According to a lot people the best one is Bootcamp, but it works
only on the newer Macs with the Intel processors.

My computer is one of the newer Macs with an Intel core 2 duo
processor.

There are some free older versions of CAD programs for the Mac.

Would such older versions of CAD programmes work on my Intel based
Mac?

Unless you have a personal opposition to using a windows PC, you
might consider it as option.

My only personal opposition to using a Windows PC is that I have
spent almost a thousand hard earned spondoolicks (that’s UK pounds)
to buy an Apple Mac state of the art, gorgeous-looking, lovely to
use Mac laptop and as such I don’t actually like using windows
anymore. Anyone with a Mac will know that one doesn’t tend to get
things such as viruses (computer viruses - what are they?) with a
Mac. Yes there are occasionally some incompatibility problems but for
the most part, I find Macs superior to PC’s. They are so
user-friendly and install things you ask it to install, effortlessly.
Each programme for the Mac works seamlessly with all the other
programmes it’s related to in a Mac, etc, etc. We have PC’s in the
house (my husband is BBIIGG into computers so we all (six people)
have a computer, and my husband, for some reason only known to
himself has about four!!! Myself and my girls all have Mac laptops,
my husband has a Mac pro, a Mac mini and a G4 Mac laptop (don’t ask
me why) Oh and a Windows PC machine or two and my sons have windows
machines too. Talk about excessive! We are often, all six of us on
the internet all at the same time and it just gets silly when my kids
are talking to each other on messenger rather than actually speaking
to each other verbally! Crazy I know. But anyway, I have become a bit
of a Mac snob. But as we have PC’s in the house, I suppose I could
get hubby to install some CAD software on one of them and I could
have a play. You just get so used to your own machine. Although, as
anyone else with a Macbook will know, there is no right click button,
you have to use control click using the only touchpad button it has,
which means that you can’t then use a programme’s control click
function properly without constantly reassigning button functions.

Thanks for the advice, I’ll see what we can come up with.

Helen
Preston, UK

31

Helen,

I am a Mac person too. Love them and have been reading this thread
with interest to learn. Your comment about the right click thing not
for Macs - there is such a thing. I use a Wacom pen tablet. I got it
for use with Photoshop because the pen makes it so EASY to maneuver
things in graphics. It came with a wireless mouse, for when you
don’t want to use the pen, that sits on the tablet and it has left
and right click - LOVE IT!! The Wacom thing is programmable to do
things you want it to do. I really couldn’t live without it. I took a
class in Adobe Creative Suite and they used macs with the tablet and
that is what prompted my purchase and I have loved it.

Just a thought -
Susan
http://web.mac.com/SusanThornton

32

Dear Susan,

I use a Wacom pen tablet. I got it for use with Photoshop because
the pen makes it so EASY to maneuver things in graphics. It came
with a wireless mouse, for when you don't want to use the pen, that
sits on the tablet and it has left and right click - LOVE IT!! The
Wacom thing is programmable to do things you want it to do. I
really couldn't live without it. I took a class in Adobe Creative
Suite and they used macs with the tablet and that is what prompted
my purchase and I have loved it.

Funnily enough, my husband and I have just bought the Wacom A4
graphics tablet for our 17 year old daughter for her birthday the
other day!!! Great minds and all that (or fools seldom differ if you
prefer). She absolutely loves it and hubby is thinking of buying
himself the A5 version as he loves his toys. I may just have to have
a play as we have the Adobe Creative Suite too.

So do you use the Adobe suite to do drawings of your jewellery? I’d
be very interested to know if it’s possible.

Thanks for the advice. BTW although you’ve not got many pieces on
your site, your work is beautiful, and of course the website looks
good as it’s made on a Mac!

Regards,
Helen