11 year old is interested in CAD software - recomendations?
Jul 30, 2009 | 4:58 pm
#1
Original Poster
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,291
11 year old is interested in CAD software - recomendations?
My kid wants to learn more about CAD design. Is there a free program download that is easy enough for a kid to use and learn from? He's smarter than your average 11 year old so I am looking for something that had some usefulness.
Jul 30, 2009 | 6:05 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: BA, AA, DL, KLM, UA
Posts: 37,489
Jul 30, 2009 | 7:40 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: Fabulous on one of the US carriers..
Posts: 11,878
What is Jr. looking to do with CAD software? Model parts? Houses? Freeways? Coffee cups? Circuit boards? Computers? Is it a general knowledge that he wants to gain? Particular field he is looking into? Need more details!! 
There are many CAD packages out there. And no, I will not even begin to say I am an expert on any of this. I am a mech design engineer and familiar with some packages that have *lite* versions, but can't say they would be free (most likely not). Sadly (for even me) the software we use (ProEngineer, Solidworks, AutoCad) is not cheap ($5k+++ per license... unless, of course, you go to China and pick up a ripped version for $2 - I don't advise that).
Again, Let me know what his goals are - I can search around to see if there is anything that might help you out. And if there are other questions he has, perhaps I can help to answer them.
There are many CAD packages out there. And no, I will not even begin to say I am an expert on any of this. I am a mech design engineer and familiar with some packages that have *lite* versions, but can't say they would be free (most likely not). Sadly (for even me) the software we use (ProEngineer, Solidworks, AutoCad) is not cheap ($5k+++ per license... unless, of course, you go to China and pick up a ripped version for $2 - I don't advise that).
Again, Let me know what his goals are - I can search around to see if there is anything that might help you out. And if there are other questions he has, perhaps I can help to answer them.
Jul 30, 2009 | 7:49 pm
#8
Original Poster
Original Member, Moderator: Hotel Deals and MilesBuzz
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 14,291
I downloaded Google SketchUp (thanks Scott) and he has been playing with it for almost an hour now. The fact that their website is promoting a design contest for the under-15 crowd is appealing to him too. ^
I have no idea what he wants to design but I have a feeling there will be some saved files for me to peek at tomorrow.
I have no idea what he wants to design but I have a feeling there will be some saved files for me to peek at tomorrow.
Jul 30, 2009 | 8:10 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: Fabulous on one of the US carriers..
Posts: 11,878
I downloaded Google SketchUp (thanks Scott) and he has been playing with it for almost an hour now. The fact that their website is promoting a design contest for the under-15 crowd is appealing to him too. ^
I have no idea what he wants to design but I have a feeling there will be some saved files for me to peek at tomorrow.
I have no idea what he wants to design but I have a feeling there will be some saved files for me to peek at tomorrow.
Jul 30, 2009 | 8:30 pm
#10
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: OHIO - CVG,DAY
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Plat, DL DM MM. National Exec... and my CC qualified for Plat. Status!
Posts: 469
I would say that Sketch-up is one of the best freebies out there. I designed my backyard fairly easily.
If he is interested in learning, I would surely recommend the online tutorials. They will teach him the basics and cut out a lot of the mistakes that you can learn by teaching yourself.
If he is interested in learning, I would surely recommend the online tutorials. They will teach him the basics and cut out a lot of the mistakes that you can learn by teaching yourself.
Jul 30, 2009 | 8:48 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,227
What about some of the lego design software (that way you can actually build it afterward too!). I know when I was 11 I loved my legos and if I had half of the new stuff that they have out today, including some of the computer modeling tools, I would be in heaven.
Jul 30, 2009 | 9:02 pm
#12
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: MDW/ORD and the late lamented Meigs Field...
Programs: UA 1MM Premier 1K, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium/ LT
Posts: 1,234
Depending on what he's looking for and why, you might send him over to the MIT Media Lab site: http://www.media.mit.edu/research/demos-downloads
Two examples:
"Scratch is a new programming language designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As they create Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of design."
"Processing is an open-source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions. It is used by students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists for learning, prototyping, and production. It is created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context and to serve as a software sketchbook and professional production tool. Processing is an alternative to proprietary software tools in the same domain."
Yeah, he may only be 11, but if his reading skills, independence and curiosity are up to it, one of these may spark his interest. (One of my kids taught himself to program in C from a 2-inch thick guidebook/resource for programmers at about the same age 15 years ago, so I never sell curious kids short!) CalTech and CMU may offer similar resources.
Two examples:
"Scratch is a new programming language designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As they create Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of design."
"Processing is an open-source programming language and environment for people who want to program images, animation, and interactions. It is used by students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists for learning, prototyping, and production. It is created to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context and to serve as a software sketchbook and professional production tool. Processing is an alternative to proprietary software tools in the same domain."
Yeah, he may only be 11, but if his reading skills, independence and curiosity are up to it, one of these may spark his interest. (One of my kids taught himself to program in C from a 2-inch thick guidebook/resource for programmers at about the same age 15 years ago, so I never sell curious kids short!) CalTech and CMU may offer similar resources.
Jul 30, 2009 | 9:10 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Lower Merion Township, PA, (an inner-ring suburb to the Socialist Workers City/State of Philadelphia, PA)
Posts: 597
In addition to the brand names mentioned in Post #6, I'll add Bentley MicroStation to the list, Probably a few $K to buy retail.
Here's an idea: Look around for part-time/evening classes at a local community college, courses titled 'Using CAD' or 'CAD Design', or something like that. Sometimes large engineering firms even offer night classes like this to entice people to become cad designers. The point being, sign up for a course and they almost always offer student pricing on some main stream CAD package used in the class. The CAD software vendors want people trained on their products, just like Microsoft entices students to buy Office at very reduced student prices.
Here's an idea: Look around for part-time/evening classes at a local community college, courses titled 'Using CAD' or 'CAD Design', or something like that. Sometimes large engineering firms even offer night classes like this to entice people to become cad designers. The point being, sign up for a course and they almost always offer student pricing on some main stream CAD package used in the class. The CAD software vendors want people trained on their products, just like Microsoft entices students to buy Office at very reduced student prices.
Jul 30, 2009 | 9:13 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
Drawing this one took a fraction of the time in Sketchup that it would have in Autocad.
Jul 31, 2009 | 3:39 am
#15
Moderator, Argentina and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: MIA / EZE
Programs: Lord of Malbec & all Wines Argentine. AA EXP / Marriott Lifetime Gold / Hyatt Explorist / Hertz PC
Posts: 36,214
Wirelessly posted (Nokia N97 / Palm TX: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; PalmSource/Palm-D050; Blazer/4.3) 16;320x448)
Cool... Lego has design software...?!
Great thread BTW !!!
Originally Posted by adambadam
What about some of the lego design software (that way you can actually build it afterward too!). I know when I was 11 I loved my legos and if I had half of the new stuff that they have out today, including some of the computer modeling tools, I would be in heaven.
Great thread BTW !!!