On Tue, 25 Sep 2007 21:17:19 -0700, Le Chaud Lapin
wrote:

I'd like to design a small model aircraft, about one meter in length.
Even though it's small, it's still complex. There are many mechanical
pieces.

The most important feature I need, by far, is interdependencies of
paramters..

The other important feature is that I need the tool to be "3D-aware"
from the outset. I'm hearing others in rec.aviation.piloting that
AutoCAD is not entirely 3D-aware...

Autocad is NOT the program you want for something like an aircraft
design. "3D aware" is meaningless; even a program is 3D or it isn't.
Autocad is 3D nowadays, but its interface dates back to days when it
wasn't, and it shows. And parametrics (where one change can
automatically send changes rippling through the design) is highly
overrated (I'm sure I'll hear from the guys on CCS about this), though
it can also be very useful.

A fully 3D program is, IMHO, a must for any kind of design, anything
else is silly. A parametric modeler, however (like SWX and many
others) can be very cumbersome to use... and I've used a lot of them
over the years. Yes, if the design constraints are set up correctly
from the start, minor changes can be ridiculously easy... but if not,
or if you don't have a clear idea of where you're going from the
start, you can find yourself boxed into a corner and have to start
from scratch.

Personally, I prefer a pure geometry based modeler. Simple
dimensional changes affecting many components may take longer, but
it's far easier to make large sweeping changes if necessary, or switch
to an alternate design approach. Most of my work nowadays is large
machine design (though my degree is in aero engineering), for which I
use KeyCreator (formerly Cadkey). Same price range as SWX, though,
which I don't define as "cheap".

-Dana
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