Can AutoCAD create designs like these?

I would very much welcome opinions on whether my (old) Mechanical Desktop 6 / AutoCAD 2002 software can realistically be expected to produce bottle designs, like the attached, to the same degree of definition and clarity.

If not, what current AutoCAD software package could do the job? Would have to run on Win XP 32-bit platform.

One final question - my boss is of the opinion that anyone who can draw/design in one discipline on CAD should be capable of all types of drawing work. Do you think this is a realistic expectation? I'm essentially from an engineering background and I am now being expected to move into creative product design - in addition to other drawing work such as site/plant layouts, etc. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

Many thanks for any opinions or advice you can give me!

Graham.

Whatever software you do use make sure it is up-to-date. "Old" versions of software will just slow you down and frustrate you not to mention they will lack significant improvements that have been made over the years.

"It's just lines and circles, right?" That's what one boss said to me when I was asked to start doing a new type of drawing. "Sure thing boss. And remember...garbage in = garbage out too." I'm sure you are capable enough to draw just about anything but having knowledge of what you are drawing, in my opinion, is even more important if you are tasked with designing something as well. Are you at least being offered any training possibilities?

It seems like most companies are off loading lots of responsibilities to their staff, without providing adequate material and more importantly paying extra and expecting excellent results. I am in a similar situation and know few friends that were complaining about this.

Other day I was looking around for jobs, I came across this advert on jobcentre website, the company was offering 15-17k depending on experience, asking for a CAD technician who is capable of producing 2D and 3D drawing and also proficient in Solid works and Solid Edge. Ability of using 3D Max is an advantage, but not necessary. Proficiency in Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint is a must.

my boss is of the opinion that anyone who can draw/design in one discipline on CAD should be capable of all types of drawing work. Do you think this is a realistic expectation? I'm essentially from an engineering background and I am now being expected to move into creative product design - in addition to other drawing work such as site/plant layouts, etc. Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?

There is a big difference between being able to draw and being able to design. And there is an even bigger difference between being able to draw and being able to engineer. I would not expect a mechanical engineer to be able to lay out a site plan and I would not expect an architect to be able to design machine parts. Same goes for any discipline. I think your boss has some pretty unreal expectations. Without adequate training, you should not be expected to do anything.

I came across this advert on jobcentre website, the company was offering 15-17k depending on experience, asking for a CAD technician who is capable of producing 2D and 3D drawing and also proficient in Solid works and Solid Edge. Ability of using 3D Max is an advantage, but not necessary. Proficiency in Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint is a must.

That's 15-17k/year? Are they serious? Proficient in 2D and 3D, Solidworks, Solid Edge, 3DS Max, Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint? Anyone who is proficient in all of those programs is not going to take a job for 15-17k a year, unless they are really, really desperate.

It's amazing what companies will ask employees to do. In this economy what choice does one have however? The best you can do is say "I'll give it a try" and see what happens.

That's 15-17k/year? Are they serious? Proficient in 2D and 3D, Solidworks, Solid Edge, 3DS Max, Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint? Anyone who is proficient in all of those programs is not going to take a job for 15-17k a year, unless they are really, really desperate.

Funnily enough I phoned them and asked if 15-17K per year is the starting package and gets reviewed after trial period, as some companies do. I was told that this is the actual salary, when I asked the guy do you think you pay fair for what you are asking for, he put the phone down

It's amazing what companies will ask employees to do. In this economy what choice does one have however? The best you can do is say "I'll give it a try" and see what happens.

I think this is why they do it, they know there are people out there desperate to get a job.

Is this 17K £GB or $US ?

Either way it is laughable.

Does this company already have Cadders using the software?

Or are they just looking for somone who can do CAD, and their recruitment guy dosen't know what he is talking about so has just thrown out some Programme names he has seen on the web.

By my calculations:

$15k/year equates to roughly $7.81/hr.

$17k/year equates to roughly $8.85/hr.

Minimum wage in California is $8.00/hr, so yeah, that's absolutely laughable. At $15k/year, you would be making less than minimum wage.

Lot's of responces but no one answered the OP's question.

Simple answer, yes you can draw those in AutoCAD but you may need additional software for the final rendering. I'm thinking that there is probably better software for this, though.

While you might be able to do the designs in old MDT (but if you have to ask.... I would answer no) I would use Autodesk Inventor and maybe Alias for Inventor. Only for the product design and tooling - as for the graphics art work on the labels, that is out of my field so I can't comment on the software for that. I would expect training budget along with the purchase of the modern software.

you may need additional software for the final rendering.

Not necessarily. Autocad 2007 and above has a perfectly capable rendering engine built into the software. It may not be the easiest to master, and it may not have all the bells and whistles of some other engines, but it can produce photorealistic renders without having to purchase another program. But having said that, I would have to agree with J.D. Mather. Autocad would be last on my list of programs to use for any type of 3D modeling. There are much better programs out there that are easier to learn and use.

Re $15-17k a year here in Aus someone with those capabilities 60K+ my 17 year old daughter gets $12/hr working in a store our minimum wage is something like her amount.

Also across engineering fields I can draw a road, a house, a mechanical part etc but it doesn't mean that they are to any correct standards or that they won't break.

With AutoCAD 2000 it is difficult to nearly impossible, so you should buy a more updated autocad. At this point you could keep AutoCAD 2000 for 2D drawing and buy a pure software modeling.

Many thanks for all your replies. Looks like I will have to seriously upgrade my software! Fortunately, I'm led to believe that the budget for this and any relevant training is more or less unlimited.

Before I contact my local authorized Autodesk dealer, do any of you guys have any recommendations on specific software I should be asking about or looking at? I'm fairly aware of what Inventor can do, but what about 3D Studio Max Design for example? Or should I be looking at something else?

Once again, big thank you for your advice!