So per my subject.. I am curious if there is anything better than.. or newer and more modern than WinISD, TermPro, BassBoxPro, etc.. that offers more box designs, and ideally can spit out at least cut lists, but more so gcode for cnc machines?
Looking at Term Pro which seems to be about the best "all in one" in terms of design, port design, and cut sheet list.. it's not bad (though their site is STILL so damn 1990s looking.. holy crap update the site!). I can't figure out if that $250 covers unlimited updates.. or if its like 1 year of updates, then you gotta spend another $250 for minimal future updates or what?
WinISD isn't bad, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Does the job, but you still got a lot of work after.
I was hoping by now, with the way AI is proliferating every aspect of software, that there would be something available or.. maybe in the works, that allows for good box design with a variety of types/styles, and can provide at least a cut sheet for wood, assembly, etc.. but best would be some sort of CNC gcode output option so that project CNC machines (e.g. the $500 to $5000 machines like the OneFinity) could be used to cut the wood perfectly.
Or.. do we need to wait for ChatGPT 5 and hope it is able to do all this via a textual query to describe the box, holes, ports, drivers and then spit out gcode?
Looking at Term Pro which seems to be about the best "all in one" in terms of design, port design, and cut sheet list.. it's not bad (though their site is STILL so damn 1990s looking.. holy crap update the site!). I can't figure out if that $250 covers unlimited updates.. or if its like 1 year of updates, then you gotta spend another $250 for minimal future updates or what?
WinISD isn't bad, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Does the job, but you still got a lot of work after.
I was hoping by now, with the way AI is proliferating every aspect of software, that there would be something available or.. maybe in the works, that allows for good box design with a variety of types/styles, and can provide at least a cut sheet for wood, assembly, etc.. but best would be some sort of CNC gcode output option so that project CNC machines (e.g. the $500 to $5000 machines like the OneFinity) could be used to cut the wood perfectly.
Or.. do we need to wait for ChatGPT 5 and hope it is able to do all this via a textual query to describe the box, holes, ports, drivers and then spit out gcode?
Never heard of "Term Pro". Got a link?
Going from something like WinISD to software that will do what you want would be quite complex. Anyone smart enough to develop something like this is going to want $$$$. I know I would.🙂
jeff
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Term Pro been around forever. https://shop.termpro.com/products/term-pro-enclosure-design-software
It's good stuff. Just wish it had a few more designs/port capabilities, and could spit out CNC gcode. OR.. if it can spit out the cad or whatever that can import in to a gcode generating app, that's fine too. Maybe it can.
Yah.. I would spend several hundred on an app that could do that to be honest. If it supports any drivers (e.g. driver db like WinISD, TermPro, etc) and can then utilize AI or something to figure out the total internal volume with ports in it, etc.. and allow you to design various ports (e.g. those tunnels of ports where you have two, three or more back and forth from inside the box that leads to outside, etc.) and could then spit out either gcode or at least cut sheets with instructions.. that would be fantastic.
I think Term Pro is about the best you can get right now if you just want sealed, ported and 4th order.. not sure it can do isobaric, passive, etc or not. Not sure what sort of ports you can design. Seems the only videos I ever see are old and very narrow with its capabilities. I am tempted to pull the trigger. But wanted to make sure the updates are free and not requiring yearly costs for minimal updates.
EDIT: So just saw that Term Pro says it can output several file types for CNC machines. I wish there were more details on this.
It's good stuff. Just wish it had a few more designs/port capabilities, and could spit out CNC gcode. OR.. if it can spit out the cad or whatever that can import in to a gcode generating app, that's fine too. Maybe it can.
Yah.. I would spend several hundred on an app that could do that to be honest. If it supports any drivers (e.g. driver db like WinISD, TermPro, etc) and can then utilize AI or something to figure out the total internal volume with ports in it, etc.. and allow you to design various ports (e.g. those tunnels of ports where you have two, three or more back and forth from inside the box that leads to outside, etc.) and could then spit out either gcode or at least cut sheets with instructions.. that would be fantastic.
I think Term Pro is about the best you can get right now if you just want sealed, ported and 4th order.. not sure it can do isobaric, passive, etc or not. Not sure what sort of ports you can design. Seems the only videos I ever see are old and very narrow with its capabilities. I am tempted to pull the trigger. But wanted to make sure the updates are free and not requiring yearly costs for minimal updates.
EDIT: So just saw that Term Pro says it can output several file types for CNC machines. I wish there were more details on this.