[Farmers Machine]

Just trying to get some input and ideas on the type of computer systems and wide format printers you are using to do D size drawings. I have POS vista system that cost 499.00 at best buy. after your assembly gets more than 6 parts it takes forever to save and open to modify. was looking at HP 24" wide printers but found nice looking Epson in the under 3 grand range. also what processors and how much ram, and do you really need 2 or 3 monitors? was looking at Dell 7500 work station and some of the HP towers. also 32 or 64 bit Windows 7 and what is difference in ultimate and professional? will probably only have Alibre loaded on this machine no book keeping or games.
Thank You
The Farmer.

[TomB]

I have to use Alibre in two locations. At one site I have a desk and space while at the other I mostly work off my lap. I addressed this with a high end laptop, 64 bit fast CPU and 6 Gig of memory. At the desk I have a docking station with a wide high resolution display, so that when I’m there Alibre runs off the laptop but has two displays. When I’m here Alibre is still on the same laptop but I only have the laptop’s display. It is much more effective to have the two displays. Invariably I want multiple parts open for review while I am making a drawing. When I don’t have the two displays I often have to create and print a drawing just to have dimensions and details available while I work on mating things. You can jump between open but overlaid windows but I find that is very hard.

As for a D size printer, I don’t have one. I’ve only wanted a big print once and I did it by exporting the drawing, passing it through a freeware product called Easy Poster Printer so that the drawing was printed as 4 or 6 A sizes (8.5 x 11) that could be taped together as the big print. Since I don’t have the space for a big printer I’ve never considered one, but if I had the space and had to decide between a big printer or a big second display I’d go with the display every time.