rattleCAD News

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rattleCAD 4.2

rattleCAD 4.2 brings:

  • additional features to configure your HeadTube
  • configure bent SeatStay

rattleCAD 4.1

There is a big change in the kernel of version 4.1. rattleCAD 4.0 can now display bent and oval tubes.

rattleCAD project of a traveller bike

While you can configure bent tubes in rattleCAD 4.0, you can also render them in 3D.

3D-model of a traveller bike 3D-model of a traveller bike

This important new feature gives you new oportunities in framedesign to realize your or your customers dream bike.

rattleCAD 4.0

In the meantime rattleCAD has been around for several years and I do not even know how many bicycle frames have already been built with rattleCAD worldwide.

rattleCAD started as a learning project and it was not so much about bicycles, but the topic was simply offered, because I was looking for the optimal bike geometry for myself: the frame should not be not too long and should provide enough space for the feet and the pivoting front wheel. At this time I missed a useful tool for this geometric problem (pencil and paper were definitely not an option). So I developed a first small software tool on the green field. After somehow I did not ending the learning project, a tool arised that has been downloaded more than 100,000 times over the years from sourceforge.net. With rattleCAD I built my bicycle frame myself in my workshop. After more than 10 years I am (Februr 2019) with the Renner still on the way.

Over the years, rattleCAD has evolved and I added some features, many of them based on your needs and suggestions. The list of functions is long. I'm not doing the work to list all that rattleCAD can do in the meantime. But all these features and improvements have taken a lot of time in recent years, and other things that are important to me have come up short. Before this realization, I was faced with the situation of ending the rattleCAD project, or finding a way to continue rattleCAD in a form in which the time required in any form pays off. Well, finishing the rattleCAD project would almost be like abondonment of a child, and I still have ideas on how rattleCAD can evolve and on a lot of additional features.

rattleCAD becomes rattleCAD 4.0

rattleCAD 4.0 will not be free and open source anymore. Basically, there will be timely limited licenses for rattleCAD - a kind of user fee. This will allow me to continue to develop rattleCAD in the future. Since last autumn (2018) a lot has been done in rattleCAD.

rattleCAD Start-Window!

rattleCAD 4.0 will be available for

  • Windows and
  • MacOS. It will also be
  • easier to install rattleCAD 4.0. The
  • User Interface has been revised,
  • a new file format (.rc4) and
  • Configuration options for filing project files were implemented.

rattleCAD will be available in three versions:

Pro (Professional)

This variant of rattleCAD is intended for individuals or companies that use rattleCAD in their business. There will be additional support for this user group. I can also implement special customizations in rattleCAD, such as: your own logo or customized components and representations.
If you're a professional frame builder, or otherwise earning your money with rattleCAD, then please contact me and you're right with rattleCAD 4.0 - Pro (Professional)

Private

This will be the standard version of rattleCAD 4.0 and is intended for individuals who want to use rattleCAD in their private projects.
If you're a hobby frame builder and want to use rattleCAD in your design process, then you're right with rattleCAD 4.0 - Private.

Demo

This version of rattleCAD is free, but will not include important features such as chainstay check or tube miters and frame jig settings.
If you just want to take a look at rattleCAD or if you want to deal with frame geometries, or just want to draw bikes, then you are right with rattleCAD 4.0 - Demo.


... expired

rattleCAD 3.6

... this is a reference to the rattleCAD project on sourceforge.net. rattleCAD on sourceforge.net is not maintained anymore, but you can find a copy of the last version of the website here:

Website of rattleCAD 3.6 and older!