3D Modelling Software Recommendations

I'm currently using Nemetschek Vectorworks for 3D modelling.

Vectorworks, Inc. | BIM & CAD Design Software

It's not oriented specifically toward 3D printing, but it can export to STL file format for 3D printing projects.

Vectorworks KnowledgeBase :: Preparing STL files for 3D Printing

Did a 3D print design using it last week, STL export looked good, just awaiting the final product to come back from printing.

Hello Spanner!

Thank you, I like you appreciate the 3D work. As a matter of fact I have already started with a first 3D printing tips, just to point the attention on how to model objects - just for 3D printing - Then I started the challenge and this first tutorial remained alone. I though it was the worth to use it as one of a series. When the call for tutorials started here few time ago I have also asked if it was possible to use already published material but the answer was no, and it has a sense. But what sounded me strange is that the goal for these tutorials is a series of single shots. Unfortunately there are many aspects that should be considered in cases like this, involving a complex path; you should think to the 3D printer when you design and vice-versa so IMHO it is very difficult creating single articles, sometimes a series is needed.

The idea, that I always find great when I approach a new context, was to "use" parts of projects and progressively focus the attention of the reader on some important aspects. Few words as an example:

• Designing flexible parts - what involves and what we should consider
• Designing robust components - how much the fill percentage involves
• Mechanical parts - knowing how the plastic filament reacts maybe extremely helpful designing the components
• Moving parts - what are the tolerances and what to take in account when design?

and so on...

If you have time take a look to this first post I published and let me know: 3D Printer tips series #1: LG-G4 Smartphone Interactive Cover

Last, I think that a poll - hopefully promoted and followed by all - is a good way to focus the scenario. Depending on the 3D program used the final result may dramatically change. Why not adding a badge involving the users to participate ?

Enrico

Hi Dave,

you don't print the files by yourself ?

Enrico

Ah, excellent post! That must have slipped me by -- great work though. Really helpful.

Good idea on the badge, too. There's definitely a lot of scope there! We'll get to work on it

Hi Enrico,

Not for this project - I didn't have access to a 3D printer with a large enough print bed for this design, so it had to be outsourced via 3D Hubs.

This causes issues as everything I've read about 3D printing to date suggests that it is a highly iterative design process and that you need to learn via trial and error the tolerances and quirks of both the machine and the material that will be used to print the material. However if that is really the case, then how do the likes of 3D Hubs survive ?

This was a fairly simple two-part enclosure design for a display prototype using an E-Ink display, but it was around A4/Letter sized which made it just too large to do on a typical in-house 3D printer. Would perhaps need a printer chassis similar to the Tevo Black Widow to accommodate the size to be able to do it in-house. Alternatively it would have to have been printed in smaller parts and some method of joining them incorporated in the design.

In this project I only had control over the 3D design and modelling stage, the out-sourcing of the printing has been handled by another person. This could therefore produce some 'interesting' results... (I hope they got the units right !) However it cannot be uncommon, as it probably also applies to projects where quick initial prototypes are done in-house but later prototypes are then out-sourced to be printed on higher quality equipment.  Perhaps a topic for discussion.

Spanner Spencer wrote:

... There's definitely a lot of scope there! ...

Hi Dave,

thank you for the details. You saved me a lot of questions LoL !!!

I can answer to two points of your interesting discussion that is worthy IMHO to continue somewhere here available to all the users.

The first is that the 3D print hub survive just because the assertion - as it seems you suspect - is 100% false.

The 3D printing technology is relatively young but move the same concepts to the CAM routers and try asking to a simple question: why there are specialisation schools just for CAM usage and Mill machine use as well as there is a specific job "CAM Machinist" ?

The problem is NOT the simplicity of the in-house machines but the complexity of the process. This is "sold" to the consumers for a question of business but there is not the same diffused experience. This is the problem and also the reason that I think it is time to create a real discussion context explaining what the 3D printing technology is.

The second point is that I have never used the 3DHUBS for a question of speed (prototyping should be done at home, else it is so time consuming that it is impossible) and the second - maybe more important - is that if you make a calculation of the costs of these services you discover that prices are dramatically high. Just because - for now - they are able to do something that you don't (I mean in a general assertion, not just you).

Just and example: the 64 cylinders for the Dynamic Surface (one of my last posts on PiIoT) needs about 3 hours to be printed and about 50 gr of PLA filament. This means:

• Printed in lab with a 250$ good 3D printer in about 10-15 days (doing other things in the meantime)
• Include just 10$ of maintenance (a nozzle to be replaced, the bed surface glass broken or similar)
• About three Kg of PLA (1 roll = 15$) for a total of 45$
• Some hand job.

Total expenses: about 60$ if you already have the printer or about 300$ if you should buy (and assemble) it

The cheaper print HUB I have tested for the same file you saw 3D printed in my photos, same material, same conditions is about 2.500$ !!!

With half you buy other three 3D printers and start printing for friends with a small fee.

Enrico

Hi Spanner,

I don't use any 3D modelling software currently, so I'm curious too to find out what gets used with 3D-printers.

(I don't own one yet).

I'm a heavy user of graphics programs (Paint shop, Inkscape etc), so all my 3D renderings are not to scale : )

and so I cannot do camera movements around the object etc, since they are all flat 2D with no modelling data.

At school we learned manual drafting from someone who did this once for a living, so I like isometric views and

orthographic projections!

I use PowerPoint to get most of it composed, create shadow and shadings, etc - not the best tool since it isn't designed

for it, but I'm a power-user of it now! I also like Jan Cumps pencil renderings!

To get a rough idea of proportionality, I make use of the 'size' settings for objects in powerpoint, and

a calculator. Sometimes even placing a ruler on the screen : ) It's not so bad, it works.

Here's an example, drawn up in PowerPoint, so these are just graphical lines, no 3D objects at all.

Final result:

Wow, never thought of using PowerPoint in that way -- looks great! I know it probably doesn't help with 3D modelling, but it's a top tip for schematic diagrams! Cheers man!

I haven't done any original designs for 3D printing, but I did find this interesting web based software for making simple designs:

https://www.tinkercad.com/