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3D Modelling Software Recommendations

spannerspencer

Morning all!

 

has been posting some superb tweets that follow the progress of his Pi IoT design challenge, which include some great 3D models that (I assume) he then sends to the 3D printer. Is that right, Enrico?

 

And often makes great use of some 3D diagrams for exploded views of his amazing projects, like the HAL-CAM 9001 – Building a New Security Camera he just posted.

 

I've not much experience with 3D modelling software, which is my real obstacle to entry when it comes to playing with... er, I mean making use of, a 3D printer. It's not the hardware that's stopping me -- it's the software. Years about I used to dabble with Lightwave, but I was wondering what software you guys use to build your 3D models for printing (or for any other maker tasks, for that matter), and if you had any recommendations for beginners.

 

Maybe if you guys could sound out the popular platforms, we could then run a poll to see which ones people prefer? That being said, if you're already familiar with all the popular options, do feel free to put a poll up and we can get opinions that way, too.

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  • 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 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.

    image

    Final result:

    image

  • in reply to shabaz

    Really nice but I think we are still missing a few dimensions to work with on the 3D printer here  image

     

    • The top diagonal face - both end points
    • The lower diagonal face - the end point in the centre
    • The thickness of the base is unclear as well - looks like it could be 2mm but ambiguous
  • in reply to shabaz

    You might like the 'subdivision surfaces' tool then for nice smooth duct flows image

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE0oD5fIYPM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42yoyC1EURs

     

    I'm still trying to get used to non-uniform rational b-splines in 3D... image

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Hehe. I'd also need a subdivision surface shaped file, because I still use manual tools.

    I don't have photos of it any more but the curviest technique I've tried was with plastic sheet, curved to create a shape, and then pour in epoxy resin (and hope there are no leaks!).

  • in reply to shabaz

    have you considered a panel beater's hammer and shaping dollies ?  image

    Sykes-Pickavant

  • in reply to beacon_dave

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    360 degree animation of the 3D model of the R-Pi duct. 

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Hi Dave,

     

    That looks awesome!!

    Nice to finally see it rendered correctly, rather than my approximation : )

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Hi Dave!

    It seems that has centred the target with this discussion. There is a so large number of replies that I missed your answer.

     

    Thank you for the specifications. Me too I started working with Autocad 1 in the mid of '80 and never stopped ... But this Vectorworks sounds interesting. I have used for a while the Dassault CAD suite but it is too oriented to the CAM machinery. For now I am stabilised on Rhino that is a good balance between performances and easy design. With some important missed features like camera motion.

     

    Enrico

  • in reply to shabaz

    Hi Shabaz,

     

    Your approximation was very close considering the method used. to draw it.

     

    It took me about 20-30mins in the CAD package from blank page to video. This could probably have been done in about 10min if I had been more familiar with the design (and hadn't just upgraded the CAD package to the latest version.)

     

    The power really comes next though, as once you have the 3D model you can then automatically generate as many different views and sections you like all from that one model.

     

    Like PowerPoint, Vectorworks has both a scripting and a programming language built into it, so you could automate some of the work to create more dynamic designs if you needed similar ducts of different dimensions.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Dave what is the cost of vectorworks ? I suppose that the "Design" version is sufficient for mechanics and 3D printable objects. Maybe?

     

    Enrico

  • in reply to balearicdynamics

    Enrico

     

    'Vectorworks Fundamentals' is the basic design and modelling package common to all versions. It should be sufficient for 3D printable objects and I don't think I used anything outside of the Fundamentals toolset to create and render out Shabaz's duct.

     

    'Vectorworks Spotlight' adds entertainment and AV type extensions such as lighting, seating, staging, video displays. It does also add some mechanical engineering tools like tools for dynamic creation of bolts.

     

    'Vectorworks Architect' adds building / construction type extensions. (perhaps handy if you are planning on 3D printing your next house image )

     

    'Vectorworks Landscape' adds plants and tree type extensions.

     

    'Vectorworks Designer' includes Fundamentals + Spotlight + Architect + Landscape

     

    I think a single full licence for Fundamentals is around £1,250 and the Renderworks extension adds about £500 if you need it.

     

    'Renderworks' is a rendering extension for adding more realism to the renders. Without this you are limited to OpenGL for 3D renders.

     

     

    Like AutoCAD there are free student versions and low cost educational versions.

     

    There is a command comparison matrix here

    http://app-help.vectorworks.net/2016/eng/Commands_Tools2016.pdf

    STL export is available in all versions.

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  • in reply to balearicdynamics

    Enrico

     

    'Vectorworks Fundamentals' is the basic design and modelling package common to all versions. It should be sufficient for 3D printable objects and I don't think I used anything outside of the Fundamentals toolset to create and render out Shabaz's duct.

     

    'Vectorworks Spotlight' adds entertainment and AV type extensions such as lighting, seating, staging, video displays. It does also add some mechanical engineering tools like tools for dynamic creation of bolts.

     

    'Vectorworks Architect' adds building / construction type extensions. (perhaps handy if you are planning on 3D printing your next house image )

     

    'Vectorworks Landscape' adds plants and tree type extensions.

     

    'Vectorworks Designer' includes Fundamentals + Spotlight + Architect + Landscape

     

    I think a single full licence for Fundamentals is around £1,250 and the Renderworks extension adds about £500 if you need it.

     

    'Renderworks' is a rendering extension for adding more realism to the renders. Without this you are limited to OpenGL for 3D renders.

     

     

    Like AutoCAD there are free student versions and low cost educational versions.

     

    There is a command comparison matrix here

    http://app-help.vectorworks.net/2016/eng/Commands_Tools2016.pdf

    STL export is available in all versions.

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