3D Modelling Software Recommendations

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RE: 3D Modelling Software Recommendations

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

Hi Dave,

That looks awesome!!

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

Hi Dan,

this method is not bad in some cases but it unfortunately it is ot reliable to make many other forms.

I see that many other uses several different software together to generate - also good quality - design. But the question is: assumed that anyway a software is needed to make objects for 3D printing and this needs anyway studying in depth the features, is it not the case to study just a software specifically good for 3D design?

I am using Rhino 4 that is almost easy to manage. It is not opensource but it is easy to find licensed versions for few $ or nothing as this is a product distributed with no protection. The reason is that their business is mostly connected to the CNC machines they sells with.

In past I have used more complex professional CADs but these are strongly oriented to design objects that should be milled to the effort to study them if you had not the need to create complex mechanic object is excessive. For example you should eliminate all the parts that are related to the kind of material, 3D printing has not design limits related to the tool needed and so on.

In past, for both 3D printing and CAM design I have used artcam, another product distributed by Chinese companies together with the Mill Machines. It is very good but very specific for the art design with poor 3D features for mechanics. All the Artcam 3D features are oriented to create artistic objects so the approach is structurally different.

Another 3D design complete tool I have used intensively is Blender. I consider it one of the best opensource 3D modelling projects but it is almost exclusively for animation. There are some recent plugin and development sub-projects for STL export but are not so reliable and are not yet complete.

Together with these there are many online high level CAD programs well supporting the 3D printing features including a free usage version for personal use.

All these cases are anyway based on a single program, that means a single environment and it is what I suggest.

Enrico

This is a really useful discussion, so many good tips on software tools!

I agree with you Shabaz.

What I don't understand is how someone uses the text-based only CAD. I have tried it (there was a design I was interested to open) but this method ad incredible limits respect the graphic design system!

I maen openscad. Frankly I don't find a reason to use this software for direct design.

Enrico

Hi Dave!

It seems that spannerspencer 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

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.

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

Enrico

I started out with text-based CAD with Autodesk v1 (or perhaps ver 2) which ran on MS-DOS. Data was input via text commands either as absolute or relative values and either as polar or Cartesian co-ordinates.

If I recall correctly, on my dual head system stdaux was mapped to a text monitor for the command console and stdout to a Hercules graphics monitor for the visual CAD model.

It probably seems strange now with the reliance on computer mice and '3D navigators' as input devices however at the time I recall it being absolutely fantastic, and it greatly speeded up prototyping as a modification no longer meant redrawing by hand from scratch.

With 3D I'm finding that there is a bit of irony in the technique as it is perhaps more like subtractive sculpting whereas often the goal is additive manufacture. I still find myself reverting back to drawing a 2D plan first then extruding it into a 3D model section by section whereas the professionals appear to more often start off straight in 3D using solids.

My latest challenge is to get used to using a space mouse for control.

3Dconnexion : SpaceNavigator

So six degrees of freedom on the mouse in the left hand and three degrees of freedom on the scroll mouse in the right hand. "Mr Spock, you have the conn"

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 )

'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.