Just want to thank everyone that engaged with my post today everyone was so chill and inspiring. I want to encourage us all in this community and all over Lemmy to continue to be kind and helpful. I had so many bad experiences on Reddit with hate keepers and know it alls and I’m glad we got this opportunity to be something better.
Ps: what cad software did you start on and what do you use now? Any tips and tricks will be greatly appreciated!
I use AutoCAD r14 for 2D and for 3D modeling I use Delcam PowerSHAPE (now it has been acquisition by Autodesk), it’s back when I study in university. Later I change it depends on what company use/have. Last I use NX in work.
For tips and tricks you’ll be find it more when you do more practice, it is difficult to say what need to do. But for basic I’ll say :
- Create better defined sketch.
- Do feature based mod/operation first. For examples do fillet/chamfer last if can, do pattern feature not sketch. It’ll be easier later when you need to edit.
- Learn how to modeling efficiently.
For starting software there are many option out there. But I can recommend you view of it, especially that has educational/hobbyist/free version.
- Fusion360 (with edu email).
- Solidworks (IDK, it has version that I mean or not, but this one have largest user base).
- Autodesk Inventor (with edu email).
- Solid Edge Community Edition.
- NX education license.
- ZW3D edu license.
- Creo (it’ll force you to learn how to model efficiently)
- Onshape (cloud based CAD, just need web browser to modeling).
- FreeCAD (if you want FOSS)
- Shapr3D (works on iPad and Windows, will be great if you have apple pencil or graphic tablet), (with edu email).
All of them have similarities in how to do 3D modelling, each of them has pros and cons. Choose one that you like and master it, try other CAD package and you’ll find which one is home to you. 😂
Keep practicing and be better.
I bounce around between FreeCAD and OpenSCAD but I started on Sketchup.
I might be a bit of an odd case, but I use Autodesk Maya 2014. I was trained for 3d modelling and animation on it and it was still on my computer from those old days. I’m familiar with the tools and I get get what I want out of it quickly. I’m definitely missing some modern features but I’m not printing anything that needs more.
I’ve got other priorities at this stage in life to bother learning a new system that may not bring any benefit.
Use TinkerCad for basic shapes and anything where I am more interested in the visual appearance than the exact measurements.
Use OpenSCAD for anything where precision matters. But, I’m an OK hack at programming and math; so, it’s a pretty natural way for me to think.
Keep meaning to give a “real CAD” program a try and keep falling back on what I know. Some day I’ll do more than open FreeCAD and run screaming away from my computer.
If you code at all OpenSCAD
If you’ve never done modeling at all TinkerCAD
If you want the easiest experience Fusion360
If you live the FOSS doctrine – FreeCAD
It’s possible that I’m not familiar enough with it, but in my experience OpenSCAD makes the vast majority of projects take way longer compared to non-scripting-based CAD software. I learned Onshape for a class and haven’t used OSCAD since. (though it definitely still has some niche uses)
