ok, beat that dead horse if you must. First I heard of Adesk scanning files on my hard drive. wow.
I’m using the free version of Designspark Mechanical and considering the price (free) it’s pretty sweet.
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When you are picking a CAD package, do yourself a favor and pick one that supports parametric modeling with constraints. You’ll want to see that called out by name in its feature set. If you don’t see it there, it doesn’t have it. If it doesn’t have it, then it’s really just a drawing program. How does it matter? Any time you make a change, you may have to go back and manually edit everything affected by that change to maintain the fidelity of your model. On the other hand, if your CAD supports parametric modelling with constraints, the model can adjust itself automatically to remain consistent. It’s a bit like comparing paper and pencil vs. an Excel spreadsheet.
My $0.02: I started with tinkercad and outgrew it in a few hours. It is easy yo learn and use but has too many limitations for all but the simplest projects… Moved to Fusion but ran into the learning curve. It also seemed to load glacially and hang on my system. I’ve since settled on Onshape. Seems much more intuitive to me. Free version is quick and easy to load if you want to try it out. Lots of YouTube tutorials to help out. Works well for me… Again just my opinion.
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I second this. I am also using shapr3d. The only thing it lacks form my vantage point is built in threading tools. I build them myself and there are ways to make them match up but other than that its very easy to learn the program.
In the free version, you can’t do too much with it. You can move around within the files that the programme creates. The functionality is limited, you can’t do things like import STLs, export STEP and a lot more. But if functionality is missing, you can export to STL, convert it in another programme and then import it for further editing. However, you will not be able to import the modified STL into DesignSpark. If you designed something, you will remain trapped in DesignSpark.
I work with another programme, which is not very convenient and could have been more sophisticated. There I basically create a mesh, there are also basic bodies, these can be intersected with each other. But, for example, you can’t create exact curves just like that on a cuboid. At least with DesignSpark I have the option of creating a basic model of something, exporting it to STL and then using it in my other programme.
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The import and export of different file formats is very limited in the free version, but you can still create your own original designs and export as high resolution STL files, and that is what I do and for that it works pretty well.
Since you use shapr3d, maybe you can comment on the following: it looks as though the free version can only emit “low resolution” models (see the text I highlighted in the screen scrape immediately below).
Just how low of a resolution are we talking about? For example, if you were to print the model, would it be visibly degraded as compared to a non-degraded model emitted by a different cad package that was not crippled in the same way?
$300 a year is pretty steep for something you’re only renting…
Anyone using their CAD software to generate augmented reality? I notice it mentioned in the free feature set for OnShape, which led me to check whether it’s also available in fusion360–and it is. Maybe a lot of these programs have that capability.
Anyhow, kinda cool if you want to “see” how big a particular object will be if materialized in your environment. e.g. for furniture placement.
WoW thanks for mention it! I only used vanilla version until now, for creating function parts.
Could you please spare some time and name all addons that you would recommend?
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Not sure if you folks realize it but the original person who started this thread bailed at Tinkercad. Yet everyone kept going which demonstrates the interest in 3d modeling.
Opinions seem to gravitate around Fusion but very widely demonstrating how some best solution appears to not exist. Seems like there is room for some company to come in and dominate this 3d printer modeling space like Lightburn did for laser cutters. I think it would be great if it were combined with the slicer.
If they could successfully skin FreeCad so its close to Fusion I’d be there. To date I’ve had numerous false starts at getting some degree of workflow out of FreeCad and others but can’t for the life of me unlearn the Fusion reflex actions.
I update FreeCad every now and then, watch numerous YouTube tutorials in the hope they’ll find that elusive feel. Ondsel and other programs have been tried out but I find FreeCad could be the one I focus on.
The resolution seems to be fixed during export? The cylinder on the right in the picture has a diameter of 10mm:
After selecting STL in the “save as” dialog you can hit the “Alternative” button (or something similar, I don’t have english i my dialog), then look up settings for STL and you can push the resolution as high as you want.
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Well it’ll be completely based on what you want to spend. So there’s “extentions” or “add ons”.
The list I provided are paid extentions and cost $725/yr $70/month or you can pay by day with “Flex” Tokens.
- Add ons are pretty much scripts that individuals wrote themselves that are essentially performing “Macros” within fusion.
~ Example is the “Gridfinity” box stack system. So I’m not completely sure but either someone else created the add on or the original creator did.
But basically you can download this add on free and [Click] the feature within your [Tab Bar] it’ll open every parameter which you simply type in the desired dimensions like length, width, height and click [ok] bam. The whole box is made in a solid body… So I was meaning to post about this in the forums or facebook group because I know someone released a ton of boxes using the gridfinity layout and if thats the case then it’s literally able to be done in seconds with zero sketches lol. after which you can also generate the bases for them with type in dimensions not to mention the lid’s as well.
There’s only maybe 5 worthy add ons to utilize and some I might try but are paid “add ons” since the users can choose to charge for it or not.
But theres another one for [Helical] Gears and pretty much any type of gear you can think of. So never assume someone modeled a gear from scratch because this is a very popular add on. Simple to use, type in amount of teeth - size - gear ratio/reduction - pitch - style and boom a solid body gear is modeled.
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Ok, then it’s actually quite a good thing. 
The monthly subscription is moderate in the first stage and is also suitable for private users.
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Yes, the default STL resolution is a bit on the low side, but raise it and there are no visible steps/polygons in the print. Smooth curves everywhere.
Apparently you’re in good company on that. Angus felt exactly the same. Did you try Ondsel? He referred to it at time index 15:00 in the previously posted video. Here, I’ll post a link again with that time index already set:
If you try it, make a post and let us know whether or not you agree with him.
Edit: Oops. I see you already did try it. Well, what was wrong with it then?
Edit2: By the way, this is almost exactly the same kind of situation pcb design software was in a few years ago. I had tried KiCAD multiple times but it just wasn’t clicking for me. Finally KiCAD improved so much that it finally did click, and now it’s very strong and lots of people use it, including me. But it started out with humble beginnings, a lot like FreeCAD in this space.
@NeverDie I appreciated the Ondsel inroad to the workflow but its not quite there, I’m not sure whether its IP conflicts and/or the fact its a really big task. I’m in the older demographic so its possible I just don’t transition that well these days, but I enjoy the challenge and keep battling at it. I’d prefer to stick with FreeCad as I’m always the sceptic when it comes to releases where business creeps in (people gotta eat, I get it ).
I’m playing with Shapr3d at present and enjoy the layout, it has a place on my desktop but won’t replace Fusion/FreeCad the same as they aren’t a replacement for Shapr3D (its fun on an iPad when I’m drifting).