What's your Favorite 3D Software?

[Giogiogio4 7]

Which software do you like to use to make models for 3D printing?

At the moment im Stuck between Maya, Fusion 360.

Sometimes I use 123Design to make quick things.

Im unsure which program I should invest more of my

time into. I have been using Maya, but I have been enjoying

Fusion 360 much more layout wise.

[Labern 775]

My Favourite is Onshape.

But just use the one that you find the most intuitive and meets your design requirements.

My models are mainly functional parts which suits Onshape but if you want arty stuff you should look elsewhere.

I did design this cannon easily enough though

also look for one that has heaps of tutorials like what fusion360 and Onshape have. This will greatly help if you get stuck on a feature.

[krys 206]

Noe and Pedro over at Adafruit have a bunch of Fusion 360 and some 123D tutorials specifically related to 3D printing. They have a Youtube channel with all the stuff (their Layer by Layer series, for example). Plus they might have some written stuff on learn.adafruit.com.

That said, I am a fan of openSCAD. I like that I can write code to make models and use mathematical relationships between parts when making adjustments. But, I also cannot make really fancy or artistic stuff like Labern's cannon, for example.

Anyway, hope this helps.

[geert_2 558]

I use DesignSpark Mechanical, distributed by RS Components. This is a free but limited version of SpaceClaim.

Pro: very handy user interface: can work by pushing-pulling features or by entering dimensions numerically. Easy to learn. Lots of good training videos available (you can also use SpaceClaim's videos, if you take into account the limited features of DesignSpark Mechanical). Ideal for designing mechanical and machine parts. And for parts that you want to keep editing afterwards. Thus ideal for let's say designing parts for a 3D-printer, feeders, etc...

Contra: STEP- and IGES-file import/export is a non-free option, and it is quite expensive.

There is no photo-realistic rendering. Not suitable for organic life forms. Not so good for complex designs (e.g. a complete motor).

So, for simple machine parts: yes. For art and life forms: no.

[bob-hepple 59]

I use Solidworks/SpaceClaim both are god but depending on what your doing both have its drawbacks.

[dannielgery 0]

Hi,There is so many software available for 3D printing. You are using Maya,which is a 3D computer graphics software that runs on Windows, OS ,and Linux. And the other Fusion 360 enables fast and easy exploration of design ideas with an integrated concept-to-production platform and also it is expensive. So according to your requirement you have to choose which one is best for you. A few months ago, I got the services from "Iannone 3D" who provides best FDM 3D Printing Services in the New Jersey area.

[rowiac 53]

I use SolidWorks for most things, but a free alternative that is very similar is OnShape, which some others have already mentioned. These are good for "mechanical" shapes and not so good for organic shapes.

For the organic shapes, I have tried Blender, but found it clunky. I've also tried Rhino, but that has a steep learning curve and is expensive. I have been experimenting with Sketchup, which is good for simple shapes. Complex ones are more difficult, but I have had some success. I have yet to try to 3D print something I've designed in Sketchup, however.

[doobes 2]

Fusion 360 is my recommended hobbyist modeling app. Onshape changed their terms and condition on the hobbyist accounts last week making it a non-starter in my mind.

Stay as far as possible from SketchUp.

Other than that, I'm of no help.

Edited November 13, 2016 by Guest

[rowiac 53]

Fusion 360 is my recommended hobbyist modeling app. Onshape changed their terms and condition on the hobbyist accounts last week making it a non-starter in my mind.

Stay as far as possible from SketchUp.

Other than that, I'm of no help.

 

Now that I've had a chance to try SketchUp with 3D printing, I agree completely about staying away from it. It's too bad because I had invested some time learning to use it for woodworking and construction projects, but for 3D printing it is crap.

[jameshs 42]

The beauty of fusion 360 is that you can do 3d printing, CAM and laser cutting - pretty much from the same model with slightly different operations. Have to say though that I am an autodesk fanboy and use lots of their other programmes in architecture - so they already had me with the name - they seem to be putting a huge amount of effort into ease of use and features in what is a free programme - better than Inventor which I pay a shedload for!

seems to have many of the sketchup features without the failures in su to produce manifold models.

[geert_2 558]

The only thing for which Sketch-Up has some limited use in design for 3D-printing, is when your 3D-editing package does not support some features and Sketch-Up does. For example text in DesignSpark Mechanical is not officially supported (although it can be done by adding and editing dimensions, and then projecting these onto a model).

In such a case you could set the text in Sketch-Up (only the vectors, no 3D), and import that in DesingSpark Mechanical. But a lot of characters will need manual fixing, since sometimes the vectors do not touch each other, leaving a gap, and then you can not extrude that shape. So you manually need to connect and close those gaps.

Otherwise Sketch-Up is useless. It is only good for visual modelling on-screen.

[zpm3atlantis 32]

Hello

My favorite 3D software is cinema4D. For certain applications, it may not be so well suited. But for it it can be other things particularly well and since I work professionally with it I have also a lot of experience with it.

[mechaneil 20]

The only thing for which Sketch-Up has some limited use in design for 3D-printing, is when your 3D-editing package does not support some features and Sketch-Up does. For example text in DesignSpark Mechanical is not officially supported (although it can be done by adding and editing dimensions, and then projecting these onto a model).

In such a case you could set the text in Sketch-Up (only the vectors, no 3D), and import that in DesingSpark Mechanical. But a lot of characters will need manual fixing, since sometimes the vectors do not touch each other, leaving a gap, and then you can not extrude that shape. So you manually need to connect and close those gaps.

Otherwise Sketch-Up is useless. It is only good for visual modelling on-screen.

 

Chiming in about Sketchup. Been using it to create 3d models for 3d printing for

some years now. Quite happy with the results. I'm also looking into Fusion 360 and Onshape. How does these two compare to SU as far as intuitiveness and user-friendly matters.

Here's some works i did with SU and UMO.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Guest

[geert_2 558]

Chiming in about Sketchup. Been using it to create 3d models for 3d printing for

some years now. Quite happy with the results. I'm also looking into Fusion 360 and Onshape. How does these two compare to SU as far as intuitiveness and user-friendly matters.

 

Which version of SketchUp are you using? I should have mentioned it, but I was talking about the freeware version Google SketchUp 8.0 (the latest freeware I think?), with which I had bad experiences for 3D-printing. But of course it may have been improved in the professional versions after it was taken over by another company. Google bought it for designing surface-3D-models of buildings, for its Google Map and Earth projects. Watertight 3D-modeling for 3D-printing was not on their priority list back then. I don't know what the focus is of the new owners?

[mechaneil 20]

 

Chiming in about Sketchup. Been using it to create 3d models for 3d printing for

some years now. Quite happy with the results. I'm also looking into Fusion 360 and Onshape. How does these two compare to SU as far as intuitiveness and user-friendly matters.

 

Which version of SketchUp are you using? I should have mentioned it, but I was talking about the freeware version Google SketchUp 8.0 (the latest freeware I think?), with which I had bad experiences for 3D-printing. But of course it may have been improved in the professional versions after it was taken over by another company. Google bought it for designing surface-3D-models of buildings, for its Google Map and Earth projects. Watertight 3D-modeling for 3D-printing was not on their priority list back then. I don't know what the focus is of the new owners?

 

Models were done with SU Pro 2016 and earlier versions, exported to stl or dae format and 3d printed using Cura.

Edited January 13, 2017 by Guest

[gr5 2,229]

Fantastic guide for people who like sketchup:

https://i.materialise.com/blog/3d-printing-with-sketchup/

The only correct answer (kidding) to "what's the best cad software":