Solidworks & Ultimaker

[moxiskaan 0]

I am making models of cars, tanks, ships etc. Until now I have designed my parts using different CAD programs and produced them using 2D CNC router. For my hobby it would be ideal to use 3D CAD and print the parts directly with 3D printer.

Recently I have started to learn Solidworks in order to do this. My question is, would Ultimaker work together with Solidworks, and which additional programs are necessary & do I need some sort of coprocessor between? I am no computer guy, relying more on "old school" methods in modelmaking, but you have to develop yourself to keep up with the stream .

[Daid 297]

3D printing is almost the same as CNC routing. You need a so called "slicer" to go from an 3d model to GCode. But that's supplied as free software (or payed NetFabb)

If Solidworks can export as STL then you are ready to go. If it cannot export as STL... I cannot imagine it cannot export as STL.

[gijs 2]

Hi Moxiskaan, Solidworks works can export STL files. It allows you to choose how detailed the exportede mesh needs to be which is a nice option. I like this program alot my stl's are always 'watertight' and ready for print.

[madkat7 0]

I am a long time Solidworks user. I am using it in conjunction with the Ultimaker and it is working well so far. I used RepG initially, and that worked OK, but was particularly good for positioning the model on the bed. I have switched to SkeinPyPy and it's made it a lot easier, but the model placement must be correct on export from solidworks. (Either that or I haven't figured out how to axis rotate in SkeinPyPy).

Any CAD program with .stl export should work fine.

[snowygrouch 1]

I think a much more interesting and useful combination of SW and Ultimaker, would be for someone from UM to go and meet Dassault Systems and make a distribution deal for a cut-down SW to be shipped with UMaker kits.

Its all very well for people buying 3D printers to be able IN THEORY to "imagine and create", but without a proper CAD system, at the moment for alot of people its "imagine and...try to find something similar on thingiverse...then give up if not"

I would think SW would be retarded not to see the benefit of capitalising on a massive future growth market for "home CAD" use.

I would guess that something like the SW student edition would be easily put together. Without all the Cosmosworks stuff. Perhaps they could make a bundle deal for a couple fo hundred euros.

Well worth the investment I think. The fact is that for most people the 3D printer just ends up printing parts from thingiverse, and so the dream of making your own stuff is still very much a dream.

C.

[billdempsey 0]

I'd be really interested in a tailored, scaled down version of SW specifically geared toward 3D printing. I was thinking about buying SolidWorks to use with my Ultimaker until my Ultimaker completely died on me two days ago. Now, I'm going to have to find another printer, first.