What 3D CAD Tool?

[haasmarc]

Ok, I bought a DLP, resin 3D printer, which looks to print better than FXD, and I want to start drawing up my own stuff to print.  I was planning on using SketchUp and I still may, but the web version doesn't have a lot of the good tools.  Sure, you can use it to get to the same point, but it might be a lot more work.

I was curious which 3D CAD tool people are using.  I don't mind spending $100-$150, but at $675, SketchUp Pro costs more than the printer.

[Chris333]

Regular Sketchup is $Free.99.

[haasmarc]

If by regular SketchUp you mean the web version, then yes it's free, however, it doesn't have all the nice fancy tools.

[DKS]

Ya gets what ya pays for

[haasmarc]

Ya gets what ya pays for

Exactly, that's why I was wondering if there was a better tool between free and +$600.

[Spades]

I have never done any 3D printing.   Have used TurboCAD.  You can try their products for free.

https://www.turbocad.com/turbocad-windows/turbocad-deluxe-2018.html

3D printing features with read/write of .STL files, surface simplification controls, and a 3D Print button for 3D Systems printers.

[Lemosteam]

If you think you will be in this for the long haul, go get Solidworks.

It is as close to a professional CAD system as you can get and, once proficient, you will be able to model complex shapes, surfaces and complex fillets (which are really important BTW).

Your printer is only as good as your models.

[learmoia]

What kind of printer did you get?

I always had good luck with AutoDesk Inventor.  I still use a copy I got in college back in the early 2000s..

~Ian

[Wutter]

I'm personally a Solidworks user but if you want a parametric software like Solidworks but don't want something so expensive, give Onshape a try. They have multiple plans from free to professional and I really like the cloud based nature of the software so you don't really need a ton of computing power.

[haasmarc]

What kind of printer did you get?

I got an Anycubic Photon 3D.

[haasmarc]

Thanks Wutter.

Solidworks is a Dassault product and the company I work for uses CATIA.  I am looking to see if they give any kind of discount.

[Wutter]

Solidworks is a Dassault product and the company I work for uses CATIA.  I am looking to see if they give any kind of discount.

I hope that you'll get a significant discount, if I remember correctly, the regular individual license is about $4000 without the support subscription. Onshape is also created by the two CEO founders of Solidworks if that's any solace to how it functions. Just out of curiosity, you can't use your work CATIA for personal use? Any place I've been at before was okay with me using my Solidworks computer on my own time.

[learmoia]

I got an Anycubic Photon 3D.

Cool, I'll be interested in your progress on how this works out.. My wife has been bugging me about getting one, but If we did, it would need to be able to produce high resolution products, and prices have always been way out of our range.

It seems that today, a printer to produce cars is cheaper than the printer to produce decals for the cars..

~Ian

[reinhardtjh]

I haven't really made any progress but I've been trying to use either Punch ViaCAD Pro V10 or Rhino3d V5 on my Mac.

I fire them up, fiddle a bit and quit in frustration.  Pretty sad considering I've worked with computers since 1977 and took 3 years of "Mechanical Drawing" in High School.

[peteski]

I haven't really made any progress but I've been trying to use either Punch ViaCAD Pro V10 or Rhino3d V5 on my Mac.

I fire them up, fiddle a bit and quit in frustration.  Pretty sad considering I've worked with computers since 1977 and took 3 years of "Mechanical Drawing" in High School.

I wouldn't worry. CAD requires a totally different mindset (even if you are familiar with computers and manual drafting). Especially the 3D stuff. Both your skills help, but don't guarantee that you will be an overnight CAD expert. I'm in the same boat as you.

I think that taking a course on 3D drafting or sitting with an experienced mentor would make the learning process much easier. I would love to spend a week with @Lemosteam and have him give me hints as I stumble.