I really wish there was a open source cad modeler on the same level as blender. It really is next level. My dream for if my startup succeeds is to bootstrap such a product. Especially if it had a fully extensible architecture. it would be possible for third party services to plug into it (both paid and open source) for creating and designing new inventions.
The fundamental problem is that there isn’t a good enough open source parametric kernel. FreeCAD uses OpenCascade which is the best available, but quite dated, FreeCAD is pushing it to its limits.
Same. I don't know much about 3-D modeling, but I took a Maya class years ago and was annoyed at design flaws in its UI.
I didn't expect much from Blender, owing to the shitty UI offered by other widely-used open-source software like GIMP and Audacity. But I was pleasantly surprised by Blender, and I'm excited to learn it.
But the CAD space is dominated by pay-only rental-style solutions, and even most of those seem to be Web-based (Autodesk) or Windows-only (SolidWorks).
it can also be used in blender, embedded into other applications.
design cad as code, use git version control for your objects & designs.
vs-code has plugins, or use the openscad
for many hackernews oriented persons this approach will be better than using a mouse.
OpenSCAD is only really suitable for highly parameterised or programmatic shapes. Stuff like fasteners, gears, belts, chains, art, etc.
Those things are really the exception in CAD. It would be masochistic to use OpenSCAD for the things CAD is more commonly used for (consumer products for example).
This is pretty cool and looks already very usable for basic things. So far I've usually worked with MeasureIt and lots of patience, but I'll definitely try this. If you're wondering how this works, here are some basic tutorials:
Lately I have been experimenting with geometry nodes as a kind of CAD modeling. You can create inputs (for example thickness) as constraint. This works but is a lot of work. So this plugin looks very helpfull.
But in the end Blender is mesh based. So for round models you need a lot of vertices or else it will be inaccurate (subdivision modeling doesn't make it more accurate, it does only make it smoother).
I use Solidworks a lot for designing 3d printed parts for hobby projects. For me, the biggest thing missing from open source alternatives is assemblies. Being able to do constraint-based assembly of your parts and see how they fit together makes a massive difference when designing more complicated structures or mechanisms, but even for simple things like designing an enclosure for a PCB. I’m aware that FreeCAD has some prototype assembly plugins but they look very experimental.
I'm wondering to what degree tessellation is configurable, e.g. if I want polygon-dense output to have nice curvatures for additive manufacturing, or polygon-light output for rapid workflow and speed if I have complicated geometry.
[+] [-] cultofmetatron|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] samwillis|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] throw_m239339|3 years ago|reply
https://www.freecadweb.org/
[+] [-] NonNefarious|3 years ago|reply
I didn't expect much from Blender, owing to the shitty UI offered by other widely-used open-source software like GIMP and Audacity. But I was pleasantly surprised by Blender, and I'm excited to learn it.
But the CAD space is dominated by pay-only rental-style solutions, and even most of those seem to be Web-based (Autodesk) or Windows-only (SolidWorks).
[+] [-] IshKebab|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dapids|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rurban|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] elasticventures|3 years ago|reply
it can also be used in blender, embedded into other applications. design cad as code, use git version control for your objects & designs. vs-code has plugins, or use the openscad
for many hackernews oriented persons this approach will be better than using a mouse.
[+] [-] IshKebab|3 years ago|reply
Those things are really the exception in CAD. It would be masochistic to use OpenSCAD for the things CAD is more commonly used for (consumer products for example).
[+] [-] deng|3 years ago|reply
https://www.cadsketcher.com/
This is pretty cool and looks already very usable for basic things. So far I've usually worked with MeasureIt and lots of patience, but I'll definitely try this. If you're wondering how this works, here are some basic tutorials:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92QmjS-xDaI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANUlFo01qfM
[+] [-] blenderdt|3 years ago|reply
But in the end Blender is mesh based. So for round models you need a lot of vertices or else it will be inaccurate (subdivision modeling doesn't make it more accurate, it does only make it smoother).
[+] [-] cillian64|3 years ago|reply
[+] [-] pen2l|3 years ago|reply
I'm wondering to what degree tessellation is configurable, e.g. if I want polygon-dense output to have nice curvatures for additive manufacturing, or polygon-light output for rapid workflow and speed if I have complicated geometry.