You might have your own opinion on who broke Captain America’s shield, but regardless whether who or even if it really happened (IT DID), there’d have to be some power behind that shield slap. Maybe you already have a Captain America mask, or a shirt with a star stencil spraypainted on it. You’ve got to…
Have you’ve ever arrived at your desk and felt a sudden onset of ‘MY DESK IS SO BEIGE’ horror flood over you? It’s not uncommon. It’s why we put charts of conversion tables and part number inventories on the wall… then shriek in horror again when that makes it all worse. You need some COLOR.…
How difficult is it to design a lamp? Not very. Jab a few holes in a paper plate, wrap it in a lightbulb, GOOD TO GO. If you want a classier option though, you’ll need the design chops of the pros at VOOOD. I was seeing how many LEDs could fit under my eyelids when…
That’s it. I just placed a bulk order on Amazon for a pallet of thick, super-absorbent napkins. I’ll use half of them to soak up tears OF JOY, and the other half to capture the world-changing ideas worthy of being birthed on the bunching, biodegradable surface of a paper napkin. Why? Two words, combined into…
When I imagine the type of illumination you would shoot from your fist to bake a ham and a side of biscuits, the choice seems pretty clear to me – INFINITE TRIANGULAR LIGHT. We don’t need any of that cubical, or bubble-shaped light shooting from your power knuckles. Unfortunately, we’re not quite there with the…
It’s been ages, but we’re really excited to bring you a NEW tutorial from Dan Lavoie. It’s a model you may not expect, which makes it even better. Dan takes you through the process of modeling a Bell 206L4 helicopter from start to finish. This is another great video series and we’ve worked out a…
While his day job has him designing engines for the Ford Motor Company (not a bad job in its own right), systems engineer Matt Schmotzer spends his free time creating 3D printed replicas of real-life roller coasters using his breadth of SOLIDWORKS knowledge and 3D printing techniques. His first 3D printed roller coaster is a…
Every once in a while, you’ll be enjoying a hot ham ‘n cheese, when something comes along, slaps that sandwich out of your hand, and marks a substantial shift in the future of 3D product development software. They’re shifts that mark moments when other software developers take notice and consider their own software dev plans.…
For years we’ve been watching industrial designer Eric Strebel’s insightful design process videos; videos that show how he goes about making products from start to finish. Starting with concept sketches, he follows a traditional design process of moving on to CAD models and then various forms of prototyping—yet, we’ve never really heard the man speak…
If you’ve yet to get your CAD jabbers on SelfCAD, you can spin it up and start modeling in less time than it takes to juice a pack navel oranges with your elbows at your co-worker’s desk–Tis a fact. SelfCAD is the web-based modeling/sculpting/3D printing tool that works in all modern browsers and on Windows,…
Autodesk Fusion 360 is bringing in the new year with a User Interface (UI) facelift! Presently the UI is in “Preview” mode so as to ease the masses into the new UI workflow. Yet, as to be expected, many of the power users are taking the leap and donning new UI Diggs. While I’m calling…
I realize that title may shock those with more mature sensibilities – “Why does he want to kick my spleen??!” But don’t worry, I’m using spleen to refer to that MESS, that is on your DESK… and it also rhymes with nineteen. Massaging sensitive internal organs with your FOOT aside, one of the best things…
You know how tough it can be without a stylin’ set of headphones bakin’ up sweet sounds in your earholes, aaaaand how handy they can be to avoid talking to people. Either way you use them, you need a place to store them and the bottom drawer next to that stale pile of Cheez-It’s ain’t…
I bet you a bag of plush porglets you’ve had dreams of owning, building or transferring your conscience into your very own BB-8. If you also happen to have a Google Home device (or not), I may just have found you the perfect excuse for 3D printing the adorable spherical droid. Manchester’s own Steve Wagg…
As anyone who has used a AR/VR headset for gaming purposes would know, it’s always more fun to play with friends. Well, the same concept applies to AR/VR on an industrial working scale, which is why Onshape has paired up with VR virtuoso Magic Leap to create a 3D design app for the headset. Temporarily…
I think we all know, one goal of dressing up for Holloween is to bring people to the edge of projectile vomiting through a mixture of laughter and disgust. While some strategically placed foam, putty, and exploding blood packs would ensure that, maybe you just need something quick to slap on your noggin. Look no…
RS has announced the availability of a new BETA version of DesignSpark Mechanical. This 3D CAD tool is available at no charge from RS, so long as you register an account with their system. It’s a comprehensive 3D CAD development tool that works only on the Windows platform, in both 32 and 64 bit modes.…
Well, you probably saw the LEGO Bugatti Chiron (42083) and the life-size LEGO Bugatti Chiron, but do you have the 3,599 piece 3D model of the Bugatti Chiron? If not, you’re about to. GrabCAD user, dk (“a single D, for that single dose of pimpin'”) is a LEGO modeling all-star with multiple LEGO Ideas, Architecture,…
It’s 3am. Visions of green and red shapes are swirling through your mind. Was it a bad batch of kombucha? No – it’s Autodesk Generative Design. Autodesk Generative Design provides a surprisingly addictive mix of novelty, somewhat mysterious results, and interesting shapes. If you can justify the cost – try it! Before I dive in,…
It was only back on August 23rd when the master 3D rendering virtuosos at Luxion teased us with a drool-worthy highlight reel capturing what’s to come with the much-anticipated KeyShot 8. And tease us they did—with stunning rendering work featuring everybody from Peter Gill and Esben Oxholm to Dries Vervoort: https://youtu.be/Y6CPCm3kdlU Well, the time is…
Morphi is a (sort of) free app for the iPad, Mac, and Windows devices that lets users push, pull, and craft 3D creations via a touchpad device. Its simple nature makes it ideal for starting kids out in the world of 3D modeling and showcasing their work — with tools such as stop motion and AR/VR…
Near the end of last year, Shapr3D revealed that the kernel in their 3D modeling iOS app had been replaced with Siemens’ Parasolid. This week, they’ve revealed their sketch engine has been replaced by Siemens’ D-Cubed–the same sketch engine used in SOLIDWORKS, Inventor, Solid Edge, NX, Onshape and others. What does this mean? Shapr3D is…
Autodesk is making very significant changes to their Fusion 360 product offerings. Fusion 360 is Autodesk’s flagship 3D design tool that is offered in a cloud-based subscription service. The system provides not only CAD, but also CAM, simulations and even generative components. It’s proven quite popular in certain circles. As of October 7th, they will no…
Dassault SOLIDWORKS is corporately swinging down from the rafters of development mode to announce the upcoming new features in SOLIDWORKS 2019. If you’re worried about SOLIDWORKS slowing development to pursue XDesign interest (that just gained some new features), this release may sway your opinion. There are plenty of new features to love and, if you’ve…
Yeah, Of course, you’re thinking that–But even if a baby attack parrot looks cute trying to beat you at Forza 7, he’s strugglin’ cause his little beak just can’t handle that full-size racing sim wheel and shifter. Plus, you know you’d like something you could just slap on your controller. Brent Scott to the rescue.…
On the off-chance you have an intact skullcap and you’re mostly coherent at this time of day, I want to introduce you this week to a model so puzzling you’ll want to finish the maze you started drawing on your belly in the middle of that meeting last week. Thomas Buseyne is no stranger to…
If you were too busy re-topologizing that scan of your skull last week, you may have missed this announcement from nPower Software/IntegrityWare–they’ve released version 5.0 of their Power Surfacing / Power Surfacing RE for SOLIDWORKS software. It was just a year ago (June 2017) they released Power Surfacing version 4.0 that brought support for SOLIDWORKS assembly…
I just returned from hiking 40 miles with a 50-lb pack in the West Texas Guadalupe Mountains. If it were not for hiking sticks, my legs would be gelatinous globs right now. They’re a must – even for kiddos and their ultra-cartilaginous joints. What’s a good way to make them relish such long, arduous journeys on the…
How small can a foosball table get before it’s at the border between highly-enjoyable and ridiculously annoying? About this small. Florian Bommier has created and shared a super small 6-on-6 foosball (aka table football) table that pits you against your opponent/spouse/friend in a race to see who can restrain themselves from twisting the small plastic…
Dassault Systèmes, producers of the popular SOLIDWORKS 3D modeling system, announced an educational partnership that may suggest something interesting. The company struck a deal with UMass Lowell to jointly open a “digital learning center” on campus to “let engineering students get hands-on experience in designing and creating products for the Experience Economy”. They explain further:…
Creo 5.0 now lets you model in perspective! I for one am excited! I’m relishing the thought of giving my eyes and brain a long-awaited respite. It’s just not natural to process depth using trimetric or dimetric projections. Unlike some of my industrial design buddies who gave up on Creo (formerly ProE) opting for other CAD programs tailored for…
Just look at that desk. Where are you going to put all of those dismantled 1990’s sit-com action figure parts? Jennifer Aniston would be ashamed. I know what you’re thinking though–No ordinary storage box will do. You need a special type of storage box worthy of iconic plastic leg and arm parts. Why you took…
There are a lot of reasons you might want to mouth-grapple bark lumps to climb up a tree–jowl toning, neck muscle fortitude, the look of horror and genuine concern on your gardener’s face–but there’s little doubt you could save some lip skin and dentist visits by using climbing holds instead. I know, you’ve been climbing…
Ever since we saw Matt Denton’s LEGO Technic Go-kart, we’ve been keeping an eye on his YouTube channel for what’s next. He’s gone through phases of small hexapods, large hexapods, animatronics, Arduino controlled hydraulics and, most recently, massive 3D printed LEGO kits. After completing two other giant LEGO builds, we were pretty sure it was…
“I’m sorry, I have no hands to hold your Echo.” Alexa, you’re five kinds of useless. “Ordering a 5 foot USB cable via Prime.” Gahhhhh! There are all sorts of Amazon Echo holders and stands and such, but you know what doesn’t exist? A skull-shaped Echo holder. Well, it didn’t exist… UNTIL NOW. Douwe Miedema felt the…
What’s better than one full penny skateboard? TWO half penny skateboards. Add a bag of chips and Paul’s Boutique on loop and you’ve got yourself the makings of a rambunctious night out on the town. But first, you need the half-penny skateboards. Leave it to Devin Montes, aka MakeAnything, to create a skateboard slightly larger…
How many boats does one need? WRONG QUESTION. How many boats can you 3D print, stick in your mouth, and say ‘Bathtub Boat’. Me? 27. But they were small boats and I choked when I realize one could come shooting out my nose at any moment – can you imagine the pain a PLA print squeezed…
I know you’ve all see Predator. What? You’ve not seen the 1987 sci-fi horror flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger? Push your computer off the desk and go and watch it NOW. You’re welcome for learning how to survive an alien with a tri-laser, arm nuke and jowls that will make curl up in a ball and call…
Image: Yannick Castaing Need an introductory 3D modeling tool? MagicaVoxel is what you need. MagicaVoxel is a free, open source software package that provides simple, yet surprisingly powerful 3D modeling capability. Creator ephtracy explains: A free lightweight 8-bit voxel art editor and interactive path tracing renderer. And that is precisely what this is. At first…
You know, some think video games are a glimpse into the future of 3D product design and engineering. Just keep that in mind as you see what YouTube user Gilbert Roy Alva uses Cities: Skylines, a 3D city building sim game, to recreate some of Southeast Asia’s most well-known cities. With Minecraft being used to create castles…
Oh , look at you! You are just A DARLING. Your glistening, acidic alien skin… Ohh! You’re yawning. CUTE. A yet you just burst from the belly of my dog. Gonna have to clean the carpet… a few times. Bad baby alien. Kidding! Don’t tongue mouth my face! We may not have actual baby xenomorphs, but…
Fasten your eye-buckles kiddos. Now, you know Onshape kicked off the year announcing Parametric Modeling 2.0. They got a two-for-one deal on 2.0 names apparently, announcing today Data Management 2.0. They also got a two-for-one on kickin’ design problems IN THE ASS since, like configurations, multi-part and in-context design in their Parametric Modeling methodology, the features…
Mobile devices are, more and more, integrating 3D capabilities. There’s 3D modeling, of course, but also social integration, interactive home models, smartphones as 3D printers and 3D scanning (all the way back in 2011!), but it’s the mobile 3D scan apps that are really starting to become more prevalent. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkTaCOQ_OjI Qlone: 3D Scan & Print…
My kiddos are all about the Nerf Guns–there are so many Nerf guns the Nerf guns have Nerf guns. Well, now I have an example of why we don’t need any more Nerf guns–we can just MAKE THEM. Oh, I know. “Why didn’t you do that in the first place?” Two answers to that -…
SolidWorks unveiled two new certification exams at SolidWorks World 2018, which celebrated 20 years since their certification program began back in 1998. At the 16-year mark, the program only certified 100,000 users, but since the demand for programmers, engineers, and CAD professionals has risen over the last few years, that number has doubled to over…
When we last looked at PolyPort (formerly D3CRYPT3D), they were just buttoning up their shiny start-up pants, but already dropping jaws with their approach to 3D asset protection. They ended up winning the SXSW Interactive Innovation Award for Privacy and Security, presented at SIGGRAPH, pitched at Patriot Boot Camp (PBC) and Veteran Shark Attack, announced a MyStemKits.com…
Crystallon is a new feature for Rhino3D / Grasshopper CAD design that automatically generates lattice structures. Lattices are a critical component for the future of 3D printing. Why? Because they create structures that are a) useful, and b) only producible by 3D printing processes. The value equation here is for companies to shift into new…
#896 on the list of things you’ve never thought about? What type of planter you plant your toe roots in if you were a chubby little succulent. Let me answer that question for you. Because they’re the same planter, but different, but THE SAME. How? They all use the same shape made from the same, super…
While not the preferred CAD tool of choice for every designer and engineer, there’s no denying that Rhino is here to stay. For those that do use it, the NURBS-based modeling program is well-loved for its ability to quickly create free-flowing organic models or rough 3D sketches before moving into a more robust parametric modeling…
Yeah, I hear ya. *sips coffee* I use to chisel gears and form motorcycle fairings from raw metal with the delicate jawbone of water shrew… by which I mean, I’ve never actually done that, but have worn a motorcycle jacket… for a few minutes… it was hot… quite stiff, actually. One thing is for certain though, if…
