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…

On Tuesday, February 6th, SpaceX elbowed history in the neck bone with the test launch of Falcon Heavy, the most powerful rocket ever launched. At an estimated cost of 90 million (150 million at most) and the ability to push 141,000 lbs beyond our atmosphere, it’s putting space exploration back on everyone’s mind. And, no…

Start-up capital has been a pain point—and roadblock—for many brilliant ideas that never end up seeing the light of day. Considering how costly software tools alone can be, it’s no surprise that some innovators refrain from moving forward at all knowing what they’re up against before even having a prototype in hand. Both Siemens and…

It’s not uncommon for SolidWorks World to feel a little bit like Christmas for serious CAD junkies. Not to mention, it’s a great time for partner companies to get their announcements heard while everybody is in the ‘holiday spirit.’ Among other announcements at SolidWorks World 2018 earlier this week, Meta is going to be the…

The first SOLIDWORKS World was in 1998. Tack on 20 years, a new dress shirt, clipping your toenails 87 times and all those bags of chips you shouldn’t have eaten and suddenly, it’s 2018. There are a few days to go and, whether it’s your first, fifth, or twentieth time to go to SOLIDWORKS World,…

So, maybe you haven’t been turned into an old lady who ends up in a walking castle powered by a wee fire-demon but, you gotta admit, a walking castle is pretty darn cool. I don’t think it’s ever been better illustrated as it has in the 2004 animated film Howl’s Moving Castle (written and directed…

Do you like things wheels and that go fast? Are you looking to speed up your modeling process in Fusion 360? Then we’ve got just the ticket. Youtuber name notimportant posted a nice video on concept modeling in Fusion 360. He shares his process of developing geometry rapidly with just enough detail to convey your idea.

Wow. Woooooow. This year, SOLIDWORKS WORLD and the Certified SOLIDWORKS Professional Exam (CSWP) turn 20. What’s that? You were at the first SOLIDWORKS WORLD in 1998? You ARE OLD–Old as the hills. In 1998, I was at that first SOLIDWORKS WORLD (That was pre-SolidSmack… and pre-a whole lotta other stuff). I started using SolidWorks a couple…

Usually, when I’m talking to someone about vegetables, it’s about making a room size bed of leafy greens, methods for stitching carrot and snap pea riot gear or practical locations for beet juice dispensers. But you have to GROW your veggies first before doing any such interesting endeavors. Morgan Morey, a historied jeweller from the Isle…

For the entrepreneurial 3D modelers out there, there is no shortage of 3D file marketplaces to generate a nice little bit of side revenue. But when it comes to 3D on the web, Sketchfab’s YouTube-like ecosystem of discovery, publishing, and sharing has consistently been among the most user-friendly. The new Sketchfab Store is the next logical…

You remember Vention, right? The web-based machine builder and social marketplace? They just popped the champagne announcing a seed round of $3.5 million CAD ($2.8M USD). The financing was spearheaded by White Star Capital and a band of previous investors, Bolt and Real Ventures. That’s no small bag of coin. And it comes on the heels of…

So, you’re going to lunch with your boss again. You get out to your car when you say, “I wish there were a small chipmunk creature that stores my keys in its chest cavity and greets me with a friendly chirp and a key for any lock I arrive upon.” Your boss says, “You’re FIRED,”…

Last week Onshape released possibly the most major update since launching out of beta. This week they introduce “Parametric Modeling 2.0” on the 30 year anniversary when parametric modeling software came screaming onto our screens. I think it’s important to point out up front that, though I like the idea around Parametric Modeling 2.0, this is more…

Yeah, that Periodic Table of Elements on your wall? The shirt of the Periodic Table you got for your college graduation? The tattoo you got of your name in Periodic table notation? Yeah, people laughed. But turns out, JOKES ON THEM. The Periodic Table is still… So, you’ve got all that, maybe a mug and…

Several weeks ago, Headup Games announced the next installment in their popular Portal video game series. But, it certainly wasn’t what fans were expecting. Instead of continuing on their first-person puzzle-platform, the new game is a bridge-building simulator with some aspects of Portal thrown into the mix. In essence, it’s ClockStone’s Bridge Constructer combined with…

2017 was a good year for Advanced Modeling Tools enhancements inside of Onshape. In particular, I’m talking curve and surface creation tools. These are the kind of features that have got this ole ID guy chomping at the bit to model something curvy and sweet in form! My aim in this post is to highlight…

Measuring CUBES?! Yes. Measuring cubes because, really, who has times for measuring CUPS. This just beat out the carabiner and desk organizer for best 3D printed tool of 2017 (and lines up with our goal to stop printing crap). You know that drawer somewhere in the kitchen that needs dumped out every time you need a…

A big first in 3D CAD today. Shapr3D, together with Siemens PLM Software and Tech Soft 3D, has brought the full power of Parasolid 3D modeling to iOS, in the latest release of the Shapr3D iPad Pro app. (See announcement here.) Siemens’ Parasolid is the most common 3D modeling kernel and Tech Soft 3D’s HOOPS…

Onshape has some clever cooks sitting around their mobile CAD kitchen, pouring the gravy on pretty thick from the beginning. Earlier this week, I posted on SmackTalk about a new Onshape patent that popped up. The Touchscreen Precise Pointing Gesture patent. This is (I beleive) their 7th patent, after their last was published in Auguest of…

What’s that? You have enough snow globes? Wrong answer. You can NEVER have enough snow globes… to set up for target practice so you can work in the Sig Sauer Elite AR-15 with Noveske Flash Suppressor you got on Black Friday. People need hobbies. You could spend hours shopping, spending hard-earned money on snow globes,…

First mask I ever made was a paper plate with a piece of yarn to strap it to my head. Never mind that it was done last night – I just upgraded and am currently wearing a paper bag with eye holes burned out with a lighter someone threw at me last week. Anyway, it…

Ugh, not again. You’re digging through the cupboard looking for that triangular mesh fabric to make a mechanoid death eater mask for your chihuahua and you can’t find a sheet of it to save your life. Put that little yappin’ dog in a bag of cheese puffs for a few minutes and check this out.…

It’s no secret that online learning is more popular than ever. From easy screencasting software to dozens of video hosting platforms, learning new skills is easier than ever before. But have you ever considered creating your own online classes—whether to help others with your rockstar workflows or even secure a profitable side gig? The good…

It’s no secret that online learning is more popular than ever. From easy screencasting software to dozens of video hosting platforms, learning new skills is easier than ever before. But have you ever considered creating your own online classes—whether to help others with your rockstar workflows or even secure a profitable side gig? The good…

It’s a week past the Holloweens, but there’s never a wrong time to make a cool helmet. Aside from protecting you from your dog licking your face to wake you up, random ear-punches by co-workers and people being intimidated by your smashing good looks, helmets are just loads of fun to make. You may remember…

We talked in passing about how Google Blocks can be used in conjunction with other VR apps like Tilt Brush; now the company is taking things a little bit further in 3D-land. Poly, Google’s new dedicated VR/AR sharing platform, lets users download and upload designs for sharing within the community. It replaces Blocks’ previous online…

When it comes to knock-their-socks off CG work, Esben Oxholm is a force to be reckoned with. With a background in both industrial design engineering and lighting design, it’s safe to say that his product visualizations rank up there among the best of ’em. And like other great industrial designers, Esben takes the time to…

How can something be ancient? And 3D printed? Because we’re IN THE FUTURE. It’s like the answer to why it smells like beer and cigarettes in here. Because WE HAVE CATS. (Name the reference!) But really, it’s not like you’re going to walk downtown and find an ancient skull artifact unburying itself from the sidewalk.…

Ya know, while there are various ways to collaborate online around a 3D CAD project with other like-minded designers and engineers, you don’t hear about it too often. We’ve yet to get to the real-time, live-edit environment, à la Google Docs, but we’re close. You may have built a few 3D models in Onshape but,…

Forehead slap. This Onshape update has so many great additions. Really, it’s impossible to pick a top 3 – All 10 could be in the Top 3. But that’s also impossible, so I squeezed my eyes as tight as they could go, until tears popped out onto three new features – those are the top…

Ladies and gentlemen, get your sample packs out, sit the kids down, and get ready to nub punch those chubby buttons into the wee hours of the morning. If you love making your own music, are mesmerized by the mixing of sound or have ever wanted to make your own MIDI controller, our Model of…

Are you an aspiring CAD Designer or maybe a seasoned professional seeking new digs? Perhaps you are hesitant to start your search, not quite knowing which geographic locale will offer the best ratio of income to living-expense. Well, here’s a little tip “Go Midwest young man!” (and ladies too). I’m talking Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and…

I know what you’re thinking. Those fist-size storage capsules would be painful to swallow. But don’t worry, while they’re too big to dose yourself with a month’s worth of Omega-3 and too small to put on a squirrel mask and crawl inside of, these storage capsule containers are PERFECT for storing all sorts of random…