Voxelab Aquila is the new FDM 3D printer on the market that has managed to establish a compelling reputation right away. Voxelab Aquila 3D Printer Voxelab is the sub-brand of Flashforge which is already known by most of us. Aquila is the first printer of Voxelab and it comes at an alluring $200 price, but…
Finding the right free 3D modeling software that will fit your current skills and knowledge can be a challenge. For beginners, any type of this software is a tad intimidating. With a variety of software out there, finding a simple one can be truly a bit of work. If you are someone who is just…
The number of 3D printer products on the market has increased dramatically in recent years, with new and updated models emerging on a larger scale. Interestingly, some stand out as highly powerful, and Prusa is one of them. The Brains Behind Prusa Prusa is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of 3D printers. It continuously…
Do you ever wonder how class-A surface modelers get their jobs putting the polish on race car CAD? We interviewed Adam Kenney, a pro, class-A surface modeler who’s worked on projects for Lotus and McLaren to find out! https://youtu.be/0G0esw_dXe8 What Exactly IS Class-A Surfacing? Adam tells us he is often mistaken for the industrial designer…
Delta printer is a type of 3D printer that is designed to perform a more systematic printing procedure. It has three arms that move up and down in a trigonometric manner. They locate the precise location of the printing head which is normally lightweight. This enables it to print faster compared to other types of…
Three dimension printing also referred to as Additive manufacturing or rapid prototyping has improved massively in recent years. The printers have become more popular among many hobbyists and those who are just starting out exploring the said machine. As a result, many companies have come up with advanced models that enable them to produce great…
3D printers, as the name implies, creates any three-dimensional products based on CAD models. These printers, which were only available for industrial manufacturing purposes at first, are now being offered for as low as $500. This made it possible for anyone to own a unit for personal purposes at home. Under the said price range,…
Once you’ve chosen a 3D printer, you’ll need to pick a type of filament intended for your project. The filament is the raw material used in 3D printers that will be heated at a high temperature to turn it into a semi-solid state. While in this phase, the printer can easily generate the appropriate design…
Years of advancement have brought technology closer to us. One proof of this is the 3D printer that we can now enjoy in the comfort of our homes. Compared to the conventional document printers that produce nothing but two-dimensional letters and images, 3D printers can give you more. As its name implies, it is capable…
We are cooking with gas now people! Hot off the press. The 3D Manufacturing Format (3MF) file type is about to go prime-time owing to KeyShot and Stratasys. This dynamic duo is bringing an honest to goodness CMF experience to early-stage physical prototyping. For those not familiar, the 3MF format could be likened to a…
Editing appearances inside Onshape just go better. Now applying custom color to any region or face is a snap! Gone are the days of needing a workaround to simply change the face color of solid or surface faces of part-studio geometry. It looks like my old “zero offset surface copy” workaround has been rendered obsolete.…
Have skills and itching to make a difference with the shortages in coronavirus-related supplies? There are lots of individuals, companies, and communities organizing and many other open-source personal protection equipment (PPE) designs available. Investigate the list below to find a way to put your vital CAD-modeling, 3D-printing, nunchuck skills, and other talents to use! There’s…
Digital food storage is the name of the game in this tutorial. In a recent assignment, I sought to coach my CAD students at Virginia Tech through an Onshape modeling exercise in the kitchenware category. Our aim was to build a parametric model that was robust and could be morphed into different configurations by changing…
Well, the end of the year is rapidly approaching! And if you are an aspiring Onshape CAD user I’ve got an early Christmas present for you! I’ve compiled my SkillCoach Onshape CAD Improvements Mega Resource Pack! Yep, I scoured the Onshape website for every CAD improvement they posted pertaining to modeling tools and techniques that…
In this post, we’ll delve into the world of TRAJPAR. Now I’m not talk’n about some distant galaxy, but rather a somewhat hidden parameter nested inside PTC Creo Parametric modeling software. TRAJPAR is short for Trajectory Parameter. This puppy is one of the advanced modeling goodies that allows you to turbocharge your Variable Section Sweep…
What in the world is a “Squircle” you might ask? Well, its a cross between a square and a circle. Designers the world over admire the squircle because it gives us a lot of form exploration range. If I want a product to be perceived as stately or strong I might adjust the squircle more…
Do your 3D models fall-over when you edit feature dimensions? How about when you use that nifty dynamic drag feature? Does everything go wonky? Well, chances are your geometry is not locked down. What I mean is your model most likely suffers from a poor dimensioning or constraint strategy at the 2D sketch level. If you answered yes…
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…
The title says it all: MegaBots – a California startup company that makes frickin’ GIANT FIGHTING ROBOTS – has just made the designs for its Iron Glory robot available to the public. The catch? You have to buy a $25 poster featuring a MegaBots CEO sitting atop the fighting mech. But considering you’re forking over…
In this era of near-all-day-long screen time for many, issues like eye strain, headaches, and poor vision are becoming the norm. If you aren’t wearing glasses or contacts already, you may need them soon enough if you’re not glancing away every now and again. In the meantime, you can also make the jump over to…
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,…
Long considered an indispensable asset for anybody working in CAD, the 3D mouse is a quintessential tool that belongs on the desktop of any industrial designer or engineer. Within a 3D application such as SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, or Keyshot, the directional, zoom and rotate functions provide an intuitive extension of the users’ design intent.…
Have you ever fancied building and fly your own model aircraft? Well nowadays its more possible than ever, and even on the cheap! If you hop over to FliteTest.com you’ll find a massive collection of DIY aircraft projects. But before doing that, let’s step into the workshop at Flite Test (via Youtube) and see one of the gangs…
Long considered an indispensable asset for anybody working in CAD, the 3D mouse is a quintessential tool that belongs on the desktop of any industrial designer or engineer. Within a 3D application such as SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, or Keyshot, the directional, zoom and rotate functions provide an intuitive extension of the users’ design intent.…
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…
We’re walking the floor at Solidworks World 2018. One must see is Easton LaChappelle’s Unlimited Tommorrow (UT) exhibit. He is cranking out some amazing prosthetic devices! Easton at 14-years-old took an interest in robotics where he submitted a robotic artificial limb in a science fair. His epiphany with regard to his future role in the world…
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.
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…
As frivolous as it may seem, the humble mouse pad can be a serious tool on the desktop. Whether it’s a simple run-of-the-mill pad from a vendor or a more robust ergonomically-crafted wrist support system, a good mouse pad can save your sanity after hours of clicking away on a project. But you’ve likely never…
There’s nothing like attending a global design or engineering conference. You get to see and hear all the latest and greatest stuff. But I say even better than attending a conference is the opportunity to be a presenter at one! The big event for PTC Users is the annual LiveWorxs Global Conference. So if you’ve…
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…
Creating a 3D model in VR isn’t as revolutionary as it once was. If the presence of Quill and Medium on the Oculus Rift weren’t enough, Google’s own Gravity Sketch, Tilt Brush, and Blocks programs add to the ever-increasing library of software which wants to make the craft more accessible. Now we have MasterpieceVR, another…
If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. When all you know is SolidWorks, everything you design will look like RoboCop. You can do better.
It easy for makers, creators, and builders to shut themselves up in their workshop hours on end to get their design just right. Working in solitude can help get the job done, but sometimes you want to get feedback from others. Whether you’re looking for feedback, advice, or inspiration, sometimes you need to get someone…
It’s very much a first world problem, but a problem that plagues desktop workers all the same: cold hands. While the problem is more prevalent for computer gamers, cold hands are a very real problem for those who sit at their workstations all day—in fact, it’s just plain science. As a result—whether the office thermostat…
In this video tutorial, I offer up a brief modeling tutorial on how to use the engineering draft feature inside PTC Creo Parametric modeling software.
Last week we sent out a quick post to spread the word about Sketch Browser beta. This week I had the opportunity to delve a little deeper. So when I fired up the App, Mr. my.SketchUp himself “Josh” (the avatar, no relation to Señor Mings), greeted me with a casual but blank stare. He made me feel…
My last post was ostensibly about my new SpaceMouse, but within half an hour I had not less than five different people ask about my stylus. What the what? Stylus? For CAD? In short: yes, I use a stylus for CAD. And everything else, actually. I don’t even own a decent mouse anymore.
As any designer or engineer knows, the sky is the limit when it comes to staying on top of 3D software and workflows. While becoming an expert in one or two software packages may make sense for your day-to-day projects, it never hurts to stretch that 3D content creation muscle – even if just a little…
In this video, we’ll build on last week’s hex nut code to add a drop-down list of standard metric nut sizes. We’ll begin with a simple example using simple reusable code snippets, and then use that knowledge in our live code. Don’t know what FeatureScript is? Look here. Onshape FeatureScript: Pump Up the Presets This…
You’ve heard the joke. An engineer walks into a bar, unboxes a Chromebook and says, “I bet you, I can load Onshape on this here Chromebook in 10 seconds flat.” The bartender say, “No flippin’ way! You’re high on the crack cocaine! You can have the finest whiskey in this fine establishment if you can.”…
When it comes to tools for refining loose design concepts, the usual suspects – pens, paper, clay, and the occasional Bedazzler – tend to suffice. But while these tools all work fine and well, “sketching” at full scale to create room-sized objects isn’t necessarily something that comes with ease – until now at least. Designed…
Since they started coming up in CAD in the Cloud discussions earlier this year, Frame (fra.me) has shown no signs of slowing down their pursuit of allowing users to put any Windows application in their own personal Cloud. Among other reasons why the platform has been of interest is because it will allow users of…
For the seemingly endless flow of crowdfunding stories that come pouring through turnstile on monthly basis, it’s always nice to hear about a successful Kickstarter campaign that not only managed to get a product off the ground, but also resulted in the establishment of a sustainable business with multiple employees. Among others, Palette is one…
As design customization, 3D printing and wearable technology each continue to rise in popularity, experimental design collective Madlab has developed a solution that converges all three into a seamless user experience with no CAD skills required. Designed by Madlab director Madeline Gannon, Tactum was done in collaboration with Autodesk Research and uses projection mapping and…
Although they’ve been putting a lot of focus and attention towards touting their new HoloLens and Windows 10, Microsoft has also been busy developing their gigantic touchscreen Surface Hub – which was first announced back in January. The device – which can best be described as a gigantic Microsoft Surface (literally) – was designed with…
For many of those that count McNeel’s Rhino among the tools in their toolset (and there’s a lot of you), having a native Mac app without the need to run Bootcamp or a virtual machine has been on the wishlist for quite a few years now. While McNeel has been actively developing a Rhino for…
As if the release of Onshape back in March of this year didn’t spin the CAD world into a frenzy, things are only about to get a little more crazy up in here. Yesterday, Autodesk slipped a little message onto their Fusion 360 homepage to notify users (both new and existing) that they are rolling…
Looking at incredible structures such as the Sphinx in Egypt or the genius of Leonardo Da Vinci’s self propelled cart, it’s even more impressive when you think about the rudimentary resources that the designers had hundreds and even thousands of years ago. Today, we have highly sophisticated tools like CAD software and rapid prototyping to…
We live in a world full of amazing design software and hi-tech automated machines. These “tools” are designed to reduce design cycle times and leverage productivity. Companies spend a lot of money on these tools and expect a productivity pay off from their designers. Some of the new expectations are realistic and some are not.…