It’s no secret that CAD tools are among the most complex pieces of software to learn and – perhaps most importantly – use effectively with intent. Unsurprisingly, learning these tools has been a brutal experience for many that can test even the most patient of learners and take them to their limits. More recently, video…
The last time we checked in with Frame – the cloud platform that lets users run any software from within their browser – we had the chance to chat with the young startup’s CEO and founder Nikola Bozinovic about the near-future of CAD in the Cloud and how his platform could revolutionize the workflows of…
When it comes to speculating about what a user experience might be like in the future, it’s only natural to look towards the big screen to see what millions of dollars and a team of professional designers developed to make their vision of the future believable. Of course – just like a Rotten Tomatoes score…
Since announcing that they would be bundling the premium features of Fusion 360 Ultimate into the significantly cheaper Fusion 360 offering, many in the CAD community have deemed Fusion 360 as a true “next-generation contender” and “the (CAD) program to beat these days”. Although many existing design studios and firms may still be plugged into…
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…
We managed to wrangle Jon Hirschtick (Founder and Chairman, Onshape) and Carl Bass (CEO, Autodesk) into answering the same six questions about CAD in the Cloud, including the ultimate, whiz-bang question of the year at the end: “How do Fusion 360, Onshape, and 3DEXPERIENCE differ?” You saw it here first, folks. A SolidSmack exclusive, side-by-side…
This week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist brings an entirely new playlist of face-melting great music to help propel you through those laborious, tedious design tasks for the next few days. This week, we’re packing our bags and getting ready for Autodesk University 2014 in Las Vegas next week. We’ll start off our journey into the…
Since it was developed by a post-grad student in Kilkenny, Ireland–Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh–Sugru has been an indispensable tool for those looking to apply quick fixes to industrial design problems ranging from weak iPhone cords to sharp edges and protective bumpers. The substance, which came out of Ní Dhulchaointigh’s goal of enabling people “to easily and…
We’re always talking about the future of design, the future of technology, the future of MAKING. In a world where personal bluetooth environment trackers can sync real-time weather data to a smart phone, a world where motion-tracking heaters can follow a user as they move throughout a building, how do we find the next ‘big…
If you have been with us, tracking the growth of Autodesk’s cloud-based CAD platform Fusion 360, we have some more good news for you. After the last update that brought KeyShot rendering, almost seven months ago, the new addition bring crispy CAM capabilities. Calling it an entrepreneurs’ single stop for all product design and manufacturing…
Well folks, if nothing stirs your curry more than some exciting CAM news, then this year’s Autodesk University in Las Vegas was for you! In case you missed the announcement from SolidSmack last week, Autodesk is moving forward with their Autodesk 360 collaborative cloud experience with the addition of CAM 360. We had a chance…
Today I received a friendly email from my local SolidWorks VAR, ending with a gentle nudge: “****THERE IS NO GRACE PERIOD FOR DECEMBER RENEWALS, ANY DECEMBER RENEWAL RECEIVED AFTER DECEMBER 31ST WILL AUTOMATICALLY INCUR A REINSTALLATION FEE – NO EXCEPTIONS.” Ahhh, the sweet taste of extortion in the morning. SolidWorks 2014 is upon us, friends,…
We’re always talking about the future of design, the future of technology, the future of MAKING. In a world where we can interact with empty space, a world where we can 3D print our own shower curtain rings and bionic ears, a world where we’ll be sending people to space for vacation, how do we…
For those who have had the time to get their feet wet in Autodesk’s Cloud-based CAD platform Fusion 360, you might have been missing a few ingredients from your previous workflow in another CAD package…particularly in the rendering department. On Wednesday October 9th, that problem will be solved after the announcement this morning that Luxion…
Both Autodesk and GrabCAD have made some exciting announcements this week with Autodesk’s Fusion 360 launch on Tuesday and GrabCAD’s new Workbench which will allow even more powerful sharing features the CAD community. We had a chance to sit down with GrabCAD CEO Hardi Maybaum and Autodesk’s Director of Mechanical Design Products Prabakar Murugappan. So…
After months of hype and speculation, the first Cloud-based CAD platform is here from Autodesk in the form of Fusion 360. At $25/month per license, a user can purchase their seat in the Cloud for less than a week’s worth of Starbucks lattes. But despite the low cost-of-entry, how does Fusion 360 stand out as…
As if 2013 couldn’t get any better folks, EngineerVsDesigner is BACK! Yes we caught a few fishes but mainly we slayed the dragons and drank hot toddies. Now that we’re back, it’s time to get the party started with an individual who not only resides over his wood shop with magical powers but is also…