I have been meaning to relearn 3D modeling, but kept putting it off because of how tedious it can be. I recently pushed forward a little, and it was as terrible an experience as I had expected.
I can very easily visualize how I want pending projects and mechanical designs built and constructed. The challenge is in transforming that from thought to a digital file that can be modified, 3D printed, machined, or shared with others.
But it’s not just that – modeling software tends to be a bit rigid, as it requires you to follow certain steps to create specific shapes and features.
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Shown here is my progress on a 3D printed small box with unthreaded holes.
But hey, progress is progress. The box has different thicknesses for the side walls and base, and the holes stop around halfway.
Modeling the small blue box took a lot longer than I expected. I tried to just wing it at first, stubbornly stuck to that approach, and then decided to work through some of SolidWorks’ tutorials (thankfully they have a student version and there are eligible free online courses). The tutorials were tedious, but helped.
And here’s the 3D printed practice part.
It’s a start.
There’s more pain ahead. 3D modeling is tricky – this is really a “use it or lose it” skill. I’m new to SolidWorks and worry that other modeling software will require more relearning over the years. I won’t think too much about that now.
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I love 3D modeling but hate learning or relearning software.
I’m glad I finally gave in will work through more tutorials and random self-designed project files.
Any tips?
And if you’ve been putting something like this off, get to it! Yes, it’s a struggle, but it’ll be worth it,
Jeremy R
I just started learning Fusion a few days ago after not touching CAD for years. I’ve been using a ‘”Learn Fusion in 30 days” on youtube. It seems to be pretty good and the lessons are short enough to do a couple of them a day. Here’s the link to the first one.
https://youtu.be/d3qGQ2utl2A?si=9TLGx3QpG1E1ZifK
JMJR
Best of luck, Stuart!
I have been using AutoCAD for 15+ years at the custom steel fabrication shop I work at, plus I had two years of experience with Unigraphics back in college.
When I bought my 3D printer, I decided to get the free version of AutoCAD Fusion for my personal laptop, thinking it would be an easy transition from what I use at work, but it has been a big adjustment and makes me feel like an idiot. Things I could draw up in less than half an hour on AutoCAD now take many times that in Fusion.
Frustrated, I tried drawing something in AutoCAD and exporting the STL for printing, but the print quality was poor (circular items weren’t smooth, lots of facets). Because of that, and the greater abilities it has, I’m forcing myself to keep learning and drawing in Fusion.
I just get annoyed with myself because I have a big list in my phone of things I want to design and print, it’s just had to find time with a 10 month old baby and my lack of familiarity with the software.
Doresoom
When you export to STL, most CAD programs have settings for maximum facet size and vertex angles. Play around with those and you can get much smoother curves when printing.
Spencer
Can you export as OBJ instead?
Callum
If you use Prusa Slicer (I don’t know about other slicers), you can avoid the faceting problem all together by exporting your model as a parametric STEP file and importing that directly into Prusa Slicer. It will do the surface tessellation for you as it knows your print resolution and doesn’t have to make assumptions about how fine of a model is necessary.
Stuart
It’s just a chore, more so now I think than it used to be. This is where I think/hope AI can eventually help – it shouldn’t take so long to click around a bunch of commands. The user interface is the main reason it’s a slog to gain familiarity with new modeling software.
Aaron SD
The good news is once you learn one software the others are pretty similar. It’ll be more about which are the buttons that do the thing you wanted. They have similar philosophies.
It isn’t you, it always takes longer than you think it should. Having the design and dimensions done first on paper will save you time as you learn and also later too.
Sebastian
Facetres is the command you want to fix the facet issue
Skalamanga
Multiple slicers support step files by default now. Try orca slicer which is a fork of Bambu(which is a fork of prusa, which… Etc)
Doresoom
I use CAD every day at work. It helps to be familiar with what each modeling tool does and think of your part as a collection of those different features.
You can also usually model things several different ways too. You could add taper to an extrusion in the extrusion tool, or you can add it after the fact in the draft tool. Or you could model it as a sweep instead.
The CAD program matters too. Every time I’ve tried to use Fusion360 I get super frustrated. I use Creo for work, and the best free program I’ve found is OnShape (also made by PTC). The only downside to free OnShape is your models are available to all users.
Stuart
I’ll give that a try, thanks! It made sense, such as adding rounded corner fillets as a feature that can be modified, rather than hard-setting it as part of a sketch. What also frustrates me is that different apps have completely different nuances, such as how dimensions and relationships are set.
Michael F
It might be worth trying Adam, which is an AI assisted modeling tool. Sure, it’s not going to help you design the next novel widget, but I’m sure it could cut down on the time to model a box like this quite a bit.
Jared
I didn’t know that existed – interesting!
Saman P Perera
This is cool – now only if i can rough draw a picture on graph paper, upload the image and CAD AI do its thing.
Kevin
You can use shaper trace to do that!
Kyle
I think you made the right choice with Solidworks. As an amateur (I still am) I used the free version of Fusion 360 but eventually gave it up because Autodesk kept increasing the restrictions on the free version, and refused to create a cheaper paid version to bridge the gap between the extortionary pricing of their current cheapest paid offering.
FreeCad was tempting, and I did try it, but unlike other CAD programs where you can actually fix a model you’ve broken by modifying its parameters, FreeCad necessitated a counterintuitive workflow to prevent the problem in the first place.
Solidworks for Makers is a solid value at $48 for a one year license (they frequently discount that to 50% off even). It’s not a sexy looking program like OnShape or Fusion, it’s not free like FreeCad, but it is for all practical purposes the full retail version of the software at a very reasonable price. The major downside is that the maker version of Solidworks “watermarks” your files to make them incompatible with other tiers of the Solidworks application. In other words, you can’t design something on the maker license, buy a commercial license, and continue to work on it with the commercial installation.
Other miscellaneous tips:
Keep your sketches simples. Let your features do the work. Don’t make sketches with multiple closed shapes.
There are lots of little buttons and options for each tool, and the UI isn’t very good. My favorite one is that there’s multiple different icons for reversing the direction a tool is working, and the button is never in the same place. If there’s something you feel like you should be able to do, you can probably do it, you just haven’t clicked the right option.
Don’t just save frequently, save frequently and make sure your files are actually being written to disk. Recently I’ve been losing work to Solidworks arbitrarily deciding to lie to me about my files being saved. I don’t know the cause, but it’s got me paranoid. As long as the last modified date is updated you should be good to go.
Kyle
Sorry, I forgot one of the actual best things about Solidworks: McMaster-Carr has Solidworks part and assembly files as an option for download for tons of parts in their catalog. A step up from a step file since the files are native to Solidworks, you can work with the raw model features and modify or suppress them as needed.
Stuart
Good advice, thank you! I went with the student version of SolidWorks rather than the “makers” version. Been watching some Titans of CNC videos, and apparently their content and guides are eligible.
My biggest frustration is in rotating the view and having it behave as intended. And beyond that, setting the view between simplified and default takes some tools away, and I had a hard time figuring out how to bring them back.
I am long accustomed to being able to figure out software on my own, but here and in video editing, there’s a lot of general stuff ing lost trying to find command to do things as I want to. Instead I need to change what I want to do according to how the apps can do things.
Kyle
The spacebar shortcut key might help with some of your annoyances in managing your view of your model, if you didn’t already know that one.
Stuart
Thanks – I’ll play around with that!!
Andrew
My cad started with AutoCAD 2.6 so like to use keyboard shortcuts and the S-key. In SW I rotate/zoom/pan using the middle mouse button/wheel. Rotate: hold while dragging Pan: drag while holding ctrl + MMB Zoom: spin the wheel, zoom will be centered about cursor.
One can customize toolbars (move/add/delete commands) and keyboard shortcuts to whatever works for you. Between keyboard shortcuts and the S-key I have 21 of my most used part commands available without having to move the mouse.
Once you get comfortable with modeling in SW you can learn how to use configurations.
Solidworks basic playlist, scroll to the bottom of the list for the relevant topics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv-nk6_pXB8&list=PLtrztM3lxV3ko9MSxFle2LwBfXET9cB-c
Stuart
My first exposure with CAD/modeling was a class on CADKEY in high school. 1 class on traditional drafting, 1 class with CADKEY.
Leo B.
If I remember correctly, you can modify the hotkeys, and assign different ones to the mouse for pan, tilt, etc. I’d try a couple to see what’s natural, but that can definitely be frustrating to work with. I learned Solidworks through a high school program, focusing on drawing and machining parts. My desk was perpendicular to the screen, though, so I had to choose if I could look at my screen or the teacher’s screen. That was tough! Once you’ve drawn a few parts, though, you’ll get the hang of it. We ended up moving to Fusion later, but I always preferred Solidworks. Keep us updated!
John
Have you looked at getting a 3d space mouse? You can get the basic one used for fairly cheap on ebay (<$100) and it makes rotating the viewport so much easier. You just turn or push it the way you'd want to turn or move the model, so it's super intuitive.
RS
I tried a space mouse, but much prefer my MMO style mouse with 12 shortcut macros on the thumbpad, one of which I’ve set tso that when held it turns my WASD hand keys into numbers 0-9 and decimal point. This way my hands never move, and I have a shortcut to set the view to “normal to face”, as that’s basically the only view you ever actually want when modeling.
As an aside, CAD is like any skill, once you get passed the awkward learning how to use the tools, actually making things becomes incredibly satisfying.
HC
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) membership used to get you access to SolidWorks but that was years ago. Now it seems that membership gets you a discount to the “for Makers” version. https://www.eaa.org/eaa/eaa-membership/eaa-member-benefits/solidworks-resource-center
Matthew C
I teach CAD/3D modeling. In my opinion Solidworks has a slightly harder learning curve than other software packages, but much like languages most of this is just a factor of what you already know compared to what you’re trying to learn (it’s easier to learn French when you already know English when compared to trying to learn Chinese). Biggest thing that I have to recommend is to find a good set of video tutorials, any other method of learning software is less effective. Also, understand that many of Solidworks users are engineering or manufacturing focused, so what you need to know to do in a CAD software is different than what some tutorials will show you. You probably don’t need tolerancing or drawings features, which is heavily emphasized in Solidworks. Best of luck getting up to speed with CAD, it can be a challenge at first, but it is a really powerful tool
Max Schlachter
SolidWorks is the program I’m able to pick back up relatively pain free in the 3d modelling world. Order of operations does matter, especially when it comes to flexible parametric modelling that doesn’t blow up when you tweak one thing.
KMR
This is part of getting older.
Now that I’m “middle aged”, I find learning new complex software to be excruciating. 20 years ago I would have stayed up until 3AM fueled by Mountain Dew and pushed through whatever I needed to do and then felt good about it the next day.
In 2025, I’ll just give up and go to bed and try again the next day (maybe).
I too prefer Solidworks over Fusion. I’ve tried to play with Fusion (free) a few times, but every time I do, I find myself going back to my decade old paid version of Solidworks. In this case, the familiarity of Solidworks is worth more than the frustration of Fusion.
Adam
These 2 sentences perfectly encapsulate my experience with 3D design software:
“this is really a “use it or lose it” skill. I’m new to SolidWorks and worry that other modeling software will requite more relearning over the years.”
Yes, you do tend to lose familiarity and have to relearn a few things if you don’t use it often enough, but I’d say you subconsciously retain about 80% and it’s usually not too difficult to re-learn what you need to.
But on the other point – YES, 3D design software varies more than any other designing category for whatever reason. I learned hard surface modelling briefly in college with AutoCad, but have long since forgotten it. But for the last 8 or so years, I’ve been using Cinema 4D for motion graphics and animation and can efficiently model nearly anything. But on the occasions I need to convert a STEP or IGES file to polygons, using something like Rhino is a pain because the vernacular is totally different. And don’t even get me started on the insane interface choices of ZBrush…
Meng
I have Freecad on my machine getting ready to try it. SolidWorks was easy compared to Catia and some of the more powerful ones. However, Solidedge was by the most simple and intuitive CAD package I’ve come across.
TonyT
SolidEdge has a free makers version that is, in some ways, better than SolidWorks for makers, because you can pay (monthly, yearly, or permanent) and get real access to everything you did in the maker version, unlike SW for Makers.
https://solidedge.siemens.com/en/solutions/users/hobbyists-and-makers/
Bonnie
My big issue with 3d modelling is that I learned 3DSMax back in the day, and so all my instincts and preferred workflow are now set to that particular program, which is no longer available to me. I find that every tool has quite different processes to complete even basic tasks, making it harder to move from one tool to another.
These days I do most of my basic modeling for printing in TinkerCad. For practical prints and tooling it does everything I need. After a few false starts I did eventually get an okay understanding of Blender for modelling complex parts to later print in resin.
Frank D
Because I have not had the time to sit down with any of the pro or semi-pro software, for hours and days to learn the exact steps, menus, etc ( like learning PhotoShop ) I just stick to the basics …
It has its shortcomings, but for various things I have drawn & 3D printed; I have used TinkerCad. I consider it like CAD with LEGOs. Create shapes, add, subtract. Done.
The only thing it misses for me is chamfers & rounded edges. You have to ” hack ” your way by creating those as negatives and positioning can be a bit tedious; once something gets a bit complex.
The other thing is that the library of shapes is a pain to browse.
And you can’t do ” save as … “. You have to exit. Then say duplicate. And then rename the duplicate. That’s just stupid … to not have basic save, save as functionality.
But anyway. I can get a variety of things created pretty easily.
Nick
This is my go-to as well for the same reason. For very basic things like boxes it works well.
Patrick
Haven’t seen anyone mention Inventor, probably because of its extortionate pricing. I learned on Autocad and am still proficient in it even though I don’t use it regularly, but starting a 2d in Autocad and working out the 3d in Inventor was pretty simple. I actually took a community college class on Fusion taught by an Autodesk employee and absolutely hated it. I still found online learning with Inventor to be far more intuitive.
Stuart
I used Inventor in grad school. It’s prohibitively priced and a non-option for individuals.
Chris V
I learned CAD initially in High School with Pro/Desktop. There I learned the typical 3D CAD flow of make a 2D sketch then convert to a 3D feature. I then worked with all sorts of 3D CAD programs at the end of college doing internships; Rhino, Rapidform, Solidworks, etc.
Post college I spent 5 years with SolidWorks daily; with a primary focus on surface based 3D features. Now I’ve been in CATIA for roughly 10 years, but doing far more simple designs, and more solid features, than I did in SolidWorks.
In my hobby of woodworking I was going to use SketchUp to align with the woodworking youtubers, like the Wood Whisperer. However its support and ownership has been so hodgepodge I didn’t want to invest time in it. I went with Fusion 360 since we’re exclusively an apple household and and want to use something that operates locally.
I feel learning surface modeling has allowed me to learn new CAD programs more quickly. It taught my brain to be thinking a couple steps ahead, and probably more importantly, it helps me get out of jams. I also enjoy being able to incorporate more aesthetic surfaces into my designs.
Just a couple tips some have already mentioned with some of my own:
-fillet/roundover edges using a 3D feature (not in a sketch). Do them at the end of your model, and remember order matters! The goal is that if you use “tangent propagation” a fillet will go around the entire loop without you selecting multiple edges.
-It’s OK to start over after getting mostly of the way through a model (even if you’ve been working with the program for many years) We’re all always learning new things and having new ideas. I like to give myself a challenge to recreate a model with 25% fewer steps sometimes.
– (my favorite idea) is to go in and rename all my features. Something like “sketch- 4×4 bolt circle” , “sketch- wheel bracket holes”, or “extrude- housing alignment bosses”. It keeps my brain in design mode when I see those things since my mind doesn’t really compute “sketch5” or “extrude37”
Daniel V.
Always remember, in solidworks, your best friend is the “s” key. It pulls up a customizable command menu, and allows you to search for a command if you don’t know where to find it.
Edward T.
For a different take, onshape (https://www.onshape.com/en/) has been great for my relearning of CAD. I started with onshape as it’s the cad system used widely in FIRST robotics.
Back in the day I used proe and SOLIDWORKS, and onshape has been great as it runs out of my browser and works decently in their native ipad app.
I think a lot of the FIRST teams have been using it because you can run it on windows or Mac and sharing files has been a breeze. It’s also interesting that for groups pasts don’t have a traditional check-in/checkout process it’s more like git with pulls and merges.
CMF
I did not read all the comments, or even every part of your article, but I feel for your hesitancy with learning 3D modeling.
Stuart, I do not know how old you are but in my 20’s & 30’s, I would suck all this in, like a starved animal. There wasn’t enough, I wanted more.
My 40’s & 50’s, I was satiated, no longer looking for more, but if something new came along, a bit of a sigh, but I could handle it.
Now, in my late 60’s, just learning a new phone is a pain. Heck, just an update to a phone or PC and the bas***rds made changes that I have to go find where in the settings to put it back to where I had it, I will easily blow a gasket.
There are other things in life that make getting old OK or fun, but having to learn something like this software is not one of them.
I just got to hope that in my 70’s & 80’s, I will just need to talk to the item, and the software will understand me and do it.
Good luck with your endeavors.
Nathan
I also started life in AutoCAD for many years. I started using fusion and it’s quite different from how I used to work but I e played with Catia and solid works.
But I use it for my various build projects. Used to just draft on paper and worked fine but now I force myself to use it and make drawings. Just to keep up on it.
Sounded harsher reading that again
William Adams
The one traditional 3D CAD program which I finished the tutorial of was Dune 3D — well worth trying.
Need to try Alibre Atom 3D again.
That said, I just do 3D modeling programmatically using OpenSCAD and the new Python-enabled version. Working on a G-code previewer in it which also allows 3D modeling thus.
Albert
For project boxes and similar, I really like the parametric models that have been posted to MakerWorld, Printables, Thingiverse, etc. Here is an example:
https://makerworld.com/en/models/952727-customizable-project-enclosure-box?from=search
Just type in a few numbers (dimensions, wall thickness, number of holes, etc) and OpenSCAD figures out the rest.
Sean
Try OnShape
Katie
When they made Sketchup inaccessible to the hobbyist woodworker, I gave up. I’m not willing to put in the time to learn an alternative because I want to be making things, not sitting at a computer.
My present strategy is to find someone on youtube who has built something similar to what I have in mind and buy their plans. I normally modify plans anyway, and used to use Sketchup to make a new plan based on other designs. I don’t need sketchup to do that, though when I was good at it I enjoyed that part, kind of like building it in advance and working out issues. Never the same as irl though.
I wonder if other former Sketchup users are also buying more plans from youtube makers. I could probably figure it out by watching the video and taking notes, but am happy to support the makers.
Aram
When they wrecked Sketchup it was a real loss for a lot of people.
Stuart
Sketchup was never for this kind of stuff, it was best at larger visualization type modeling, and it was fantastic for that.
That was part of its problem – it was great free software, but not useful enough for people or companies to pay for.
TonyT
SketchUp is a lot of fun, and is very popular in the architectural community (that’s why it ended up owned by Trimble, which makes products for construction).
However, it’s not a great program for 3D printing because it’s very easy to produce open 3D objects that slicers can’t handle.
Doresoom
I’m a mechanical engineer. After trying to learn Sketchup a few different times long ago, I decided it’s the worst “CAD” program I’ve ever used. It may have better applications as a layout and visualization tool, but it’s terrible for designing things.
Jared
I’m a Mechanical Engineer and CAD admin with 25+ years of SolidWorks, and a bit of Autocad, Inventor, etc. I’ve helped dozens of Engineers and Draftsmen get fluent in SolidWorks. Work through the tutorials and shoot me an email with any questions. Fan of your site, I’d love to help.
Stuart
Thanks, I appreciate it!
Robert J Westcott
I just learned FreeCad a few years ago. I use it exclusively for 3D printing. My best advice at our age (54y) learning new programs is to watch the video (freecad has a million YouTube videos), then watch the video and follow along on your modeling program, then try it on your own with out the video playing. After a while I would take prints home from work (I work in a factory with an engineering department that designs parts and a fabrication department that build and sells the parts, I run the chem lab, and am not an engineer. ). I would try to recreate the prints, then 3D print them. I now have hundreds of prints saved and have fixed or designed upgrades for everything from my truck, tractor, camper, house, and have designed some thing for my lab. Is FreeCad the best, nope, not by a longshot, but it does everything I ask of it, has great support, and is a continuous source of fun. I’ve also used Blender (also free) for some modeling that requires more intricate curved designs that I can’t even imagine trying with FreeCad (think a bust of Issac Newton vrs. A robotic arm Imade with my Rasberry pi and a few servos.). One thing to remember is that designing something for 3D printing will be different than designing something that will be fabricated another way. You have to design your print with production in mind.
Rick Sink
Try OnShape
Andrew
For who want to try middle level 3D cad program for free check out Solid Edge.
https://resources.sw.siemens.com/en-US/download-solid-edge-community-edition/
Use Solidworks at work so I haven’t used Solid Edge but I installed it and have played with it. It’s the best personal use edition CAD package out there.
Stuart
That’s been on my list too.
TonyT
For what you (toolguyd) are trying to do, I don’t think SolidWorks is a good choice.
If you want to quickly design 3D objects and aren’t worried about a maintained design, then direct modeling is the way to go. SketchUp, SpaceClaim/DesignSpark Mechanical, IronCAD, and KeyCreator are direct modeling. SoildEdge and NX are hybrid modelers. SolidWorks and Fusion do have some direct modeling capabilities, but definitely it’s a hack in the case of SolidWorks.
Basically, direct modeling has no history and you can push, pull, and modify to your heart’s content. It definitely has its advantages, and is probably closer to what you want. Sketchup is probably the most well known direct modeler, but it’s better for architectural than designing for 3D printing.
SolidWorks, Alibre, Creo, CATIA, FreeCAD, and such are parametric modelers, and you need to plan out what you’re doing, or you get a mess. At work, we had a ME who could spin out a SolidWorks concept model in an unbelievably short time, but it was a nightmare to go back in and add in all the needed details to actually get the thing made. SolidWorks is a great choice if you want to get a job, because it’s so popular.
Typically, the free or super low cost software is fine for 3D printing – examples would include SolidWorks for Makers, SolidEdge for Makers, DesignSpark Mechanical, and the version of Fusion. If you want to create CNC gcode, export to STEP, or such, typically you’ll have to pay a lot more.
Stuart
I didn’t describe what I need it to do. I have used various 3D modeling programs in the past. Sketchup is great for some things, but a small minority of my project plans.
3D printing is a very minor part of my plans.
I’m restarting with SolidWorks because it’s easy to find help online when I fall into a hole. That and Autodesk shifted to a shady business model for Fusion 360.
Preparing for CAM is a high priority. Built-in CAM extensions would be great, but not essential.
TonyT
Frankly, most of the MCAD software companies are shady. If you’re off contract, DS won’t even provide critical bug fixes for older SolidWorks versions.
Since you can get the SolidWorks for students version, that’s a reasonable choice, given its popularity and that it comes with CAM.
I’ve used Fusion 360, Alibre, and DesignSpark Mechanical (based on SpaceClaim). My view is that Fusion (paid version) is like a Swiss Army knife: it can do a bit of everything: parametric CAD, surfacing, PCB design, CAM, etc, so while it’s not the best at anything, it can be a useful tool.
BTW, I believe SpaceClaim is free for non-commercial use (with the rest of Ansys), BUT I’ve heard that Ansys is very aggressive at going after commercial use.
SolidEdge is definitely worth investigating. It’s a hybrid modeler, since Siemens added a direct modeling mode a decade or more ago.
Mat
Tinkercad can do way more than it is given credit for. For simple stuff, and MANY things are simple, you just can’t beat the speed, simplicity, and price.
I’ve thought about learning a proper tool, and have started with Blender for organic shaping, but I firmly believe that in a fairly short while, AI will make modelling entirely different and more accessible, so I don’t think it is worth the dozens of hours learning complex tools now.
Example stuff I’ve done with tinkercad is here: https://trayforge.etsy.com
Milton "Skip" Johnson
As a retired Architect with several decades of Autodesk experience ( since version 1.8) I’m pretty set in my ways. I abandoned Autocad at rel 12 when Autodesk abandoned early supporters. When 3d printing came around I used an early version of Sketchup for a while but finally had to switch to real 3D modeling as my projects became more detailed and elaborate. After a lot of research and trials with several I’ve settled on Designs park. It’s something of an outlier but the free version is not crippled, runs locally and seems bug free. Early learning was painful. I’ve been surface modeling since Autoflix and solid modeling takes a whole new mindset.
Brad J
I prefer Fusion 360. Mostly forgot how to use Solidworks. Being proficient in CAD and having a reliable 3d printer is basically a super power.
Bryan
At the advice of a coworker, I downloaded the free version of MasterCam and have started learning to design with that. So far it’s been working great. It helps that it is popular software in manufacturing. Working with levels does have its used as well.
I was advised to stay away from fusion 360 because of how different the interface is.
Steve Everson
Ive had great success with plasticity 3d . It’s not parametric but very intuitive to use and found it much easier to learn than Alibre atom which I was using before. Seems to run really smoothly with complicated models compared to atom and is priced pretty competitively with a perpetual license. It has a lot of features and can save it STEP format to import into other cad programs as well as STL and OBJ for printing ,which is what I mainly use it for
Tobe Alex
I’m shocked how long it took to find this comment.
I too am currently using plasticity for 3d print modelling and it’s the best thing out there right now. The lack of pure parametrics (it tries a little) is the biggest downside, but for hobby designs it’s perfect.
This is from a guy that started our with AutoCAD (1996) then moved to 3DSMax(1998) then moved to Sketchup (2013), before landing on Plasticity (2023)
Steve
I’m a mechanical designer, so I’m fortunate enough to be steeped in Solidworks by way of my day job. I also pay the 50 bucks annual subscription fee for the maker version of Solidworks for my hobby and Etsy projects (with which I have more than a few problems with, but I won’t bore everyone with my petty beef with Dassault Systems here) but it’s still preferable to using the paid maker version of Fusion360 IMO. Any CAD system takes practice and you’ll definitely develop a preference for the one you learn with.
MikeS
Highly recommend Shapr3d. They have an excellent library of tutorials, all of which are free. Also, you can pay by the month, so you can try it out and if you don’t like it – you’re only out a single month; but I think that they also offer a one month free trial.
How did you go about the design? What steps did you take?
I am certainly no expert, but based on what you said and what I see – I might have done the following steps in Shapr3d:
Select the top-down viewing plane (we’re going to draw the box the same way you photographed it, looking down into the rectangle with the post holes facing us/up).
Select the rectangle tool (use the diagonal method/version) and draw the rectangle that is the outer dimension of the box.
Select the long dimension of the rectangle, and make it a variable (boxLength).
Select the short dimension of the rectangle, and make it a variable (boxWidth).
Select the offset tool, and drag the offset inside the box you just drew to give us the side wall thickness.
Select the rectangle tool, and draw a rectangle (or square) in each corner so that we get anchor points onto which we will draw the 4 posts.
I would turn the 2 dimensions into variables, say: postOffset
After each rectangle is drawn, select each one and the “make construction”.
Select the circle tool and draw the 2 circles, each is centered on the construction corner (one for the hole dimension, one that is the outer dimension). Turn the circle diameters into variables: postDiameter; threadDiameter
Repeat the circle drawing at all 4 corners, using the same variables for dimensions.
Now, go into Extrude mode and select all of the circles and the walls, pull them up tot he total height that you want. Turn the height into a variable: boxHeight
While in Extrude mode, the “back” and the walls – now, extrude in the opposite direction to your previous extrusion. Give this distance a variable: boxBackDepth
Finally, to hollow out the post holes, select only the inner circles and extrude, but extrude with an offset, give both the offset a variable (you can even make the variable a formula, boxHeight / 2). And make the extrusion be a subtract.
You should now have your box fully designed and fully parameterized. You can change the dimensions just be changing the variables.
Mike S
You could also have made a solid block from one rectangle, and then used the shell tool. To get a different shell dimension for the back, you could use face offset to adjust just that one face. So, that gives you a couple of options.
Also, I think that I would have designed it as a true rectangle, and done a chamfer of the 4 outside corners, instead of trying to do a drawing with rounded corners. You could go either way, and I’m still a bit of a noob – so others may have opinions about all of this that would carry a lot more weight than my suggestions.
Mike S
I think it might be more instructive to ask people what steps they would use to accomplish the design rather than asking about the software. Maybe use this forum to host a “tell us your approach to the following design” – and let the noobs here learn from the experts based on how they would approach various designs.
Jronman
Solidworks seems to be the industry standard now but costs a lot of money. Wasn’t worth it to me so I went with Fusion. I already had some knowledge using Solidworks, Inventor, Revit, AutoCAD, and Chief Architect that learning Fusion was easy for me. I took a course from Product Design Online he has a woodworking specific course with 100 or so videos around 5-15 minutes a piece which is very approachable to knock out a few a night.
brian
As someone who knows Autodesk Civil3D, Inventor, and Fusion…. If it can do it in TinkerCAD… I do. That platform is so simple and gives me a jumping off place and a basic library to bring in and manipulate so many shapes or mash up existing STLs that it’s all I need 75% of the time.