Free CAD software for 3D printing

[ukracer]

What would also be good is more in the way of written descriptions (with lots of screenshots) of how to do stuff. I get very annoyed when I have to watch a 20 minute video when the content I'm actually interested in is only about 30 seconds in the middle of the tutorial and it then turns out that it doesn't apply to my situation anyway. If it was written with screenshots then I could scan down the page and find the bit that's relevant.

That's exactly what I find. But you said it better.
I thought it might be just me. Lol

,However I fully understand no one is going to sit around waiting for me to ask about a "model" I get stuck on. It's about monetising the situation.
And then it's about a search facility if someone was to use you tube.

For example I need a rectangle approx inch and a half wide. And 1 inch deep. With a slot running around the inside. Approx half inch deep.

The difficult part is the connectors (that I have asked about before) as its going to endup approx 400mm x 900mm as a shroud running round a perforated sheet (for a laser to cut onto of).


It's fairly easy to write so I can convey what I need but damn near impossible to find what I need online, although it must have been done before. Lol

 

[mtt.tr]

What would also be good is more in the way of written descriptions (with lots of screenshots) of how to do stuff. I get very annoyed when I have to watch a 20 minute video when the content I'm actually interested in is only about 30 seconds in the middle of the tutorial and it then turns out that it doesn't apply to my situation anyway. If it was written with screenshots then I could scan down the page and find the bit that's relevant.

This drives me nuts, sadly written tutorials are dieing

 

[Dr.Al]

For example I need a rectangle approx inch and a half wide. And 1 inch deep. With a slot running around the inside. Approx half inch deep.

The difficult part is the connectors (that I have asked about before) as its going to endup approx 400mm x 900mm as a shroud running round a perforated sheet (for a laser to cut onto of).

It's fairly easy to write so I can convey what I need but damn near impossible to find what I need online, although it must have been done before. Lol

You say it's fairly easy to write, but I'm not entirely sure I understand what you mean in the second paragraph. The first bit sounds very straightforward.

 

[ukracer]

You say it's fairly easy to write, but I'm not entirely sure I understand what you mean in the second paragraph. The first bit sounds very straightforward.

I did wonder if I was clear enough. Lol. But to be honest it does highlight how hard it is even to write it up.
Imagine a piece of perforated steel 400mm x 900 mm the edges are sharp so need a cover. The sheet also needs to be raised of the bed so the hot gasses don't burn the wood.

I think this might assist

Obviously the bed of a 3D printer is only small so I need several pieces that I can glue together. A jigsaw type connection was suggested to ensure strength.

 

[Dr.Al]

I did wonder if I was clear enough. Lol. But to be honest it does highlight how hard it is even to write it up.
Imagine a piece of perforated steel 400mm x 900 mm the edges are sharp so need a cover. The sheet also needs to be raised of the bed so the hot gasses don't burn the wood.

I think this might assistView attachment 374241

Obviously the bed of a 3D printer is only small so I need several pieces that I can glue together. A jigsaw type connection was suggested to ensure strength.

So something like this?

In case you want to have a look at the history...

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f...renderMode=0&uiState=637f4ecd18012466cd1d2ff4

 

[ukracer]

So something like this?

View attachment 374246

In case you want to have a look at the history...

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f...renderMode=0&uiState=637f4ecd18012466cd1d2ff4

Almost exactly like that. Lol The only problem is I need to learn onshape now.. lol
Thanks anyway.. it just shows what can be achieved.

 

[Agroshield]

So something like this?

That is also something that highlights the power of parametric modelling: tell it the finished size you want, the size you can print and it makes the individual pieces to suit.

It is a lot more work at the beginning, but if you want more than one size or want to make it useful to other people, it pays dividends.

Bonus points if the four corners and straight sections are identical (i.e. piece count of 2) - the one above has every possible combination of male and female dovetail.

 

[Dr.Al]

That is also something that highlights the power of parametric modelling: tell it the finished size you want, the size you can print and it makes the individual pieces to suit.

It is a lot more work at the beginning, but if you want more than one size or want to make it useful to other people, it pays dividends.

Bonus points if the four corners and straight sections are identical (i.e. piece count of 2) - the one above has every possible combination of male and female dovetail.

True, but the one above also took me less than 5 minutes to model! If it's being 3D printed and a one-off, I usually don't bother with too much generalisation - just make sure the number of constrained dimensions is minimised so it's easy to tweak things.

 

[ukracer]

So something like this?

View attachment 374246

In case you want to have a look at the history...

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/f...renderMode=0&uiState=637f4ecd18012466cd1d2ff4

Ok with weekend upon us I managed to get a few hours to catch up. I have managed to look at what you had produced and as I said previously almost perfect. sadly I cant seem to see how to do things although I can see what you did. To be pedantic what I really7 need is the rebated part to be a groove approx 3mm thick and around 20mm deep.
That said I would be happy to print what you have already done as I am sure it will solve proof of concept for me.

Does onshape have a screen catpure similar to fusion so you can see how you do things as well as seeing what you do?

Apart from those two questions I cant see how to export it to an STL. Is it because its view only??

Big thanks for doing this anyway. I am still torn with trying to learn more about fusion or to START learning onshape I I cant even draw a simple box in onshape. lol

 

[Dr.Al]

Ok with weekend upon us I managed to get a few hours to catch up. I have managed to look at what you had produced and as I said previously almost perfect. sadly I cant seem to see how to do things although I can see what you did. To be pedantic what I really7 need is the rebated part to be a groove approx 3mm thick and around 20mm deep.
That said I would be happy to print what you have already done as I am sure it will solve proof of concept for me.

Does onshape have a screen catpure similar to fusion so you can see how you do things as well as seeing what you do?

Apart from those two questions I cant see how to export it to an STL. Is it because its view only??

Big thanks for doing this anyway. I am still torn with trying to learn more about fusion or to START learning onshape I I cant even draw a simple box in onshape. lol

Does this help at all?

I'm afraid I make fairly extensive use of keyboard shortcuts ('L' for line, 'Q' for construction, 'R' for rectangle, 'D' for dimension etc) so it's not always obvious what I'm doing, but hopefully it gives you the basic idea. Quality of the video isn't great: I've never quite figured out screen recording...

If anything isn't obvious, feel free to shout and I'll try to explain.

 

[ukracer]

Does this help at all?

I'm afraid I make fairly extensive use of keyboard shortcuts ('L' for line, 'Q' for construction, 'R' for rectangle, 'D' for dimension etc) so it's not always obvious what I'm doing, but hopefully it gives you the basic idea. Quality of the video isn't great: I've never quite figured out screen recording...

If anything isn't obvious, feel free to shout and I'll try to explain.

Thanks muchly.
I did guess that one of the problems doing videos is that the more advanced use keyboard shortcuts.

 

[Agroshield]

I did guess that one of the problems doing videos is that the more advanced use keyboard shortcuts.

Some of the Freecad videos I watch, they have an on-screen keyboard display so you can see what is being pressed coincident with what happens in the software itself. I have no idea, however, where you find one.

 

[ukracer]

Some of the Freecad videos I watch, they have an on-screen keyboard display so you can see what is being pressed coincident with what happens in the software itself. I have no idea, however, where you find one.

If anyone is on a mac they can use Keycastr.

 

[Dr.Al]

Thanks muchly.
I did guess that one of the problems doing videos is that the more advanced use keyboard shortcuts.

If you hover over the toolbar you can see what the keyboard shortcuts are, which helps a lot. In that video I don't use very many functions. I'm pretty sure the only keyboard shortcuts I pressed were those listed (and you can see the icon light up when I press the shortcut). "L" (line) "Q" (construction mode toggle) and "D" (dimension) are massive time-savers as they're some of the most often used functions.

Like I said, shout it anything isn't clear and I'm happy to try to explain in a bit more detail.

 

[ukracer]

If you hover over the toolbar you can see what the keyboard shortcuts are, which helps a lot. In that video I don't use very many functions. I'm pretty sure the only keyboard shortcuts I pressed were those listed (and you can see the icon light up when I press the shortcut). "L" (line) "Q" (construction mode toggle) and "D" (dimension) are massive time-savers as they're some of the most often used functions.

Like I said, shout it anything isn't clear and I'm happy to try to explain in a bit more detail.

Is there anyway I can create an stl and or mess around altering dimensions etc.
It seems my only access via the link you posted is view only?

I tend to learn better they way.

 

[Dr.Al]

Is there anyway I can create an stl and or mess around altering dimensions etc.
It seems my only access via the link you posted is view only?

I tend to learn better they way.

Have you signed up for an account with onshape? I don't think you can edit stuff without an account.

With an account you should be able to copy the document into your own projects list and then play with it to your heart's content.

If it's not obvious how to do that, PM me the email address that you used to sign up with onshape and I'll add you as an editor of the document and then you'll be able to do what you like with the original one.

 

[ukracer]

Have you signed up for an account with onshape? I don't think you can edit stuff without an account.

With an account you should be able to copy the document into your own projects list and then play with it to your heart's content.

If it's not obvious how to do that, PM me the email address that you used to sign up with onshape and I'll add you as an editor of the document and then you'll be able to do what you like with the original one.

Ok mate. I have just got back from the van. We had all water pipes frozen so I have been busy thawing it all out.. I might be able to get on PC for half an hour to see. I think I have signed up though previously..

 

[ukracer]

Ok I have managed to get half and hour to see what I can do with onshape.

At least I now know how to export to STL as opposed to parasolid. lol

Only problem. (well so far anyway) is the size it exports at seems to be random. How do I ensure the size of the STL is the same as the drawing?

 

[Dr.Al]

Ok I have managed to get half and hour to see what I can do with onshape.

At least I now know how to export to STL as opposed to parasolid. lol

Only problem. (well so far anyway) is the size it exports at seems to be random. How do I ensure the size of the STL is the same as the drawing?

That sounds very odd. Are you sure? I've never seen that happen in all the time I've been using Onshape. What are you loading the STL into? Can you share the STL and I'll have a look at it?

My first thoughts are:

1. STLs don't include any inherent units if memory serves me correctly. If you've got onshape configured to use antiquated nonsense (inches), then it may be exporting the STL in inches as well.
2. STLs don't include any inherent units if memory serves me correctly. If you've got the slicer configured to expect STLs in inches, then it may be importing the STL incorrectly.

As I said; send me STL and I'll see what I can figure out from that.

Or just export a STEP file and use PrusaSlicer, which will import that directly

 

[ukracer]

That sounds very odd. Are you sure? I've never seen that happen in all the time I've been using Onshape. What are you loading the STL into? Can you share the STL and I'll have a look at it?

My first thoughts are:

1. STLs don't include any inherent units if memory serves me correctly. If you've got onshape configured to use antiquated nonsense (inches), then it may be exporting the STL in inches as well.
2. STLs don't include any inherent units if memory serves me correctly. If you've got the slicer configured to expect STLs in inches, then it may be importing the STL incorrectly.

As I said; send me STL and I'll see what I can figure out from that.

Or just export a STEP file and use PrusaSlicer, which will import that directly

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

I switched to exporting in mm and it is bigger but it still does not fit on the ender3 bed. Which may be correct to be honest. Lol