It’s software cad. You write code that makes the 3d model. And then you print the 3d model.
The last “official release” was 2 years ago. But development (and community) is active. You gotta get the nightly builds.
I got too used to Fusion 360 and now I’m stuck with it since I can make stuff fast, easy, and parameterized with full change history and it’s too much effort to learn something new to replace my workflow. Also its the CAM software for my CNC.
I’ll probably play around with SCAD/Build123d though for fun.
FreeCAD! I dont mean to be a evangelist, but it is finally good enough for myself that I made the leap from Fusion, and I haven’t missed it a moment. Your mileage may vary, but now is better than ever to give it a(nother) try
I used to work in Grasshopper for parametric models but now I mostly reach for OpenSCAD.
I still get flashbacks from when I had to use that in school instead of something like fusion 360
Openscad is fine for pretty basic one item things. It’s not so good for complex designs like the model steam engines I sometimes amuse myself with. And it’s sure not capable in a commercial setting.
But if you enjoy openscad and writing code, more power to you and enjoy what you are doing with it!
It’s extremely useful for functional things. Adapters and stuff. You can change some variables and get a model that fits your personal needs
You can do parametric design in other CAD software, but openscad, being a coding software, lends itself particularly well for that.
In my experience doing parametric design in Fusion360 is a lot more tedious than in OpenSCAD.
I think the biggest benefit is sharing.
While you can do parametric design in Fusion, if you share it you can only share it with people using Fusion. Same with other CAD software, you are limiting the userbase.
OpenSCAD on the other hand is a slim FOS tool that anyone can download, it’s not limited.
That’s a great point. OpenSCAD is lightweight and FOSS so it is a lot easier to share than Fusion360 for example
OpenSCAD lends itself to be treated as a function/stand alone program for generating models as well. Some of the 3D modeling websites even have OpenSCAD integration that runs it in your browser to generate the model based on the flagged configurable parameters. That’s powerful for basic functions like the mentioned adapters, because you can have a page that just spits out adapters of any size and shape.
Theoretically, a more standard CAD program like FreeCAD can use OpenSCAD for a standard parts library like threads, screws, bolts, sprints and allow for custom creation of those outside the standard. FreeCAD has some OpenSCAD support, but I’m not sure if it uses it in that way.
It’s really cool and I love the concept but doing basic things like chamfers are super slow and clunky so I just use freecad, which has support for openscad but also has conventional CAD paradigms.
Also check out build123d; uses Python instead of a non standard DSL, and supports fillets/chamfers
I wrote my own fillet function in openscad. It was a fun adventure to work out the geometry. Next time I’ll use some else’s function.
Absolutely. Blender is so fucked up. Designed for the artsy types, but if you need something at exactly these coordinates, you are fucked.
With openscad you have precision, repeatability, and you can even write scad source code from some data points you have, and just use it.
Tbf, comparing blender and openscad is more like comparing a hammer with a knife.
FreeCAD would be the more obvious comparison here - and while Openscad has some benefits for more complicated projects it is less than optimal - and sadly FreeCAD still sucks compared to most commercial products,even though it has improved recently due to the ONSEL influence.
I never heard of opencad before today so its interesting to here something new to me. 3 min tutorials makes it Seems like requires some “coding” which seems like a much higher barrier of entry. I’m curious how you would get complex details in it. My models have Ornate details after the base shape. I have all kinds of blender tricks to make it happen.
I dk what you are talking about it. I use blender daily for 3d models. Just grab the point, line or face, and tell it xyz coordinate or grab a bunch and line them up.
I never used the python code function but supposedly that works. Blender is way easier than any other cad I’ve used because its made for artsy types. So that anyone could do it after watching a few YouTube videos.Three times I have tried to get a grip on Blender, and have given up. You have to dig deep to put something on precise coordinates, and if you click something wrong, everything is fucked up with the UI without a way back. Documentation is random YT videos that all seem to assume that you already have a blender diploma.
With openscad, it took me half a day from installing the software, doing tutorials to finished design.
It is at the corner.
As far as UI everyone needs is different. My partner setup is way more complex than mine but SO is coming from Maya. However that’s the same for every program I used. I edited and remove buttons and rearrange as I get used to program. Even outlook and word.
What you are describing sounds like is fusion360 or possibly z brush tutorials. For Blender 3.4+ I watched one tutorial video and then yt shorts for anything specfic. Plus you can render and animate once you are done modeling for print.
Same here. Never found a 3d tool that went right. But openscad is straightforward. Zero to printable thing in an hour.
Code is a little weird but I’m getting a feel for it. That would be an interesting project, to make a better openscad code.
Shameless plug: I made an OpenSCAD calendar that uses some clever algorithms to automatically determine the correct day of the week no matter what year you set.
https://chrastecky.dev/post/8 (you can open the post directly on your Lemmy instance, if it doesn’t work, you can check out the entire blog category: !3d-printing@chrastecky.dev)
It’s cool, but I never had the chance to get into it. Conventional CAD tools are pretty convenient as well especially if you already know how to use them. What would be a good starter model to try this on?
Just follow the tutorial. IIRC it builds a model car. I was able to get from installing, over following the tutorial, to designing my model in half a day.
Build a simple house model! Make it configurable using customiser, it’s pretty cool watching it rerender itself. Or make a LEGO brick, also a fun exercise.
Some of the things I made with it:
- the iconic “days without accidents” plate with changeable numbers
- an iPhone stand with slope customizable in the customiser
- a simple toy bed
- a keychain of the Lemmy logo
- a custom phone case
- a configurable task list with sliders
- a calendar that automatically calculates the correct day of week, meaning no matter what year you set in the customiser, the days are always correct
I never really could wrap my head around openscad.
Even the older versions work pretty well, depending on the features you need. I use it for all my 3D modeling, I could never get the hang of other CAD software but this one just “makes sense” to me. I even used it last year to create a model of a trailer I wanted to build, worked out the finer details of how everything would fit together and some options like adding ramps, and once we got to the point of building the trailer it was just a matter of copying the dimensions and cutting out all the steel.
Use the “manifold” engine, it’s far, far, faster.
