3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

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steinietrabi
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by steinietrabi »

Not everything is possible overnight, but with a little time and maybe also the help of third parties, a lot is possible...
And I have to say that you clearly grow with your tasks ;)

And the areas of application are incredibly wide... from small parts to medium-sized to entire vehicles.

Start with small things, simple geometries and get to know the software, then it usually gets easier and you dare to go further and further.

There are many free softwares and everyone has to make their own right choice.

I mostly work in construction with FreeCAD or Fusion 360. But I also use Blender to design, change or model. You have to know and test for yourself what is best for you. Some software also has many functions as freeware and is therefore discouraging at first. But here you also have to dare and test it. You won't need much at the beginning, but as you progress, look for and use more and more functions because you need it for new, bigger tasks.

Use it to ask and also Youtube and Co., there are so many sources and if you ask sensible questions, you will always get help in the many forums and groups... Social media currently offers so many possibilities - we have to use them to get ahead here.

This are some of the parts from the last 2 weeks... :D

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FP7Uzp6WUAUJu52?format=jpg&name=medium https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQBBMDqWUAgcQJn?format=jpg&name=large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQBBba2XsAEq-Z4?format=jpg&name=medium https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQCqllPXEAEeTNG?format=jpg&name=large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQCrarmWQAIDQb5?format=jpg&name=large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQF9k28WQAIMjku?format=jpg&name=large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQF9tPoXoAYcRK4?format=jpg&name=large https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQLjo89XIAcMZ9A?format=jpg&name=large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQ_G4zgXIAAktdj?format=jpg&name=large
Greetings Thomas
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JamesB
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by JamesB »

Wow guys!! all contributions are sooo wise and all sooo useful. I´ll check all the suggestions.
I´ll surely go for the ones closer to Autocad approach. I had a quite long Autocad experience. I use to design machinery, some guys from southern Europe probably drank from a Coke bottle that has passed thru something I worked on :wink:
I remember I took the Autocad (2003 version) 3D option and I draw a complete Mitsu Evo suspension without any problem, so I suppose I still can :lol:
What has dogged me so far is that the equipment I have gets stalled with any program more demanding than Corel.
I finally got yesterday bigger computer. Could not afford 16GB RAM, but let´s see what happens with 8!
Meanwhile any experiences about learning curve and equipment used (specially the lower end, to help starters) is truly welcome, not just for me but for anyone else interested. So I am really happy to have started this thread :D
Keep em comin, thanks!!! 8) 8)

PS:
steinietrabi wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 7:49 pm Steffen, can you tell me what kind of material your template is made of?
THomas, I'd bet the stencil is PE steel... it's supposed to be the FUJIMI stencil if I read correctly. If that's what you wre thinking, hmm probably a stencil may be done with 3D printer though... :roll: :wink:
And yes, your parts are REALLY fantastic!!!
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steinietrabi
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by steinietrabi »

Yes, you can certainly create a stencil as a 3D printed part.
I've already done that and use it when I need a special stencil quickly...
But it is better to create PE parts here, but that is a different construction site. :lol:

But I would really like to know what material the main mold for the PE part is made of - it looks very rough.
Greetings Thomas
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by capri-schorsch »

Very interesting thread.
Sadly i can't give any big input here.
I am really a noob in doing cad stuff.
My thing is doing merge and cut with existing files. That works fine.
But when I had to start from nothing i am lost.

I do you also Fusion360 but only for separate the files from racing games. These files where then used in Meshmixer which is great with merge and cut.
That's all I can.

Regards Christian
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by waxdart »

Great thread as my printer arrived yesterday and I have no idea where to start. Following with heavy interest! Thanks guys
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by scaleautofactory »

steinietrabi wrote: Sat Apr 23, 2022 2:57 pm Yes, you can certainly create a stencil as a 3D printed part.
I've already done that and use it when I need a special stencil quickly...
But it is better to create PE parts here, but that is a different construction site. :lol:

But I would really like to know what material the main mold for the PE part is made of - it looks very rough.
The main mold is made by shapeways with Laser Sinter material https://www.shapeways.com/3d-print-mate ... nology/sls
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by scaleautofactory »

Steffen_T wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 4:44 pm I recently installed the free software SketchUp make 2017 to try my first steps in 3D drawing.
I got trouble getting into it, but once I got a bit used to it, it worked fine for me.
As I haven't read this software’s name in this thread yet, I wonder if anyone else has experience using it?
My actual work - guess i work since 3 years on that model: Porsche 908/3 full detail
Engine - made with sketchup make 2017 plus some useful plugins like subdivision, round corner.
Image
Test print at shapeways with sls-material
Image

Sketchup model, rendered with keyshot and finally combined with photoshop.
Image

Sketchup is for me like thinking and drawing in 3d without a overloaded useless gui like other 3d programs like blender...
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by sky1911 »

Hi James,

first some random tidbits from my background.. I have been doing graphics on electronic systems since the late 80s, starting with setting each pixel individually, limited to a palette of 16 colours total. At some point in the 90s I've been trained as a draftsman using various programs, among them Autocad and an addition to it (Baucad, which is for the building industry). Following that I've spent a few years in that industry doing graphic works for games, brochures, presentation cd, exhibition booths blablabla. Over the course of time I have used a variety of programs - as said, I started with Autocad, later to be joined by 3D Studio, tried a lot of other tools, freeware ones and highend stuff at the time (including, Cinema4D, Maya, Rhino, blabla) oh and Blender (I hate that thing with a vengeance). The thing is... nobody can tell you what will work for *you*. To me the things based on the ancient Autocad (3D studio was an evolution of that to me) seem to connect best with me, so I keep coming back to them time and time again. So I guess what I'm trying to say is feel around and use trial versions to see what program "clicks" with you. It's as simple as that. Of course a tool that "clicks" might not offer all the functionality of the other tools. But it is a start. And use this start that is comfortable for you to learn the basics, to understand how 3D things work. Once you got that done, you can maybe revisit other tools and take your acquired knowledge to new heights.
In general I would advise you to not start designing an entire car as your first project. While some people may pull that off in a satisfactory way, the majority will not. They will probably get something that sort of resembles the supposed product but will recognize all its shortcomings and may be disheartened by the result of their long hours of work. Start with smaller goals. I started with designing a Nissan 350Z and an XJR5 and that was a hell of a trip and I binned both over time, which put me off of car modelling for a long time. Oh and a did a Bugatti T32 which kind of came out ok. What I learned doing that is a bit like what you do with styrene. You start with a simple shapes and expand on them. A battery is, at the beginning, just a rectangular box. Added to that are a few cylindrical terminals and another small rectangular box that is the bottom step of the battery. And keep adding bits and bobs of such simple shapes and over time you have a complicated shape that actually looks like a battery. Same with an engine. Break it done into simple shapes, then refine those by cutting of bits or rounding edges or whatever...

Nowadays for my real life projects (read: furniture) I use a free older version of Sketchup. I started using that what feels like a decade ago as it is very similar in handling to a a French program I have had to use in my draftsman days, where you (had to) use lines as markers / guidelines for objects that you wanted to draw. Later on you would remove those guidelines and had a perfect model. And just look at what is possible with that tool - as shown by Torsten. And his sentiments about it are on par with mine. It's a no frills tool, some would probably call it's a 3D line drawing tool, but it can get the job done.

And then that is just the drawing part. So now you have a virtual part. Now what to do with the part you have? Again, a million tools to try in the West (ahm). I wouldn't worry to much about that if you're in the getting my part drawn up phase. One step after the other ;). However, it usually is draw, fix it up for printing, use a tool to cut it into thin layers (like sheets of paper with outlines of the part) stacked on top of each other, send that stack of outlines to the printer, wait for it to finish or mess up (or both), rinse and repeat. I have to printers (one resin, one filament) and the latter one is driving me up the wall at the moment, which is why I took some time off of all of this recently and turned to the cure all: video games :D

Welcome to a fresh new hell
Cheers,
Roman
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by gp-models »

waxdart wrote: Sat Apr 23, 2022 3:51 pm Great thread as my printer arrived yesterday and I have no idea where to start. Following with heavy interest! Thanks guys
This is a complete different story, the next step i would call it.
Good pointing as CAD is only half of the way when printing parts cause you need to figure out how your printer is working and what kind of issues you find when doing a print.
I started with using some files from internet, found them on Thingverse, 3D Cults and other sources.
You need to learn how to build up the parts in your printer software, in my case it is chitubox as i`m using an elegoo printer. A big point is also the adjustment of the buildplate, if not done correct, the prints might fail, a lesson you learn only by doing prints and see where problems show up. I printed the same part a few times and looked where differences show up, played with support structure, the angle of how i put it on the plate, curing times and so on.
This is also a learning curve you have to make cause sometimes parts don`t come out the way you like it or has to be.
The printers for home use are not that exact like you might expect, measure the parts and see where the problem is. Some things can be fixed by editing the CAD files, others with adjusting the part in a different angle, there are a lot of things that can misshappen but you need to learn how to fix them. Example, you draw a 0,5mm hole in a part but when printing it comes out as 0,3mm, once you know it, you take care when drawing the parts in CAD.
All over, it`s a learning curve so don`t expect that everything is allways fine in the first, sometimes it can take a few attemps to get it done right but with growing experience, your getting better.
There is also some comfort in the software for the printer like mirror function for example, so you don`t have to draw a part twice when you in need of the same part, but only mirrored. Also you can simply change the size of parts in that software, no need to draw them again or scale them up in CAD, this can also be done with the printing software.
Take a stand!
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Re: 3D Drawing/Printing Computer/Software advice needed!!

Post by Steffen_T »

steinietrabi wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 7:49 pm Steffen, can you tell me what kind of material your template is made of?
As it was a first test and just a tool - not a model - I took the cheapest available option, which was Gray PA12 at that point. And you are right. It is incredible rough! I could imagine it might work for a seat.

steinietrabi wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:08 pm https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FQCrarmWQAIDQb5?format=jpg&name=large
This endplate looks like a FW14B, right?
May I ask how thin you can make such an endplate?
Basically I see 3 levels:
The lowest level is the one on the inside of the rearwing with the areas where you can attach the various wing elements.
The level in the middle is the one with the whole profile
And the top level only has the details like reinforcement plates or the flap at the tail.
I would assume the level in the middle should be the thickest?

Btw: Making new wing configurations looks to me like a great opportunity to create something simple that makes a car look completely different

scaleautofactory wrote: Sun Apr 24, 2022 4:04 am My actual work - guess i work since 3 years on that model: Porsche 908/3 full detail
Engine - made with sketchup make 2017 plus some useful plugins like subdivision, round corner.
Image
Test print at shapeways with sls-material
Image
Thank you for the pictures of the 908/3 engine, Torsten!
Incredible work! Looks like sketchup has way more potential then I will ever be able to handle. :lol:
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